Spearman Promoted, Hathoot Hired for Lobo Softball
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The New Mexico softball coaching staff will have a new, yet familiar face, and a title change heading into the 2026 season.
An Albuquerque native and Lobo letterwinner returns to The University of New Mexico as an assistant coach as head softball coach Nicole Dickson has hired Rachael Hathoot, and after serving as an assistant coach for the past three seasons, Morgan Spearman has been promoted to associate head coach as announced on July 1.
Spearman will remain as the primary hitting coach and resume her role working with the outfielders under her new title. A four-year standout for the Lobos, Hathoot will oversee the defense and also serve as director of operations.
In her first three seasons at UNM, Spearman has transformed the Lobo offense.
This past season, UNM’s 75 doubles were the most since 2009 and the 204 strikeouts the fewest since 2017. The doubles were also the sixth most in program history, the 160 walks were the ninth most in program history and 205 RBI the 10th most in a single season in program history. The Lobos finished fourth in the MW in doubles and walks and second in sac bunts with 42. Nationally, the Lobos were 57th in the NCAA in doubles, 18th in sacrifice bunts.
In her first year working with the hitters, Spearman guided the Lobos to results that hadn’t been achieved in several years prior. UNM’s .299 batting average was the best since 2015 and tied the best average for the program in the last 11 years. The 399 hits and 231 runs scored were the most since 2015 and 2016, respectively, and the 214 RBI and .368 on-base percentage were the highest since 2015. The team’s 14 triples were the most in a single season since 2010 and the Lobos’ 40 stolen bases were the most since 2013. Nationally, the Lobos ranked 45th in batting average, 29th in triples per game, 68th in on-base percentage and 88th in slugging percentage.
In addition to her on the field roles, Spearman has overseen the team’s academics, which has seen the Lobos produce the four highest GPAs in program history in the past four semesters, including a program-best 3.70 in the spring of 2025.
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.
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.