University of Minnesota Athletics
Softball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Catherine Heifner enters her first season on the Gopher softball staff, after being announced the new Minnesota hitting coach on August 8, 2017.
Heifner comes to Midwest from New Mexico State following 14 years on the Aggie staff, 11 of which she served as associate head coach.
"It is an honor to be a part of the University of Minnesota family,” said Heifner. “I'd like to thank Coach Trachsel for her confidence in me. Gopher softball is on the cusp of something very special and I look forward to doing my part to help the program reach its potential."
She helped lead the Aggies to four Western Athletic Conference (WAC) regular season champions, three WAC tournament champions and three NCAA Tournament appearances in the Tucson regional. Primarily in charge of one of the nation’s best offense, under Heifner’s guidance New Mexico State ranked ninth nationally in batting average and 10th in on-base percentage during the 2017 season. In 2009, the Aggie offense ranked first among NCAA Division I programs recording a .341 batting average. It was the first time a team from the WAC led the country in that category.
Over her 14 year span in Las Cruces, New Mexico, she produced 56 All-Conference selections, six WAC Player of Year honorees, four WAC Coaching Staff of the Year awards, 32 NFCA All-West Regional Selections and four NFCA All-Americans. The all-time winningest coach at New Mexico State in all Aggie sports has also served on the Regional Ranking Advisory Committee for the NCAA West Region.
Prior to New Mexico State, Heifner served as an assistant coach for two seasons at Angelo State. Prior to ASU she was an assistant at Midland College and El Paso Community College.
During her years of junior college coaching experience, Heifner won three conference and regional championships and advanced to the NJCAA World Series three consecutive years. Heifner coached three teams to consecutive top 10 rankings for team batting average as well.
Heifner received her bachelor’s degree in English from UTEP in 1997. She is currently working towards her master’s degree in sports psychology from the University of Texas – Permian Basin. Heifner was born in Landstuhl, Germany.
