Jackie Barley joins the IU Indy softball staff prior to the 2025-26 season bringing 11 years of college coaching experience that includes stops at the Division 2 , NAIA and Division 3 levels.
In her eight prior years at the Division II level she’s developed two Conference Player of the Year selections, a Freshman of the Year, a Pitcher of the Year, a Regional Player of the Year, a first team All-American, seven All-Region award winners, ?an NFCA Top 15 National Player of the Year finalist and 25 combined conference (GMAC/GLIAC) award winners.
Barley was most recently an Associate Head Coach at Davenport University. During her time at Davenport the team claimed the highest in-conference batting average in the program’s D2 era, hitting .316. Barley helped make an immediate impact offensively with increases in batting average, hits, doubles, RBI, total bases, and on base percentage. Barley coached Davenport’s first ever GLIAC Player of the Year, Rachel Griffin. Griffin also garnered the GLIAC Commissioner’s Award and earned All-Region honors. In total Barley helped develop three All-Region selections in her tenure. The Panthers also excelled academically, earning the third highest team GPA in all of Division II softball (3.789).
Prior to Davenport, Barley spent two seasons as the Associate Head Coach at Malone University. At Malone, Barley helped boost the program’s winning percentage, team batting average, home runs, and slugging percentage. Malone’s 2021 squad led the GMAC in overall batting average hitting .328.
Barley helped develop the 2021 GMAC Female Athlete of the year, Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Midwest Regional Player of the Year, as well as three All-Region players. Barley also helped mentor Malone’s first ever NFCA/ D2CCA First Team All-American as well as one of the top fifteen Schutt Sports Division II National Player of the Year finalists. Malone was the only team in the conference to earn two NFCA National Player of the Week honors in 2021. Additionally, Malone captured the GMAC Elite 23 award for academic excellence as well as an Academic All-American honor. As a team, Malone was ranked nationally in multiple hitting categories throughout the year, such as batting average, doubles per game, home runs per game, scoring/ slugging percentage and on base percentage. During Barley’s time at Malone, the program broke records for winning percentage, team batting average, home runs, and slugging percentage.
Prior to Malone, Barley was an Associate Head Coach at Walsh University. She made an immediate impact, increasing the team’s batting average, runs, on base percentage, slugging percentage, hits, doubles, RBI, and extra base hits. At Walsh, she mentored the GMAC Freshman of the Year and All-Region selection, Jessie Rock, as well as numerous All-Conference players.
Prior to Walsh, Barley was an assistant coach at Lawrence Technological University. At LTU, she assisted in starting the Blue Devil program from scratch. She helped develop All-Conference players and made history as the first inaugural team to make post season play. Barley also helped develop the program’s first ever All-Region award winner and guided a roster consisting of 16 true freshmen to an overall batting average of .303.
Barley’s college coaching career started at Adrian College. She helped reshape the Bulldogs' offense, which led to increases in batting average, runs, hits, slugging percentage, RBI, home runs, and doubles. Barley’s Bulldogs earned All-Conference recognition and had an overall team batting average of .331. Barley’s Bulldogs rank first in program history in doubles and home runs in a season.
Prior to college coaching, Barley coached High School Varsity Softball for three years. At Onsted High School she guided the team to its first conference championship in 20 years. The Wildcats ranked in the top 10 state rankings throughout the season and finished with a school record in wins.
Barley was a standout shortstop at Tecumseh High School (MI) where she helped lead the Indians to a 142-25 record, including back-to-back state championships in 2007 and 2008. Barley was a three-time Lenawee County Player of the Year. She signed to play softball at the University of Michigan, but after an injury, she transferred to Central Michigan University. Plagued by injury again, Barley finished out her last two seasons at Madonna University where she helped the team win a Conference Championship and a Conference Tournament Championship. The team also made a National Tournament appearance. Barley was a first team All-Conference selection both seasons at Madonna, an NAIA All-American and Conference Player of the Year.
Barley graduated from Madonna University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Malone University with a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership.
