BREAKING: Northwestern softball head coach Kate Drohan agrees to extension

Northwestern softball’s leader is here for the long term.

Head coach Kate Drohan and NU have agreed to a multi-year extension to keep Drohan at the helm of the program, Northwestern announced on Thursday morning. The extension comes after Drohan led the Wildcats to a Big Ten Championship and NCAA Super Regional appearance this spring.

“I am honored to call Northwestern home,” Drohan said in a statement. “The championship tradition of our program built by Sharon Drysdale, our 247 letterwinners, and so many stakeholders have made Northwestern an incredibly special place. Our work on the softball field is uniquely aligned with our academic mission, and it brings me great joy to celebrate our championships on the field and the remarkable success of our alumni after they graduate.

“I continue to choose Northwestern because I believe there is no other place in the country that intertwines and supports our work on the softball field, in the classroom, and in the community at this championship level.”

Since taking over the program in 2002, Drohan has racked up 745 career wins, putting her inside the top five in Big Ten History. She has taken the ‘Cats to 16 NCAA Regional Tournaments, seven NCAA Super Regionals and three Women’s College World Series.

“Kate Drohan stands among the nation’s coaching elite, consistently choosing Northwestern at every juncture of her remarkable career,” NU athletic director Derrick Gragg said in a statement. “Under her leadership, our softball program has consistently established itself as one of the top programs in the nation — a testament to her unwavering commitment to excellence. Coming off back-to-back Big Ten championships, her team’s shared goals are clear: to continue their upward trajectory, demonstrating their success is not a destination, but a foundation upon which they are determined to build.”

Drohan’s extension comes off the heels of Gragg telling Inside NU on Oct. 4 that the University is looking to renovate its softball stadium. No official announcement of construction has been made as of today.

“On a personal level, I love raising my daughter in Evanston and have so many incredible friendships with colleagues, alumni, and our Northwestern community that makes our work that much more meaningful,” Drohan concluded in her statement. “Go ‘Cats!”