2024 - Kaley Ness, now in her seventh year as CSC’s head softball coach, has been with the Eagles through most of the program’s best years since it was re-established in 2007.
Beginning in 2015, when she came to Chadron as a coaching assistant under head coach Rob Stack, CSC strung together three consecutive Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament berths and narrowly missed a fourth in 2019.
Under Ness’s guidance, the CSC softball team had its first All-America selection, freshman second baseman Haleigh Hoefs, in 2019. In addition to All-America honors, Hoefs garnered the program’s fifth All-RMAC First Team nod, setting a new school slugging record, tying the record for doubles, and leading the way for a new team record for most double plays turned.
In 2018 the Eagles’ pitching staff, led by All-RMAC Second Teamer Jessica Jarecki, set new CSC records for strikeouts, earned run average, and opponent batting average.
The Eagles posted their best-ever defensive season in terms of fielding percentage in 2016, Ness’s first year as an assistant, and they followed it up with the third-best season in 2017.
Ness was instrumental in redesigning the Eagles' strength and conditioning programs, where the team showed great gains over the past four years. She has also become known as an ace softball scout, and has recruited Colorado and Nebraska extensively.
Prior to Chadron State, Ness attended NCAA Division II Southwest Minnesota State University, where she accumulated 107 starts in 133 career games as an infielder and was elected captain her senior season. Her senior year she led her team with a batting average of .338 in a team-high 142 at-bats.
Ness, formerly Kaley Scearcy, is a native of Mankato, Minnesota, and received a bachelor's degree in exercise science and coaching from SMSU. She completed a master's in sport and recreation management at Chadron State College in 2017. She is married to Brian Ness and the couple reside in Chadron.
