OTTAWA, Kan. – Ottawa University head softball coach Maile Deutsch has announced the hiring of Samantha Quezada as an assistant coach for the Braves softball program.

Quezada joins Ottawa after spending the past five years as an assistant softball coach at Bethany College, where she played an integral role in player development, recruiting, practice planning, and the day-to-day operations of the Swedes' program. She brings extensive experience in pitching development and has built a reputation for developing student-athletes both on and off the field.

"We are incredibly blessed to welcome Samantha to Ottawa University and our softball program," said Deutsch. "God works in beautiful, unexpected ways, and bringing Samantha onto our staff is a true testament to that. We spent a year competing against each other as college players before later trying to out-strategize one another as opposing coaches. Now, having the opportunity to coach alongside her is a true full-circle moment. Samantha's knowledge of the game, passion for coaching, and commitment to developing student-athletes will make an immediate impact on our program. She is a leader of faith, character, and excellence both on and off the field. We're excited for her to lead our pitching staff, as we continue raising the standard and pursuing championship-level success." 

During her time on the Bethany coaching staff, Quezada designed and implemented preseason and in-season pitching development programs, led bullpen sessions, coordinated practice schedules around academic commitments, evaluated and recruited prospective student-athletes, organized campus visits, and assisted with game-day operations and team travel.

Quezada had a stellar playing career at Bethany, helping lead the Swedes to the 2021 NAIA Softball World Series and a fourth-place national finish. In the circle, she recorded 155 strikeouts, threw 28 complete games, and pitched 243.2 innings during the 2021 season.

Her performance earned her First Team All-KCAC and NAIA Region III Second Team honors in 2021. She was also named the Hohokam Invitational Most Outstanding Athlete and earned ACCAC All-Region Third Team honors in 2018.

"I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and excited to begin this new chapter," said Quezada. "I am especially looking forward to working alongside Coach Maile, someone I have respected in the game since we competed against each other in college. I'm eager to get to know our student-athletes, learn from Maile, and work with our pitchers to help them reach their goals and full potential on and off the field. I feel truly blessed for this opportunity and am thankful to God for guiding me to this next chapter."

Quezada has also worked as a private softball instructor since 2019, providing individualized instruction to athletes of varying skill levels. Her training focuses on pitching mechanics, hitting fundamentals, performance development, and building long-term improvement plans.

In addition to her coaching responsibilities, Quezada has served in several leadership roles at Bethany College, including Resident Director, Residence Life Coordinator, Student Resolution Process Facilitator, and Sports Information Assistant. Those experiences strengthened her leadership, communication, and organizational skills while enhancing her ability to mentor and support student-athletes.

Quezada earned a Master of Science in Nutrition and Human Performance from Logan University in 2024 after receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science from Bethany College in 2021. She also earned an Associate of Arts degree from Mesa Community College in 2019.

Quezada's coaching philosophy centers on helping student-athletes become the best versions of themselves on and off the field. She emphasizes high standards, accountability, consistent growth, and genuine relationships while creating an environment in which players feel supported, challenged, and heard.