Delta State hires Chad Cribbs to lead softball program

Delta State turned to Chad Cribbs to lead its softball program in Cleveland, Mississippi, after he guided Keller High School in Texas to consecutive district championships and deep postseason runs. The hire puts a coach with a recent record of winning, recruiting and program building in charge of a Lady Statesmen team that has not reached the NCAA tournament since 2014 and whose best finish was the 2002 Super Regional.

Delta State Director of Athletics Mike Kinnison announced the move, saying Cribbs brings championship-level competition, player development, recruiting and program leadership. That assignment fits the pressure around a program that competes in NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference, where results matter quickly and the margin between staying relevant and fading from view can be thin.

Cribbs’ most recent stop offered a clear track record. At Keller, he led the program to an undefeated District 4-6A title in 2024 and another district championship in 2025. The Indians advanced to the regional finals in 2024 and the regional semifinals in 2025, and Cribbs was named the 2024 Fort Worth Star-Telegram Coach of the Year. He also was part of the 2025 District 4-6A Coaching Staff of the Year.

For Delta State, the hire is about more than a new voice in the dugout. The university says its athletics tradition includes 14 national championships, 37 regional championships and 70 conference titles, and softball is expected to fit that standard. Cribbs said he wants to build relationships with players, alumni and supporters while developing a championship culture, a message that could matter in Cleveland where game-day interest and campus visibility help define the program’s place in the community.

The challenge is measurable. Delta State softball’s NCAA tournament appearances came in 2002 and 2014, with the 2002 Super Regional standing as the program’s high-water mark. Cribbs arrives with a résumé built on winning at Keller, but the real test will be whether that success translates into sharper recruiting across Mississippi and the region, stronger play in the Gulf South Conference and a program that once again draws attention in Cleveland.

An online coaching staff page still listed Mark Shirley as head coach shortly after the announcement, suggesting the department’s listing had not yet caught up. Even so, the direction was clear: Delta State hired Cribbs to produce wins, raise the standard and make Lady Statesmen softball a more visible part of the university’s championship identity.