In 2016, Easton Herring ‘18 made the switch from Seward County Community College to Newman University, in search of a place to call home, an environment which valued relationships, development and opportunity. It was here he found his calling, and was given the opportunity to play 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.
The game was introduced through family, watching his grandfather coach high school baseball and even play travel ball under his wing.
As Herring moved through high school in Pratt, Kansas, he was a part of a team that was winning multiple league championships, a team coached by his stepdad. It was these experiences at a young age that taught him discipline, accountability, adversity and the nature to compete.
Herring’s journey to his role today as Director of Player Development for Texas A&M University Softball has been one which embodies courage and dedication, accepting change and not shying away from new opportunities.
This role is one which requires vast experience and expertise, something Herring possesses in abundance. After leaving Newman University for Wichita State University, he earned his masters 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
Fate, a perfect fit? The opportunity arose to operate a system called FlightScope for the baseball program at WSU and he “immediately expressed interest.”
The new system was one which coaching staff were unsure how to use, Herring didn’t either but assured them he would “figure it out.” With his foot in the door, another small career break arose that increased his role on the Shocker staff. When a coach was out of town on a recruitment trip, the team needed someone to throw at batting practice. Jumping at the opportunity again, his responsibilities soon expanded, when the head coach asked him to travel and be the bullpen coach for the year.
Following his time as graduate assistant, he was offered the volunteer assistant coaching position with Wichita State University baseball from 2020-2022. It was here 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 making 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.
There is no time like the present, and for Herring and his wife that meant flying to Blacksburg, Virginia. Upon the job offer, he and his wife Tara found a place to live within two days. Ten days after returning to Wichita, their house was packed and they were to become Virginia residents, this was the start of Herring’s softball coaching career.
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 new born, 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 I, 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 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 4th among mid-major programs, the highest ranking in Wichita State softball history.
On the move again
Despite this, last October Herring’s phone notifications rang again. It was 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 into 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 today, Herring continues to work tirelessly and strives to make a positive impact on the student-athletes for his new home. A&M opens its 2026 softball season at home Feb. 5.
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