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Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University Athletics
 ACU Box 27916 Abilene, TX 796997916
Division 1 Texas South
Private Small Not categorized
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Coaches

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Abigail Farler

Abilene Christian Director of Athletics Allen Ward introduced Abigail Farler as the fourth head coach in Wildcat Softball history in June 2019. A four-year letter winner at Marshall and All-Conference USA selection, Farler came to Abilene following a successful era at Corban University – a private Christian college based in Salem, Ore.


Farler's is entering her second season with the Wildcats after a shortened 2020 campaign that saw the team go 7-17. In her first season with ACU, coach Farler emphasized a fast-paced and risk-taking offensive strategy that made for entertaining and exciting games. In their lone home date of 2020, she led the team in a comeback from down 4-8 to win in extra innings 9-8 over Prairie View A&M before taking the second game of the doubleheader, 13-1 in five innings.


Farler’s Warriors posted a 120-44 (.731) record between 2017 and 2019, which included a national runner-up finish at the 2017 NAIA College World series. Her first Corban team won a program-best 46 games, earning her Cascade Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year honors, while her 2018 and 2019 squads both qualified for the NAIA National Tournament.


The 2019 Warriors won 37 games, batted .322 and recorded a 2.88 ERA without one single illegal pitch. They also set two new team season records with 134 stolen bases (fifth most in NAIA) and 20 triples (T16th).


Beyond successes found on the diamond, Farler additionally monitored the Warriors’ academic progress that resulted in a 3.38 team GPA and led both team service projects and community outreach opportunities.


Farler’s collegiate coaching career began in January 2013 as the pitching coach for Colorado School of Mines where she mentored NFCA All-America and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year Kelly Unkrich. Later that year she returned to her hometown of Monmouth, Ore., to join the staff at Western Oregon and the following spring she helped lead the Wolves to the DII West Regionals. She additionally coached multiple pitchers to NFCA NCAA DII West Region and All-Great Northwest Conference Honors.


A standout pitcher at Marshall (WVa.), Farler anchored a program that won 133 games between 2004-07. Through four seasons and 129 appearances she registered 52 wins, a 2.71 ERA and 363 strikeouts. Farler also recorded 18 shutouts with seven saves and averaged just 1.6 walks per 7.0 innings pitched. She earned an all-conference citation at the conclusion of 2006 and as a senior she was named a 2007 NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete.


Farler’s collegiate success with the Thundering Herd allowed her to play professional softball with Utrecht Centrals in the Netherlands. She later served as a pitching instructor for area athletes in Scottsdale, Ariz. (2007-12) and Greenwood Village, Colo. (2012-13).


Farler graduated from Marshall in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education as a member of the Dean’s List.


She and her husband, Matt, have a daughter, Aubrey, and two sons, Griffin and Brady.

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Jessica Twaddle

Jessica Twaddle, a native of Franklin, Tenn., comes to the Wildcats after serving for one season as an assistant coach for the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky University. While serving as the infield coach at WKU, she helped lead the team to a 37-13 record including an 18-6 record in Conference USA play.


Twaddle enters her second season with the Wildcats as the offensive coordinator for the team. In her first season with the Wildcats the team had success at the plate hitting 35 doubles in just 24 games, after hitting just 55 doubles in a full season in 2019. The team also hit seven triples on the season, almost matching their total from 2019 (8).


Twaddle spent the 2018 season as a volunteer coach for Murray State after she played for the Racers from 2014-17, she earned her bachelors degree in Economics with a minor in Business Administration in December 2016 and completed her masters degree in Economics from Murray State in December 2018.


During her season on Murray State's staff, Twaddle assisted with hitters and infielders, coordinated alumni communication and events while handling site host duties for visiting teams.


During her playing career she was the only two-time Softball Player of the Year in Ohio Valley Conference history. Twaddle also collected CoSIDA Academic All-American and NFCA All-American status throughout her career. She was a three-time All-OVC selection and helped Murray State to the program's first-ever postseason berth in the 2017 National Invitational Softball Championship (NISC).


Twaddle received the OVC's prestigious Steve Hamilton Sportsmanship Award in 2017 and was also a member of Murray State's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) during the 2016 and '17 campaigns.


After an impressive career as an infielder during her time in Murray, Twaddle is the owner of Murray State's program records in career batting averaging (.374), hits (234), RBI (143) and double plays turned (84).

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Caty Reeves

Reeves joined the Wildcats coaching staff in December of 2019, coming to Abilene from Ole Miss where she was a volunteer assistant coach.


Reeves enters her second season as the Wildcats defensive coordinator after a shortened season in 2020. Reeves helped lead the Wildcats to a .962 fielding percentage, much improved over their .947 fielding percentage of 2019.


She was with the Rebels for just the 2019 season, but was a part of a coaching staff that led the team to fifth-place finish in the SEC as well as hosting, and winning, an NCAA Regional. Prior to Ole Miss, Caty was the head coach at Oklahoma Wesleyan for six years. During her tenure, she led the Eagles to a program-record 36 wins in 2016 as well as producing 18 first-team all-conference players, two Conference Pitcher of the Year awards, and three Conference Player of the Year awards. Reeves began her coaching career in the Southland Conference when she spent one year at McNeese overseeing the catchers while also assisting with hitting and pitching for the Cowgirls.


Not only does Reeves have an extensive coaching career, but a great playing career as well. She spent four years playing at California Baptist University when they were competing at the NAIA level in the GSAC conference. During her time at CBU she spent time at catcher, first base, as well as a designated player. Over her four years the team amassed a 251-22 record winning conference championships all four years, as well as winning an NAIA national championship in 2009.


She was also a star in classroom earning NAIA Scholar Athlete honors twice and a CoSIDA Academic All-American nod once.

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