Rachel Reekstin-Acosta is in her sixth season as the head coach of the Concordia University Texas softball program after being hired in August of 2013.
In her previous five years with the Tornados, Reekstin-Acosta has won 77 contests. In 2018, CTX finished the season 25-18, tied for the second-most wins in school history. The Tornados closed the year with a school-record 19 conference victories and had two players, Brittani Whitten and Jorden Russell, named to the NFCA all-West region team for the first time since 2008.
After starting the year 10-11, the Tornados closed the season by going 15-7 in their last 22 games, including a seven-game winning streak. CTX defeated Louisiana College and 12th-ranked ETBU in the first two games of the ASC Tournament to advance to the ASC Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2000.
Under Reekstin-Acosta, Concordia has picked up 23 ASC All-Conference awards, including Haley Dennett, Jorden Russell and Brittani Whitten garnering second-team honors in 2018.
In 2017, Concordia returned to the ASC Tournament for the first time since her inaugural season, as the team finished 19-23 and 12-18 in conference play. The Tornados won 13 of their first 18 games, including a six-game winning streak, to start the season. They concluded the season as the sixth-seed in the ASC to earn a tournament spot and beat East Texas Baptist in the regular season for the first time since 2012.
In 2016, Reekstin-Acosta and the Tornado Softball Program opened Tornado Softball Field, allowing the squad their first true home field in program history.
Prior to coming to CTX, Reekstin-Acosta served as the pitching coach for one season at Wellesley (Mass.) College.
During her time in the Boston area, Reekstin-Acosta helped the Blue to a 22-14 overall record and a 10-6 finish last year in the New England Men's and Women's Athletic Conference. She oversaw a Wellesley pitching staff which logged a 2.53 ERA in 2013, which was fourth in the league and nearly 75 points less than the previous season. Reekstin's pitchers also recorded eight shutouts during the campaign.
Reekstin-Acosta began her collegiate coaching career at her alma mater, Concordia Irvine (Calif.), as a graduate assistant in 2012. While with the Eagles, she served as the pitching coach and helped the team to a No. 1 national ranking in NAIA and the Golden States Athletic Conference (GSAC) Championship. Concordia Irvine, which finished the year with a 56-4 overall record (15-1 GSAC), advanced to the NAIA World Series, but was unable to move on from pool play.
The Eagles' pitching staff ranked fourth in the nation with a 1.28 ERA and fifth with 430 strikeouts, and rotation ace Katie Cotta was named first-team All-American and GSAC Pitcher of the Year.
Before joining the coaching ranks, Reekstin-Acosta was a standout in the circle for Concordia Irvine from 2007-10. The right-hander helped the Eagles to 147 victories (36.8 per season) during her four years and a pair of appearances in the NAIA World Series (2009 and '10). She ranks among the top five in eight of Concordia Irvine's career pitching categories, including games started (78/t-2nd), wins (48/3rd), saves (5/3rd), innings pitching (485.0/3rd), strikeouts (297/t-3rd), appearances (108/4th), shutouts (18/t-4th) and complete games (43/5th). Additionally, she owned a career 1.96 ERA.
Reekstin-Acosta, who earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and sociology from Concordia Irvine in 2010 and a master's in coaching and athletic administration three years later from the same school, resides in Austin with her husband Miguel and her daughter Inez.
Reekstin-Acosta's Year-by-Year Record
| Year |
School |
Record |
Conference |
| 2014 |
Concordia Texas |
17-25 |
14-19 (8th/ASC) |
| 2015 |
Concordia Texas |
8-29 |
8-21 (8th/ASC) |
| 2016 |
Concordia Texas |
8-32 |
5-25 (10th/ASC) |
| 2017 |
Concordia Texas |
19-23 |
12-18 (6th/ASC) |
| 2018 |
Concordia Texas |
25-18 |
19-11 (4th/ASC) |
| Totals |
5 seasons |
77-127 (.377) |
58-94 (.381) |
