Meuchel and Gasso Promoted to Associate Head Coaches

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.  – Arkansas softball head coach Courtney Deifel has promoted assistant coaches Matt Meuchel and DJ Gasso to associate head coaches ahead of the 2026 season, the school announced on Thursday.

“We are excited to announce the promotion of Matt Meuchel and DJ Gasso to associate head coaches for Arkansas Softball,” Deifel said. “Their leadership, commitment, and impact on our program have been instrumental to our continued success on and off the field. We look forward to the future with them in these expanded roles as we continue to build something special in Fayetteville.”

In 2025, Meuchel and Gasso helped lead Arkansas to a 44-14 mark (14-10 SEC) and a No. 5 national seed in the NCAA tournament, the sixth national seed in program history. The Hogs’ 44 wins were tied for the third-most in program history. Arkansas also returned to the Super Regionals for the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2022.

Meuchel recently completed his ninth season in Fayetteville in 2025. He joined Deifel’s staff in 2017 following an eight-year stint as the head coach of Nevada. During his tenure on The Hill, Meuchel has helped guide the Hogs to a pair of SEC regular season championships, one SEC Tournament crown, four NCAA Super Regionals and eight straight NCAA Tournament appearances. During his nine seasons, he has played a significant role in the development of 15 NFCA All-America selections, 43 NFCA All-Region selections, 37 All-SEC players, in addition to two SEC Players of the Year and 2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Bri Ellis. Widely regarded as one of the sport’s leaders in analytics and defense, all six of the Razorbacks’ top six single-season fielding percentages have come under his watch.

In 2025, under Meuchel’s guidance, Arkansas had its greatest defensive season in program history as the Razorbacks won the NCAA statistical championship with a .984 fielding percentage, which also set a new program record, edging out the previous mark of .978 set in 2024. Arkansas posted a program record 33 games without an error, shattering the previous record of 28 set in 2022. All eight of the Razorbacks’ everyday starters posted a fielding percentage above .966, with four posting fielding percentages above .980. Individually, first baseman Bri Ellis was named to the SEC All-Defensive team for the second consecutive season after registering a .988 fielding percentage with 329 putouts and nine assists in 342 chances. Behind Meuchel’s scheduling, Arkansas finished the regular season ranked seventh nationally in RPI, marking the fifth straight season the Razorbacks posted a Top 20 RPI.

DJ Gasso joined the Razorbacks prior to the 2024 season after a three-year stint as an assistant at Utah. Gasso serves as the program’s primary hitting coach. During Gasso’s two seasons at the helm of the offense, Arkansas has set single-season team program records in six offensive categories while registering top-three marks in 12. Individually, five single-season hitting records have been set under Gasso’s watch.

Under Gasso’s guidance, Arkansas set records in numerous offensive categories in 2025, including runs scored (436), RBI (399), walks (291), doubles (90), on-base percentage (.439), and sacrifice flies (29). Additionally, Arkansas also ranked in the top 10 nationally in walks (2nd), sacrifice flies (4th) and on-base percentage (7th), runs per game (7.52, 7th), and hit by pitch (57, 8th).  Additionally, Arkansas out-hit the opposition in 41 games during the 2025 campaign, the most in program history. The Razorbacks’ run production also helped Arkansas set a new program record in run-rule victories with 23, shattering the previous record of 16 set back in 2014. Individually, at the plate, the Razorbacks were highlighted by 2025 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Bri Ellis, who put together one of the greatest offensive seasons in NCAA history. She batted .440 with 26 home runs, 72 RBI, 146 total bases, 69 walks, and 68 runs scored while posting a 1.090 slugging percentage, a .639 on-base percentage, and a 1.729 OPS. Her 26 homers, 72 RBI, 68 runs scored, 1.090 slugging percentage and .639 on-base percentage were single-season program records. She also tied the SEC single-season record with 26 round-trippers. Gasso’s tutelage helped Ellis and Courtney Day become just the second pair of teammates in program history to drive in over 60 runs in a single season.

The Razorbacks are coming off a 44-14 mark in 2025, which featured their eighth-consecutive NCAA Tournament berth and fourth NCAA Super Regional appearance in program history, all of which have come under head coach Courtney Deifel’s guidance.

For schedule updates and other news, go to ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or follow @RazorbackSB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.