Maddi Hackbarth Named Kentucky Softball Assistant Coach
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Softball team announced Thursday that Maddi Hackbarth has been hired as an assistant coach, where she will begin her tenure on staff immediately. Additionally, Kristine Himes will be transitioning into a newly-created position of Director of Player Analytics & Development with Brittany Cervantes elevated to Chief of Staff.
Hackbarth joins Kentucky following a two-year stint with Santa Clara University, where she has served as an assistant with the Broncos since September of 2024. The former All-American at Arizona State was also the head softball coach at Central Arizona College for two seasons from 2023-24, going 65-39 in her tenure with a run to the NJCAA Region I championship game in 2023.
While with the Broncos in 2025, her first season at Santa Clara, she helped the team to set a single-season record for its highest batting average at .309. The Broncos led the West Coast Conference in runs (312, 5.8 runs/game), hits (453, 8.4 hits/game), doubles (83), RBIs (271), bases on balls (174), hit by pitches (49), least number of batters striking out (190), on-base percentage (.394), stolen bases (80), sacrifice flies (25) and sacrifice bunts (43) en route to winning the program’s first WCC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.
She also played professional softball in the as a catcher.
The former Arizona State captain was an All-American catcher for the Sun Devils earning second-team at-large honors by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and third-team recognition by Softball America in 2021. That season she hit a robust .384 with a .470 on-base percentage and a .913 slugging percentage.
A native of Oakdale, California, Hackbarth tied the ASU single-season home run record with 20 round trippers in 2021 and finished fifth in career home runs with 54. Behind the dish, she posted a .992 career fielding percentage, making 187 starts out of 189 games as a four-year starter.
Hackbarth graduated from Arizona State with a degree in Liberal Arts.
Kristine Himes Moves Into Kentucky’s Director of Player Analytics & Development
Kristine Himes, who has served as Kentucky’s Associate Head Coach the last 16 seasons and been on staff at UK for 20 years, will be transitioning into a newly created position, the Director of Player Analytics & Development.
In her new role, Himes will use video technology and performance data analytics such as TrackMan, BATS and more to develop and coach student-athletes through individualized development plans, practice planning and connecting with key internal and external stakeholders.
Himes will remain present in the involvement of Kentucky’s on-field performance, where she has garnered respect around the industry as one of the sport’s top offensive minds. In addition to her data and analytics roles, Himes will assist in the development and architecture of daily practices, special events, NIL events and external relations within the Kentucky Softball program.
Cervantes Promoted to Kentucky Softball Chief of Staff
Brittany Cervantes, one of the most decorated players in Kentucky’s history and now entering her eighth year on Lawson’s staff, has been elevated to the program’s Chief of Staff. Cervantes will maintain the operational leadership of day-to-day proceedings in the program while assisting Lawson with administrative duties, recruiting, staff logistics, team travel, meals and more. Cervantes will maintain oversight of non-coaching personnel in the program and will serve as an assistant practice coordinator.
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