Head Coach - Tom Horton (6th Season)
Career Highlights:
2022: District Champion
2022: State Qualifier
2021: Metro Coach of the Year
2021: District Champion
2021: State Qualifier
2020: Metro Coach of the Year
2020: State Qualifier
2020: District Runner-up
2017: Metro Coach of the Year
2017: Nominated for Verizon National Coach of the Year
2013: District Runner-up
2013: Metro Coach of the Year
Prior to coming to the Titan Softball program, Tom Horton was at the helm of Bellevue East HS softball program for 9 seasons. Under his direction, the Chieftain softball program increased their winning percentage every year. In 2017 the Chieftains had their best season in school history with a 16-14 record and with 2 tournament championships. It's the first winning record season in program history. He was also recognized by the Metro Softball Coach Association by being named Metro Coach of the Year for the 2nd time.
Horton's coaching experience includes the University of New Mexico, Wichita State University and the University of Kansas. Coach Horton was the pitching coach at UNM, responsible for lowering the ERA of the pitching staff and helping guide the Lobos to a Mountain West Tournament Championship game. At Wichita State his primary duties were coaching the outfield and recruiting correspondence. He was the student-assistant at the University of Kansas.
Before taking over at Bellevue East, Horton was the Athletic Director at Rio Rancho HS. In his two years at Rio Rancho, HS the athletic teams won 27 District Championships and 8 State Championships.
Coach Horton graduated from the University of New Mexico in (2007) with a master's of science degree in sports administration. He also holds a bachelor's degree in physical education from the University of Kansas (2003).
2022: District Champion
2022: State Qualifier
2021: Metro Coach of the Year
2021: District Champion
2021: State Qualifier
2020: Metro Coach of the Year
2020: State Qualifier
2020: District Runner-up
2017: Metro Coach of the Year
2017: Nominated for Verizon National Coach of the Year
2013: District Runner-up
2013: Metro Coach of the Year
Prior to coming to the Titan Softball program, Tom Horton was at the helm of Bellevue East HS softball program for 9 seasons. Under his direction, the Chieftain softball program increased their winning percentage every year. In 2017 the Chieftains had their best season in school history with a 16-14 record and with 2 tournament championships. It's the first winning record season in program history. He was also recognized by the Metro Softball Coach Association by being named Metro Coach of the Year for the 2nd time.
Horton's coaching experience includes the University of New Mexico, Wichita State University and the University of Kansas. Coach Horton was the pitching coach at UNM, responsible for lowering the ERA of the pitching staff and helping guide the Lobos to a Mountain West Tournament Championship game. At Wichita State his primary duties were coaching the outfield and recruiting correspondence. He was the student-assistant at the University of Kansas.
Before taking over at Bellevue East, Horton was the Athletic Director at Rio Rancho HS. In his two years at Rio Rancho, HS the athletic teams won 27 District Championships and 8 State Championships.
Coach Horton graduated from the University of New Mexico in (2007) with a master's of science degree in sports administration. He also holds a bachelor's degree in physical education from the University of Kansas (2003).
Assistant Coaches:
Assistant Coach - Sara Dunn (8th Season)
The Titan softball program at Papillion La Vista South High School has been a part of my life for the past sixteen years. I began my career as a player from 2003-2005. During this time, I was fortunate enough to be a part of the first ever softball team at Papillion La Vista South High School, as well as the first softball team to qualify for the state tournament. After college, I accepted a teaching job within the Papillion La Vista Community Schools District. In 2016, I was asked to join the Papillion La Vista South Titan softball program as the head JV softball coach. Over the past three years, the JV program has gone 45-32-2, winning the Marian tournament in 2016 and Bellevue East tournament in 2018. During the off season, I also volunteered my time helping younger softball teams with catching and batting.
Assistant Coach - Hayden Bahl (1st Season)
Hayden Bahl graduated from Papillion-LaVista in 2019. During his time in high school, he was a part of a Legion State Champion baseball team in 2017 and well as a State Runner-up basketball team during the 2016-2017 season. He attended college at the University of Nebraska-Omaha where he spent a short time with the baseball team. He graduated from UNO in May 2023 with a degree in Education and an endorsement in Social Sciences. After his athletic career was over, he started coaching basketball and softball. Coach Bahl has spent the past three years coaching Freshman Boys Basketball at Papillion-LaVista South and has spent the past two seasons as the Head JV softball coach at Papillion-LaVista. While at Papillion-LaVista, Coach Bahl led the JV program to championships in the Millard West JV Invite as well as the Millard South JV Invite. He was also a part of the 2023 State Champion Softball team at Papillion-LaVista. In the Spring and Summer, Coach Bahl is the Head Coach for Nebraska National 18u- Bahl club softball team in the Nebraska Thunder organization. Bahl spent his first year as a teacher at Papillion Middle School and will be teaching at Papillion-LaVista South High School during the 2024-2025 academic year.
Assistant Coach - Ryan Neel (4th Season)
Ryan Neel Graduated from Dakota Ridge High School in Littleton Colorado in 1999. He was awarded first team all-state in football and second team all-state in baseball. Post High school He went to Hastings College (Hastings Nebraska) where he played baseball. He played second base his first couple of years and then moved to center field. He graduated with a degree in Health Promotion and Management. He then finished his academic career at UNO with a teaching degree in Health and Physical education.
After College he began teaching and coaching softball and baseball at Omaha Central High School. He was the Head Softball Coach for 10 years. He Spent seven years as the Head JV baseball coach, before moving to be a varsity assistant for the last six years.
He has now accepted a new position within Nebraska Stealth Fastpitch as the Head of Player Development Hitting Instructor. He has been with the organization for the last 4 years as a hitting instructor.
He is now joining the staff in his first year as an Assistant Coach at Papillion La-Vista South High School.
Assistant Coach - Makensey Pankers (3rd Season)
Assistant Coach - Alexis Broady (3rd Season)
Assistant Coach - Alexa Sidel (3rd Season)
The Titan softball program at Papillion La Vista South High School has been a part of my life for the past sixteen years. I began my career as a player from 2003-2005. During this time, I was fortunate enough to be a part of the first ever softball team at Papillion La Vista South High School, as well as the first softball team to qualify for the state tournament. After college, I accepted a teaching job within the Papillion La Vista Community Schools District. In 2016, I was asked to join the Papillion La Vista South Titan softball program as the head JV softball coach. Over the past three years, the JV program has gone 45-32-2, winning the Marian tournament in 2016 and Bellevue East tournament in 2018. During the off season, I also volunteered my time helping younger softball teams with catching and batting.
Assistant Coach - Hayden Bahl (1st Season)
Hayden Bahl graduated from Papillion-LaVista in 2019. During his time in high school, he was a part of a Legion State Champion baseball team in 2017 and well as a State Runner-up basketball team during the 2016-2017 season. He attended college at the University of Nebraska-Omaha where he spent a short time with the baseball team. He graduated from UNO in May 2023 with a degree in Education and an endorsement in Social Sciences. After his athletic career was over, he started coaching basketball and softball. Coach Bahl has spent the past three years coaching Freshman Boys Basketball at Papillion-LaVista South and has spent the past two seasons as the Head JV softball coach at Papillion-LaVista. While at Papillion-LaVista, Coach Bahl led the JV program to championships in the Millard West JV Invite as well as the Millard South JV Invite. He was also a part of the 2023 State Champion Softball team at Papillion-LaVista. In the Spring and Summer, Coach Bahl is the Head Coach for Nebraska National 18u- Bahl club softball team in the Nebraska Thunder organization. Bahl spent his first year as a teacher at Papillion Middle School and will be teaching at Papillion-LaVista South High School during the 2024-2025 academic year.
Assistant Coach - Ryan Neel (4th Season)
Ryan Neel Graduated from Dakota Ridge High School in Littleton Colorado in 1999. He was awarded first team all-state in football and second team all-state in baseball. Post High school He went to Hastings College (Hastings Nebraska) where he played baseball. He played second base his first couple of years and then moved to center field. He graduated with a degree in Health Promotion and Management. He then finished his academic career at UNO with a teaching degree in Health and Physical education.
After College he began teaching and coaching softball and baseball at Omaha Central High School. He was the Head Softball Coach for 10 years. He Spent seven years as the Head JV baseball coach, before moving to be a varsity assistant for the last six years.
He has now accepted a new position within Nebraska Stealth Fastpitch as the Head of Player Development Hitting Instructor. He has been with the organization for the last 4 years as a hitting instructor.
He is now joining the staff in his first year as an Assistant Coach at Papillion La-Vista South High School.
Assistant Coach - Makensey Pankers (3rd Season)
Assistant Coach - Alexis Broady (3rd Season)
Assistant Coach - Alexa Sidel (3rd Season)