KALAMAZOO, Mich.- Western Michigan head softball coach Kathy Leitke was recognized at the annual National Fastpitch Coaches Association Convention after celebrating her 700th career coaching win this past season. Over 26 years of coaching, including the last 17 leading the Broncos, Leitke has a 701-609-2 career record.

Entering her 18th season at WMU, Leitke is the longest-tenured and all-time winningest coach in Bronco softball history. She has led Western Michigan to two regular season Mid-American Conference championships (2006, 2011), two MAC Tournament titles (2003, 2011) and a 389-442-2 record under her watch. Prior to arriving in Kalamazoo, Leitke spent nine seasons as the head coach at Lake Michigan College where she guided the Indians to a 312-167 and a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Championship in 1993.

Leitke's 700th win last season came against Central Michigan in the MAC Tournament as the No. 8 seeded Broncos upset the No. 1 seeded Chippewas, 3-1 in WMU's opening game of the bracket. The Broncos would also go on to defeat No. 7 seed Akron and finished as one of the final four teams in the tournament. In 2015, Leitke led WMU to the MAC Championship game as the No. 5 seed.

Western Michigan had a high-powered offense in 2017, setting the program record for runs scored (241), doubles (75), while tying the school record for home runs (38) and finishing with the second-highest team batting average (.290) and team RBI total (212) in school history. WMU won 7 of its final 9 games to qualify for the MAC Tournament.

During Leitke's time at WMU she has coached six All-Region selections, one MAC Player of the Year, one MAC Tournament MVP, 25 First Team All-MAC Selections, 18 Second Team All-MAC Selections, two MAC Freshman of the Year, nine MAC All-Freshman Team Selections, three Academic All-Region recipients, one Academic All-American and has had numerous players collect Academic All-MAC and NFCA Scholar Athlete honors.

Student-athletes who played under Leitke at WMU have recorded several school records such as most career hits, career RBIs, career doubles, career home runs, career saves and career strikeouts. Other records set include most single-season doubles, home runs, RBIs, pitching wins, saves and strikeouts.