🥎 Kansas Extends Head Coach Jennifer McFalls
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas Director of Athletics Travis Goff announced a contract extension for head softball coach Jennifer McFalls today.
McFalls just completed her fifth season at Kansas and guided the Jayhawks to a record of 25-27 in 2023. The 25 victories are the most wins for the program since 2018, and KU finished sixth in the Big 12 at 5-13, which is the most conference wins for the Jayhawks since 2016. One of the best conferences in collegiate softball, the Big 12 held a 49-20-1 record against other Power Five leagues during the 2023 season and has had at least 57 percent of its teams selected to NCAA regional rounds in eight of the last nine tournaments. In five years leading the Jayhawks, McFalls has totaled 94 wins and has led Kansas to at least 20 wins in each of the past three seasons.
“Coach McFalls has our softball program on an exciting upward trajectory,” Goff said. “This season was another positive step forward for the program, earning the most conference wins since 2016 and first Big 12 Championship win since 2007. Coach McFalls has demonstrated a track record of building a healthy culture, developing her student-athletes both off and on the field, and creating momentum in recruiting. We are committed to partnering with her and her staff to push Kansas Softball to even greater heights.”
During the 2023 season, McFalls led her team to its first five-game win streak since 2019 and junior Addison Purvis tossed the program’s first no-hitter since 2019 against Texas Southern on Feb. 26. Kansas defeated three ranked opponents this past season, including its first win over a Top 10 conference opponent on the road since 2002 with a 9-3 victory at No. 8 Texas on April 14. The Jayhawks also picked up a 2-1 win at No. 21 Baylor on March 31, and defeated No. 18 Wichita State 3-1 in Lawrence on May 3. KU now has a total of 10 wins over ranked foes under McFalls.
“I am extremely appreciative of the support and trust that Travis Goff and Nicole Corcoran have placed in me to continue leading the softball program at The University of Kansas,” McFalls said. “I have a strong passion for this program, our players, our fans and the direction we are heading. We have made some significant strides and I’m excited to see these players continue to work toward achieving our goals. The University of Kansas is an exemplary institution and the support, relationships and family environment in the athletic department are special. The future is very bright for KU Athletics and KU Softball and I am incredibly thankful to be a part of it.”
Kansas freshman pitcher Lizzy Ludwig was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team last Wednesday, giving the Jayhawks an All-Freshman Team selection for the third-consecutive season. She joins Olivia Bruno (2022) and Kasey Hamilton (2021) in earning the honors. KU saw another athletic selection, when junior catcher Lyric Moore was named a NFCA Division I All-Region Third Team member on Thursday. In McFalls’ tenure, she has coached seven All-Big 12 selections, three NFCA All-Region players, two Big 12 Players of the Week and 41 student-athletes who earned a spot on the Academic All-Big 12 team.
A member of Team USA’s gold-medal-winning softball team at the 2000 Olympics, McFalls came to Lawrence in August 2018 following previous stints as an assistant coach at Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. She was a first team All-American shortstop as a senior at Texas A&M in 1993, and was inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame in 2001.
