LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Arcadia University’s Kylie Balthaser is the 2026 recipient of the Geri Ann Glasco Memorial Scholarship, created in partnership with the Natasha Watley Foundation and the Glasco family. Balthaser will receive funding to attend the 2026 NFCA National Convention, Dec. 9-12 in Atlantic City, N.J.
Reviewed and voted on by the NFCA Mentoring Committee and Geri Ann’s dad, Texas Tech coach Gerry Glasco, the scholarship is awarded to a female member coach who shows a commitment to growing the game of fastpitch in her community and has a need for financial assistance to attend the Convention. It is dedicated to remembering Geri Ann Glasco, an aspiring coach and elite former student-athlete, who lost her life on Jan. 24, 2019 in Lafayette, La.
Balthaser, who is entering her third year as an assistant at Arcadia, will receive a complimentary Convention registration, $700 in travel reimbursement and up to four nights at the Convention’s host hotel.
“I’ve had the privilege of knowing Kylie on the recruiting trail when we were at different institutions, and now working together as colleagues on the same staff,” new Arcadia head coach Mary Murray said. “Entering the position as a first-time head coach, it was impressive to see all that Kylie had done over the two months she had been tasked with keeping the program running. Kylie has built strong relationships with players, coaches and the athletic department. She is organized, meticulous, and will always give her full attention and effort to the task at hand.”
“She is a great collaborator. She is more than willing to bring ideas to the table, and is very open to working with others. She is able to be independent and take the lead in situations when needed, while also supporting initiatives and strategies in other situations.”
Balthaser, who will be attending the Convention for the first time this December, expressed excitement for the opportunity to learn from her peers.
“Attending the Convention will help me develop as a coach immensely, but also streamline and improve my knowledge at a higher developing level,” she said. “I think being very early in my coaching career, this could be a great opportunity to expand my knowledge in areas I am familiar, gain bearings on pitching and catching tactics that I am not so confident in, and network and pick the brains of many talented coaches.”
“This experience will allow me to continue to think outside the box and critically think about new ideas that I have maybe never considered before, immerse myself and solely focus on the educational and hands-on experience of softball for four consecutive days.”
Balthaser will be recognized on Thursday, Dec. 10 during the Convention’s annual mentoring workshop, which is presented by SixFour3.
View previous recipients here.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its extensive awards and scholarships program, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from NFCA podcasts to a comprehensive drills database, to in-person events and a National Convention.
Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining our lineup of 7,000 coaches today!
