We’ll see another milestone tonight regarding women in baseball when the first female manager in the summer-collegiate Futures League, Margot Douillet, makes her debut leading the Pittsfield Suns from the bench.
Douillet will be a familiar face to Pittsfield Suns fans; she’s also the team’s director of operations and bullpen coach. She’ll make her debut tonight as interim head coach. Interestingly, she’ll make her debut on the road, as the team is at Centennial Field to take on the home in Vermont Lake Monsters. The game is set for 6:30 p.m.
“I’m extremely excited for this opportunity to take the helm for the Suns,” Douillet said via press release. “I think it’s an important step for the league and I hope it sets a precedent going forward.”
“Margot has been a huge asset to our organization since she started here as an intern. She’s worked her way up and has never looked down,” said Suns GM Sander Stotland via press release. “She’s the epitome of the phrase ‘hard work pays off.’ It’s very hard to find a person more determined and driven in their role than Margot.
“Listen, I’ve worked with Margot since 2018,” said Billy Madewell, Director of Broadcasting & Media Relations, via press release. “She expects results, likes things done the right way, and always has a hand guiding others to success. That is a fantastic leader if you ask me. The players respect the heck out of her. Everyone [in the clubhouse] understands how much Margot brings to the table and whatever she focuses on, she always produces. I’m certain the same energy will carry over as skipper.”
The past few seasons have seen a few historic milestones reached when it comes to women in baseball, including the naming of Kim Ng as first GM of an MLB team, the San Francisco Giants’ Alyssa Nakken as first female on-field coach, the Tampa Tarpons’ Rachel Balkovec as first manager of an MiLB team, and Kianna Jones making her debut as head coach for the Coastal Plain League’s Macon Bacon, becoming the first female head coach not only in the CPL but in summer collegiate baseball history. Jones and Douillet are making debuts on an interim basis, but we’re guessing it won’t long before we see a permanent appointment on the summer-collegiate level.
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