OKLAHOMA CITY – UCF softball head coach Cindy Ball-Malone has been selected as an assistant coach for the 2019 U.S. Junior Women’s National Team. Ball-Malone will work the team throughout 2019, including at the Junior Women's World Championship in Irvine, Calif., in August.
“I am truly thankful for this opportunity given to me by USA Softball and Coach Heather Tarr,” said Ball-Malone.
Ball-Malone will work alongside the 2019 Junior Women’s National Team and Washington head coach, Heather Tarr. Ball-Malone worked with Tarr at Washington from 2011-2012 as an assistant coach working primarily with the pitchers and as a recruiting coordinator. Ball-Malone will join Florida head coach Tim Walton and Georgia associate head coach Tony Baldwin as assistant coaches for the U-19 Women's National Team.
“It is a pleasure and an honor to work with the talented athletes that were selected. This will be a remarkable experience working with these young athletes and traveling the world representing the red, white, and blue and bring back what I learn throughout the summer to UCF.”
Ball-Malone joined the Knights after four successful seasons at Boise State University. In her last two campaigns, Ball-Malone 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-Malone 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.
Coach Ball-Malone and the Knights are off to a 12-6 start to the 2019 season, one of the best starts in program history.
(Release Coutresy of UCF Athletics)