Missouri Southern State University Women's Softball

Hallie (pronounced Hal-lee) Blackney enters her eighth season as the head coach of the Lions with a 199-130-1 record at the helm heading into 2026. Blackney was named the 2021 MIAA Coach of the Year and became the third coach in MSSU program history to eclipse 100 wins during the 2023 season. 2025 In 2025, Blackney led the Lions to a 39-19 mark and an NCAA Regional Championship appearance, its best finish on the field since 1998. MSSU completed the campaign ranked 24th in the final NFCA rankings.   MSSU went 16-8 in MIAA play for the fourth seed in the league tournament. The Lions picked up a 9-5 win over No. 5 seed Central Missouri before facing top seeded Central Oklahoma in the MIAA Championship Semifinals.   MSSU then was ranked sixth in the Central Region ahead of the NCAA Regional in Magnolia, Arkansas. After dropping an extra-innings contest to No. 3 Augustana to open the Regional, the Lions rattled off back-to-back victories to advance to the Regional Championship game. Southern downed No. 7 Harding, 9-0, in run-rule fashion before capping the day with a 3-0 win over No. 2 Southern Arkansas.   Five MSSU softball players earned MIAA postseason awards. Kiki Pickens (First Team All-MIAA) was named MIAA Pitcher of the Year, while Bailey Dillon (First Team All-MIAA) took home Freshman of the Year. Katie Gray earned All-MIAA honors along with a Gold Glove award while Kate Thurman and Kylee Jacks earned All-MIAA Honorable Mention laurels.   Three Lions were named to the All-Region First Team: Kiki Pickens, Katie Gray, and Bailey Dillon. Gray was also named All-American by both the D2CCA (Second Team) and NFCA (Third Team) while Dillon was named a Third Team NFCA All-American.   2024 In 2024 the Lions posted a 33-22, 12-14 MIAA record for the eighth time winning above .500 of their games for the fifth consecutive season. In total six Lions earned All-MIAA honors in Jacks (2nd, OF), Amos (2nd, U/P), Nuckolls (2nd, 2B), Vargas (HM, OF), Gray (HM, 1B), and Kiki Pickens being named to the Gold Glove team as an pitcher. Yazmin Vargas concluded her career by breaking MSSU All-Time stolen bases (130) and runs (167) record while also finishing in the top-10 in hits, triples, walks, batting average and on-base percentage. Kara Amos wrapped up her career as a Lion with numerous top-10 career marks such as doubles, home runs, RBIs, walks, on-base percentage, pitching appearances and strikeouts. Adrianna Young finished her MSSU career tied for fourth in walks (58) and tied for ninth in stolen bases (43). The Lions set a new stolen base program record with 132 stolen bases in 150 attempts which also led the MIAA. The team had an outstanding year defensively, posting a 0.968 fielding percentage which is second best percentage in program history. The Lions also led the MIAA in hit-by-pitches with 47. 2023 In 2023 the Lions made their first NCAA Regional appearance since 2001 and hosting a regional for only the third time in program history and first time since 1993. Southern posted a 41-15, 21-5 MIAA record for the eighth time winning 40 or more games in a season and set a program record for MIAA wins in a season beating the mark set by the 2021 team. In total nine Lions earned All-MIAA honors in Vargas (1st, OF), Withers (2nd, 2B), Tofpi (HM, SS), Williams (HM, C), Avery Tallman (HM, P), Emily Perry (HM, OF), Katie Gray (HM, 1B), Kara Amos (HM, UT/P) and Adrianna Young being named to the Gold Glove team as an outfielder. Tallman joined Vargas and Withers as All-Region players as announced by the NFCA with Vargas and Withers being named All-Region by D2CCA and Withers becoming a D2CCA All-American. Leighton Withers concluded her career by being named an All-American for the programs first All-American in 25 years after tying the program single-season home run record with 11. Yazmin Vargas was an All-MIAA and All-Region (D2CCA & NFCA) first-team selection as an outfielder after swiping the second most bases in a single-season with 36. Josie Tofpi, Bailey Lacy and Ashlynn Williams finished up their careers with numerous top-20 career marks headlined by Tofpi finishing with a program record 147 runs scored, Lacy becoming the third pitcher in program history with back-to-back 100+ strikeout seasons and finished third in career strikeouts with 308, Williams finished tied for sixth in home runs, eighth for OPS, ninth for RBIs and slugging percentage, tied for ninth in walks, 10th in extra base hits and T-10th in putouts for a career. 2022 The 2022 season saw the Lions finish above .500 for the third year in a row and were above .500 in MIAA play for the second year in a row becoming the fifth team since 2000 to have an above .500 winning percentage overall and in conference play while being the first time to go three in a row since the 2000-02 seasons. The Lions had Leighton Withers and Yazmin Vargas named first team All-MIAA performers while seven overall earned All-MIAA honors. Vargas is now sixth in career steals and finished the 2022 season with a tie for the fourth most runs scored in a single-season. Withers showed off the long ball in 2022 with eight to rank tied for fifth best in a single-season while also chipping in with the a tie for the seventh most RBI's in a season with 42 while slugging .661 the seventh best percentage among qualified hitters in school history. Josie Tofpi has her name listed in the top-10 for a career in runs, doubles, triples, batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage and extra base hits after the conclusion of the 2022 season and should make a run at adding her name onto the career lists for games played, at bats, hits, RBIs, total bases, walks and assists.  For the second time ever in program history the Lions had two pitchers finish with 100 or more strikeouts in the same season as Bailey Lacy had 119 for the 10th best tally in school history for a single season and eclipsed the 200 career mark and is tied for eighth currently, while Kara Amos finished with 100 and is nearing the 200 strikeout accomplishment. Lacy also finished the season with a 5.92 strikeout per seven inning rate the sixth best in a single-season while moving into fourth in the category among career ranks. As a team the Lions had 13 named onto the MIAA Academic Honor with Tori Frazier being a recipent of the prestigious MIAA Academic Excellence Award with a 4.0 in biology. The 100 strikeout pitching duo of Kara Amos and Bailey Lacy were named MIAA Scholar-Athletes as both were named All-MIAA and hold a 3.50 or better grade point average. 2021 In 2021, Blackney was named the MIAA Softball Coach of the Year (first since 2001) after the Lions were picked to finish 11th in the preseason poll before eventually finishing in third. The Lions had a 30-15-1 record, the first 30-win season since 2011, and in MIAA play the Lions set a school record for wins going 19-6-1. It was the first back-to-back winning season since 2001-02 and at home the Lions went 17-4-1 the most wins at home since 2011. As a team the Lions had eight earn MIAA Academic awards, Abby Atkin and Tori Frazier were named onto the prestigious MIAA Academic Excellence Award by having a 4.0 GPA. Atkin, and Makaila Leonhart were named Scholar - Athletes as they had at least a 3.50 GPA or higher and earned All-MIAA honors on the field. Kayla Arzate, Atkin, Frazier, Sidnie Hurst, Leonhart, Lynnlee Parrott, Josie Tofpi and Kristen Wade were named onto the honor for a 3.0 GPA or higher. Sophomore, Josie Tofpi earned first-team All-MIAA honors at shortstop, freshman pitcher / utility player Kara Amos and sophomore catcher Ashlynn Williams were on the second-team. Senior second basemen Makaila Leonhart, junior pitcher Abby Atkin, sophomore infielder / utility player Leighton Withers, freshman corner outfielders Yazmin Vargas and Adrianna Young were named honorable mentions. Amos, was named a second-team All-Region Utility / Pitcher by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and was named onto the MIAA All-Tournament team. Tofpi, was named onto the D2CCA Softball All-Central Region second-team as a shortstop as well.  Highlights of the 2021 season included beating then #22 Rogers State 5-3 at home, the second win against a ranked team in Blackney's tenure. The first win against Central Missouri in Warrensburg since 2014, first sweep of Washburn since 2011 and Emporia State since 2016. Closed the season on a ten-game home winning streak that included beating Missouri Western four straight times and advanced to the second round of the MIAA postseason tournament for the first time since 2011,  2020 In 2020, the Lions finished the COVID-19-shortened season with an 11-9 record. The Lions had 15 players earn a spot on the Academic Honor Roll. 2019 In 2019, Blackney led the Lions to a 19-25 overall record and a 10-16 record in the MIAA. The Lions had 12 players who placed on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. Southern captured four spots on the All-MIAA squads as senior pitcher Taurean Guzman earned second-team while senior designated player Lexi Ferrari, junior second baseman Makaila Leonhart, and freshman shortstop Josie Tofpi gained honorable mention. Prior to Southern Blackney came to Southern after two seasons with Division I George Washington University. In 2018, Blackney helped guide the program to a record 33 wins and a return to the A-10 Championship behind a nationally ranked offense that averaged more than six runs per game. The Colonials set new program bests for batting average (.328), on-base percentage (.394), slugging percentage (.493), hits (493), runs (331), home runs (42), total bases (741), steals (108) and more.   Thanks to that impressive production, GW equaled a program record with its six A-10 postseason honorees.   In her first season in 2017, Blackney helped GW to a then-record 28 victories, including 11 in A-10 play. The Colonials set program records for hits (426), batting average (.302), RBI (243), extra-base hits (125), total bases (626), slugging percentage (.444), fewest strikeouts (201) and best fielding percentage (.964).   Blackney joined the Colonials after serving as assistant coach at the University of South Dakota for three seasons. Blackney coached 15 All-Summit League selections, three NFCA All-Region honorees and one academic All-American for the Coyotes.   Blackney helped South Dakota amass 72 wins during her tenure and worked primarily with the hitters, leading the squad to a Summit League-record 77 home runs in 2015, ranking 17th nationally.   Prior to her stint at South Dakota, Blackney helped the Fort Wayne Mastodons in Indiana claim a Summit League Tournament Title to earn a trip to NCAA Regionals during her two years as assistant coach.   Blackney began her Division I coaching experience at Southeast Missouri State University during the 2011-12 season. She is a 2008 graduate of Truman State University where she was an All-MIAA utility player. She served as a graduate assistant coach at Division II Bemidji State University from 2009-11. All-MIAA selections through the years 2025 Kiki Pickens - 1st Team, MIAA Pitcher of the Year,  P (1st-team All-Region, P by the NFCA) Bailey Dillon - 1st Team, MIAA Freshman of the Year, OF (3rd-team NFCA All-American, 1st-team All-Region, OF by the NFCA) Katie Gray - 1st Team, Gold Glove Team, INF, (2nd-team D2CCA & 3rd team NFCA All-American, 1st-team All-Region, INF by the NFCA) Kate Thurman - Honorable Mention, UT Kylee Jacks - Honorable Mention, OF 2024 Kylee Jacks - 2nd team, Gold Glove Team, OF Kara Amos - 2nd team, UT/P Taylor Nuckolls - 2nd team, 2B Yazmin Vargas - Honorable Mention, Gold Glove Team, OF Katie Gray - Honorable Mention, 1B Kiki Pickens - Gold Glove Team, P 2023 Yazmin Vargas - 1st-team, OF (1st-team All-Region, OF by the NFCA & D2CCA) Leighton Withers - 2nd-team, 2B (2nd-team All-American, UT by D2CCA, 1st-team All-Region, UT by D2CCA and 2nd-team All-Region, DP by the NFCA) Avery Tallman - Honorable Mention, P (2nd-team All-Region, P by the NFCA) Kara Amos - Honorable Mention, UT/P Katie Gray - Honorable Mention, 1B Josie Tofpi - Honorable Mention, SS Emily Perry - Honorable Mention, OF Ashlynn Williams - Honorable Mention, C Adrianna Young - Gold Glove, OF 2022 Yazmin Vargas - 1st team, OF Leighton Withers - 1st team, UT/Non-P Kara Amos - 2nd team, UT/P Josie Tofpi - 2nd team, SS Bailey Lacy - Honorable Mention, P Ashlynn Williams - Honorable Mention, C Adrianna Young - Honorable Mention, OF 2021 Josie Tofpi - 1st team, SS (2nd-team All-Region, SS by D2CCA) Kara Amos - 2nd team, UT/P (2nd-team All-Region, UT/P by NFCA) Ashlynn Wiliams - 2nd team, C Makalia Leonhart - Honorable Mention, 2B Leighton Withes - Honorable Mention, UT/Non-P Yazmin Vargas - Honorable Mention, OF Adrianna Young - Honorable Mention, OF 2019 Taurean Guzman - 2nd team, P Lexi Ferrari - Honorable Mention, DP Makaila Leonhart - Honorable Mention, 2B Josie Tofpi - Honorable Mention, SS   Year Overall MIAA Postseason 2019 19-25 10-16 (11th) 2020 11-9 1-3 2021 30-15-1 19-6-1 (3rd) MIAA Coach of the Year MIAA Tournament Semifinalist 2022 26-25 14-12 (6th) MIAA Tournament 2023 41-15 21-5 (2nd) MIAA Tournament Championship Appearance NCAA Regional Appearance 2024 33-22 12-14 (9th) MIAA Tournament   2025 39-19 16-8 (t-3rd) MIAA Tournament Semifinalist NCAA Regional Championship Appearance Total 199-130-1 (.605) 93-64-1 1x MIAA Coach of the Year 2x NCAA Regional Tournament Appearance 5x MIAA Tournament Appearances 1x MIAA Tournament Championship Appearance  

Lexi Kinnaird joined Southern in June 2024 after being hired as the pitching coach for the Lions. Kinnaird joins Southern with three years of MIAA coaching experience (2022-24) as a pitching coach for Missouri Western State University where she led the Griffons pitching to top five finishes in earned run average and All-MIAA honors all three years on staff.  Prior to coaching, the native of Tiffin, Iowa, Kinnaird played one season at Missouri Western in 2019, pitching in 21 games. Kinnaird finished with a 12-5 record with a 4.06 ERA in 98.1 innings for the Griffons. Prior to Missouri Western, Kinnaird went 55-6 in the circle during her two seasons at Kirkwood Community College where she broke the school record for wins.  She had a 1.93 ERA as a freshman in 2016 and a 1.47 ERA in 2017 as a sophomore.  Kinnaird helped the Eagles go 113-12 over her two years at Kirkwood and earned NJCAA All-American honors both years.  "We feel extremely grateful to have someone like Lexi join our program," coach Blackney commented, "She is a proven winner, knows how to compete, develops and guides pitchers extremely well, and will be a great representative for MSSU. She is already extremely knowledgeable of our program and the MIAA conference, and I can't wait for her to bring her own energy into our program. I am ecstatic for our players, and our coaching staff, to learn from her. Welcome to the Pride, Lexi!"

Caitlyn Wells enters her first season as a Graduate Assistant for Missouri Southern Softball in 2026. Wells heads to Joplin after a five-year collegiate softball career.  She was a two-time All-American, All-Central Region selection and First Team all-conference performer during her two seasons at Arkansas Tech. She batted .400 across a total of 100 games (99 starts) at Arkansas Tech with 15 home runs, 87 RBIs, 30 doubles and 38 runs scored. Wells slugged .638 and earned a .465 on-base percentage, while she also had 34 walks compared to 25 strikeouts. In her two seasons with the Golden Suns, Wells captured a Great American Conference regular season title, two conference tournament championships along with two NCAA Central Region Tournament appearances. At University of Texas at Tyler, she helped the Patriots win the 2023 Lone Star Conference regular season title and tournament title. The team concluded the season third overall at the NCAA Division II College World Series. Wells hit .278 at the plate over 45 games (29 starts) with five home runs, four doubles, seven runs and had 26 RBI in her one season at UT Tyler. She then concluded her collegiate career at South Dakota State, playing in 29 games (10 starts) in 2025. Wells totaled 10 hits including four doubles with five RBI and two runs.  The Edmond, Oklahoma, native, earned her bachelor's in interdisciplinary studies with a minor in physical education from South Dakota State University. She will complete her master's in sports and recreation management this academic year at Missouri Southern.