For the fifth time in her 16 seasons at Illinois State, head softball coach
Melinda Fischer has been named the Missouri Valley Conference's Coach of the Year after guiding the Illinois State Redbirds to their fourth MVC regular-season championship in the last seven years.
With a career record of 542-384-2 in 18 years of coaching, Fischer earned coach of the year honors for the sixth time in her career, claiming five conference coach of the year honors and the 1987 Midwest Region Coach of the Year.
"It's quite an honor to receive an award such as this," Fischer said. "When individuals get honored like this, it's representative of a lot of different people's efforts and it's just a real honor."
This season Illinois State won its eighth MVC regular-season championship, posting a 19-3 record in conference play and a 31-16 overall record.
"What has really been special about this group and this season is that everyone has contributed," Fischer said. "We've got a great group of coaches and they a big part of this."
The number one seed in the MVC Tournament, the Redbirds open tournament action Thursday with a noon start against sixth seeded Wichita State in Omaha, Neb.
