Northwestern College Women's Softball

Northwestern College announced the hiring of Alyssa Moreno as its next head softball coach in the summer of 2026. Moreno enjoyed success in her young career as the head coach at the University of St. Francis (Ill.). In two seasons at the helm, she led the Fighting Saints to a 58-36 overall record and a 32-11 conference mark. Last season, the Saints defeated eventual NAIA national champion Madonna (Mich.) and NAIA World Series qualifier Cumberlands (Ky.) while finishing as runners-up in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) following a 38-16 campaign. Under Moreno's leadership, St. Francis produced 15 All-CCAC selections, the 2026 CCAC Freshman of the Year in Sarah Viar, and three CCAC Gold Glove winners. Her teams also excelled in the classroom, producing 16 CCAC All-Academic honorees, nine NAIA Scholar Athletes, seven CSC NAIA Academic All-District selections, 15 NFCA Academic All-Americans, and one NFCA Team Academic Award. Prior to becoming head coach of St. Francis, Moreno developed through the program as a student-athlete and as a graduate assistant. In her first two seasons on the coaching staff, the Saints captured two CCAC regular season titles and a pair of NAIA tournament appearances. She assisted in the development of 15 all-conference picks, the CCAC Player and Pitcher of the Year, and an NAIA All-American. Moreno’s playing career saw her help her team to a 90-42 record, earn NAIA Scholar Athlete honors, and receive CCAC All-Academic accolades. Moreno represented the softball program on St. Francis’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and was the SAAC president from 2020-22. Originally from Valparaiso, Indiana, Moreno obtained a bachelor’s in health care management and a master’s in health administration from St. Francis.

Travis De Jong was hired in July 2025 as Northwestern's Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations. He also serves on the NWC athletic leadership team. De Jong comes to Northwestern from Orange City Christian School, where he has worked since 2014. Since 2022, he has served as Development Director, leading fundraising efforts for major projects and planning events. Throughout his time at OCCS, De Jong has also served as an Athletic Director and K-8 physical education teacher. In the AD role, he has managed facility rentals and scheduling, led the local Christian schools league, and managed equipment inventory and maintenance. Prior to his time in Orange City, De Jong held AD and teaching roles at Isaac Newton Christian Academy in Cedar Rapids from 2008-14. He has also been involved in athletics at Northwestern on a part-time basis, joining softball's staff as an assistant coach in 2021. De Jong graduated from Dordt University in 2008 with a degree in physical education and earned a master's in sport leadership from Dordt in 2023. He resides in Orange City with his wife, Kari, and children, Briggs, Krew, and Declyn. updated July 2025