Some familiar faces are returning to help the Gators. Kendra Falby and Kara Hammock are set to return to the Florida Softball team as student assistants, head coach Tim Walton announced Friday morning.
Both assistants graduated last December. Falby is pursuing her sport management certificate and Hammock has returned to get her master's degree in sports management.
Falby is set to join the staff assisting Florida’s hitters and outfielders during the 2026 season.
A former 2025 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Second Team All-American and a back-to-back Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner. Falby will also coach first base during games in the 2026 season. The Odessa, Florida native had one of the most decorated careers in her time with the Gators.
At UF, she is tied for first with 259 career runs. In both hits and stolen bases, she ranks second among Gators with 337 hits and 118 stolen bases.
“She gives us her heart and her soul every single day, every single inning, every single pitch, every single practice,” Walton said about Falby in 2025.
Hammock plans to use her pitching skills to work with Florida’s hitters and mainly throw batting practice. In her time with the Gators last season, Hammock made 25 appearances in the circle, including 11 starting appearances, posting a 9-2 record.
"Kara brings in a lot of experience,” Walton said of Hammock upon her commitment last season. “Her style of pitching is something we need in our program to get back to the Women's College World Series and compete for a national championship."
Prior to her time with Florida, Hammock spent three seasons at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) and was a three-time All-Coastal Athletic Association selection.
Florida opens the season against Illinois State on Feb. 6 in the USF-Rawlings Invitational in Tampa, Florida.
Contact Zach Moore at zmoore@alligator.org. Follow him on X @zach_moore27.
