Earlier this month Texas A&M hired 12-year head coaching veteran and four-time conference coach of the year Trisha Ford as the softball program’s 10th head coach replacing the legendary Jo Evans. Ford was head coach at Arizona State for the last six years.

Ford earned her second Pac-12 Coach of the Year honor last season after guiding ASU to its 17th-straight NCAA Tournament and the program’s 28th-consecutive winning season. The Sun Devils won their third Pac-12 Championship and first since 2011, winning a program-record 20 league games.

Ford said… “I also want thank Jo [Evans] for being not only a tremendous ambassador for our sport, but for the legacy she built at A&M. I am looking forward to embracing what she has built here and continue to move it forward. For me, this is a tremendous opportunity. Texas A&M is a place that is very special and the core values of A&M line up with mine both on and off the field. I have been on the other side of the 12th Man. They are a fan base that is envied across the entire country, and I am looking forward to seeing them at Davis Diamond. I am excited to put an elite product on the field and to hit the ground running.”

Ford has already started putting her stamp on the team hiring Jeff Harger as an assistant coach. Harger rejoins Ford in Aggieland after spending the last five seasons at Arizona State with Fod and will work directly with offensive development. After serving as a volunteer assistant coach with the Sun Devils through the 2018 season, Harger was elevated to a full-time assistant coach position ahead of the 2019 season.

“I am excited that Jeff will be joining me in Aggieland,” Ford said. “Jeff is someone who has consistently developed players from the offensive side of the game over the years. He is a lifelong learner and is always looking for new techniques to push the game to new heights. We have worked together for many years, and I have seen what he does day-after-day and year-after-year in player development and the numbers support it.”

Ford also brought Joe Guthrie onboard the coaching staff as an assistant coach. Guthrie comes to Aggieland after spending the last four seasons at UAB, beginning in 2019 as an assistant coach, before being promoted to associate head coach and eventually head coach in 2021.

“Joe brings an incredible depth of knowledge, and he is a defensive specialist that has consistently developed players,” Ford said. “He has been an assistant coach, worked in the professional league and was just recently a head coach. Joe is a tireless recruiter with ties in the south that will be important for our recruiting footprint. He will bring a wealth of knowledge to our program, and I could not be more excited that he is joining our staff.”

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to coach with Trisha Ford, Jeff Harger and the rest of the Aggie softball staff,” Guthrie said. “When I think of Texas A&M, I think of it as the very best in all aspects of higher education. I look forward to beginning the process of winning a national championship. Gig ‘em!”