In 2016, Easton Herring ‘18 made the switch from Seward County Community College to Newman University, in search of a place to call home and an environment that valued relationships, development and opportunity. It was here he found his calling while playing baseball for his final two years of college.
“Newman offered a competitive baseball program, a tight-knit community where I found lifelong friends who ended up being in my wedding,” he said.
Baseball’s role
Baseball was a constant in Herring’s life from a young age, starting with watching his grandfather coach high school baseball and then playing travel ball under his wing.
Herring’s high school team in Pratt, Kansas, which was coached by his stepdad, won multiple league championships.His experiences in travel and high school ball taught him discipline, accountability, adversity and the nature to compete, he said.
His current role as director of player development for Texas A&M University softball, he said, is an opportunity to apply his dedication and challenge himself with new opportunities.
This role also requires experience and expertise, something Herring possesses in abundance. After leaving Newman University for Wichita State University, he earned his master’s degree there between 2019 and 2020.
Herring said, “What makes me tick is the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself. From the very beginning, I’ve been driven by the idea of contributing to a team or a program. If there was a way to help, get better, learn, and be involved, I was all in.”
Easton’s journey
When the opportunity arose to operate a system called FlightScope for the baseball program at WSU, he “immediately expressed interest.” Since it was a new system for the coaching staff, Herring assured them he would “figure it out.”
Later, another small career break arose when the WSU team needed someone to throw at batting practice because a coach was on a recruiting trip. He jumped at another opportunity when the head coach asked him to travel and be the bullpen coach for the year.
Following his time as a graduate assistant, he was offered a volunteer assistant coaching position with WSU baseball from 2020-2022, and he threw himself in the deep end, having multiple responsibilities such as overseeing catchers and outfield, coaching first base, developing scouting reports and handling equipment with brands like Under Armour or Wilson.
If that wasn’t enough, he worked side jobs like Uber driving, private baseball lessons and running camps to help make ends meet.
Making the switch: baseball to softball
Just before the start of the 2022 season, Herring was considering a switch to softball. While scrolling on social media, he came across a volunteer assistant position for Virginia Tech Softball with the head coach’s email attached. Within an hour of contact, Herring’s phone was ringing.
Upon the job offer, he and his wife, Tara, found a place to live within two days in Blacksburg, Virginia. Ten days after returning to Wichita, their house was packed, and they became Virginia residents.
That 2022 season was “unforgettable” for Herring and the team. They won the ACC regular season championship, hosted the first-ever Regional and Super Regional in Blacksburg, Virginia and finished one win short of the Women’s College World Series.
For their successes, they were named the 2022 Mid-Atlantic Region Coaching Staff of the Year.
Soon after, several Division I programs reached out to Herring with full-time opportunities.
“One stood out as it brought us closer to home — Austin Peay State University, in Clarksville, Tennessee,” Herring said.
While the 2023 season was a success, with APSU finishing in the top 50 in the rankings nationally, Herring was soon packing his bags again, as the NCAA approved three full-time assistant coaching positions for college baseball and softball programs.
“I expected movement across the coaching world but did not anticipate being part of it again so quickly, especially with a newborn. My wife and I welcomed our first son, Kannon, in July 2023. That changed when I received a text from the head softball coach at Wichita State asking if I would be interested in an assistant coaching position,” Herring said.
Returning to Wichita
After a successful interview process, the Herring family was headed from Tennessee back to Kansas.
“It was time to come home,” he said, “Wichita will always be home for my family and me: attending Newman and Wichita State, meeting my wife, coaching both baseball and softball there made the experience truly full circle. Getting to wear black and yellow again was special.”
Home, settled and after three years with the Shockers, the Herrings welcomed their second son, Karson, in December 2024.
Herring’s third year in black and yellow was record-breaking for Wichita State softball. They completed the 2026 recruiting class, which was ranked 46th nationally by Softball America and fourth among mid-major programs, the highest ranking in Wichita State softball history.
On the move again
In October, Herring received a text from the recruiting coordinator at Texas A&M, asking if he wanted to be the school’s director of player development for softball.
“It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. Wichita was home, but the opportunity to work in the SEC was something I couldn’t pass up,” Herring explained.
No stranger to moving, the process hit quickly again. They visited College Station, Texas, found a place to call home in just three days, and swiftly packed up and moved to the Lone Star State within a matter of weeks.
Now entrenched in life at A&M, Herring said he is enjoying his new role. “What I enjoy most about this role is the opportunity to directly impact our athletes’ growth both on and off the field. I love bridging the gap between technology, data, and on-field performance, helping players understand why we do something and how it can make them better,” Herring said.
“At the end of the day, helping create an environment at Texas A&M where player development is intentional, measurable and individualized, and being part of a program that values innovation while staying rooted in competitive excellence makes this role both challenging and fulfilling.”
From earning an elementary education degree and playing DII baseball at Newman University to being a part of a DI SEC program, Herring has worked tirelessly to make a positive impact on the student-athletes. A&M opens its 2026 softball season at home Feb. 5.
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