Since arriving at Arizona Christian University in the summer of 2021, Coach Mike Mayben has led the Firestorm Softball team with excellence, purpose, and a passion for spiritual growth. Coach Mike came to ACU from Oregon, where he graduated from Corban University and began his coaching career immediately after college. He spent 12 years coaching alongside his wife Casey at his alma mater, North Medford High School, before joining Southern Oregon University, where he served as an assistant coach and later as interim head coach during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The opportunity to join ACU came when his daughter Mia, then finishing her college degree in Arizona, came across the job posting and shared it with him. After prayerful consideration and learning more about ACU, Mike and Casey felt called to join the Firestorm Family.
Coach Mayben was blessed with a strong incoming freshman class and a dedicated coaching staff that included his wife Casey, their newly married daughter and pitching coach Taelor Tracy, and ACU alumni Tatumn Porras. Over the years, he has continued to grow the coaching team by bringing on alums Kirsten Garcia and Claire Buckley—further deepening the connection and legacy of Firestorm Softball.
The past four years of investment and development bore fruit this season, as the team experienced meaningful success both on and off the field. The current senior class—mentored by Coach Mike and his team—emerged as leaders, not just in competition but in spiritual growth. They led a summer Zoom Bible study through the book of Philippians, continuing their commitment to spiritual formation year-round. “This past season we had four players rededicate their lives to the Lord and follow Him in water baptism,” Coach Mayben shared. “Sport unifies us, but our main focus is growing in our faith.” That commitment continues with Bible studies throughout the year.
Determined to finish strong, the six seniors entered this past season with focus and drive. A preseason tournament in Oklahoma bonded the team and revealed their resilience. When weather forced a move from turf to dirt fields and the team didn’t have metal cleats, they still competed with grit—defeating Montreat College under tough conditions.
The regular season brought both highlights and challenges. The team notched impressive wins over strong opponents, but also fell short in games they had the talent to win. With a near .500 record at season’s end, the Firestorm needed to win the GSAC Tournament to make the playoffs. After a first-round loss put them in the elimination bracket, the team rallied, winning four consecutive games—including back-to-back victories over Embry-Riddle—to capture the tournament championship.
In a full-circle moment for Coach Mayben, the team advanced to the opening round of the NAIA playoffs, hosted in his home state of Oregon. For many players, it was their first visit to the Pacific Northwest. The trip was filled with awe and excitement—from seeing towering trees to stepping into the cold waters of the Klamath River. A unique experience for these Southwestern athletes, they even played in snow in May. Despite a strong start, the Firestorm fell to Jamestown, who answered their three-run opening with a rally of their own.
The postseason wasn’t the only source of celebration for Firestorm Softball this year. Senior Brenna Henry made program history by earning the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, the first ever for ACU Softball. The award honors the top defensive player in the nation at the NAIA level. Henry led the NAIA with 385 putouts and 12 assists with no errors (a distant second had 261) and contributed to 24 double plays—also the most in the NAIA.
Another milestone came as Jyden Miles surpassed Claire Buckley’s ACU career hit record, recording an incredible 260 hits. In a touching moment, Buckley—now part of the coaching staff—was coaching first base and was the first to congratulate Miles on her achievement.
Additional team recognitions are:
2025 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes
Softball (9), Academic standing
Brooke Mays, Senior
Brenna Henry, Senior
Christina Grubb, Junior
Joelle Dowdy, Senior
Jyden Miles, Senior
Kaitlin Terzakos, Senior
Mekhia Wagner, Sophomore
Sierra Lauko, Sophomore
Taylor Fogleman, Senior
To qualify for NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors, a student must maintain a cumulative 3.5 GPA or better, appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport, and complete one full year at their institution.
2025 NAIA Scholar Team
ACU Softball
Year: 2024-25
Number of Athletes on Varsity Roster: 29.00
Team Total – List Team GPA Points: 2923.00
Divided by – Team GPA Hour: 853.00
Equals – Team GPA: 3.43
The NAIA Scholar Team award recognizes NAIA member institutions’ athletic teams that have achieved a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale – and ACU easily qualified with an incredible 3.43 team GPA. This honor celebrates the academic success of student-athletes on a team level, as well as individual student-athletes who meet the Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete criteria.
CSC (College Sport Communicators) Academic All-District
Jyden Miles
Brenna Henry
Sierra Lauko
CSC members nominate athletes for their academic effort (minimum 3.5 GPA) and athletic achievements. Nominees must have a certain percentage of games played and have All-American/ All-Conference potential.
Coach Mayben’s deep love for his team and their mission is evident in every word and action. “My greatest joy is watching our athletes’ dedication to representing Christ in all they do. They devote time to growing in their faith together,” he shares. “When recruiting, I tell players we are an active faith team, not a passive one. These ladies are passionate about their faith. It’s a privilege to walk alongside them as they rediscover and reaffirm their identity in Christ.”
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