LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Missouri Southern softball coaching staff of Hallie Blackney, Lexi Kinnaird and Caitlyn Wells was named the 2026 ATEC/NFCA Division II Central Region Coaching Staff of the Year, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced Friday.
Under this group's leadership, MSSU has produced one of the top seasons in program history, capturing both the 2026 MIAA Regular-Season Championship and the 2026 MIAA Tournament Championship.
The Lions advanced to the 2026 NCAA Division II Women's College World Series after hosting and winning both the NCAA Central Regional 1 and Central Super Regional as the No. 1 seed in Joplin, Missouri.
MSSU returns to the Division II Women's College World Series for the first time since 1992 as the No. 2 overall seed.
The Lions are 54-8 in 2026, setting a new program record for wins in a season and surpassing the previous mark of 52 victories set in 2001. Southern also finished 20-4 in MIAA play, securing the program's best conference record since 2023.
MSSU also earned significant postseason recognition on the field, producing two All-Americans, four All-Region selections, four MIAA All-Tournament Team honorees and seven All-MIAA selections during the record-setting campaign.
The Lions climbed as high as No. 3 in the NFCA Coaches Poll during the season, the highest national ranking in program history in the NFCA online records era, and finished the regular season ranked fifth among the nation's top teams throughout the spring.
Blackney registered her 200th career victory in January and 250th career victory in the Central Region 1 clincher on May 16. She owns a 253-138 career record in eight seasons leading the Lions.
The Central Region Coaching Staff of the Year honor marks another milestone for the Southern coaching staff after also earning 2026 MIAA Coaching Staff of the Year honors earlier this season.
2026 ATEC/NFCA Division II Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year
Eight programs, six of which reached the NCAA Division II National Championship, were selected by their peers as the 2026 ATEC/NFCA Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year, the Association announced on Friday.
Representing each of the NFCA's eight Division II regions, these respective coaching staffs – Glenville State University (Atlantic), Missouri Southern State University (Central), St. Thomas Aquinas College (East), University of Indianapolis (Midwest), Saint Leo University (South), Oklahoma Christian University (South Central), University of North Georgia (Southeast) and California State University San Marcos (West) - are now eligible for the NFCA Division II National Coaching Staff of the Year award, which will be announced on June 15.
Glenville State, Missouri Southern, STAC, Saint Leo, North Georgia and Cal State San Marcos are currently competing for a DII National Championship at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Regional (respective region only) and National Coaching Staffs of the Year are voted on by member head coaches.
