Former Hornet April Rosales is the tenth head coach of the Hornet softball program.

Rosales will begin her tenth season as head coach at Emporia State in 2025. She is 239-222 overall, 106-106 in the MIAA, with an MIAA Tournament Championship, two trips to the conference championship game and an appearance in the NCAA Central Sub-Regional championship game.

In 2024, Rosales led the Hornets to their first winning MIAA record since 2019 after finishing both 2023 and and 2022 at 13-13 in MIAA play. Emporia State has won over 30 games each of the past two seasons and made the MIAA Tournament in both seasons.

In 2018, Rosales led the Hornets to the MIAA Tournament championship and her first trip to the NCAA Central Regional Tournament as head coach. The Hornets finished the regular season on a nine game winning streak and extended that to a 12 game streak in the MIAA Tournament. Emporia State advanced to the Central Regional championship game against Minnesota-Duluth.

In her first year at the helm, after taking over in November of 2015 with no seniors on the team,.Rosales had five Hornets named to the Honorable Mention All-MIAA, four on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and two two MIAA Scholar-Athletes.

"This program has been a part of my life for over a decade," said Rosales.  "Hornet softball is more than just a program, it's a family and a tradition. The blood, sweat, and tears past players and coaches have put forth won't be lost and I look forward to continuing the success and building on it for years to come."

Rosales spent seven seasons as an assistant with the Hornets and has served as a Graduate Recruitment and Grant Development Specialist for the Graduate School at Emporia State in 2015. She assisted in all facets of the Hornet softball program under both coach Kristi Bredbenner and Julie LeMaire after her all-conference playing career at Emporia State.
 
"When this position opened, I felt the time was right to look at our former softball student-athletes, those who built the program into what it is today, those who have invested some sweat equity, if you will," said Weiser. "April Rosales exemplifies the hard work and passion for Emporia State Softball that sets the program apart from others."
 
Rosales was a member of both the Lady Hornets national runner-up teams. She hit .324 with 30 RBI and played nearly every game at shortstop during the 2008 season as the Hornets advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship game. She was named First Team All-MIAA at shortstop after batting .512 in conference action with 13 RBI and was stellar in the field as well with just three errors in 56 chances. In her junior year with the Hornets, Rosales was fifth in the MIAA in on-base percentage at .471 on the season, hit .336 with four home runs and 30 RBI and was ranked ninth in the nation in hit by pitch with 16 on the year. Originally recruited by former Hornet and Iowa State coach Stacy Gemeinhardt, Rosales redshirted during the 2006 season with the Hornets due to three knee surgeries. She played a vital role in the dugout as the Lady Hornets went 62-7 on the year and finished second in the nation.

"I firmly believe April Rosales has the skill, talent, and dedication needed to help our program maintain its championship level, and to help us reach even greater heights," said Weiser.

She is a 2005 graduate of Johnson County Community College. In her two years there, she earned all-region and all-district honors and twice led the Cavaliers to the post-season. She batted .452, slugged .661 with a .567 on-base percentage over the course of her career. Rosales was also a NFCA All-Academic performer.

A 2003 graduate of Jefferson West HS she led the Tigers in nearly every offensive category and was a team captain her junior and senior years.

Rosales Year-by-Year
Year          Overall     MIAA
2024          31-20       14-12   
2023          33-23       13-13   
2022          25-30       13-13    
2021          21-23       11-15   
2020           16-9          3-1
2019          28-28       14-12
2018          30-31       14-12
2017          34-26       15-11
2016          21-32         9-17