Houston Christian University Athletics

Mary-Ellen Hall completed her 33rd season at the helm of her alma mater, and she also serves as the athletic department's Senior Woman Administrator. She ranks as her alma mater’s all-time winningest coach in any sport with 901 victories. 

The 2024 season ended with a third straight trip to the Southland Tournament. The Huskies defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi before falling to Nicholls and regular-season champion McNeese. HCU finished the season with a 23-27 overall record and went 9-15 in the SLC, with junior Haylie Savage being selected to All-Southland for the third straight season. HCU had 11 seniors, seven of whom were part of the last recruiting class with long-time assistant Roger Willhite. Hall picked up her 900th career victory on the final day of the regular season with a come-from-behind 8-7 extra-inning victory at Texas A&M-Commerce.

Hall led the 2023 squad to a 20-33 overall mark and a 9-15 SLC ledger, which culminated in a third straight appearance in the conference tournament. The Huskies would place a trio of players on the All-Conference team, including 2023 Southland Freshman of the Year AB Garcia. Garcia was also named to the NFCA Top 25 Freshman Watchlist while earning second team NFCA All-Region honors. The Huskies also excelled in the classroom, putting five players on the Academic All-Conference team while seeing seven honored with Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete accolades.

HCU went 19-29 in 2022, but then raced to the semifinals of the Southland Tournament with two come-from-behind upsets of third-seeded Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Huskies went 22-17 and 15-12 in the SLC in 2021, with four players being selected to the All-Conference team and four to the Academic All-Conference teams.

The 2020 season was cut short due to Covid, with the Huskies going 12-10 before play was halted. In 2019, HCU went 23-23 overall and 10-16 in conference, and Demi Janak picked up All-Conference honors for the second time in her career.

In 2016, the Huskies went 15-29 with a 7-19 mark in Southland Conference play. Sophomore Libby Brown was named Second Team All-Southland Conference while freshman Demi Janak earned Honorable Mention honors. During the 2015 season, the Huskies went 13-32, 5-20 in the SLC. Senior first baseman/catcher Melissa Herman and freshman outfielder Nicole Shedd earned all-conference recognition following the competition of the regular season. Herman picked up second team honors, while Shedd was named honorable mention.
 
HBU made the SLC Tournament for the first time in 2014, as the team went 22-28 overall and 10-6 in league play. In that tournament appearance, the Huskies won their first postseason game as a member of the conference, defeating Stephen F. Austin, 8-7. HBU had four players named All-SLC, with sophomore Kirsten Schwirtlich being tabbed NFCA All-Region.
 
In 2013, the Huskies went 15-27 and 6-20 in its first season as a member of the Southland. With a 13-3 win over Central Arkansas on March 19, 2013, Hall recorded her 700th win. HBU was well-recognized with post-season honors from the conference, as Lauren Schwirtlich and Victoria Granchelli were named first team All-SLC, Kirsten Schwirtlich was named to the second team and Herman was named to the third team. The Huskies also earned two of the major awards, as Lauren Schwirtlich was named Newcomer of the Year and Kirsten Schwirtlich earned Freshman of the Year honors.
 
In 2012, HBU went 16-33 overall and 2-4 in the conference. The Huskies beat Nebraska Omaha in the playoffs, defeating Dana Elsasser, who led the nation in ERA, but lost twice to Utah Valley in the double-elimination tournament. Herman earned first team all-conference honors, while Daniella Rodarte, Holly Webb and Keely Shuler were second team selections.
 
In 2011, Hall led the Huskies to one of the best seasons since their return to NCAA Division I, as HBU went 36-23 and won the Great West Conference championship. She was named the GWC Coach of the Year, while senior shortstop Mollye Mlcak and senior pitcher Jammie Weidert earned GWC Player and Pitcher of the Year honors, respectively. The Huskies also posted great marks in the classroom, as Mlcak was named a CoSIDA Academic All-America and the team earned the fourth-best GPA in all of NCAA Division I, at 3.551.
 
In 2010, the Huskies went 16-30 in their first season in the Great West Conference, finishing with a 2-4 conference mark. Mlcak and Sara Corcoran were named first team All-GWC, while four others were named to the second team.
 
In 2009, HBU went 18-23 which included a third-place finish at the Independent Tournament in Greeley, Colorado, and saw Casie Campanello earn All-Independent honors.
 
In 2008, she led the Huskies to an impressive 28-13 record in their return to NCAA Division I.
 
Since 2009, Hall has served as the SWA for the Huskies. Her duties include coordinating and/or providing support of all woman’s sports teams at HCU, attend home and away games and conference championships as appropriate to represent the department, participate in the hiring and evaluation of sports coaches, disseminate pertinent information to coaches, provide insight and information regarding women’s issues and programming at all levels and represent HCU at Southland Conference and NCAA meetings and conventions.
 
Prior to taking over the reigns as head coach, Hall served as an assistant coach for three seasons. In her first year as an assistant, which also was the first year of HCU softball, the Huskies competed as a Division I member.
 
During her tenure as head coach, Hall has led the Huskies to nine NAIA national championship tournament appearances and national rankings, including the team’s highest final ranking of second in 2005. Hall was honored by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association for her 500th career win during the 2006 season. She has had athletes selected All-America 32 times in her career, with 94 total All-Conference/All-Region nods spanning three conferences during her tenure.
 
Academics has always been a high priority for Hall over the years. In total as of 2023, there have been 150 Academic All-Conference selections, and 94 Academic All-America accolades. She has also had 97 NFCA All-America Scholar-Athletes in that span while also seeing her teams being awarded for excellence in the classroom by the NFCA. 
 
Hall led HBU to nine straight Red River Athletic Conference titles with the Huskies having their best record in school history in 2005 with 51 wins and setting a new low for losses with five. She was named RRAC Coach of the Year in each year the Huskies competed in the conference and after the 1999 and 2005 seasons, NFCA honored her, along with assistant coach Roger Willhite, as NAIA Southwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
Hall is a 1988 graduate of Houston Baptist University. She received her Master’s degree in sport sciences from the United States Sports Academy in 1991. She was named to the HCU Sports Hall of Honor in 2012.

Hall attended Marian Christian High School where she was a four-time all-district selection in softball and voted as the team’s Most Valuable Player twice. She played on summer softball teams that attended the state tournament five times and finished fifth in the nation in 1980. In addition to softball, Hall played basketball and volleyball at MCHS.
 
After high school, Hall attended HBU on a volleyball scholarship where she was a two-year letterman for the Huskies. Hall also served as assistant volleyball coach for her high school alma mater while attending HBU.
 
Hall has enjoyed much success at HBU, building the Huskies into a perennial NAIA national power and overseeing a transition back to the NCAA Division 1 ranks. She has served as chairman of the Red River Athletic Conference and Region VI softball coaches and as a national rater for the NAIA. She also is a past president of the NAIA Softball Coaches Association.