In first season as Iowa softball head coach, May-Johnson looks for in-state consistency

IOWA CITY — There’s a specific image first-year Iowa softball head coach Stacy May-Johnson has in her head for in-state recruits.

She knows any high school athlete, particularly in Eastern Iowa, has a Hawkeye t-shirt or hoodie in their closet. She can distinctly imagine them digging around for the shirt they own before a visit in Iowa City, rather than going to the bookstore before stepping on campus.

“They grew up wanting to be Hawkeyes,” May-Johnson said. “We're just giving them what they've always wanted — the opportunity that they always wanted. And the pitch is to stay home and make this program what it should be and make it great again: Take us back to the World Series.”

May-Johnson dawned a Hawkeye uniform herself, playing under Hall of Fame coach Gayle Blevins for four years. May-Johnson was the 2003 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and still sits in the top 15 in program history for career games played, runs, hits, batting average, doubles, RBIs and home runs.

She’s been a part of the program when Iowa won Big Ten Titles and played in the NCAA Tournament. Since graduating, May-Johnson’s spent 20 years as a softball coach, and became Iowa’s sixth head coach in program history.

From the beginning, taking over the program in the fall, she’s made it clear: she wants to make Iowa a destination for in-state high schoolers.

“It's so exciting because that's been a big thing here, is we recruit a lot of girls from Iowa to have hometown, home-state pride,” Iowa outfielder Tory Bennett said. “So it's super important to continue that tradition going.”

The 2026 Hawkeyes already includes some local products, including Bennett, returning for her final year of eligibility. She never had any intention to leave Iowa, despite the coaching uncertainty.

But after May-Johnson’s first introduction, it solidified Bennett’s desire to stay even more. Although the Iowa head coach describes herself as an “even-keeled” coach, her players are catching on to May-Johnson’s passionate.

And they admitted it’s infectious.

“Her speeches are so intense,” freshman infielder Mariah Myers said. “She really gets you going. I’ve just loved going to practice and hearing what she has to say.”

The Hawkeyes are starting their season with a weekend tournament in Tallahassee for the JoAnne Graf Classic, before making the rounds through tournaments and road games before opening the home slate March 20. May-Johnson’s goal throughout the summer has been about developing the team, specifically by finding starter bats in the lineup.

More importantly, May-Johnson knows what it takes to put Iowa at the top of the Big Ten. That’s where she wants this program to go.

“They're a great group. They work hard. They want it,” May-Johnson said. “And I think when you can do that, you have a chance, you have a chance to do something special.”

And maybe the efforts for a first-year coach, who’s been seen around the high school softball world already, can help lead this year’s Hawkeyes and show Iowa why staying home was always the goal.

“They may not all say yes, but we're going to try for every single one of them,” She said. “And we certainly will retain some talent, no question about it.”

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