ACU softball opened fall ball with a win over Howard College, giving a new team an early opportunity to see how the new roster and coaching staff could come together on the field. 

Only five players from last season returned, while the rest of the roster is made up of transfers and recruits. 

Head coach Larry Hays previously coached at Lubbock Christian (1971-86 and 2010-2018), Texas Tech (1987-2008) and Colorado Christian (2019-2026).

Coach Hays said building a team with so many new players has been one of the biggest challenges coming into his first season. 

“We got 25 people that I never had met before,” Hays said. “Five that came back, and five that were recruited. So we had 10 when I showed up.”

Despite the changes, Hays said he has been encouraged by how quickly the players have come together. 

Rather than focusing on the program’s past, Hays said the team is focused on creating its own identity.

“None of us were looking at our past,” Hays said. “What I’ve done in the past doesn’t mean anything. What was done here doesn’t mean anything. We don’t talk about it. It’s what we do here.” 

Reese Cottrell, junior transfer pitcher from Temple College, said the five returning players have helped make the transition easier for the large group of newcomers. 

“The returners that we’ve had have been so welcoming and very helpful,” Cottrell said. “Because so many of us are transfers, that’s been so helpful.”

Cottrell said she chose ACU after previously committing to a Division II school in Arkansas. 

After receiving a call from Coach Hays and visiting campus, she said she felt ACU was where she was supposed to be.

“I just felt God telling me, like, this is where you need to be,” Cottrell said. 

The coaching staff has also emphasized a culture that extends beyond softball. Cottrell said the coaches regularly remind players that their identity is not defined by their sport. 

Hays said the same philosophy is central to the culture he wants to build. 

“The school is about honoring God,” Hays said. “As long as we’re out there working hard and trying to honor God, but what we do as a team, be servants, serve one another. It’s not just about me, it’s about us.”

The win over the Howard College gives the Wildcats an early positive result, but Hays said the focus remains on continuing to build the team throughout the season.