University of California - Riverside Women's Softball

Brittney Matta was introduced as the sixth head coach in UCR Division I history on August 9, 2024.  Matta, who most recently served as an assistant coach at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) prior to accepting the head coach role at UCR, has a history of success both as a player and a coach. An NCAA national champion catcher with the 2008 Arizona State Sun Devils, Matta was the 2023 ACCAC Coach of the Year and is known for her stellar recruiting, Matta joins UCR Athletics to lead its softball program into its next era.    Matta most recently served as UTEP's Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, a position she assumed in June 2023. Prior to her time at UTEP, she served as the head coach at South Mountain Community College (SMCC), where she revamped the program's culture and led the Cougars through four highly successful seasons, culminating in being named the 2023 ACCAC Coach of the Year with her team finishing the season ranked No. 3 nationally after earning a D2 Junior College World Series berth, a West District Championship, and Region 1 title.    Before her success at SMCC, Matta was an assistant coach at Mesa Community College from 2017 to 2019, contributing to the team's journey to the NJCAA Division II Regional Finals. Also, she was successful coaching at the prep level, leading Highland High School in Gilbert, Ariz., to the Arizona Interscholastic Association playoffs in her first year as head coach in 2014.   Matta's softball journey began at Arizona State University, where she made the team as a walk-on in 2006. After her playing career concluded, she remained a Sun Devil as an undergraduate assistant coach and helped lead the program to another NCAA National Championship in 2011.    A Northern California native, Matta graduated from Woodland High School and has been deeply involved in softball throughout her life. She has a daughter, Ava, who has been an integral part of her journey.

NFCA Hall of Famer and former NFCA President Cindy Bristow joined UC Riverside Softball as the program's pitching coach in September of 2018. Bristow rejoins the UCR softball staff for the 2026 season, marking her seventh season with UCR.  UC Riverside has had three All-Big West pitchers and eight Big West Pitchers of the Week during Bristow's time in Riverside.  Bristow's pitching guidance has seen numerous benchmarks set within the Highlander program, most recently in 2023 with Brooke Perez becoming the first UCR freshman pitcher with 10 wins in a season since Stephanie Marshall in 2006. Additionally, Maddie Heinlin that year became the eighth pitcher in program’s D1 history to record 100 strikeouts in a season - the second straight year it’d been done. Chrys Hildebrand did so a year prior in 2022 while breaking the program's Division I single-season strikeout record, also earning two Big West Pitcher of the Week honors and becoming the fastest Highlander in the program's Division I history to reach 100 strikeouts in a season (16 games). One of the most decorated coaches in the game, Bristow's arrival to the Inland Empire came after UCR enjoyed its most successful season to date, making its first ever postseason appearance and winning the NISC Regional Championship before ultimately finishing as runner-up. Bristow has brought 30-plus years of experience in the sport upon her arrival. She has played, coached and managed at the collegiate and professional level, has led several different Olympic National teams and has been involved in every aspect of the sport over the past three decades. Bristow's lifelong commitment and success was rewarded with an NFCA Hall of Fame induction in 2001. Bristow began her coaching career as an assistant at Arizona State (1980-81) and later went on to hold head coaching positions at New Mexico State (1984) and Wichita State (1985-86). At Arizona State, Bristow helped lead the Sun Devils to back-to-back 30-win seasons and NCAA Regionals. Following two years at ASU, she earned her first head coaching job at New Mexico State and soon after spent two years at the helm of Wichita State, where she oversaw the program's first no-hitter in 1985. In the professional ranks, Bristow served as the head coach of Florida Wahoos of the Women's Professional Softball League, leading the Wahoos to the 2000 WPSL title while being named WPSL Coach of the Year. Bristow was the Director of Junior Olympic Softball for the Amateur Softball Association for seven years, where she oversaw all youth softball in the United States. While in this position, she was also co-creator of the ASA's VIP Coaches Education Program. Once softball became an Olympic sport in 1996, Bristow became the Director of National Teams and Coaching Development for USA Softball. As Director, Bristow helped guide the selection of the United States' inaugural Olympic Softball team that won a gold medal in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Bristow also worked for the International Softball Federation (ISF) as its Director of Development working with over 126 countries to increase their level of coaching and play. A former pitcher, Bristow played her college ball at Cal Poly Pomona and professionally for the Santa Ana Lionettes. Away from coaching and playing, Bristow has always found ways to contribute to the sport. She has authored and produced several instructional books and videos, organized hundreds of clinics, and serves as a color analyst for ESPN. 

Kayla Bowen joined the UC Riverside softball coaching staff in 2025, bringing an accomplished playing and coaching background to the Highlanders. She will primarily work with the team’s defensive development while also providing operational support. Before arriving in Riverside, Bowen spent the 2024 season as an assistant coach at the Colorado School of Mines, where she assisted at Mines with defensive work, supporting the pitching staff, game planning and film review, administrative duties, and equipment and apparel management. A standout first baseman during her five-year collegiate career at New Mexico State, Bowen was a three-time All-WAC selection, earning First Team All-Conference and All-Defensive Team honors in 2023. That same season, she was recognized as an NFCA Third Team All-Pacific Region honoree—becoming just the 20th player in program history to earn All-Region distinction. Bowen started 207 of her 217 career games for the Aggies, including every contest over her final two seasons. A career .325 hitter, she tallied 205 hits, 45 doubles, 44 home runs, and 149 RBI, finishing with a .616 slugging percentage. In 2023, she turned in the best season of her career, hitting .387/.453/.817 with 14 doubles, 15 home runs, 37 RBI, 55 hits, and 42 runs scored. Known for her reliability both at the plate and in the field, Bowen finished her career ranked fifth all-time at New Mexico State in home runs and third in both doubles and single-season slugging percentage. Bowen also logged time in the circle in 2022, making 16 relief appearances that season. Defensively, she was an anchor at first base, recording a .996 fielding percentage in 2023 with just one error in 247 chances. A native of Fresno, California, Bowen earned her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and completed a master’s degree in Communication Studies at New Mexico State.  

Briza Blanco joins the UC Riverside softball staff in 2025 for her first season of Division I coaching, returning to the program where she spent five years as a pitcher and utility player from 2019–2024. A Riverside County native, Blanco built her career as a Highlander through her versatility, work ethic, and commitment to doing whatever the team needed. Blanco transitions into coaching with a deep understanding of the program’s culture and expectations, bringing both experience on the field and a strong connection to the UCR community. She is passionate about player development and is driven to help student-athletes grow, maximize their abilities, and build confidence through the game. With local roots, Big West familiarity, and a genuine enthusiasm for mentoring the next generation of Highlanders, Blanco adds energy, perspective, and pride to the UCR coaching staff. She graduated from UC Riverside in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology.