OKLAHOMA CITY – Coming off another sensational season, the Mid-America Christian softball program has found its new skipper heading into the 2025-26 academic year as MACU Athletics is proud to announce Elicia Espinosa as the Evangels head coach.
"I am incredibly honored to be named the Head Softball Coach here at Mid-America Christian University," said Espinosa. "I'm excited to lead a program that values excellence both on and off the field and build a culture rooted in grit, growth, and faith. I'm thankful for this opportunity and ready to get to work with our student-athletes as we chase championships and represent MACU with pride."
Espinosa comes to MACU after serving as an assistant coach for NCAA D-II powerhouse Oklahoma Christian during the 2024 season, helping lead the Eagles to a 38-21 record and finished as the No. 25 team in the country while the team once again qualified for the NCAA South Central Region Tournament.
In her lone season with the Eagles, Espinosa primarily served as the team's hitting coach as the Eagles slashed for a .300 team batting average with 87 doubles, 23 triples and 18 home runs for 227 RBIs and 255 runs scored. The 23 three-baggers hit by OC on the season marked the 12th-most hit by a team at the NCAA D-II level during the 2024 season. The Eagles made a strong run during South Central Regional play, picking up victories against Metro State-Denver and Colorado Christian before being eliminated by the eventual D-II National Champion, Texas-Tyler.
On top of the hitting duties, Espinosa was also responsible for base running, infielder and outfielder-specific defensive drills to go along with handling some administrative duties as well, which included travel arrangements, external communications, and compliance.
"I am ecstatic to have Eli joining our MACU family. She has a tremendous passion for the game and is very connected throughout the country," stated MACU Athletic Director Marcus Moeller. "But more importantly than those things, it is very clear she sees the game as a platform to help young women develop a deeper relationship with Christ and help grow them into incredible young women. Very thankful to have Eli on board!"
Espinosa began her coaching career at Iowa Western Community College during the 2023-24 academic year, where she served as the hitting coach for a Reivers squad that finished the year with a 41-19 overall record, won the NJCAA Region XI Championship as well as the Midwest District Championship. The Reivers also won a pair of games at the NJCAA World Series before eventually being eliminated.
A native of Littleton, Colo., Espinosa played her college ball at the NCAA D-I level, getting her start with the Texas Longhorns in 2019 before playing her final four seasons at Utah, where she was a part of the 2023 Utes squad that advanced all the way to the NCAA Women's College World Series.
As a player and a coach, Espinosa has been a student of the game under some of the best college coaches in the country, including Texas head coach Mike White, Chealsea Spencer, Utah coach D.J. Gasso, and Oklahoma Christian head coach Shalee Rodriguez.
Espinosa is taking over a MACU softball program that has been on the rise over the last five years as the Evangels are coming off a 32-22 season while finishing third in the Sooner Athletic Conference standings with a 22-10 league mark. On-top of qualifying for the NCCAA World Series for the fourth time in the last five years as well as an NAIA Opening Round appearance in 2024, the Evangels advanced all the way to the NCCAA National Championship for just the second time in program history.