BIG SPRING – Howard College has made it official by naming the current interim coach, Ashley (A.C.) Lopez, as the new head coach for the Hawk’s softball program. Lopez will start her official duties immediately.
Before being named as interim coach in December, Lopez served as the assistant coach for the Hawks for two full seasons.
“We have a strong program with rich tradition, and we feel like Ashley is a great person to take the lead and keep our program moving in the right direction,” said Dr. Amy Burchett, Executive Vice President. “She has been an active part of building that tradition and her experience playing as a Hawk as well as her time under Coach Raines have given her valuable insight to our program.”
Lopez is no stranger to Howard College as she played centerfield for the Hawks in 2015 and 2016. During that time, she was part of teams claiming two conference championships, two regional championships and two trips to the NJCAA Division I Softball National Tournament, finishing fourth in the nation in 2015.
After earning her associate degree at Howard College, Lopez transferred to Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) to take over their starting center fielder position for two years while earning her bachelor’s degree in University Studies with the emphasis in Business and Health Physical Education. Upon her graduation in 2018, she served as the graduate assistant coach at ENMU coaching outfielders for the 2019 season.
“This is a dream come true,” said Lopez. “Thanks to President Sparks and Dr. Burchett for believing in me and giving me this chance to coach the Hawks. I am so excited to officially get started as the head coach and put my own mark on this program. Our goal is to keep the winning tradition alive and well in Big Spring.”
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