Head softball coach Michelle Cheatham announced on Sept. 2 that Cayte Billman has join her program as an assistant coach. Billman mentors the Roadrunners’ pitching staff.
“I’m very excited to add Cayte to this already amazing staff,” said Cheatham, who will enter her second season as head coach this fall. “She will bring an outstanding amount of knowledge pertaining to the physical and mental aspects of pitching, as well as a lot of energy and excitement about everything that is happening with our program at UTSA.”
“First, I would like to thank Director of Athletics Lynn Hickey and Michelle Cheatham for giving me this wonderful opportunity with a university and program that I feel is on the rise,” Billman said. “I look forward to working with our student-athletes and helping guide them to be successful on and off the diamond.”
Billman comes to UTSA from Pittsburg State, where she tutored the program’s pitchers, catchers and outfielders and assisted with offensive instruction. During her tenure, the program produced three National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Americans, six NFCA All-Region certificates and 20 All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) honorees.
Last season, the Pittsburg State posted a school-record eight all-league student-athletes, led by MIAA Player of the Year Tiffany Brown. The outfielder hit a school and conference record 27 homers and along with McKenzie Rynard, became the program’s first first-team NFCA All-Americans. The Gorillas hit a record 79 round-trippers and finished the campaign with a .325 batting average. In the circle, Sam Grove was an all-league honorable mention pick with a 2.97 ERA and 14 victories.
In all, three Pittsburg State hurlers earned All-MIAA honors in Billman’s three seasons.
Prior to her time with the Gorillas, Billman spent the 2011 season as a graduate assistant at South Dakota State, where she assisted with the pitchers and catchers along with producing practice plans, scouting reports and travel plans.
As a player, she began her collegiate career at Omaha, where she posted a 17-8 record with 117 strikeouts and a 2.01 ERA over two seasons. Billman ended her sophomore campaign with a 10-3 mark to go along with a 1.46 ERA and helped guide the Mavericks to a pair of North Central Conference titles.
Billman then transferred to Colorado State and earned a 12-9 record with three saves and five shutouts in her final two seasons. In addition to pitching duties, she played first base and hit .289 with four doubles, four homers and a .482 slugging percentage in that time.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies from Colorado State in 2008 before completing a master’s degree in education leadership at Pittsburg State last May.
A standout at Papillion La Vista High School in Papillion, Neb., Billman helped guide the Monarchs to four Class A state championships. She was a three time all-state honoree and closed her career with a 48-10 record and 0.47 ERA. In 2004, she was honored with a spot in the school’s hall of fame.