Kristina Graham
Kristina Schmallen begins her second season as the head Softball Coach at South Mountain Community College. Kristina is a native of Phoenix and a 2002 graduate of Westview High School in Avondale. While at Westview she played basketball, volleyball and varsity softball for four years achieving 1st Team All Conference, 1st-All-State honors and, holds school records for batting average, on-base percentage and fielding percentage. She received a D-1 scholarship to Campbell University in North Carolina. During her freshman year at Campbell earned 1st Team Atlantic Sun Conference, along with tournament team/MVP. Kristina returned home for her sophomore year and played for Pima Community College in Tucson and was part of the Division I NJCAA National Championship team. At Pima, she obtained Division I NJCAA All-American Honors, 1st Team All-ACCAC, 1st Team All-Region, and All Tournament Team at NJCAA nationals. Earning her associates degree she returned to NCAA Division 1 softball for the next two years at the University of New Mexico where she holds school records for batting average, home runs per season, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Kristina also achieved 1st Team All-Mountain West, 2005 and 2006.
After receiving her Bachelor's degree at UNM, she continued her education and softball career at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. Kristina pursued a master's degree in Health and Human Performance while fulfilling the first assistant coaching position for the Fort Hays State Tigers. Kristina worked with the infielders, catchers/pitchers, slappers and assisted with hitting. During the 2008 season she assisted the Tigers to the first winning season the program has had since 2003 with a record of 32-26. In Kristina’s first year coaching the Tigers, Head Coach Hadley and she guided the Tigers to an 11-7 conference record and a 3rd place finish in the conference tournament.
During the summer of 2006, Kristina was recruited to play professional softball for the Arizona Heat in Tucson. This was her second opportunity to play for coach and mentor Stacey Iveson. The following summer she was recruited to play for the Totono Hornets in San Marino (Italy).
Kristina holds an Associates Degree in General Studies, a Bachelor's Degree in University Studies with her emphasis in Communications and Physical Education and a Master's Degree in Health and Human Performance.
Ben Sorden
Assistant Coach, Pitching Coach
Coach Sorden is in his first year at South Mountain Community College. His primary responsibility is working with the pitching staff. Prior to coming to SMCC, he coached 8 years at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with head coach Bob Timmons (currently 3rd in all time wins for NCAA DIII). In 2009 the Kohawks were NCAA DIII National Runner up and also finished 5th in 2006. While coaching at Coe, the Kohawks had 2 All American pitchers, 5 NCAA All Region pitchers as well as 2 pitchers as IIAC Pitchers of the Year.
He was also a student coach for 3 years at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa under NFCA Hall of Fame coach Marge Willadsen. While at BV the Beavers had 3 trips to the NCAA Regionals and one trip to the Women’s College World Series. During that time the Beavers had 2 pitchers each earn All American honors while each having the lowest ERA in the country in different years as well as the lowest Team ERA.
Ben continues to play mens fastpitch and has pitched for several teams over the last 13 years. He is also a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and has been a guest clinician at several camps and clinics throughout the Midwest. Off the diamond, Ben is a financial consultant with offices in Phoenix, AZ and Cedar Rapids, IA.