Softball Announces Addition of Jo Koons to 2027 Coaching StaffSoftball Announces Addition of Jo Koons to 2027 Coaching Staff

Softball Announces Addition of Jo Koons to 2027 Coaching Staff

by Ryan Ladika

ORLANDO – Head coach Cindy Ball-Malone and the UCF softball program have announced the addition of Jo Koons to the team’s coaching staff ahead of the 2027 spring campaign.

“Knowing what coach Ball-Malone and the program at UCF have been able to create, and the desire to make it to the Women’s College World Series for the first time, it’s a really exciting time to join the Knights. I want to be a part of that,” Koons said.

Koons brings an extensive coaching background to Orlando, highlighted by her role over the last two seasons on staff with the AUSL’s Utah Talons. Promoted this season to the role of associate head coach, Koons and Talons head coach Ball-Malone have coached Utah to a league-best 9-3 record entering game two of the team’s series at Carolina June 26.

The Talons in 2025 captured the inaugural AUSL Championship with a pair of 3-1 victories over the Bandits in the championship series, finishing with a final 18-6 record that represented the top mark in the league, and under Koons’ watch, saw five members earn major season honors, led by AUSL Pitcher of the Year Georgina Corrick.

Infielder Hannah Flippen captured Defensive Player of the Year recognition as well, and was joined on the All-Defensive Team by Corrick, catcher Sharlize Palacios, and outfielders Sierra Sacco and Jadelyn Allchin.

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“Coaching with the Talons has been such a great experience. I’ve followed coach Bear’s career for a long time. She was at Boise State when I was playing at Utah State, so we played against each other then. I was thrilled for the opportunity to work with her this summer, and we really hit it off. The opportunity came to join the staff at UCF, and it was a no-brainer to continue surrounding myself with her knowledge of the game and what she’s been able to do to create a winning culture and a culture of character.”

Jo KoonsAssistant Coach

In the collegiate realm, Koons most recently spent the 2025 and 2026 seasons serving as the head coach at Abilene Christian, where the Wildcats were led by 2025 All-WAC Second Team right-handed pitcher Lina Russo and 2026 All-WAC Second Team outfielder Ari Maxwell.

Koons this spring guided the Wildcats to their first win over a power four opponent since 2022 with a convincing 9-4 triumph over the Utah Utes March 12.

Prior to her head coaching appointment with Abilene Christian, Koons had previously accrued power four experience as a volunteer assistant coach with the Oregon Ducks for two seasons from 2020-21 and the Stanford Cardinal in 2016.

The Ducks jumped out to 22-2 start to the 2020 campaign prior to the season’s cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and produced a dominant run back to the NCAA Tournament in 2021, going 40-17 to earn a selection to the NCAA Austin Regional.

In producing its first 40-win season of the Melyssa Lombardi era, Oregon toppled UCLA twice, once with the Bruins ranked as the top team in the nation, then-No. 6 Washington April 17, then-No. 12 Arizona State April 30, and then-No. 7 Arizona twice May 7-8. The team later bounced back from an NCAA Regional-opening loss to Texas State with three straight wins over Saint Francis, Texas State and the host No. 12 overall seeded Texas Longhorns to advance to the regional final.

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“I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to continue working with coach Bear, and Orlando is such a great place to be. What they’ve been able to create, wanting to make a championship run and to continue helping athletes continue to grow was very important for me. The program had a great run to the Super Regionals in 2026 and the chance to help lead this team to the World Series is very exciting.”

Jo KoonsAssistant Coach

Having previously held a head coaching role with Lassen College in California in 2018, Koons’ assistant coaching background also includes stops at UT Arlington from 2023-24, Longwood in 2022, Utah State in 2019, and Colorado Christian in 2017.

A graduate of Utah State in 2015 where she spent her four-year playing career, Koons finished her tenure with the Aggies tied for fifth on the program’s all-time career triples list (10) and eighth in career walks (65). She also ranked among program single-season records in runs scored (36, 2015, 2nd), walks (26, 2014, 3rd), and triples (5, 2015, T-6th).

ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program, representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.