Benedictine University Mesa

Rachel Quintero is headed into here second season here at Benedictine as head coach after her tenure with the Cal State East Bay coaching staff. Quintero's coaching career is distinguished, having previously served as the first-ever head coach for the softball program at Academy of Art University. During her time there, she transformed the team into a winning program, achieving back-to-back 29-win seasons in 2010 and 2011. Her leadership resulted in the recruitment and development of 61 PacWest Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll Selections, 13 postseason honors, and 3 NFCA All-Region Second Team honors. She was named Coach of the Year for the 2010-2011 school year. Before this, Quintero spent four seasons as an assistant coach with UC Davis Aggies, where she coached infielders and catchers, and assisted with recruiting, training, academics, and youth camps.
 
Quintero had a standout collegiate playing career. She began at West Valley Junior College in Santa Clara, California, where she was an All-American, All-State, and All-Conference catcher, leading the team to a fifth-place finish in the state in 2001 with a .474 batting average. She then transferred to Santa Clara University, where she compiled one of the most decorated careers in the program's history. She set the single-season record for home runs in her first season and helped the team achieve a school-record 30 wins and a second-place finish in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference. As a senior, she led the PCSC with a .448 batting average and earned first-team All-PCSC honors, contributing to another 30-win season and a first-place conference finish. She remains among the top five in program history for home runs, slugging percentage, and walks.
 
In 2006, Quintero was selected for the Israeli National Softball team and was asked to assist with the Junior National Team and Israeli Youth Softball. Since 2012, she has also been the owner and lead instructor for Game Day Training in Vacaville, California, where she manages day-to-day business operations, trains individuals in various softball skills, and hires staff to run clinics throughout northern California. Quintero earned her bachelor’s degree in studio art from Santa Clara University in 2004 and a master’s degree in health, P.E., and Recreation from Saint Mary’s College in 2007.
 
After taking a break to focus on family, Quintero returned to college coaching at CSU East Bay from 2015-2016 and again from 2021-2023. She currently resides in Mesa, Arizona with her husband Dino and their three children, Charlotte, Calvin, and Chloe. Quintero's extensive experience as both a player and a coach, along with her dedication to developing successful programs and players, makes her a valuable addition to the Benedictine coaching staff.