University of the Incarnate Word Women's Softball

Kimberly Dean was tabbed the head coach of the University of the Incarnate Word softball program in July of 2021.She is headed into her fourth year leading the program. In her first season as head coach the Cards earned the fifth seed in the SLC Tournament, but dropped the first two games. In the following year UIW missed the tournament before bouncing back in her third year with a 15-8 conference record. This time the Cardinals earned the four seed in the tournament. A coach Dean led team knocked off the number one seed McNeese Cowboys to advance to the final series, before falling to Southeastern Louisiana.  In 2024, under coach Dean, the Cardinals had their best single season record in Division I history at 34-17. Along with this, she coached the Cards to two first team and three second team all-conference selections and the SLC Player of the Year and all-region selections. A 12-year coaching veteran, Dean spent the past four seasons as the head coach of the Georgia Southern Softball (GSU) program. In the 2021 season, Dean secured her 100th career collegiate head coach victory, improving her overall record to 103-77. Dean lead GSU to three Sun Belt Conference Tournament Qualifier appearances in her four years. In addition, under Dean the GSU softball program led the nation in community service hours in 2018, 2020, and 2021. Prior to Georgia Southern, Dean served as the head coach for the Armstrong State University (ASU) Softball program. At ASU, Dean and her staff received the Coaching Staff of the Year award in 2017. In that year, they appeared in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament, the Southeast Regional Tournament, and the National Semifinals. Dean’s coaching career started at the University of Southern Indiana (USI), as the assistant coach for the Screaming Eagles from 2009-2016. During her seven years with USI, Dean helped led the team to four conference tournaments, three regional tournaments and an overall record of 209-167. While at USI, Dean assisted in all aspects of recruiting, practice planning and execution, scouting reports, and pitch calling. Dean also monitored the academics of a Southern Indiana program that featured 56 academic all-conference honorees, four CoSIDA Academic All-District honorees and two CoSIDA Academic All-America honorees. AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA (2009-16) In 2009, Dean joined the Division II program at Southern Indiana to help in many aspects of the sport. As an assistant coach her activities included helping out with recruiting, complying list to for pitching and hitting charts, and helping in the formation of practice plans. In addition to her duties, Dean was in charge of monitoring the academic progress of the student- athletes. In 2012 and 2014 she was so successful she lead the team to achieve the highest grade point average in the athletic department. In the seven years with the program she held an overall record of 209-167. This includes four trips to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament and three trips to the Midwest Regional Tournament. AT ARMSTRONG STATE UNIVERSITY (2016-17) Prior to her time at Georgia Southern, Dean spent a year at Division II, Armstrong State in Savannah, Georgia. As the Head Coach of the program she led the program to an overall record of 38-14. During that year Dean led the team to become National Semifinalist. After qualifying for the Peach Belt Conference Tournament and winning the Southeast Regional Tournament the team had a historic year. In making history, Dean coached the Peach Belt Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Three of her members were named to the all- conference first team and three more were named to the all- conference second team. Dean and her staff were named the Coaching Staff of the Year in the Southeast Region. AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN (2017-21) As the Head Coach at Georgia Southern Dean managed all day to day operations within the program After leaving in 2021, she finished with an overall record of 82-89. While with the Eagles she became the chair of Student Conduct and the school’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. In addition to her roles, she took on the role of being the Director of the Booster Club and Community Engagement. In 2018, 2020, and 2021 Dean had Georgia Southern lead the nation in community service hours. While competing in the Sun Belt Conference, Dean led the team to the conference tournament three times. During their first trip to the tournament in 2018, the Eagles recorded the fastest time to 10 wins in school history. They also broke the record for most home runs in a season (49) and total RPI’s with 85. Dean coached many players to collect accolades during her time at Georgia Southern. Some of the many were a player named to the NFCA All- South Region, three players to the Sun Belt All- Conference teams, and a COSIDA Academic All- District member. PLAYING DAYS During her time as a student- athlete at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, she was a two-time All- GLVC honoree and twice lead the team in batting average. After completing her four-year softball career, Dean spent one season as a student-assistant for the Rangers. PERSONALDean graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in Coaching in 2006 from University of Wisconsin- Parkside. In 2021 she went on to obtain a Master of Public Adminstration from the University of Southern Indiana. COACH DEAN'S FILE Alma Mater: University of Wisconsin- Parkside (2006); Southern Indiana (2021) UIW Record: 15-35  2021-present: University of the Incarnate Word  2017-21: Georgia Southern Head Coach 2016-18: Armstrong State Head Coach 2009-16: University of Southern Indiana Assistant Coach

Elyssa Barrientos took over as head coach of the University of the Incarnate Word cheer team in the Fall of 2022. Under her guidance, she led the UIW cheer squad to a fifth place finish at the 2023 NCA Collegiate National Championships in the Intermediate Small Coed Division I level. Barrientos is a UIW Cheer alum and also serves as the Antonian Collge Prepartoy Catholic School Cheerleading Coach where she has earned two NCA National Titles. 

Robyn Leighton came to the 210 for the 2023 season as an assistant coach.   The 2024 season was historic for the Cardinals with a 34-17 record making it all the way to the Southland Conference Championship before unfortunately falling to Southeastern Louisiana.   Before coming to UIW Leighton was coaching at Eastern Kentucky. Starting in the summer of 2020 as a full time assistant, after one year as the volunteer assistant.   In her three years with EKU she served as the director of player development, volunteer and full-time assistant coach. She helped assist the program to a 22-2 record, the best start in program history and a top-50 RPI before the season was cut short due to COVID-19.   Before her time at Eastern, Leighton was a graduate assistant as Southern Arkansas University where she helped assist the program to a 2019 Great American Conference regular season championship. She assisted the program to a 2019 NCAA Division II Central regional appearance, while assisting in day-to-day operations including planning practice, throwing batting practice, working on catcher development; assist with pitching and hitting individuals.   Leighton is a 2018 graduate from Morehead State, where she got her degree in sport management. She was a four-year player for the Eagles. During her time at Morehead State, she was named to the Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner's honor roll all four years and the Dean's List three times. She was named All-OVC second team in 2016. In 2017, Leighton was a Student Government Association Female Athlete of the Year nominee, Morehead State athletics department Female Athlete of the Year nominee and OVC Scholar Athlete of the Year nominee.   Leighton received her master's in sport administration from Eastern Kentucky in June 2020.  

Ben Buechner enters his second season as an assistant coach for UIW softball. In his first season as the hitting coach at UIW, the Cardinals finished 25th in the nation in batting average with a .312 mark. Also, in the Cardinals 2024 historical season, they saw improvements in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, and hits and runs per game. They increased walks and HBP's, as well as a decrease their strikeouts. The historic 2024 season also included Cardinal first Southland Conference Player of the Year Vic Altamirano, who finished 6th in the nation with a .444 batting average.    Buechner came to UIW after three seasons as an assistant baseball coach at University of the Pacific. He started his baseball coaching career with a 10-year stint at Santa Rosa Junior College. Throughout those 10 years he spent nine as an assistant and one as the interim head coach in 2019. At University of the Pacific, assisting with hitters, infielders, and coaching third. He saw UOP's batting average improve in all 3 seasons, with 2023 team average of .280 being the 2nd highest in the program's previous 12 seasons. He also helped the Tigers see a consistent yearly growth in Slugging percentage, On-base percentage, and hits and runs per game. While at UOP, he witnessed 3 young men get their named called in the MLB draft.  At Santa Rosa, Buechner was responsible for recruiting, coaching third base, and assisting hitters, as well as player development for outfielders, infielders, and catchers. While at SRJC, they made the playoffs nine of the ten years (10th year was 2020 shortened season, where SRJC finished ranked #1 in the state). During that 10-year span, SRJC had a .707 winning percentage and a .686 winning percentage in BIG 8 Conference play, the best during that span in the California powerhouse BIG 8 Conference. During the 2019 season, Buechner was promoted to interim head coach where they went 38-11 overall to finish second in the BIG 8 Conference standings, advancing to the second round of playoffs. 2019 season saw Noah Rennard and Devin Kirby both named All-Americans, as well as Ethan Payne be awarded the ABCA Pacific Region Gold Glove Catcher's Award.  While at SRJC, they had three BIG 8 Conference titles and they sent three teams to the CCCAA Final Four; winning the state championship in 2016, finishing as the state runner up in 2017, and 3rd place in 2013. During his tenure, nine student athletes were selected as All-Americans, two BIG 8 Conference Player of the Years (Jake Scheiner also CCCAA Player of the year and Ryan Haug), as well as fifteen players reaching the professional ranks, where 4 have made it to the MLB level. Overall, he saw 95+ student-athletes continue to play at the four-year level following their time at Santa Rosa JC.   Along with coaching at Santa Rosa Junior College, Buechner was an adjunct instructor in the Kinesiology department and an assistant to the athletic director. He also organized and lead the 707 Baseball Coaches Convention in 2019 & 2020.  Earning his undergrad degree from Sonoma State in Kinesiology, Buechner completed his master's degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University Irvine in 2013. A 2006 graduate of Point Arena High School where he played football, baseball and wrestled, he then went on to play baseball at Menlo College and Santa Rosa JC.    Born and raised in Gualala, California, Ben and his wife Stephanie Buechner reside in San Antonio, TX with their two daughters, and son.