Samantha “Sammy” Hislop
16+ years of coaching, player development, and private instruction experience — from 7U beginners to collegiate athletes.
Experience. Passion. Development.
Samantha “Sammy” Hislop brings more than 16 years of coaching, player development, and private instruction experience to 180 Elite Performance™.
A Texas native, Sammy grew up playing softball at Wichita Falls High School and competed at the travel-ball level with Texas Glory. A multi-sport athlete, she pursued her goal of competing in both basketball and softball at the collegiate level at Midland University in Nebraska. As a four-year starter in the circle, Sammy built a successful collegiate career that included multiple records and honors.
Her coaching career began while she was still in college, providing private instruction and leading clinics. Since then, she has worked with athletes ranging from 7U beginners to collegiate players, developing athletes across recreational, competitive travel, and college levels.
Today, Sammy works with approximately 30–40 athletes each week and specializes in pitching, hitting, and outfield development. She is also a leader within Nebraska Reign, an eight-team softball organization she co-founded, where she serves as the organization’s pitching and hitting instructor. In addition to private instruction and organizational development, she coaches across multiple age groups, including 8U, 16U, and 18U national-level softball.
Building complete athletes, on and off the field.
Years coaching, player development, and private instruction
Athletes developed each week
Starting pitcher at Midland University
Softball organization co-founded: Nebraska Reign
The complete athlete — physically, mentally, and personally.
Sammy’s coaching philosophy centers on developing the complete athlete — physically, mentally, and personally.
She believes athlete development should never be one-size-fits-all. Her approach focuses on understanding each athlete individually, teaching the “why” behind training and mechanics, and helping athletes develop the confidence and awareness to make adjustments independently.
Beyond performance, Sammy emphasizes effort, accountability, resilience, competitiveness, preparation, and being a selfless teammate. Her goal is not simply to develop better softball players, but to help develop young women who know how to respond to adversity, compete with confidence, and take ownership of their development.
One of Sammy’s greatest strengths is her ability to connect with athletes. By building genuine relationships and establishing trust, she creates an environment where athletes can be challenged, held accountable, and pushed beyond their comfort zones while knowing their coach is fully invested in their success.
The mentorship she wished she had.
Sammy’s passion for 180 Elite Performance™ is deeply connected to her own journey as an athlete. Despite having the ability to compete at the collegiate level, she entered the recruiting process with very little guidance. She received one Division I offer and ultimately found her opportunity at Midland University after their coaching staff discovered her.
That experience shaped her desire to help today’s athletes access the mentorship, recruiting guidance, development resources, and support she wishes she had received.
As Director of Softball Performance, Sammy brings extensive technical knowledge to 180 Elite, but her impact extends beyond mechanics. She is especially passionate about helping athletes strengthen the mental side of competition, navigate adversity, learn from failure, build confidence, and understand what it takes to compete at the next level.
Softball continues to be a major part of Sammy’s life both professionally and personally. Her family is deeply involved in the sport, and she continues to compete herself, bringing the same competitive mindset and passion she expects from the athletes she coaches.
“I give my all in everything I do, and I expect the same in return from my athletes and families.”
Samantha “Sammy” Hislop
Ready to develop your softball skills, confidence, and competitive mindset? Train with Sammy and the 180 Elite Performance™ softball program.