Emporia State University Softball Camps

Emporia State University Softball Camps

Head Coach, Kristi Bredbenner

Kristi Bredbenner is in her fourth season as the Hornets head coach. She has led Emporia State to the national championship game twice in her first three years as head coach. In 2008 she led ESU to its fourth consecutive MIAA regular season title and fifth straight post-season tournament championship. She was named the MIAA Coach of the Year for the second straight season after leading the Hornets to 15-3 conference record. In 2007 Bredbenner was the MIAA Coach of the Year and led the squad to their second straight regional championship game coming just short of a second NCAA World Series berth. In 2006 she led the Hornets to the NCAA Division II National Championship game last season. Her squad finished with a record of 62-7 which set the MIAA record for wins in a season. Bredbenner and her staff were named the NCFA/Speedline Coaching Staff of the Year.

The Hornets have excelled in the classroom as well. In 2008 ESU was ranked fifth in the NFCA "girls got game" Academic Team Standings with a 3.416 team GPA after placing second in 2007 and 2006. Two Hornets have earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American honors during her career and 27 times Hornets have been named NFCA Scholar Athletes.

“Coach Bredbenner has established herself as one of the top softball coaches in the country,” ESU Athletic Director Kent Weiser said. “The level of success our program has achieved under her leadership, both on the field and in the classroom, is remarkable.”

Before coming to ESU Bredbenner spent the last three seasons as the top assistant at UC-Santa Barbara. Working with players in all aspects of the game, she played an instrumental role in guiding the Gauchos to their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2004 and a second place finish in the tough Big West Conference--the highest finish in UCSB history. She was the interim head coach at her alma mater, Truman State University, during the 2002 season. The Bulldogs went 31-19, won the MIAA Tournament Championship and advanced to the NCAA Regional Tournament under her guidance.

As a player, Bredbenner was a four-time All-MIAA pick, two-time Division II All-American and was

named MVP of the conference in 2000. In her four years at Truman she claimed nearly every hitting record, including career and single season records for games played, at bats, hits, doubles, home runs, total bases, RBI's, walks, batting average, and slugging percentage. Her three home run day against the Hornets on April 7, 2000 is tied for fourth all-time on the Division II single game list.

The O’Fallon, Mo. native graduated from Truman in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in business/marketing and received her master’s degree in physical education from Azusa Pacific University in 2005.

Head Coaching Statistics
Year School W L Pct.
2002 TSU 31 19 .620
2006 ESU 62 7 .899
2007 ESU 50 12 .824
2008 ESU 48-17 .739
Career Totals 191- 55 .776
2007 MIAA Coach of the Year

2008 MIAA Coach of the Year
2006 NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year

Playing Career
Truman State University 1998-2001
Two-Time All-American
2001 All-American Third Team
2000 All-American First Team
2000 MIAA Most Valuable Player
Four-Time All-MIAA Selection
2001 All-MIAA First Team
2000 All-MIAA First Team
1999 All-MIAA Second Team
1998 All-MIAA Second Team

Education
B.S. Truman State University 2001
M.S. Azusa Pacific University 2005