Beth Golitko Named Western Illinois University Head Softball Coach

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Beth Golitko, WIU Softball Head Coach

MACOMB, Ill.Beth Golitko has been elevated to head softball coach interim Director of Athletics Danielle Surprenant announced today. Golitko takes the reigns of Leatherneck softball after completing the 2018 season as the interim head coach.

“We are proud to announce Beth Golitko as our head softball coach at Western Illinois. Beth has embodied being a Leatherneck as a player, assistant coach and as an interim head coach this past season,” Surprenant said. “I know that the softball program is in great hands under Coach Golitko and I am excited for the future of Leatherneck softball.”

As the interim head coach in 2018, she guided the Leathernecks to a third-place finish in the Summit League standing and coached seven players to All-League selections, the most in the league. The Purple and Gold defeated Iowa 2-1 on April 17 in Iowa City, Iowa for its first win over a Power 5 opponent since 2015.

“I would first like to thank Danielle, President Thomas and the search committee for giving me this opportunity. I love Western Illinois and could not be more excited to officially be at the helm of Leatherneck softball,” said Golitko. “There is so much tradition surrounding this program and I can not wait to continue the greatness of everything this program has to offer. I am so excited to hit the ground running, to get the girls back on campus and to start making this season one to remember.”

Golitko played for the Fighting Leathernecks from 2008-11, when she appeared in 160 games and made 133 starts in the outfield. Golitko ended her four-year career with a .326 average, 70 runs scored, 143 hits, 33 doubles, nine home runs and 81 RBIs.

As a graduate assistant at Western Illinois, she mentored student-athletes to a 3.37 team GPA, which ranked as the fifth-highest team GPA at Western for that semester.
After receiving her master’s degree from WIU, she served as an assistant at Cleveland State, where she helped guide two Horizon League First Team All-Conference players.

During her time as an assistant coach for Leatherneck Softball, she helped coach the team to 56 victories and two Summit League Championship victories against South Dakota State and North Dakota State in 2017. In addition to the first Summit League Championship victories and an 11-7 Summit League record, she coached Summit League ‘Pitcher of the Year’ Emily Ira.

In November of 2014, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association named her a One-Star Master Coach.

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