Amber Maisonet was named the head softball coach in June of 2011 after serving as the interim head coach during the 2011 season. In her tenure at RPI, her teams have won at least 20 games ten times (the only two years without were during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 and 2021 campaigns), including 26-or-more victories eight times - including a new best 32 wins in the 2023 campaign. She has garnered six Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
Maisonet led the Engineers to a spectacular 32-win season in 2023, marking the second-highest win total in a single-season in program history. The Engineers earned the top seed in the Liberty League playoffs, and made the NCAA Tournament for just the fourth time in program history earning the program's first at-large bid. The Engineers resume for the at-large bid was strong, boasting wins over four automatic bid teams in the NCAA Tournament field (Williams, Rochester, Redlands, UWisconsin-Lacrosse). The Engineers also posted their longest winning streak (16 games) since 2006 (19 games).
In 2023, Maisonet also saw seven players selected for All-Liberty League awards, including the league's Pitcher and Rookie of the Year while Maisonet earned her sixth Coaching Staff of the Year honor. In addition, graduate student Erin Askins earned All-Region and National All-American honors - becoming just the fourth player in program history to earn All-American status.
The 2022 campaign led to a 25-17 finish, setting the Engineers up for success a year later. A truncated 2021 campaign allowed for 15 games, which RPI won 10 despite a limited roster because of coronavirus-related restrictions. Regardless of the shortened season, Maisonet's squad qualified for the Liberty League Tournament and placed four on All-Conference teams.
The 2020 campaign was off to a perfect start as the Engineers won their first 12 contests before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In that streak, they outscored the opposition 99-25 with a team batting average of .370 and an earned run average of 2.28.
The season before, RPI won 28 games (28-11) - the third most in school history - and earned a spot in the Liberty League Tournament. It enjoyed a 26-win season in 2018 (26-11), including a home record of 15-2 and a 13-1 league mark. The Engineers, who had winning streaks of seven and eight games, were first in the conference and hosted the Liberty League Tournament. Maisonet was named the Coach of the Year and seven student-athletes captured All-League, highlighted by Sarah Harms being chosen as the Pitcher of the Year.
The 2017 campaign was one of the most successful in school history as the Engineers won 27 games (27-14), captured the Liberty League Tournament on their home field and advanced to the Regional Final in the NCAA Tournament. Senior Stephanie Caudle was the conference Player of the Year and a National All-America (utility) and junior Devan Puhl garnered CoSIDA National Academic All-America First Team honors - all for the second straight season. Maisonet and assistant coach Mandy Ferro were tabbed as the Staff of the Year.
RPI recorded 28 wins (28-11) in 2016 behind Caudle, who became just the third National All-America in school history, and Puhl, the third in program history to earn Academic All-America honors. The Engineers posted a 24-18 overall record with a 10-2 mark in league play in 2014, claiming the Liberty League regular season championship and advancing to the tournament championship game.
Maisonet and her staff earned Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year for the third straight time in 2013 after leading the Engineers to a 26-15 record and capturing the Liberty League Championship. Freshman catcher Taylor Ten Eyck was the Liberty League Rookie of the Year and senior first baseman Gillian McCarthy earned her fourth straight unanimous All-Liberty League First Team honor, the conference's Co-Player of the Year and a repeat CoSIDA National Academic All-America selection.
In 2012, Maisonet saw her squad win 27 games (27-14), going 9-1 in Liberty League play. The Engineers won the conference's regular season crown for the second straight year, once again hosting the Liberty League Tournament and advancing to the championship game. For the second straight season, Maisonet coached the conference's Player of the Year in Sara Heller, who went on to earn All-Region honors. Additionally, Kristina Weltzin was named the league's Pitcher of the Year and Maisonet garnered Coaching Staff of the Year.
A native of Newburgh, N.Y., Maisonet saw success in her interim season as RPI posted a 26-11 overall mark and a 6-2 record against Liberty League opponents – the team's best mark since going 7-1 in 2006 – to earn the top seed in the conference tournament. She won the league's Coaching Staff of the Year and mentored the Player of the Year in Jen Bach, who later became just the second player in Engineers history to be named a National All-America.
Maisonet originally joined the Rensselaer staff as an assistant coach in 2009, helping the team to a 26-14 overall record and the finals of the ECAC Tournament. She continued in that role in 2010 before taking over the program.
As a student-athlete, Maisonet played Division I softball and soccer at the University at Albany, enjoying tremendous success for the Great Danes. She was inducted into the UAlbany Athletic Hall of Fame in October of 2015.
As an outfielder she was a four-year starter and two-year captain who earned All-East First Team recognition every season. She graduated with school career records for hits (233) and runs (151) and ranked in the top five in a number of other categories, including second in stolen bases (96), fourth in batting average (.361) and triples (12), and fifth in RBI (80).
The 2005 America East Rookie of the Year, Maisonet led Albany to three straight America East Championships (2005, 2006, 2007) as well as an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007 when the team advanced to the Regional Final.
Following her senior season in 2008, she was a CoSIDA National Academic All-America First Team selection and the University at Albany Female Athlete of the Year. She was also America East All-Academic First Team for the fourth straight year and she won the Chancellors College Athlete Award.
In addition to softball, Maisonet, a graduate of Newburgh Free Academy, started 12 of 14 matches played as a goalkeeper on the soccer team as a graduate student in 2008.
Maisonet graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in psychology and a minor in mathematics. She earned a Master's in Educational Administration from Albany in 2010.
She and her wife Gabrielle have son Bennett and daughter Parker.
Updated May 2021
