ASHLAND – For the second time in her career, Southern Oregon University's Cheyenne Bricker has been named the NAIA Softball Assistant Coach of the Year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

Bricker completed her eighth season as an assistant at SOU under head coach Jessica Pistole in 2025 and has been with all four NAIA national championship teams. After the Raiders won their latest title this spring, she was also honored as part of the NAIA Staff of the Year.

"We are so fortunate to have Chey here at SOU," Pistole said. "Her consistency, loyalty, and ability to take on any task is such a gift to our program and to me. She continues to help elevate the bar for all of us and leads with authenticity and integrity. She is a fierce competitor, a true champion, and has played a vital role in our ability to compete at an elite level."

Bricker, an SOU alum, was first recognized as the NAIA's top assistant in 2022.
 
This year, her primary role of developing SOU's pitchers came particularly into focus as her star pupil, Ayla Davies, became the NAIA Pitcher of the Year and World Series MVP as a true freshman.

Bricker is also the Raiders' first-base coach. For the last four years, she has served as the SOU athletics eligibility coordinator.

The Bieber, Calif., product came to SOU as a pitcher in 2014 and played her final season in '15 when Pistole was hired to lead the team. Two years later, she joined Pistole's staff.

Since then, the Raiders have made NAIA World Series appearances in seven of eight postseasons.