SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State University Director of Athletics Kyle Moats announced today that Kasey Griffith has been named the new head coach of Missouri State softball, becoming the seventh head coach in the history of the program.
Griffith has been on the MSU staff for the last two seasons, serving as associate head coach under long-time head coach Holly Hesse in 2024. Hesse retired following the 2024 season after leading the Bears Softball program for 36 seasons and ending her career with a record of 922-889-2.
“Kasey has done a great job in her time here as associate head coach. She has valued experience in recruiting, player development and managing game situations. Kasey also comes from a family with an incredible coaching pedigree, which will serve her well as she takes over the Bears softball program,” Moats said. “Perhaps most importantly, she will carry on the tradition of valuing the whole-person concept as she will help develop young women into not only good softball players, but also well-rounded and educated individuals who will represent Missouri State University long after their playing careers.”
After joining the Missouri State staff as an assistant coach in July 2022, Griffith was promoted to associate head coach in July 2023. She works closely with MSU’s hitters and infielders, serves as the team’s recruiting coordinator, oversees student-athletes’ academic progress and is the third base coach among other responsibilities.
“I am deeply honored to be the next head coach of Missouri State Softball,” Griffith said. “I want to express my sincere appreciation to President Clif Smart, Athletic Director Kyle Moats, and Senior Woman Administrator Casey Hunt for this tremendous opportunity. I also want to thank retired coaches Holly Hesse, Beth Perine and Sue Frederick for their support and guidance over the last two years. It is their dedication to this program that has laid the foundation for my tenure. I am committed to upholding and building upon the legacy that they have built at MSU, and I look forward to being a Bear for years to come.”
Griffith arrived in Springfield after spending 10 seasons at Drake University, where she served as a volunteer assistant for two years before being promoted to a full-time assistant coach beginning with the 2015 season. While at Drake, she worked with the Bulldogs’ hitters and infielders in addition to assisting with team travel, game day logistics, fundraising efforts and alumni relations among other duties.
Prior to her coaching career, the former Kasey Schlafke, played softball at SIUE. She spent three years playing shortstop before moving to third base in her final season. When she graduated, she ranked fifth all-time in career home runs at SIUE with 18, and she started 182 games in four seasons for the Cougars (2008-11). She was named to the Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll twice and to the Great Lakes Valley Conference All-Academic team once while at SIUE, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science in 2011.
Griffith was a multi-sport athlete in basketball, softball, track and field and volleyball at Dallas Center Grimes High School (Iowa), where she earned all-conference, all-district and all-state honors in softball. Her head coach for softball was her dad, Steve Schlafke, a longtime and highly successful high school head coach who has won more than 1,300 games and three state titles leading DCG.
She and her husband, Calvin, have two sons, Beckett and Maddox, and one daughter, Nolan.
Her promotion is contingent upon final approval by the Missouri State University Board of Governors at its next scheduled meeting.
