An Albuquerque native and Lobo letterwinner returns to The University of New Mexico as an assistant coach as head softball coach Nicole Dickson hired Rachael Hathoot in July 2025 to oversee the defense and also serve as director of operations.
During her career, which spanned from 2020-24, Hathoot played and started in 176 games, and was twice named to the Mountain West All-Conference First Team (2023 and 2024). The infielder is one of two Lobos to earn at least two first team selections in Dickson’s tenure. She finished her career in the top 10 in career triples, as well as hits and triples in a single season with 66 hits in 2024 and seven triples in 2023. Her hit total in 2024 is the most by a Lobo since 2016 and the eighth-most hits in a season in program history with her career triples also the eighth most in program history. Additionally, Hathoot was named the UNM Female Student-Athlete of the Year in 2024, as well as named to the Academic All-MW Team and a MW Scholar-Athlete three times.
In her final season in Albuquerque, Hathoot led the team in batting average, hits and runs and was second in on-base percentage, total bases and sac bunts, and carried a 17-game hitting streak and a 27-game on-base streak during the season. She also led the Lobos in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, doubles, triples, runs scored and total bases while tying for the team high in RBI in 2023, and nationally finishing 53rd in the NCAA in batting average, fifth in triples and seventh in triples per game.
After receiving her undergraduate degree in speech and hearing sciences from UNM in 2024, Hathoot attended Oklahoma State, playing in 52 games with 26 starts for the Cowgirls, earning her master’s in sports communication.