HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University head softball coach Kathryn Gleason announced the hiring of assistant coach Morgan Newport to her staff, made official on Friday.
The DeKalb, Illinois native will work primarily with the NKU pitching staff while also assisting with the offense, recruiting, academics and all things related to team travel.
"Morgan brings an incredible wealth of knowledge and playing experiences from her time in the Big Ten Conference with Northwestern University," Gleason said. "Her energy and positivity are infectious, and her determination to practice and play at the highest level has permeated every aspect of our program. She does and will continue to make an impact on our student-athletes both on-and-off the field. I am so excited to welcome Coach Newport to our program."
Newport joins the Norse staff after a successful stint as the graduate assistant coach at Northwestern University. Before joining the coaching ranks, Newport was a five-year student-athlete at NU, where she was a standout on the field and in the classroom for the Wildcats.
To go with her playing experience in both the outfield and in the circle, Newport was a Big Ten Conference Autonomy Representative, a head coach with the Wasco Diamonds Fastpitch softball program and a member of Northwestern's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
"I am honored to serve the softball team here at NKU under Coach Gleason," an excited Newport said. "This team is open, honest and hungry to win. Their work ethic matches their eagerness to get learn and I'm so excited to take the field with them this weekend."
At Northwestern, Newport called pitches and served as the pitching coach during the 2021 Tempe Super Regional, coordinated the bullpen schedule for all pitchers and catchers, oversaw all Wildcat softball camps and served as a role model to NU student-athletes by developing her young women into leaders, both on-and-off the field.
The Wildcats had a stellar season in 2022, that saw the program finish with a regular season record of 45-13, which included a mark of 19-4 in conference play. Northwestern won the Big Ten Championships and advanced through the NCAA Regionals and Super Regionals to appear in the Women's College World Series for just the sixth time in program history.
Wildcat senior hurler Danielle Williams was also unanimously chosen as the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year in 2022 and the Northwestern staff was named the Great Lakes Regional NCAA DI Coaching Staff of the Year to close the storybook campaign.
Newport received both her bachelor's degree in biological sciences and her master's degree in sports administration from Northwestern.
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