Marge Willadsen, head coach
willadsen@bvu.edu
Willadsen has over 500 wins since joining Buena Vista in 1979. She will be entering her 28th season leading the Beavers in 2008. She ranks seventh in victories among active coaches in Division III with a record of 561-421-2 overall. Her teams have reached the finals twice, winning the national title in 1984. Willadsen reached the 500 win plateau in 2002, 400 win club in 1998, the 300 win club in 1993, and the 200 win club in 1989.
Willadsen has coached six MVP's in the Iowa Conference. Current conference records include: team batting average (.419 ) in 1993 Individual batting average by Megan Coe .591 (1993); runs batted in individual by Megan Coe - 26 (1995); earned run average by a pitcher in one season by Sam Meier - .000 (1984) in 42 innings; and wins by a pitcher in season Heather White - 14 (1995). Willadsen has been named the Iowa Conference Coach of the Year four times.
She has served on several softball committees throughout her tenure at BVU: NFCA All-American Committee, Chair NCAA West Region Ranking Committee, Chair Coaches National Ranking Poll, Chair Hall of Fame Committee NCAA Championship Committee- currently serving Softball Division III Member of NFCA since its’ inception. Her other honors include the Presidential Citation in 1984, one of only two recipients to ever receive this honor. (The highest honor given by the university), was named IAIAW President 1983, but never served due to the NCAA takeover of AIAW. Willadsen was named a Sports Ethics Fellow in 2005 by the NCAA.
Katie Onken, assistant coach
onkenk@bvu.edu
Katie Onken joins the coaching staff for her second season after playing softball for BVU. Onken was a four-year starter for the Beavers and ranks in the top 10 in school history in games played. She was a three-time academic all-conference selection and earned academic all-district honors her senior season.
Onken is BVU's first full-time assistant softball coach. She previously served as an assistant coach at Carroll High School in Carroll, Iowa.
Kim Johnson is in her third season as an assistant coach with the Beavers. She graduated from BV in 1989 after playing two years under Willadsen. Johnson earned first team all-conference honors in 1988 and was a student coach for the Beavers in 1989 when the squad placed third at the NCAA Championships. She served as the head coach at Albert City-Truesdale High School for 14 years and will begin her fourth season as an assistant coach at Washington High School in Cherokee this summer. Johnson also teaches business education and computer classes at Storm Lake High School.
Willadsen Published
Marge Willadsen, BVU assistant professor of exercise science and softball coach, has written a chapter titled "Coaching with Integrity" in the recently published book called The Softball Coaching Bible published by Human Kinetics. Twenty-eight of the nation's top softball coaches were asked to share their expert advice on principles, insights, strategies, methods and experiences in the book. Willadsen is one of three Division III coaches who were asked to share their knowledge with other coaches so they may use their newfound understanding and tools to enhance the experience and development of their student-athletes.
Willadsen's Accomplishments:
- NCAA Division III National Champions 1984
- National Championships Placings: 1st in 1984, 2nd in 1983, 2nd in 1992, 3rd in 1989,
5th in 1994 - Hosted NCAA Softball Championships: 1986, 1990, 1995
- Regional Champions 1983, 1984, 1989, 1992, 1994
- IO-KOTA Conference Champions (Dual conference affiliation in 1983) 1982, 1983
- Regional VI Champions in AIAW 1982
- Iowa AIAW Champions 1982 and finished 13th in Nationals AIAW
- Iowa Conference Champions 1983, 1984, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996
- National coach of the year 1984, 1996
- Regional Coach of the year 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996
- Conference Coach of the year 1983, 1984, 1992, 1995
- Has coached 19 All-Americans, 7 Academic All-Americans, and 86 Scholar All-Americans
- Institute for International Sports 2005 Sports Ethics Fellow