SAN ANTONIO – It’s been just over a month since Mac Morgan was on the biggest stage in Oklahoma City celebrating an NCAA Women’s College World Series Championship with her University of Texas teammates. On Wednesday, she officially began her collegiate coaching career as UTSA Softball’s newest assistant coach.
“The last couple months have been super busy for me,” Morgan said during her introductory press conference on Thursday. “Still trying to focus on ending my career in a good way – and I accomplished that – while still trying to land a first-time gig. I’m really excited.”
Morgan, a Creighton, Mo., native who starred as a pitcher at both Arizona State and Texas, helped lead the Longhorns to their first NCAA Championship in program history this past season. She posted an 11-4 record in 2025 with 27 appearances and 17 starts. Her victory against Tennessee on June 2 propelled Texas into the championship series.
Morgan has long since aspired to a softball coaching career, but the mentorship she received while playing at Texas further inspired her post-playing career.
“I kind of knew around high school age that I still wanted to be in the sport,” Morgan said. “But then it was my college experience, taking that and learning from the coaches on how to develop my own coaching skills and how to be the best coach I can be to inspire these girls.”
As she looked to enter the coaching realm, Morgan was drawn to the position at UTSA largely due to the opportunity to work with head coach Vann Stuedeman, whose highly successful coaching career includes a reputation as one of the nation’s most respected pitching coaches.
Leading the pitching staff at Alabama from 2000-11, Stuedeman helped the Crimson Tide become one of the nation’s top teams, totaling a 579-150 record during her stint in Tuscaloosa and reaching the Women’s College World Series six times. Prior to becoming the UTSA head coach, Stuedeman led the program at Mississippi State, accumulating 276 victories and making seven NCAA Tournament appearances in Starkville.
“I’m excited to learn from Vann,” Morgan said. “She’s a great person. I was looking for somewhere where I’m going to gain experience and where I’m going to learn and grow myself as I grow other players. I think it’s going to be a great start and it’s going to be a good year for experience and learning.”
As she begins to work with UTSA’s pitching staff, Morgan’s first order of business is goal setting with each student-athlete.
“I’m going to have them set a goal at the beginning of the year and have them revisit it right before season and make sure they’re getting on track for it,” she said. “And making sure they all believe in themselves as much as I believe in them. I’m giving them my all and I’m giving all my resources to help them meet their goals.”
Morgan enters her role with a focus on individualized coaching, an approach that she says she learned while at the University of Texas. Each player has a different personality and is motivated differently and the coaching should reflect that, Morgan believes.
“I’m excited to help them learn in a way they want to learn and still let them be themselves,” she said. “Finding ways for them to be comfortable in their pitching movement and let their personalities shine through.”
Morgan’s adaptability is something she credits to Texas pitching coach Pattie Ruth Taylor, who worked directly with her in Austin.
“One of the lessons I learned from Coach Pattie Ruth is that there’s always different ways to approach a problem,” Morgan said. “Like watch it on video and talk it through. Give an example.”
At UTSA, Morgan inherits a young but incredibly talented pitching staff. Aside from former NJCAA All-American Katia Reyes, the returners include sophomores Ava Eldridge, Kaylie Olivarez and Reagan Stoudt along with juniors Madison Collins and Meredith Schmitt, all of whom saw significant collegiate innings for the first time last season.
“They all have something different to bring to the table,” Morgan said. “I’m ready to shine a light on their strengths and continue to build them up so that they have many strengths and not just one. A big thing we’re going to be pushing on is believing in themselves, coming together and having that united family feeling. That’s what gets everybody through the hard challenges.”
While she’ll no longer be in the circle, Morgan won’t be far from it, living out her dream mentoring the next generation of softball standouts.
“My cleats are hung up, but I’m still in the sport I love, encouraging younger kids and inspiring them,” Morgan said.