Ashli King returned to the University of Illinois Springfield as an assistant softball coach in 2022. A former standout player for UIS, King continues to be an important part of the program’s growth and development.
In her first season back, King helped guide UIS to its first 30-win campaign since 2018—marking the fifth in program history. That year, the Prairie Stars ranked among the top offensive teams in the GLVC, averaging 5.4 runs per game, and finished fifth in NCAA Division II in stolen bases per game. Three UIS hitters earned All-GLVC honors, and two were named to all-region teams.
King was a standout player for UIS in 2015 and 2016. She earned All-GLVC recognition in 2015 after producing one of the best offensive seasons in program history, including a .600 slugging percentage and a .468 on-base percentage. Over 102 career games, she hit .320 with 43 runs scored, 51 RBI, 17 doubles, and 13 home runs.
Before returning to Springfield, King served as an assistant coach at Lindenwood University from 2019 to 2021. The Lions won 63 games during her tenure and posted a .635 winning percentage. In their first full season in the GLVC, Lindenwood advanced to the conference tournament. King primarily worked with catchers and outfielders and coached seven all-conference players and one second-team all-region performer.
She began her college coaching career at Western Illinois University from 2017 to 2018, helping the Leathernecks win 39 games over two seasons, including a six-win improvement in her first year. King also served as the head coach at Sauk Valley Community College in the fall of 2018 and coached youth travel teams during her time as a student-athlete.
King earned her bachelor’s degree in Communication from UIS in 2016 and her master’s degree in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration from Western Illinois in 2019. She is originally from Sterling, Illinois, and is a graduate of Sterling High School.
