Coaching Staff

Nikki Bethurum

Softball - Head Coach (interim)

Email: Nikki Bethurum

While AWC may be Nikki Bethurum’s first foray as a head coach, she brings plenty of overall coaching experience to the position. A native of Downey, California in the Los Angeles area, Bethurum returns to the west coast after spending the last three years as an assistant softball coach at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. As the lead assistant and pitching coach for longtime UAM Head Softball Coach Alvy Early, Bethurum helped lead the Lady Cotton Blossoms to the Gulf South Conference West Championship and a berth in the NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament in her first season on the staff. This past season, Bethurum helped lead the Blossoms to a 38-16 overall mark, a 2nd-place finish in the GSC’s West Division, and her pitching staff featured the conference’s Pitcher of the Year. Bethurum got right into coaching after a stellar collegiate playing career. Highly touted after winning 19 games as a senior pitcher for Downey High School and playing on four different traveling softball teams that all qualified for nationals, Bethurum was the first signee of the 2001 recruiting class for University of California-Riverside in the inland empire. After spending her freshman campaign as UCR’s top pitcher, Nikki transferred to the University of Louisiana-Monroe. Bethurum wasted little time making a big impression on her new teammates, becoming their top pitcher and hitter-despite fighting through shoulder problems throughout the season. Injuries forced Bethurum to move from the mound (and a starter at first base) to starting shortstop for her final two years as a player, but she still was the team’s leading hitter both years and was an All-Southland Conference Honorable Mention selection as a junior. Nikki was also a star in the classroom, making the honor roll at ULM all three years she was there, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from ULM and graduating with honors in 2006. Bethurum earned her Master’s Degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Arkansas-Little Rock last month.

Softball - Assistant Coach

Email: Mark Garcia

Six years after stepping onto the AWC Softball Field for the first time as an assistant coach, Mark Garcia continues to be a stabilizing force as he works to make others better in the sport of softball. His top-level achievements include playing men's fast-pitch at the National and World level, primarily as a catcher, and later pitching for a team in Mexico. Mark’s coaching experience also includes a local travel team, and brings strong management skills to the program from his current position as a manager at Albertson's Super Market. Garcia is married to Laura and has three children, Mark Jr., Angie and Erin.

Softball - Assistant

Email: Miguel Villarreal

Whether he’s been on the baseball or the softball diamond at AWC, Miguel Villarreal has continued to make his mark on successful teams as a player and a coach. During his playing days, Villarreal was a catcher for John Stratton’s Matador Baseball program. Even then, though, Villarreal was watching how his coaches did things, and credits Stratton’s coaching abilities with the inspiration to become a coach himself. Villarreal began coaching summer travel softball teams, and nine years later, he’s still doing it, including coaching one squad to a national championship in Salem, Oregon, and leading another to the championship game the next year. Miguel spent three years as an assistant coach for Kofa High School’s softball program before coming to AWC. Miguel hasn’t left his playing days behind, though, since he still plays men’s fast-pitch softball with fellow AWC Assistant Coach Mark Garcia. Villarreal and his wife, Loretta, have a son, daughter, and one granddaughter.

Softball - Assistant Coach

Email:  Sarah Palmer

Sarah Palmer celebrates five years on the AWC Softball coaching staff this season-and 7 years with the program itself. Yuma-area softball fans have literally watched Palmer grow up in front of their eyes, starting way back when she emerged as a team leader with the South Yuma Bobby Sox team that went to the National Tournament nearly two decades ago. She also spent seven years playing ASA Softball as part of the Yuma Express. In high school, the former Sarah Woodman was a 4-year varsity stars at Kofa High School, and led the Lady Kings to a 3rd place finish in the Arizona State Tournament her senior year. Sarah continued her winning ways on the college level with the Lady Matadors, and was part of the 2001 National Tournament team that finished 3rd in the nation as an AWC freshman. After two years at AWC, Palmer capped off her playing career at the top: at Angelo State, winning the 2004 NCAA Division II National Championship. After making the Dean’s List for 5 semesters, Sarah graduated from Angelo State in 2004, moved back to Yuma to help coach AWC’s Region I Playoff team, and is celebrating her second year of marriage with her husband, Dwight Palmer.