Concordia Texas Athletics

Jeff Staton enters his eighth season as the head coach of the Concordia University Texas softball program in 2027. He is the 10th head coach in program history.

Under Staton's leadership, the Tornados have continued to elevate the program, setting the school record for victories in consecutive seasons while establishing themselves as a contender in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC).

2026

Staton guided the Tornados to another historic campaign in 2026 as Concordia established a program record with 30 victories, surpassing the previous mark of 27 set by his 2025 squad.

The Tornados also achieved another program first by earning their first NFCA national ranking, reaching No. 22 during the season.

Concordia placed eight student-athletes on the All-SCAC teams. Kylie Denaro, Kylie Kirk and Lilly Longoria earned First Team All-SCAC honors, while Malarie Mican was selected to the Second Team. Christian Everett, Karlee Mathis, Molly Olivarez and Mia Post received honorable mention recognition.

The individual accolades continued following the season as Kirk and Denaro were named to the NFCA All-Region 10 Team. Kirk earned Second Team honors to become the first two-time All-Region selection in program history, while Denaro was selected to the Third Team. Their selections marked the first time since 2018 that Concordia placed multiple players on the NFCA All-Region Team.

Kirk produced another standout season, batting .424 with 25 doubles, eight home runs and 53 RBIs while also going 9-4 in the circle with a 2.69 ERA and 87 strikeouts. Denaro hit .414 with 55 hits, 46 runs and 21 stolen bases.

2025

Continuing the success of the 2024 season, Staton and the Tornados produced a then-program-best 27 victories in 2025. CTX also recorded a school-best 22 wins during its first season as a member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.

The Tornados ended the regular season with 12 consecutive victories, tied for the second-longest winning streak in program history, to earn the fourth seed in the SCAC Tournament.

A pair of Tornados earned major individual conference awards as utility player Kylie Kirk was named SCAC Co-Player of the Year, while outfielder Malarie Mican was selected as the SCAC Newcomer of the Year.

Kirk also became the fourth Tornado in program history to earn NFCA All-Region honors and the first to be selected to the NFCA First Team.

Nine Tornados were named to the 2025 All-SCAC teams. Kirk, Mican, Kylie Denaro and Taylor Smrt earned First Team honors, while Addison Lehew and Molly Olivarez were named to the Second Team. Christian Everett, Karlee Mathis and Kylie Pavlicek received honorable mention recognition.

2024

In 2024, Staton led the Tornados to another winning campaign as CTX recorded 25 victories, including 14 conference wins.

Concordia entered the ASC Tournament as the sixth and final seed before putting together a memorable postseason run to reach the ASC Championship Series for the first time since 2000.

The success resulted in eight Tornados earning All-ASC recognition, the program's most all-conference selections since 2018.

Catcher Molly Olivarez highlighted the group with First Team All-ASC honors, while utility player Kylie Kirk was named to the Second Team. Kylie Denaro, Addison Lehew and Mayson Post earned Third Team honors, while Grace Coleman, Christian Everett and Kylie Pavlicek received honorable mention recognition.

2023

During the 2023 campaign, the Tornados produced another trio of all-conference performers.

Grace Coleman and Emily Schmuck earned First Team All-ASC honors, while Cristina Ayala was named to the Second Team.

Concordia also rewrote several offensive records during the season. The Tornados established a single-season program record with 134 stolen bases and set a single-game record with 12 stolen bases against Willamette on Feb. 20.

CTX also established a single-season record with 21 triples and tied the program's single-game record with three triples against Howard Payne on April 29.

2022

In his third season as head coach, Staton had three student-athletes earn All-ASC recognition.

Erica Riley and Ashley Hallmark were named to the Second Team, while Ellie Congalton received honorable mention recognition.

The season also featured an individual program first as Hailee Tinajero recorded the first cycle in Concordia softball history against Sul Ross State.

2021

In his second season at the helm, Staton led the Tornados to a successful 2021 campaign.

Concordia finished 22-16 overall and 16-11 in ASC play, advancing to the ASC Tournament after earning the No. 2 seed in the West Division.

Six Tornados earned All-ASC honors, highlighted by ASC Co-Freshman of the Year Megan Hooper, who also earned First Team recognition.

Erica Riley, Ashley Hallmark and Bailey Tisdale earned Second Team selections, while Cristina Ayala and Emily Moses received honorable mention honors.

In addition to her All-ASC recognition, Tisdale was selected to the NFCA All-West Region Third Team.

2020

In Staton's first season as head coach, he earned his first career collegiate coaching victory as the Tornados shut out Trinity, 4-0, in their season opener.

Concordia went on to win two of three games against Schreiner and finished 6-11 overall and 1-5 in ASC play before the remainder of the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to Becoming Head Coach

Before taking over the program, Staton served as a Concordia Texas assistant coach for three seasons.

His tenure as an assistant included the Tornados' 25-win campaign in 2018, which was tied for the second-most victories in a single season in program history at the time. Concordia also advanced to the ASC Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2000.

Staton brought a wealth of softball experience to Concordia, having coached girls select softball for 28 years while also serving as the Director of the Texas Stix Girls Softball Association. He has helped more than 140 student-athletes continue their softball careers at the collegiate level, ranging from the NAIA to NCAA Division I.

Personal

Staton is no stranger to Concordia or Central Texas. A native of Austin, Texas, Staton was a four-sport athlete in high school. He attended Tarleton State University to play football before transferring to Southwest Texas State University, where he played baseball.

His daughter, Haylee Staton, pitched for the Tornados in 2010 and earned ASC West First Team honors before finishing her collegiate career at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Staton and his wife, Kathy, currently reside in Liberty Hill, Texas.

Coaching Highlights

• Led Concordia to a program-record 30 victories in 2026
• Guided CTX to the first NFCA national ranking in program history in 2026
• Coached eight All-SCAC selections in 2026
• Coached 2026 NFCA Second Team All-Region selection Kylie Kirk
• Coached 2026 NFCA Third Team All-Region selection Kylie Denaro
• Coached the first two-time NFCA All-Region selection in program history in Kylie Kirk
• Led Concordia to a then-program-record 27 victories in 2025
• Coached 2025 SCAC Co-Player of the Year Kylie Kirk
• Coached 2025 SCAC Newcomer of the Year Malarie Mican
• Coached the program's first NFCA First Team All-Region selection in Kylie Kirk
• Led CTX to the 2024 ASC Championship Series, the program's first appearance since 2000
• Led the Tornados to the 2021 ASC Tournament
• Coached 2021 NFCA All-West Region Third Team selection Bailey Tisdale
• Coached 2021 ASC Co-Freshman of the Year Megan Hooper
• Coached the first player in program history to hit for the cycle, Hailee Tinajero, in 2022