Kathryn Gleason Position: Associate Head Coach (Fifth Year) Alma Mater: Michigan (1996)

Kathryn Gleason enters her fifth year on the Michigan State softball staff for the 2009 season. It is her fourth season as the associate head coach, as she was promoted to the position in the summer of 2005. Gleason primarily works with the infield, coaching five All-Big Ten and four All-Region honorees, along with guiding the Spartans to four-straight Big Ten Tournament berths since joining the team.

Joining the Spartan staff in June of 2004, Gleason came to State following a three-year stint as an assistant coach at Purdue University (2001-2004) and four years as an assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst (1996-2000).

"Kathryn is an outstanding coach in every way. There is not a day which goes by where I am not grateful she is on our staff," head coach Jacquie Joseph said.

At Purdue, Gleason assisted with team academics, equipment, promotions, tournaments, facilities, recruiting and strength and conditioning. On game days, she supervised and directed the outfield and was the dugout hitting instructor. Additionally, she worked with Purdue's softball camps and clinics.

At UMass, Gleason helped lead the Minutewomen to four Atlantic 10 regular season conference titles and four A-10 tournament championships. The UMass softball team made four appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including winning the 1997 and `98 NCAA Regional Championships, as well as advancing to the Women's College World Series in `97 and `98. Gleason's responsibilities at UMass included the team's operating budget, travel, recruiting and camps. Additionally, she worked as the UMass first base coach.

Gleason earned her bachelor's degree in sport management and communications from the University of Michigan in 1996. She was a member of the 1993, `95 and `96 Big Ten Regular Season Championship teams, the `95 and `96 Big Ten Tournament Championship teams, and played in the `95 and `96 Women's College World Series while serving as co-captain of the `96 team.

She earned her master's degree in sport management from UMass in 2000, and worked as a marketing and promotions intern at the University of Michigan during the 2000-01 academic year, as she fulfilled her degree requirements.

Gleason just completed a two-year term as the Second Vice President for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) after serving two terms as the Assistant Coach Representative for the Association.

A native of Country Club Hills, Ill., she was inducted into the Marian Catholic High School Hall of Fame as "Athlete of the Year" in the 2002 induction class. Gleason was also inducted into the East Suburban Catholic Conference High School Hall of Fame in March 2008.