Florida Softball Adds Two Former Players to Coaching Staff
Following graduation in December, two former Florida Gator softball standouts, Kendra Falby and Kara Hammock, are staying in Gainesville this spring.
Head coach Tim Walton is keeping the recent alumni on his roster, although this year serving different roles as student assistant coaches.
Last season, Falby and Hammock helped lead Florida through the Regional untouched on home turf, then eliminated the Georgia Bulldogs in the Super Regional, a best-of-three series, to advance to the Women’s College World Series. It was the Gators’ 13th appearance on the biggest stage in college softball.
THEY’RE BACKKKK
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) January 16, 2026
Student assistant coaches reporting for duty 🫡
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Falby boasts a decorated career in the Blue and Orange, highlighted by a pair of Rawlings Gold Glove Awards in center field, and was named a 2025 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Second Team All-American. She was also a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 10 Finalist in her senior campaign.
Falby began etching her name into the Florida softball record books from the moment she set foot on campus in 2022. In four years, she established herself as one of the program’s all-time leaders, tying the school record in runs scored (259) and ranking second in hits (337) and stolen bases (118). She is set to coach first base once games begin and will also work with the hitters and outfielders.
Hammock, who transferred to Florida from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) as a senior, pitched 64.0 innings in 25 appearances and 11 starts in 2025. The 6-foot-2 right-handed hurler tallied a record of 9-2 with 42 strikeouts. She was a three-time All-Coastal Athletic Association honoree for the Seahawks before becoming a Gator.
Get your popcorn ready 🍿
— Gators Softball (@GatorsSB) October 30, 2025
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As expected, Hammock will assist with the seven pitchers Florida has on staff – one left-handed and six right-handed – and throw live batting practice to help prepare Florida’s offense.
In addition to coaching, Falby and Hammock are expanding their field of studies, both specializing in the sports industry. Falby is completing a sport management certification while Hammock is pursuing a master’s degree in sport management.
The rest of the Florida coaching staff includes head coach Tim Walton (21st year), assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Aric Thomas, and assistant coaches Francesa Enea and Stephanie VanBrakle Prothro.
Florida will play in the USF Rawlings Invitational in Tampa, Fla., from Feb. 6-8, to open the 2026 campaign. The Gators' first match-up is against Illinois State, followed by Michigan, Bethune-Cookman, Kansas, and South Florida.
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Maddy Lewis was a four-year starting infielder for UC San Diego Softball (2015–19), helping lead the Tritons to two conference championships, a West Region title, and a trip to the Division II National Championship in her senior season. She graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in Communication, where she also wrote for the student newspaper, The Guardian. After college, Maddy spent two years as a Sports Information Director, working closely with the softball, basketball and running programs, deepening her appreciation for the stories behind the stats. She has continued her playing career on the international stage as a member and captain of the Israeli Women’s National Softball Team for the past four years, facing top talent at European Championships, Canada Cups, and the Maccabi Games. Beyond competing, Maddy remains deeply committed to growing the game. She co-hosts the Jewish Softball: More Than A Game podcast, offers private instruction in the Bay Area and has coached teams at the Triple Crown Sports International Challenge and the JCC Maccabi Games. With a passion for storytelling and softball, she is dedicated to giving back to the sport that has shaped her both on and off the field and making an impact on the next generation in any way she can.
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