University of Maryland Athletics

Sara Butler was announced as Assistant Women's Soccer Coach on May 14, 2024, joining the Terrapins’ women’s soccer program as the team’s goalkeeper coach. Butler came to Maryland from Saint Francis University, where she was previously the head coach for the Red Flash. 

In the 2023 season, Butler became the fifth-fastest Saint Francis women’s soccer coach to reach 10 wins at the program. Butler accomplished the feat in just 31 games at the helm. In 2023, Butler coached Sarah McConnon to Second Team All-Northeast Conference selection after posting a career bests in goals against average (1.42) and save percentage (.788). In her first year as head coach at Saint Francis in 2022, Butler led the program to seven wins and an appearance in the NEC Tournament Quarterfinals. 

Before becoming the head coach at Saint Francis, Butler was an assistant coach at St. Bonaventure for one season. In that one season, Butler coached an Atlantic-10 first-team performer, a second-team honoree and two All-Rookie team selections. Goalkeeper Chiara Gottinger led the Atlantic 10 and was sixth in the nation in saves (119) and earned A-10 All-Freshman team honors under Butler’s tutelage. Gottinger also led the A-10 in saves per game (6.26), while ranking second in the conference in save percentage (.832) and third in shutouts (six). Gottinger’s six shutouts tied the St. Bonaventure single-season shutouts record while her Goals Against Average of 1.19 stands second in program history. Saint Bonaventure registered its best winning percentage and first winning conference season since the 2013 campaign with a 7-8-4 overall record and 5-4-0 mark in the Atlantic-10.

Prior to her lone season at St. Bonaventure, Butler was an assistant coach at Eastern Kentucky University. At EKU, Butler coached the first conference Freshman of the Year in program history in Nerea de Diego, who also garnered All-Atlantic Sun Second Team honors. EKU reached the four win plateau in the abbreviated 2020-21 season, which tied the team’s win total for the 2019 season despite playing eight fewer matches.

Before joining the staff at Eastern Kentucky, Butler was an assistant coach at NCAA Division III Houghton College in western New York. The Highlanders finished the 2019 season 8-7-2 and 3-3-1 in the Empire 8 Conference for its first winning season in three years. Butler coached one All-Empire 8 first-team selection and three honorable mentions.

During her playing career, Butler established a great resume while playing at Division III at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pa., one of the top Division-III women's soccer programs in the country. As a senior in 2018, Butler was named a First Team All-American after logging more than 1,400 minutes, and making 25 saves while surrendering only five goals. A local product to Messiah College from nearby Dillsburg, Pa., she held a 17-1-2 record while completing seven shutouts and posting a 0.833 save percentage. Butler was the first All-America goalkeeper in Messiah history. 

In her playing career, Butler played in 60 games, stopping 90 shots while only allowing 14 goals. Butler recorded 26 shutouts and a record of 36-4-4, while being a two-time first team All-Midwest Conference selection. Butler spent five years at Messiah College, where her teams finished with an impressive 106-6-12 record, which included finishes in the national Sweet 16 (2018), Elite Eight (2014 & 2017), Final Four (2015) and a national runner-up finish in 2016. Butler graduated from Messiah College with a Bachelor's Degree in nursing and is currently working towards her Master's Degree of Business Administration from Messiah.

Updated August 12, 2025