SAN FRANCISCO -- Academy of Art University Athletics has announced Dominique Humphrey as its new assistant coach for softball. Humphrey will work alongside Head Coach Geena Garabedian and Assistant Coach Mariah Mazon as ART U approaches its 2024 season.

"I'm thrilled to be joining a program close to home," Humphrey said. "I'm also eager to contribute to the program's success by fostering development, teamwork, and a positive, growth-oriented environment. I'm looking forward to learning from and working with Coach Garabedian and Coach Mazon."

Making history as the Historical Black Colleges and Universities' first international softball player and the first HBCU product to coach softball internationally, Humphrey began her professional career with Malta's Ghajnsielem Redcoats then joined Switzerland's Zurich Challengers for the 2021 Milan Winners Cup. She then returned to the Red Coats and won a second Maltese National Championship.

Humphrey was also a Spanish League and Copa de La Reina Champion with Rivas Madrid in Spain, part of the Papanui Tigers Premier Women's Team in New Zealand, and both a 2023 Swiss Regular Season and National Champion with the Wittenbach Panthers in Switzerland.

A head coach during her overseas career as well, Humphrey helped the Papanui Tigers' 18U Team be named 2022-23 Team of the Year as the they prepared for the New Zealand National Team selection. Prior to her time with the Tigers, Humphrey led the Malta National Team to their first-ever European Championship appearance where her team would finish their season ranked 19th in the continent.

"I'm extremely excited to have Dominique join me on staff at Academy of Art," Garabedian said. "Her experiences coaching the Papanui Tigers of New Zealand and Maltese National Team will help strengthen and provide a new perspective to our program. She's dedicated to providing the best student-athlete experience possible as well as growing the program. I look forward to working with her as we continue to build on her first year at Academy of Art."

En route to earning her master's degree in Addiction Studies University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Humphrey served as a graduate assistant coach for her alma mater from 2019 to 2021.

A collegiate softball student-athlete in her own right, Humphrey was a starting catcher across 72 games, finishing her career with eight home runs, including one grand slam, 31 runs batted in, and a 0.965 fielding percentage in her final two seasons before graduating with a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from UAPB.