Mayville, N.D. - Head Coach Jordan Olson announced the hiring of former Mayville State softball and basketball standout Mackenzie Hughes as an assistant coach in July 2026.

A 2025 graduate of Mayville State University, Hughes was a four-year dual-sport student-athlete, competing for the Comets in both softball and women's basketball. Following her graduation, she used her final season of eligibility at the University of North Dakota, where she played basketball under former Mayville State head coach Dennis Hutter.

On the softball field, Hughes was one of the program's most consistent and dynamic players. She recorded more than 100 career hits, stole 47 bases, and started every game of her collegiate career except one. Her defensive excellence earned her the 2023 Gold Glove Award in the outfield, and she capped her playing career by being named First Team All-Conference as an outfielder in 2025. She played her final two seasons for the Comets under Olson.

Hughes also had an outstanding basketball career at Mayville State, developing into one of the top guards in the region. She finished her Comet career with more than 1,500 career points and earned multiple All-Conference honors, including First Team All-Conference recognition twice & NAIA All-American honors. She surpassed 2,000 points and 400 career assists in her final season at UND and was named Honorable Mention All-League in the Summit League Conference (Division I).

"We are ecstatic to welcome Mackenzie back to Mayville State," said Olson. "She will have an immediate impact on the competitive success of our program, and I'm excited to have someone who shares our commitment to recruiting top in-state talent. Mackenzie understands what it takes to succeed at Mayville State. Her work ethic, leadership, and experience balancing two collegiate sports over four years will provide invaluable insight and mentorship for our student-athletes."

Hughes, a native of Thompson, North Dakota, was named the 2021 North Dakota Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Female Athlete of the Year. She also has deep ties to Mayville State, continuing a family tradition of Comet athletics. Her brother was a member of the Comet baseball program, her mother played basketball for Mayville State, and her father is a Mayville State graduate.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to return to the Mayville State family. This University played such an important role in shaping me as both a student-athlete and a person, and I'm excited to give back to a program and school that means so much to me," said Hughes. "I'm looking forward to working alongside the coaching staff, building relationships with our student athletes, and helping them grow both on and off the field."

Hughes will primarily work with outfield, strength & conditioning, fundraising and serve as the coaching staff's primary in-state recruiter. She will also be an HPER Instructor at MSU.