HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – It is another historic day for Northern Kentucky Athletics as vice president and director of athletics Christina Roybal has announced the hiring of Morgan Gerak as the next head coach of the Norse softball program. Gerak, who spent the past two years as a top assistant with NKU, will become the youngest softball head coach in school history.
 
During her time with the Norse, Gerak has helped Northern Kentucky post the two most successful seasons in NKU's NCAA Division I era, which included the program's first Power Five victories (over Michigan State in 2023 and Michigan in 2024) and the school's first Horizon League Championship and NCAA Regional appearance in school history in 2023.
 
"We are thrilled to announce Morgan as the next head coach of our softball program," vice president and director of athletics Christina Roybal said. "We have been able to see firsthand the dedication she has for her student-athletes, both on and off the field, over the past two years as an assistant coach for the Norse. She is a rising star in the profession and with her success and potential, the sky is the limit for both Coach Gerak and the softball program."
 
"I am humbled and honored to be the next softball coach at NKU," an excited Gerak said. "This program has a special place in my heart, and I am thrilled for the opportunity to lead these young women who are so dedicated to their team, their teammates, their studies, their community and Northern Kentucky University."
 
"I am grateful to NKU, President Dr. Cady Short-Thompson and vice president and director of athletics Christina Roybal for this opportunity and to Coach Kathryn Gleason for bringing me into this program," Gerak concluded. "I am excited for the future of NKU softball!"
 
Over her first two years with the Norse, Gerak worked primarily with the NKU pitching staff while also assisting with the offense, recruiting, academics and all things related to team travel.
 
To go with the program's first conference championship and NCAA appearance in 2023, NKU racked up 50 wins over the past two seasons to go with having one of the best pitching staffs in the conference.
 
In 2024, Northern Kentucky led the Horizon in opponent batting average (.249) and shutouts (eight) to go with second-place rankings in strikeouts (267), victories (27) and saves (eight). This came a year after the Norse paced the Horizon in punchouts (316) and were ranked second in the conference in saves (three), third in wins (23) and fourth in opponent batting average (.269).
 
To go with the team success, the Norse recorded the first and second no-hitters of NKU's NCAA DI era in 2023 as Lauryn Hicks and Alicia Flores made history against Detroit Mercy on April 14 and 15. Northern Kentucky's pitching staff has also picked up three conference yearly honors (one First Team, one Second Team and one All-Freshman Team nod) over Gerak's first two years working with the program.
 
Gerak joined the Norse after a successful stint as the graduate assistant coach at Northwestern University. Before joining the coaching ranks, the DeKalb, Illinois native 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 both in the circle and in the outfield, Gerak 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).
 
At Northwestern, Gerak 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.
 
Gerak received both her bachelor's degree in biological sciences and her master's degree in sports administration from Northwestern.
 
 
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
 
"NKU made a home run hire with Morgan Gerak! She was a major part in helping transform NKU softball into a championship culture and has all of the skill sets necessary to continue to implement championship softball!  Morgan has a great pedigree and a tremendous mindset to instill academic and athletic success in all of her student-athletes. She will teach her students to respect the game and to respect the opportunity they have to continue their careers in college athletics! Congrats to Morgan and to NKU softball!"
 
- Carol Hutchins, Hall of Fame Head Softball Coach at Michigan University
 
 
"Morgan has tremendous passion for the collegiate athletics experience. Her love for both the game and for academics has been clear in the success of every program she has been a part of. She is a tough competitor, an excellent teacher and continues to be a student of the game. I am excited to watch her lead the NKU softball program."
 
- Kate Drohan, Head Softball Coach at Northwestern University
 
 
"What a terrific hire! Morgan has been an integral part of the championship culture and overall success of the NKU softball program. NKU's accomplishments both on and off the field have had a lot to do with leadership and as the torch gets passed from Kathryn Gleason to Morgan Gerak, there is no doubt this success will continue! Morgan deserves this opportunity as every team she has been involved with as a student-athlete or coach has competed for championships.  This hire is a 'win-win' for current student-athletes and Northern Kentucky University as a whole!"
 
- Carol Bruggeman, Executive Director, National Fastpitch Coaches Association
 
 
FOLLOW NKU NORSE SOFTBALL 
Get in the game and follow Northern Kentucky's NCAA Division I softball team through @NKUNorseSB on Twitter, @nkunorsesb on Instagram, nkunorsesball on Facebook and subscribe to the NKU Norse Youtube channel.