Benet Higgs has been named the head coach of the New Mexico State Aggies women’s softball team, according to a May 11 announcement by NM State Director of Athletics Joe Fields. Higgs had served as interim head coach for one season before her promotion.
The appointment is significant as Higgs becomes the 13th head coach in the program’s 52-year history and only the third leader since 2000. Her leadership during her interim tenure was highlighted by strong performance and commitment to student-athletes.
“From the moment I asked Coach Higgs to step into this role, her leadership, vision, and commitment to our student-athletes stood out,” said NM State Director of Athletics Joe Fields. “She exceeded every expectation and showed exactly what success for our softball program should look like. I’m proud to officially name Coach Higgs our permanent head softball coach and look forward to building a championship program together.”
Higgs expressed gratitude for the opportunity, saying, “I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to lead New Mexico State Softball, and I’m incredibly thankful to Joe Fields for the trust and belief in me to lead this program.” She added that she looks forward to continuing building a program focused on development, accountability, connection, and competing for championships in Conference USA.
During her first season as interim head coach, Higgs led the Aggies to 27 wins overall with a 16–11 record in Conference USA play. The team secured a No. 5 seed in the 2026 CUSA Softball Championship and achieved several notable victories including five series wins and an upset over No. 21 Arizona State.
Higgs joined NM State in summer 2023 after serving as an assistant at Stony Brook University among other programs. In three seasons since her arrival at NM State, teams have earned a total of 84 wins along with nine all-Conference USA awards.
Looking ahead, both Fields and Higgs indicated their intention to build on recent successes as they prepare for future seasons.
