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.
In her first season as a coach with the Lobos, New Mexico won 28 games in 2026, the most wins in a season since 2015 and finished with a winning record for the first time since 2015. The Lobos won 13 conference games, the most Mountain West wins since 2015 and tied the second-most confeerence wins by a Lobo team.
In addition, the Lobos won four Mountain West series, the most since 2015 and recorded two series sweeps, against Boise State and Utah State, the most under the three-game series format and the most in a MW season since 2000. The Lobos won their first series over San Diego State sice 2018 and the nine runs scored in game one was the most runs scored against the Aztecs since 2014. UNM went on to sweep Boise State in Boise, the first sweep of the Broncos since 2015 and the second sweep all-time, but the first sweep in Boise. It was also the first time that the Lobos have won consecutive games against BSU since 2016.
Between San Diego State and Boise State, it was the first time that UNM has won consecutive MW series since 2021.
The historical season continued with UNM winning game one at Nevada, the first win in Reno since 2022 and the 12 runs scored tied the most runs scored by the Lobos against the Wolf Pack.
Against Fresno State, the Lobos won their second series in the last three years over the Bulldogs, scoring 12 runs in game three. The 12 runs were the most runs scored by a Lobo team against the Bulldogs and the 12-1 run-rule victory the first run-rule win over Fresno State in program history.
UNM closed the Mountain West schedule with a sweep over Utah State, the second sweep of the Aggies in the last three years, which prior, the Lobos hadn't swept USU since 1989.
The Lobos made the Mountain West Softball Championships for the first time since it was brought back in 2023, clinching a four-seed and defeated Fresno State in the first round, shutout UNLV and fell one game short of the championship game in a loss to Grand Canyon.
UNM had a program-record five players named to the Mountain West All-Conference Teams with Miracle McKenzie and DeNae Vasquez-Dickson earning first team honors for the first time in their careers and McKenna Guest, Caitlin Benningfield and Gabrielle Briones earning honorable mention, the first postseason awards for Briones and Benningfield and the second for Guest.
On the season, the Lobos produced offensive numbers that stood among the top in the record book, scoring 286 runs, the most since 2012 and the second-most runs in program history. The 412 hits were the most since 2015 with 57 home runs the most since 2012 and the second-most home runs in program history. Their .459 slugging percentage was the best since 2012 and the third-best in program history with 661 total bases also the most since 2012 and third most in program history. UNM's 258 RBI were the most since 2015 and the second-most in program history.
McKenzie finished with 16 home runs, the most by a Lobo since 2022 and also had 49 RBI, 111 total bases and a .716 slugging percentage, with each statistic the best season total by a Lobo since 2022. Allie Williams hit 17 doubles, the most by a Lobo since 2009 and tied for the second most in program history.
Defensively, the Lobos improved on the program record for errors and fielding percentage set in 2025 with a program-best 47 errors and .960 fielding percentage.
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.