Vicky Rios completed her eighth season with the Hornets in 2025. After one year as assistant coach, she was elevated to associate head coach in 2019 and has spent the past seven years in that capacity.
With 25 years of collegiate coaching experience and over 27 years as a professional softball instructor, Rios is heavily involved with coaching the Hornet hitters and defense, as well as recruiting and scouting.
This past season (2025), Rios oversaw the top offense in program history. Not only did the team finish the season 27-23 overall and 10-5 in the Big Sky Conference, the Hornets set nine offensive single-season records. That includes batting average (.314), on-base percentage (.387), slugging percentage (.547), runs (293), home runs (67), doubles (80), RBIs (271), total bases (698) and stolen bases (74).
Eight Hornets hit above .300 in 2025, and six of those players were named to the all-conference team. That included the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year (Lafulafu Malepeai .382), and the Big Sky Freshman of the Year (Madison Evers-Lyles .378).Â
The team has hit at least .288 each of the last four seasons, including .290 in 2024, .291 in 2023, and .288 in 2022.
In 2023, she helped coach the Hornets to a Big Sky Conference regular season championship, a 27-20 overall record and 10-5 league mark. Sacramento State, which had nine players selected all-conference, hit .291 as a team and five regulars hit better than .320.
During Rios’ eight-year tenure, the Hornets have a 203-171 overall record and 70-45 in league play.
Rios was part of a coaching staff that guided the Hornets to the 2018 Big Sky regular season and tournament championships while qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Sacramento State, which finished the season 31-20 overall and 14-7 in league, won its first Big Sky title since the league began sponsoring softball in 2013. In addition, the NCAA Tournament appearance was the program’s first since 2008, and the fourth since Sacramento State became a Div. I member in 1990 (1993, 1995, 2008, 2018).
A combined 54 Hornets have been named all-conference during her tenure, and a program-record three were named all-Pacific Region in 2022 - Lewa Day, Marissa Bertuccio, Lexie Webb. A Hornet hitter received Big Sky Player of the Year honors in both 2024 (Day) and 2018 (Suzy Brookshire). This past season, Sacramento State placed 10 players on the all-conference team - most since the 2014 season.
Rios has been a private hitting and defense instructor in the Sacramento area, and her students have played in numerous Div. I conferences, including the Pac-12, Mountain West, Big West, Big Sky, West Coast, Conference USA and the SWAC.
Prior to her arrival with the Hornets, she had assistant coaching stops at UC Davis (2011-14), Sacramento City College (2009-11) and Riverside City College (2008-09). Rios also spent five years as the associate head coach at UC Riverside (2003-08), and spent two years as an assistant at Cosumnes River College (2001-03) and San Jose State (1999-01). The Sacramento native began her extensive coaching carer as head coach at Santa Clara from 1997-99. She has been a professional softball instructor/clinician since 1995.
While at UC Davis, Rios coached infield, hitting and slap hitting while also being involved with recruiting, fundraising and team travel. She helped coach the Aggies to a combined 70 wins over her three seasons. She held the same duties during her two years at Sacramento City College, and helped coach the Panthers to a Big 8 Conference championship in 2010 and a second place finish in 2011.
Prior to her tenure at Sac City, Rios was an assistant at Riverside City College during the 2008-09 academic year. In addition to her duties as a physical education professor, she served as the coach for infield and hitting. During the 2009 season, Rios and the Tigers made the first state championship appearance in program history.
She began her collegiate playing career at Sacramento City College, earning team MVP and all-state honors while helping the Panthers capture the Camino Norte Conference title and finish third at the state tournament as a freshman. In 1992, she helped Sac City to conference and state championships, earning all-league and all-state accolades. She also served as team captain and won the team’s Defensive Player of the Year award both seasons.
Rios transferred to Cal State Northridge in 1993, where she was named honorable mention all-WAC and helped the Matadors win the league title and reach the College World Series. As a senior in 1994, she capped her career by leading the Matadors to another WAC championship and a second place finish at the College World Series. Once again, Rios garnered all-WAC honorable mention accolades and received her team’s most inspirational and outstanding defense awards.
Following her collegiate career, Rios was drafted to play in the Women’s Professional Softball League. She also played on a women’s select team that competed against international teams such as China, New Zealand, Taipei and Canada.
Rios earned a master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia in 2010, and bachelor’s degree in recreation from Cal State East Bay in 2001.
