Cindy Ball-Malone was named the second head coach in UCF Softball history on June 27, 2018.
Ball, better known by her nickname Bear, joined the Knights in 2019, going 34-21 (11-10), including picking up Power6 wins over Ohio State, Pitt, Penn State and Boston College in her first season as head coach.
In year two in 2020, Bear brought the program to new heights. After leading UCF to a program-best 16-2 start in 2020, including an 11-game winning streak from 02/14-03/01, the Knights were tabbed as high as No. 22 in the ESPN/USA Softball and NFCA/USA Today Top 25 Polls. In the first release of the NCAA RPI, UCF checked in at No. 7 overall.
Coach Bear achieved her milestone 50th win at UCF on 03/01/20 in a 2-0 win over Longwood. In the 26 game, COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, UCF outscored opponents 156-64 and racked up a 9-4-1 record against Power6 teams and a 6-5-1 record against Top 25 teams or teams receiving votes.
Bear once again led the program to new heights in 2021, securing a career-best 41-19-1 record with the Knights and leading the Black and Gold into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016. Bear got her Knights all the way to the AAC Championship game and the Knights' 41 wins were the most wins UCF has posted in a season since 2015.
The Black and Gold also posted three wins over top-five teams in the country, taking down then No. 5 Florida twice (March 24, 8-6 and April 14, 7-0) and No. 2 Arizona (March 8, 2-0). UCF played 14 games against a top-25 opponent in 2021, posting a 4-9-1 record in those games.
The UCF softball program took a massive leap in the 2022 season as the team posted an impressive 49-14 record. In what was the best season in program history, the year included the Black and Gold winning the conference’s regular season and tournament titles as well as earning the right to host NCAA Regionals, being named the No. 16 seed on Selection Sunday. Bear and her squad didn’t stop there as the Knights swept their way through the Orlando Regional, beating Villanova 6-0 on the strength of two Jada Cody home runs before topping No. 24 Michigan twice to advance to the program’s first Super Regional.
The 2022 season began with a bang as UCF, who began the year receiving votes in the NFCA poll, walked-off on No. 12 Georgia on opening night with an eighth inning solo shot from Shannon Doherty. Mid-February saw the Knights take part in the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational, one of the top tournaments in the sport. UCF picked up a pair of wins against future Big 12 Conference foes, beating No. 11 Texas 15-10 and Texas Tech 7-3. March saw UCF go 7-0 on their California swing, going unbeaten on a west coast trip for the first time in program history. The remainder of the regular season saw the Knights dominate American Athletic Conference play, eventually clinching the outright regular season championship on the final day of the season against Wichita State. UCF walked-off against Houston in the semifinals of The American Championship before run-ruling rival South Florida 11-0 to earn the conference tournament crown. It was the first time since 2015 that the Knights had won both conference titles. The Knights’ magical season came to an end in Norman as UCF were swept in Supers by the eventual national champions, top seeded No. 1 Oklahoma.
The team finished in the top 16 in all four major polls at 2022’s end. The Knights checked in at No. 14 in final edition of the NFCA's rankings, their highest finish in the poll in program history. The Black and Gold finished in a tie of 15th in USA Softball's rankings while checking in at No. 13 in D1Softball's final poll and No. 14 in Softball America. The No. 14 finish in the NFCA poll was one spot shy of tying the program record, set back in week 15 of 2015. The same can be said about the Knights' USA Softball ranking, as UCF finished one spot behind their program best ranking of No. 14 set in week 14 of 2015.
Bear helped guide more than one team to new heights in 2022, as she was named as an assistant coach for the USA National Team at the World Games and Canada Cup in the summer. The team won gold at the World Games.
After leading the Knights to their first Super Regional appearance in program history in 2022, Coach Bear again made history with UCF softball in 2023, leading the team to its third consecutive 40-win season with its 40-21 finish, also marking the first time in program history that the Knights have won at least 40 games in three consecutive seasons. UCF opened the season ranked as high as 15th in the nation, and by season's end had won its second consecutive American Athletic Conference Tournament Championship with a 3-0 showing against Memphis, South Florida and Tulsa.
The automatic NCAA tournament bid clinched by the Knights' tournament title marked the 10th NCAA tournament appearance in program history and third straight dating back to 2021. UCF earned a spot in the NCAA Tallahassee Regional hosted by No. 3 Florida State, along with No. 20 South Carolina and Marist. The Knights opened NCAA Regional play with a 6-1 victory over the Gamecocks May 19, a victory that extended UCF's season-long win streak to 14 consecutive games dating back to the Knights' 13-1 win at Tulsa April 16. The Knights' 2023 season came to an end with losses to the Seminoles and Gamecocks May 20.
During the 2023 season, Coach Bear oversaw the development of RHP/OF Sarah Willis, a junior transfer from the Washington Huskies, who became the second Knight in program history to win American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year. The Knights also saw three selections to the NFCA's All-Region First (Willis), Second (RHP Grace Jewell) and Third (INF/DP Aubrey Evans) Teams, as well as eight selections to The American's All-Conference First and Second Teams.
The Knights clinched the 800th win in program history during the 2023 season as well, a milestone that accompanied UCF's three-game sweep of the South Florida Bulls April 23. Coach Bear also recorded the 150th win of her UCF career with the Knights' 6-5 win over Mississippi State Feb. 19, and she notched the 250th win of her head coaching career four days later with UCF's 8-0 win over Garnder-Webb Feb. 23.
Following her fifth year with the Knights, Ball-Malone's all-time record at UCF is 185-80-2 (.697), and in her nine-year head coaching career owns a 284-196-2 record (.591). She picked up her 100th win at the helm of the Black and Gold with a 3-0 win over Liberty at home on Feb. 15, 2022.
Ball joined the Knights after four successful seasons at Boise State University. In her last two campaigns, Ball compiled a 73-36 record. She led the squad to the program's first postseason appearance at the 2017 National Invitational Softball Championship and followed it up with a 2018 NCAA Tournament berth.
In 2018, the Broncos set programs records for most wins in a season (40), most conference wins in a season (18), and the first conference title in program history defeating New Mexico in the Mountain West championship.
Ball brings a plethora of coaching experience, including a two-year stint with the Washington staff, to Orlando. In those two seasons, she served as recruiting coordinator and was responsible for the development of the Husky pitching staff. The Huskies went 76-35 during Ball's two seasons in Seattle and reached a pair of NCAA Super Regionals while developing Kaitlin Inglesby into a second team All-American.
Under Ball's leadership, Inglesby held the lowest ERA on the 2012 team for the second straight year (2.31), while also leading the Huskies pitching staff in starts (30), wins (19), saves (5), complete games (21), shutouts (6), and strikeouts (169).
Ball has also spent time coaching at Cal State Northridge, Cosumnes River College, Modesto Junior College, and her alma mater, Pacific.
Ball graduated from Pacific in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in sports sciences and earned her master's in education in 2006. Ball is considered the greatest two-way player in the history of Pacific Softball earning back-to-back All-America honors and holds nine career pitching records for the Tigers.
Ball-Malone currently lives in Oviedo, Fla. with her husband, Robert Malone III. Together, they have four children, three boys named Four, Ryder and Cayson, and a girl named Sawyer.
The Cindy Ball-Malone File
Coaching Highlights
- Head Coach at UCF (2019-pres.)
- Named NFCA Mideast Region Coaching Staff of the Year after 2022.
- Posted a 49-14 (.778 winning percentage) in 2022
- American Athletic Conference Champions (regular season and conference tournament, first time since 2015 both were accomplished in same season.)
- Led the Knights to the NCAA Tournament in 2022
- Hosted the first NCAA Regional in program history, earning the No. 16 national seed.
- Led UCF to their first Super Regional, sweeping the Orlando Regional in three games.
- Earned five wins over ranked opponents in 2022 (No. 5 Virginia Tech, No. 11 Texas, No. 12 Georgia, No. 24 Michigan twice)
- Climbed as high as No. 14 in the NFCA Poll in 2022
- Produced All-American (D1 Softball First Team and Softball America Second Team) Jada Cody.
- Produced Eight All-Conference honorees and two Rookie Team honorees, in 2022, including AAC Rookie of the Year Micaela Macario and AAC Defensive Player of the Year Justene Molina.
- Posted a 41-19-1 (.672 winning percentage) in 2021
- Led the Knights to the NCAA Tournament in 2021
- Earned three wins over top-five teams in 2021 (No. 5 Florida twice [March 24, 8-6 and April 14, 7-0] and No. 2 Arizona [March 8, 2-0].
- Finished 21-5-1 (.777) in 2020
- Secured best start in program history with a 16-2 record to start 2020.
- Achieved her 50th win on 03/01/20 in the 2-0 win over Longwood.
- Tabbed as high as No. 7 in the RPI and No. 22 in the NFCA/USA Today and ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 Polls in 2020.
- Went 34-21(11-10), including Power6 wins over Ohio State, Pitt, Penn State and Boston College in 2019
- Hit a career milestone in her third game at UCF, picking up her 100th win as a head coach with a win over Ohio State.
- Produced five AAC All-Conference Honorees, including one first team (Alea White).
- Head Coach at Boise State (2015-2018)
- Back-to-back postseason appearances – first time in program history
- 2018 Mountain West Champions – first in program history
- Developed six All-Region selections
- Garnered six All-Conference honorees
- Produced Big West Player of the Year and Big West Rookie of the Year in 2018
- Assistant Coach at Cal State Northridge (2013-2014)
- Developed two NFCA All-West Region selections
- Coached a pair of All-Big West First Team honorees
- Assistant Coach at Washington (2011-2012)
- Produced second team All-American, Kaitlyn Inglesby
- Led Inglesby to be named to the All Pac-12 First Team, All-Pacific Region Second Team, and three player of the week awards
- 76-35 record in two seasons
- Two NCAA Super Regional appearances
- Pitching coach and recruiting coordinator
- Head Coach at Cosumnes River College (2008-2010)
- 111-44 record as head coach
- JC State Final Four Tournament appearance
- Head Coach at Modesto Junior College (2007)
- First head coaching position
- Led program to 16-win improvement from 2006 season
- Assistant Coach at Pacific (2002-2006)
- Pitching coach
- Scout coordinator
- Coached a 126-97 four-year record
- Pitched for University of the Pacific (1999-2002)
- Two-time All-American (2001, 2002)
- Big West Pitcher of the Year (2001, 2002)
- Went 33-9 in 2001, leading Pacific to a school-record of 50 wins
- Holds pitching records at Pacific in:
- Appearances (149)
- Starts (116)
- Innings pitched (883.1)
- Wins (91)
- Saves (10)
- Strikeouts (761)
- Strikeouts per seven innings (6.03)
- Complete games (104)
- Shutouts (45)
- Hit .275 over four seasons with 19 home runs, 111 runs, and 76 walks drawn
- Played professional softball in Italy for Team Bussolengo
- Led Bussonlengo in home runs and ERA
- Played for Stockton-Sacramento Sunbirds in the National Pro Fastpitch League
- All-Star in Canada Cup in 2008