WKU Softball Head Coach Amy Tudor announced on Thursday the promotion of Kayla Bixel to Associate Head Coach. Bixel, who is entering her 10th season with the Hilltopper Softball program in 2024-25, has been a key figure in the team’s success, serving as an assistant coach since the 2016-17 season.
“I am happy to announce the promotion of Kayla Bixel to Associate Head Coach,” Tudor said. “It’s well deserved and a great day for our program. Over the last nine years, she has recruited high-level athletes, implemented new ideas, and positively impacted our team. She is a huge part of our success on and off the field and I am grateful for all she does for our program.”
During Bixel’s tenure as an assistant coach, the Hilltoppers have achieved significant success, winning 249 games, including four straight seasons with 30-or-more wins and six seasons with at least 30 wins out of eight. Under her guidance, 26 players have earned All-Conference USA honors.
“I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to continue in this role with our softball program,” Bixel said. “I want to thank Amy for her mentorship and belief in me, along with the administration for allowing me to be a part of this special WKU Athletics family. These past eight years have been a blessing to work with our outstanding young women and staff that make up WKU Softball, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming days as we strive for excellence on and off the field while competing for championships.”
The Hilltoppers have consistently performed at a high level under Bixel’s coaching. In the 2023 season, WKU posted a 33-20-1 overall record, with a 16-8 mark in CUSA play. The team earned the No. 2 seed in the CUSA Tournament and reached the Conference USA Championship Game, where they narrowly lost to Liberty in extra innings. Eight players earned All-CUSA honors, including Pitcher of the Year Katie Gardner and Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Webster. Taylor Sanders also concluded her career as the program’s all-time leader in home runs and RBI.
In 2022, WKU achieved its third consecutive 30-win season, finishing with a 30-22 overall record and a 14-9 record in CUSA play. Several players earned accolades, including Webster, Taylor Davis, and Faith Hegh, who were named First Team All-CUSA. Hegh also received NFCA All-Region Second Team honors, and freshman Kaytlan Kemp was named to the CUSA All-Freshman team.
Bixel’s influence on the program has been evident since her early years as an assistant coach. In 2021, she led two Hilltopper outfielders to Second Team All-Conference honors, with both athletes also earning NFCA All-Region recognition. That season, WKU returned to the NCAA Tournament by winning the CUSA Tournament Championship in Bowling Green.
Even during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, WKU was off to a strong start with a 20-5 record. The 2019 campaign saw the Hilltoppers win the East Division and post a 37-13 overall record. Under Bixel’s instruction, senior outfielder Jordan Vorbrink and fifth-year Shannon Plese earned Second Team All-Conference honors.
Bixel’s impact on the program began in her second season as WKU’s assistant coach in 2018 when outfielder Jordan Thomas became the first freshman in WKU Softball history to earn an NFCA All-Region accolade. The Hilltoppers finished that season with a 28-26 overall record.
In her first year with the Hilltoppers as the Director of Operations during the 2015-16 season, Bixel implemented the WKU Softball Pinch Hitter’s Club, a donor program that supports the team. She also played a significant role in overseeing the team’s academic efforts, helping the Hilltoppers achieve a combined GPA of 3.52 in the spring.
Bixel, a native of Bremen, Indiana, earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from IPFW in 2010 and went on to teach for five years in the East Allen County School District in New Haven, Indiana. She also earned a Master’s degree in education from Ball State University and completed her Master’s degree in intercollegiate athletic administration from WKU in January 2017.
A versatile athlete herself, Bixel was a three-sport competitor at Bremen High School, earning 10 varsity letters across volleyball, basketball, and softball. She continued her softball career at Grace College, further cementing her passion for the sport that she now brings to the Hilltoppers.
