Kristen Butler Named MAC Coach of the Year

Kristen Butler becomes the second Toledo head coach to be named MAC Softball Coach of the Year.

5/8/2018 6:44:00 PM | Softball

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Toledo softball head coach Kristen Butler has been named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year by her peers, the league office announced on Tuesday.

Butler has led the Rockets to a 32-19 overall record and a 16-7 mark in conference play. Toledo was picked to finish fifth in the MAC West Division, but exceeded all expectations by clinching a share of the MAC West title.

Butler reached the 100-career win mark with the Rockets two weekends ago at Central Michigan. She has also become the first coach at Toledo to win 30 games in a season since 1995 and the first to win 20-plus games in four-straight seasons during the last 21 years.

In doing so, Butler becomes only the second Toledo head coach to win the award, joining three-time winner Cheryl Sprangel (1985, 1989, 1992).

Butler and the No. 3 seed Rockets will play No. 6 seed Central Michigan in the first round of the MAC Tournament on Wednesday, May 9 at 6:00 p.m.