Utah State Hires Two-Time National Champion to Lead Softball Program

The Utah State Aggies have brought in a national championship-winning coach to build up the softball program.

Senior outfielder Kya Pratt runs around the bases during a game at LaRee & LeGrand Johnson Field. | Utah State Athletics

In hopes of bringing success to Utah State's softball program, it was announced that Kristen Zaleski will be the new head coach of the Aggies for the 2027 season after the team had some major coaching changes mid-season.

"Kristen is a proven culture builder and winner who has been part of four national championship teams," Director of Athletics Cameron Walker said in a press release on June 18. "She understands what it takes to compete at the highest level, and I'm excited to work alongside her as we build a sustainable, nationally competitive program in Logan while providing a first-class student-athlete experience."

Filed to @D1Softball: Kristen Zaleski is the new head coach at Utah State. She spent the last four seasons on staff at Texas.https://t.co/6xT1qCDm27

— Justin McLeod (@justfactsmaam) June 18, 2026

Zaleski is joining the program after a four-year stint with the Texas Longhorns, where she boosted the team to back-to-back national championships against Texas Tech. Under Mike White, she began her tenure as assistant in 2023 and was later elevated to associate head coach before the beginning of the 2026 season.

She was a staple of the Longhorns coaching staff, appearing as the first-base coach during games. Players relied on her for advice, signals, and encouragement before launching themselves to second base.

Before her time at Texas, she was part of Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso's staff, filling in as a volunteer assistant coach in 2022. During her time, the Sooners held the No. 1 national ranking all year, which culminated in a national title. With five Sooners earning All-America accolades, Gasso's coaching staff was awarded the NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year.

Feb 25, 2022; Cathedral City, CA, USA; Oklahoma Sooners utility player Jocelyn Alo (78) celebrates with volunteer assistant coach Kristen Zaleski against the Cal State Fullerton Titans during the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic at Big League Dreams. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

I am deeply grateful to the coaches, mentors and loved ones who have supported me throughout this journey," Zaleski said. "Their guidance and belief in me have helped prepare me for this opportunity. We are going to build something special in Logan, and I am excited to get to work."

The Utah State Aggies ended the 2026 season with a 19-35 overall record and a 7-18 Mountain West Conference record and could not secure a bid into the Mountain West Softball Championship that was held in Reno, Nevada. Utah State also has not made an appearance in the NCAA Division I Softball Tournament since 1984.

Despite the disappointing end to the season, three seniors earned All-Mountain West awards for their performances throughout the 2026 season. Without those players, Zaleski will need to rely on the experience she garnered at her previous powerhouse programs to build the Aggie softball program up and to success.