Kaitlynn Lankford joined Union University in August 2025 as an assistant coach for the Union softball program. Lankford brings a wealth of knowledge of coaching and the game of softball.
Lankford spent the 2024-25 season as the assistant coach at Freed-Hardeman University. The two years from 2022-24 as the assistant baseball and softball coach at Inspiration Academy in Bradenton, Florida. In 2021, she was the assistant baseball coach at Midland University (Nebraska) and baseball operations for the Fremont Moo (collegiate summer baseball team). She was the first female collegiate baseball coach in state history.
Lankford has a graduate certificate in Performance Coaching from Lipscomb University, a graduate certificate in Organizational Leadership from Creighton University. She earned her undergraduate degree in journalism (marketing, advertising, and social media) from Creighton in 2020.
As a softball player, Lankford was a 4-year starter for the Creighton University softball program. She helped lead her team to a Big East Tournament runner-up finish. It was the program's best Big East finish since joining the league. Lankford led the league and was fourth nationally with .31 sacrifices per game. She also started in her one year at Lipscomb University.
Lankford graduated from Mead High School, where she played basketball, softball, volleyball, and ran track & field. She still holds two school track records in the 200m and long jump. She helped guide the Raiders to a 2015 District runner-up finish. Lankford was named a 2016 Wendy’s High School Heisman State Finalist, was a three-time Omaha World-Herald All-State Honorable Mention selection, and a two-time Lincoln Journal Star Honorable Mention. She played at the club level for TEAM Nebraska, was a 2015 NSAA Medalist in long jump (fifth), 200-meter (fifth), 400-meter (runner-up) and a 2014 NSAA Medalist in 200-meter (runner-up) and 400-meter (runner-up). Lankford was a four-time Academic All-State selection in softball, basketball and track,
