Abilene Christian University Softball Camps

Overview

Abilene Christian University (ACU) fields its softball program in Abilene, Texas, competing at the NCAA Division I level as a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC). The university's official camp page, operated under the name "Abilene Christian – Softball," designates Poly Wells Field on the ACU campus as the on-site location for its softball instruction. The program is in its early stages under new leadership, with head coach Larry Hays entering his first season in 2027.

Coaching Staff

Larry Hays – Head Coach (hired June 23; sixth coach in ACU softball history)

Hays brings nearly five decades of collegiate coaching experience to Abilene. His career spans 38 seasons as a head baseball coach at Lubbock Christian (1971–86) and Texas Tech (1987–2008), followed by nine seasons at the helm of softball programs at Lubbock Christian (2010) and Colorado Christian (2019–26). His overall career mark stands at 1,902 wins, 951 losses, and 8 ties.

On the softball side, Hays owns a 394-91-4 record (.810) with four seasons of 50 or more victories. At NCAA Division II Colorado Christian he captured three Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament titles and posted five consecutive NCAA Regional berths. His 2026 Colorado Christian team finished 55-7, highlighted by a 47-game winning streak built around just two senior players. In his single year at Lubbock Christian, the Lady Chaparrals went 54-7 and earned a spot in the 2010 NAIA National Tournament.

His baseball résumé includes guiding Lubbock Christian to the 1983 NAIA National Championship and serving 22 seasons at Texas Tech, where he became the program's all-time wins leader (passing 1,500 career victories in 2008) and had his No. 27 jersey retired. Hays has collected 12 coach-of-the-year honors (nine in baseball, three in softball) and holds inductions in four halls of fame: the NAIA (1991), Texas Baseball (2001), National College Baseball (2015), and New Mexico Sports (2024).

No assistant coaches are currently listed on the official ACU Athletics softball staff directory.

Facilities

The camp provider identifies Poly Wells Field as the on-site venue. ACU Athletics' general facilities page does not provide a dedicated write-up for that field specifically. What is noted is that the university completed indoor hitting cages for the softball program in time for the 2019 season, part of a broader wave of athletics facility upgrades that has continued since 2015. No further details—such as seating capacity, playing-surface type, or specific amenities—are publicly listed in the source material.

Schedule & Registration

As of a live check of the provider's website (acusoftballcamps.com) on September 15, no upcoming camp sessions are published. The site currently reads: "Currently there are no upcoming events. Check back soon!" No confirmed future session is listed at this time.