Burleson ISD announced the promotion of softball assistant Natalie Kirkpatrick to head coach for the Centennial Spartans. She replaces longtime coach Shannon Sullivan, who was removed in May.
Kirkpatrick (maiden name Mullin) is the second coach in program history.
Sullivan started the softball program 13 years ago. The first varsity season came in 2011. Since then Centennial won more than 260 games with Sullivan and nine district titles. Centennial won a district title in its first season and missed the playoffs once (COVID 2020). The Spartans reached the regional semifinals twice.
Kirkpatrick helped coach the team this season to a 27-6-1 record and trip to the area round before they lost to Justin Northwest in two games.
She will inherit a team that graduated mostly seniors, but does return one of the top players in the metroplex Bailey Lindemuth. The Texas Tech commit will enter her senior season after back to back district MVP awards.
Other all district honorees that will return: 2025 SS Madison Haynes, 2026 UTIL Lexie Arthur and all academic winners Liv Martin and Brooklyn Manners.
Kirkpatrick isn’t new to the area.
She was a two time first team all district player at Burleson High where she graduated in 2002. She was second team as a sophomore in 2000. She was also District newcomer of the year as a freshman at Fort Worth Southwest.
Kirkpatrick would go on to play at UT-Arlington.
In 2003, UTA went 41-17 overall, 23-4 in conference and 20-1 at home. The Mavs won their conference tournament before reaching the NCAA tournament. They beat powerhouses Florida State 1-0 and Florida 2-0 before getting knocked out by Oklahoma and Oregon State.
That team would be inducted in the UTA Sports Hall of Honor. They set a single season record with 41 wins and have the only NCAA tournament wins in program history.
