EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball and Head Coach Sue Kunkle have announced the hiring of Bryan Wallen as an assistant coach ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
 
"We are excited to welcome Coach Wallen to our staff for the 2026-27 season," Kunkle stated. "Success has been a staple throughout his career, and his experience of 30-plus years in coaching brings tremendous knowledge and leadership to our staff."
 
Wallen has extensive experience coaching softball at the club, high school, and collegiate levels. Most recently, Wallen served as an assistant coach for two seasons at Southeast Missouri State University, primarily assisting with hitting and defense.
 
In 2023, Wallen was Southeast Missouri's Director of Player Development, helping guide the Redhawks to the 2023 Ohio Valley Conference Regular-Season Championship and mentoring the Redhawks in mental training, game preparation, scouting, and video analysis.
 
Between stints at Southeast Missouri, Wallen spent the 2024 season as an assistant coach at Union University. He helped lead Union to their highest winning percentage and their best Gulf South Conference finish in nine years, while producing two all-conference players.
 
Wallen also has nearly 30 years of teaching and coaching at the high school level in Missouri. He coached baseball at Park Hills Central High School for 15 seasons (1999-2013), winning 165 games, two conference championships, and a district title. He was also the head softball coach at Park Hills Central in two different stints, from 1998-2003 and 2011-19, winning 191 games. Upon his return to the softball field in 2011, his teams won five conference championships and four district championships. His teams advanced to the state quarterfinals twice and finished as the state runner-up in 2018. Wallen then coached for four years (2020-23) at neighboring Farmington High School, leading the program to two district titles, 96 total wins, and the school's first-ever Southeast Missouri Conference title. Wallen was elected to the Missouri High School Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2025.
 
Wallen additionally spent 11 years coaching travel softball for the St. Louis Chaos, Midland Magic, and Top Gun organizations.
 
Wallen played baseball at Mineral Area Junior College before attending and graduating from Southeast Missouri State University in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in math education. He earned his Master's in Teacher Leadership at Southeast Missouri in 2013. 
 
"Coach Wallen has a passion for the game that is evident in his coaching style and in his recruiting," Kunkle added. "He is a great fit for our staff, team, and the vision of our program. We are excited to have him as part of the family and are ready to get to work!"