SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara head softball coach Gina Carbonatto announced on Friday the hiring of Maddi Hackbarth as the Broncos hitting coach. 
 
Hackbarth joins the Broncos from Central Arizona College where she was the head coach for two seasons posting an overall record of 65-39 including a run to the NJCAA Region I, Div. I Softball Championship game in 2023. 
 
During the 2023 campaign, the Vaqueras posted a slash line of .389/.451/.591 and belted 57 home runs in 62 games while averaging 8.3 runs per game.  Last season, they averaged 7.0 runs per game with a .322/.411/.473 slash line. 
 
"I'm excited to hire Maddi and get her to the Bay Area," said Carbonatto.  "As a Northern California native, Maddi brings with her strong connections and an elite playing experience. I look forward to her positive impact on our hitters and catchers.   With school starting on September 23, she's going to jump right into the swing of things. Let's go!
 
"I also want to thank coach Villar for her dedication to the Bronco Bombers. She will be missed, but she's leaving us all in a better place than when she arrived. I look forward to the next step these hitters will take under Maddi from the foundation coach Villar helped build."
 
The former Arizona State captain was an All-American catcher for the Sun Devils earning second team at-large honors by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and third team recognition by Softball America in 2021.  That season she hit a robust .384 with a .470 on-base percentage and a whopping .913 slugging percentage.  
 
A native of Oakdale, California, Hackbarth tied the ASU single season home run record with 20 round trippers in 2021 and finished fifth in career home runs with 54. 
 
Behind the dish, she posted a .992 career fielding percentage, making 187 starts out of 189 games as a four year starter. 
 
 "Thank you to Coach Carbonatto and the athletic department for this amazing opportunity," said Hackbarth.  "I am blessed to be part of the mission this program is on.  Greatness is on the horizon and I am proud to be a Bronco.  Now, let's get to work!"
 
After graduating from Arizona State with a bachelor of science degree in liberal arts, Hackbarth began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Central Arizona College before getting promoted to the head coaching position in the summer of 2022.

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