UCSB Softball head coach Jo Evans will be taking her talents to the professional level this summer.
Evans, who is a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame, will serve as the associate head coach for the Oklahoma City Spark in their inaugural season in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL).
Seminole State College head softball coach and former University of Oklahoma standout Amber Flores is the Spark head coach.
The Oklahoma City Spark is one of the league’s two new expansion teams for the 2026 season, bringing the total number of teams in the league to six. The Spark will play their home games at Tom Heath Field, the home field for Oklahoma Christian University.
The AUSL schedule concludes with the championship on the final weekend of July, giving Evans plenty of time to return to Isla Vista for the beginning of the 2026-27 school year.
Evans has coached college softball for over 40 years, earning her 1,400th career win this spring with the Gauchos. She is currently sixth all-time and second among active coaches in wins at 1,413.
The Spark will begin its inaugural season against the Texas Volts on Tuesday, June 9 at 4 p.m. PST on ESPN2.