Ball State University Athletics
Softball Welcomes Assistant Coach Jackie Barley
August 03, 2026 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Ball State softball head coach Helen Peña rounded out her 2026 coaching staff Monday (Aug. 3) with the addition of Jackie Barley as assistant coach for the Cardinals.
"I'm excited to welcome Jackie to the Ball State softball family," Peña exclaimed. "Her experience and success at various levels show her commitment to developing the athlete while also building strong and empowered young women. Her values align with ours, and I look forward to her contributing and helping our players be at their best and strive for excellence."
A 12-year collegiate coaching veteran, Barley completed her first year in the same role at IU Indy this past spring, helping the Jaguars rank fourth in the Horizon League in on-base percentage (.374).
"I would like to thank Coach Peña for the opportunity to join the Ball State program and assist with player development on and off the field," Barley said. "I'm very grateful to be joining the Cardinals and excited to get started!"
Prior to her lone season on the IU Indy staff, Barley spent four years as the associate head coach at Davenport University (2022-25), helping develop the program's first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Player of the Year. She would help the Panthers earn five All-Region and 17 All-GLIAC honors over her four seasons, while helping the 2022 squad produce the program's highest league batting average in program history, at .316, since joining the NCAA Division II ranks.
She also helped Davenport's student-athletes excel in the classroom, highlighted by the program earning the third-highest team GPA in Division II softball (3.789) during the 2022 campaign. Overall, she helped her student-athletes earn 34 Easton/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American Scholar Athlete honors and eight College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District accolades.
Barley culminated her two-season stint (2020-2021) as associate head coach at Malone University on the 2021 Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Coaching Staff of the Year. The 2021 Pioneers led the G-MAC with a program-record .328 team batting average, while setting program standards for home runs (33) and slugging percentage (.522).
Individually, Barley helped Malone catcher Bailey Byers earn both NFCA and Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) First Team All-America honors, as well as CSC Academic All-America accolades.
Byers was also a finalist for the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player of the Year, while earning NFCA First Team All-Midwest Region, D2CCA Midwest Region Player of the Year, D2CCA First Team All-Midwest Region, G-MAC Player of the Year and G-MAC First Team All-Conference. She was also a two-time G-MAC Player of the Week and an NFCA Division II National Player of the Week.
Barley's collegiate coaching resume also includes two seasons as associate head coach at Walsh University (2018-19), two seasons as assistant coach for a fledgling Lawrence Technological University (2016-17) and two seasons as assistant coach at Adrian College (2014-15).
Barley, a member of the 2008 United States team at the World Cup of Softball in Amsterdam, was set to make her collegiate playing debut at the University of Michigan for the 2009 season but was sidelined by injury.
She officially began her collegiate playing career at Madonna University in 2011 and went on to earn back-to-back Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) All-Conference First Team accolades as well as a pair of all-region honors. Barley was also named the 2012 WHAC Player of the Year after leading the conference with a .394 batting average, including 16 doubles, two triples and six home runs.
Her play helped Madonna earn the 2012 WHAC regular season and tournament titles, along with a berth in the pool play round of the NAIA National Championship.
"I'm excited to welcome Jackie to the Ball State softball family," Peña exclaimed. "Her experience and success at various levels show her commitment to developing the athlete while also building strong and empowered young women. Her values align with ours, and I look forward to her contributing and helping our players be at their best and strive for excellence."
A 12-year collegiate coaching veteran, Barley completed her first year in the same role at IU Indy this past spring, helping the Jaguars rank fourth in the Horizon League in on-base percentage (.374).
"I would like to thank Coach Peña for the opportunity to join the Ball State program and assist with player development on and off the field," Barley said. "I'm very grateful to be joining the Cardinals and excited to get started!"
Prior to her lone season on the IU Indy staff, Barley spent four years as the associate head coach at Davenport University (2022-25), helping develop the program's first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Player of the Year. She would help the Panthers earn five All-Region and 17 All-GLIAC honors over her four seasons, while helping the 2022 squad produce the program's highest league batting average in program history, at .316, since joining the NCAA Division II ranks.
She also helped Davenport's student-athletes excel in the classroom, highlighted by the program earning the third-highest team GPA in Division II softball (3.789) during the 2022 campaign. Overall, she helped her student-athletes earn 34 Easton/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American Scholar Athlete honors and eight College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District accolades.
Barley culminated her two-season stint (2020-2021) as associate head coach at Malone University on the 2021 Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Coaching Staff of the Year. The 2021 Pioneers led the G-MAC with a program-record .328 team batting average, while setting program standards for home runs (33) and slugging percentage (.522).
Individually, Barley helped Malone catcher Bailey Byers earn both NFCA and Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) First Team All-America honors, as well as CSC Academic All-America accolades.
Byers was also a finalist for the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player of the Year, while earning NFCA First Team All-Midwest Region, D2CCA Midwest Region Player of the Year, D2CCA First Team All-Midwest Region, G-MAC Player of the Year and G-MAC First Team All-Conference. She was also a two-time G-MAC Player of the Week and an NFCA Division II National Player of the Week.
Barley's collegiate coaching resume also includes two seasons as associate head coach at Walsh University (2018-19), two seasons as assistant coach for a fledgling Lawrence Technological University (2016-17) and two seasons as assistant coach at Adrian College (2014-15).
Barley, a member of the 2008 United States team at the World Cup of Softball in Amsterdam, was set to make her collegiate playing debut at the University of Michigan for the 2009 season but was sidelined by injury.
She officially began her collegiate playing career at Madonna University in 2011 and went on to earn back-to-back Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) All-Conference First Team accolades as well as a pair of all-region honors. Barley was also named the 2012 WHAC Player of the Year after leading the conference with a .394 batting average, including 16 doubles, two triples and six home runs.
Her play helped Madonna earn the 2012 WHAC regular season and tournament titles, along with a berth in the pool play round of the NAIA National Championship.
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