Gauchos softball head coach Jo Evans gets first pro experience this summer

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - Hall of Fame Head Coach Jo Evans will serve as the Associate Head Coach of one of the newest members in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) this season. Evans will serve as the Associate Head Coach of the Oklahoma City Spark in their inaugural season.

Evans, who has over four decades of experience coaching at the collegiate level, earned her 1,400th career win this past season with the Gauchos. Her 1,413 career wins rank sixth all-time and second among active head coaches, trailing only Patty Gasso at Oklahoma. Evans led the Gauchos to their first-ever conference championship during the 2025 season, along with earning the program's first and second NCAA postseason wins.

ABOUT THE OKLAHOMA CITY SPARK
The Oklahoma City Spark joined the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) – a professional softball league in the United States – in 2026. The Spark play at Tom Heath Field.

AUSL officially selected Oklahoma City as one of its home markets for the 2026 season, welcoming Oklahoma City Spark as one of the League's two new expansion teams.

The Spark has cultivated a passionate local fanbase and maintained deep ties within the community. Their presence in a city with a storied softball legacy is anchored by the dominance of the University of Oklahoma's championship program.

FOLLOW ALONG
Evans and the Spark open their season today, June 9 against the Texas Volts at 4 p.m. Pacific time on ESPN2.

(Article courtesy of UCSB Athletics)