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Missouri Southern State University Athletics

Hallie Blackney

Hallie Blackney

Hallie Blackney will enter her sixth season as the head coach of the Lions with a 127-89-1 record at the helm heading into 2024. Blackney has been named the MIAA Coach of the Year once during her time in charge of the program in 2021 and became the third coach in program history to eclipse 100 wins during the 2023 season.

2023
In 2023 the Lions made their first NCAA Regional appearance since 2001 and hosting a regional for only the third time in program history and first time since 1993. Southern posted a 41-15, 21-5 MIAA record for the eighth time winning 40 or more games in a season and set a program record for MIAA wins in a season beating the mark set by the 2021 team.

In total nine Lions earned All-MIAA honors in Vargas (1st, OF), Withers (2nd, 2B), Tofpi (HM, SS), Williams (HM, C), Avery Tallman (HM, P), Emily Perry (HM, OF), Katie Gray (HM, 1B), Kara Amos (HM, UT/P) and Adrianna Young being named to the Gold Glove team as an outfielder. Tallman joined Vargas and Withers as All-Region players as announced by the NFCA with Vargas and Withers being named All-Region by D2CCA and Withers becoming a D2CCA All-American.

Leighton Withers concluded her career by being named an All-American for the programs first All-American in 25 years after tying the program single-season home run record with 11. Yazmin Vargas was an All-MIAA and All-Region (D2CCA & NFCA) first-team selection as an outfielder after swiping the second most bases in a single-season with 36.

Josie Tofpi, Bailey Lacy and Ashlynn Williams finished up their careers with numerous top-20 career marks headlined by Tofpi finishing with a program record 147 runs scored, Lacy becoming the third pitcher in program history with back-to-back 100+ strikeout seasons and finished third in career strikeouts with 308, Williams finished tied for sixth in home runs, eighth for OPS, ninth for RBIs and slugging percentage, tied for ninth in walks, 10th in extra base hits and T-10th in putouts for a career.

2022
The 2022 season saw the Lions finish above .500 for the third year in a row and were above .500 in MIAA play for the second year in a row becoming the fifth team since 2000 to have an above .500 winning percentage overall and in conference play while being the first time to go three in a row since the 2000-02 seasons.

The Lions had Leighton Withers and Yazmin Vargas named first team All-MIAA performers while seven overall earned All-MIAA honors. Vargas is now sixth in career steals and finished the 2022 season with a tie for the fourth most runs scored in a single-season. Withers showed off the long ball in 2022 with eight to rank tied for fifth best in a single-season while also chipping in with the a tie for the seventh most RBI's in a season with 42 while slugging .661 the seventh best percentage among qualified hitters in school history.

Josie Tofpi has her name listed in the top-10 for a career in runs, doubles, triples, batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage and extra base hits after the conclusion of the 2022 season and should make a run at adding her name onto the career lists for games played, at bats, hits, RBIs, total bases, walks and assists. 

For the second time ever in program history the Lions had two pitchers finish with 100 or more strikeouts in the same season as Bailey Lacy had 119 for the 10th best tally in school history for a single season and eclipsed the 200 career mark and is tied for eighth currently, while Kara Amos finished with 100 and is nearing the 200 strikeout accomplishment. Lacy also finished the season with a 5.92 strikeout per seven inning rate the sixth best in a single-season while moving into fourth in the category among career ranks.

As a team the Lions had 13 named onto the MIAA Academic Honor with Tori Frazier being a recipent of the prestigious MIAA Academic Excellence Award with a 4.0 in biology. The 100 strikeout pitching duo of Kara Amos and Bailey Lacy were named MIAA Scholar-Athletes as both were named All-MIAA and hold a 3.50 or better grade point average.

2021
In 2021, Blackney was named the MIAA Softball Coach of the Year (first since 2001) after the Lions were picked to finish 11th in the preseason poll before eventually finishing in third. The Lions had a 30-15-1 record, the first 30-win season since 2011, and in MIAA play the Lions set a school record for wins going 19-6-1. It was the first back-to-back winning season since 2001-02 and at home the Lions went 17-4-1 the most wins at home since 2011.

As a team the Lions had eight earn MIAA Academic awards, Abby Atkin and Tori Frazier were named onto the prestigious MIAA Academic Excellence Award by having a 4.0 GPA. Atkin, and Makaila Leonhart were named Scholar - Athletes as they had at least a 3.50 GPA or higher and earned All-MIAA honors on the field. Kayla Arzate, Atkin, Frazier, Sidnie Hurst, Leonhart, Lynnlee Parrott, Josie Tofpi and Kristen Wade were named onto the honor for a 3.0 GPA or higher.

Sophomore, Josie Tofpi earned first-team All-MIAA honors at shortstop, freshman pitcher / utility player Kara Amos and sophomore catcher Ashlynn Williams were on the second-team. Senior second basemen Makaila Leonhart, junior pitcher Abby Atkin, sophomore infielder / utility player Leighton Withers, freshman corner outfielders Yazmin Vargas and Adrianna Young were named honorable mentions. Amos, was named a second-team All-Region Utility / Pitcher by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and was named onto the MIAA All-Tournament team. Tofpi, was named onto the D2CCA Softball All-Central Region second-team as a shortstop as well. 

Highlights of the 2021 season included beating then #22 Rogers State 5-3 at home, the second win against a ranked team in Blackney's tenure. The first win against Central Missouri in Warrensburg since 2014, first sweep of Washburn since 2011 and Emporia State since 2016. Closed the season on a ten-game home winning streak that included beating Missouri Western four straight times and advanced to the second round of the MIAA postseason tournament for the first time since 2011, 

2020
In 2020, the Lions finished the COVID-19-shortened season with an 11-9 record. The Lions had 15 players earn a spot on the Academic Honor Roll.

2019
In 2019, Blackney led the Lions to a 19-25 overall record and a 10-16 record in the MIAA. The Lions had 12 players who placed on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. Southern captured four spots on the All-MIAA squads as senior pitcher Taurean Guzman earned second-team while senior designated player Lexi Ferrari, junior second baseman Makaila Leonhart, and freshman shortstop Josie Tofpi gained honorable mention.

Prior to Southern
Blackney came to Southern after two seasons with Division I George Washington University. In 2018, Blackney helped guide the program to a record 33 wins and a return to the A-10 Championship behind a nationally ranked offense that averaged more than six runs per game. The Colonials set new program bests for batting average (.328), on-base percentage (.394), slugging percentage (.493), hits (493), runs (331), home runs (42), total bases (741), steals (108) and more.
 
Thanks to that impressive production, GW equaled a program record with its six A-10 postseason honorees.
 
In her first season in 2017, Blackney helped GW to a then-record 28 victories, including 11 in A-10 play. The Colonials set program records for hits (426), batting average (.302), RBI (243), extra-base hits (125), total bases (626), slugging percentage (.444), fewest strikeouts (201) and best fielding percentage (.964).
 
Blackney joined the Colonials after serving as assistant coach at the University of South Dakota for three seasons. Blackney coached 15 All-Summit League selections, three NFCA All-Region honorees and one academic All-American for the Coyotes.
 
Blackney helped South Dakota amass 72 wins during her tenure and worked primarily with the hitters, leading the squad to a Summit League-record 77 home runs in 2015, ranking 17th nationally.
 
Prior to her stint at South Dakota, Blackney helped the Fort Wayne Mastodons in Indiana claim a Summit League Tournament Title to earn a trip to NCAA Regionals during her two years as assistant coach.
 
Blackney began her Division I coaching experience at Southeast Missouri State University during the 2011-12 season. She is a 2008 graduate of Truman State University where she was an All-MIAA utility player. She served as a graduate assistant coach at Division II Bemidji State University from 2009-11.

All-MIAA selections through the years
2023
Yazmin Vargas - 1st-team, OF (1st-team All-Region, OF by the NFCA & D2CCA)
Leighton Withers - 2nd-team, 2B (2nd-team All-American, UT by D2CCA, 1st-team All-Region, UT by D2CCA and 2nd-team All-Region, DP by the NFCA)
Avery Tallman - Honorable Mention, P (2nd-team All-Region, P by the NFCA)
Kara Amos - Honorable Mention, UT/P
Katie Gray - Honorable Mention, 1B
Josie Tofpi - Honorable Mention, SS
Emily Perry - Honorable Mention, OF
Ashlynn Williams - Honorable Mention, C
Adrianna Young - Gold Glove, OF

2022
Yazmin Vargas - 1st team, OF
Leighton Withers - 1st team, UT/Non-P
Kara Amos - 2nd team, UT/P
Josie Tofpi - 2nd team, SS
Bailey Lacy - Honorable Mention, P
Ashlynn Williams - Honorable Mention, C
Adrianna Young - Honorable Mention, OF

2021
Josie Tofpi - 1st team, SS (2nd-team All-Region, SS by D2CCA)
Kara Amos - 2nd team, UT/P (2nd-team All-Region, UT/P by NFCA)
Ashlynn Wiliams - 2nd team, C
Makalia Leonhart - Honorable Mention, 2B
Leighton Withes - Honorable Mention, UT/Non-P
Yazmin Vargas - Honorable Mention, OF
Adrianna Young - Honorable Mention, OF

2019
Taurean Guzman - 2nd team, P
Lexi Ferrari - Honorable Mention, DP
Makaila Leonhart - Honorable Mention, 2B
Josie Tofpi - Honorable Mention, SS

 
Year Overall MIAA Postseason
2019 19-25 10-16 (11th)
2020 11-9 1-3
2021 30-15-1 19-6-1 (3rd) MIAA Coach of the Year
MIAA Tournament Semifinalist
2022 26-25 14-12 (6th) MIAA Tournament
2023 41-15 21-5 (2nd) MIAA Tournament Championship Appearance
NCAA Regional Appearance
Total 127-89-1 55-42-1 1x MIAA Coach of the Year
1x NCAA Regional Tournament Appearance
3x MIAA Tournament Appearances
1x MIAA Tournament Championship Appearance