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An assistant at Northern Kentucky under Kathryn Gleason, DeKalb native Morgan Gerak (Newport) felt like her worlds collided when Gleason was named NIU’s head softball coach.
About a month later, Gerak, a 2015 DeKalb High School graduate, was the new head coach of the Norse.
“It’s funny, I told her after she accepted the position, ‘OK, I’m going to have to send you my list of restaurants you have to go to,’ ” Gerak said. “You have to go to Ollie’s, you have to go to Fatty’s and here’s the bike path’ because she’s a big runner. It feels like my worlds were colliding in a way. She’s going to do great things in DeKalb.”
Gleason was hired by the Huskies in early July, leading NKU to start its search for an assistant. On Aug. 1, NKU named Gerak as Gleason’s successor. She was Gleason’s assistant for two years after spending a year as a graduate assistant at Northwestern under coach Kate Drohan.
She played for Northwestern through the 2021 season, signing with the Wildcats after graduating DeKalb in 2015.
“I’m trying to stay young as long as I can because I think that’s what this generation is really seeking, someone to relate to them.”
— Morgan Gerak, Northern Kentucky softball coach
“Age is really just a number,” Gerak said. “What an awesome opportunity I have to get to impact young women. I’m trying to stay young as long as I can because I think that’s what this generation is really seeking, someone to relate to them. I’m excited I get to do that and build a staff that will allow me to do that, too.”
Gleason said she met Gerak during her season as a grad assistant with Northwestern during the Wildcats’ run to the College World Series. A few months later she was on Gleason’s staff.
Two years later, she got the head coaching job less than 10 years removed from graduating high school.
“Morgan was a great assistant. I think she’s wise beyond her years,” said Gleason, a Marian Catholic graduate. “Morgan is a leader. She brings people together. She brings people together and is very knowledgeable. She walked right into our NKU softball culture and embraced it.
“I know she’s younger than most head coaches would be at this point in their career, but she’s familiar with the team, the personalities of the girls and the university.”
Most of her coaching career has focused on pitching. Gleason said she does expose her assistants to all aspects of the game, and Gerak said she’s ready because of that.
She also credited her six years coaching with the Wasco Diamonds travel program with her dad, Scott Newport, into making her a well-rounded coach.
“I love pitching, and I love hitting, and I love defense,” Gerak said. “Part of being a coach is you have to really focus in on one area, and that area recently in my career has been pitching. And I’m so grateful for it. I think it’s the foundation of your team.
“What I’m really excited about is how to shape my team in the way we play on the field. I’m so proud of the culture coach Gleason created and we really fostered here at NKU. It’s something I’m excited to continue. I think most importantly, I’m so excited to watch this team grow as a whole team on the field, shape team defense and team strategy.”
In Gerak’s first year under Gleason in 2023, the Norse claimed their first Horizon League title and returned to the title game in 2024.
Gleason also took Boston University to the NCAA Tournament, her first head coaching gig. She’s approaching 250 wins in her 12-year career as a head coach.
She hasn’t gotten on the field yet with the Huskies but has had both a video team meeting and one-on-one phone calls with all of her new players. Her focus has been recruiting, as well getting moved into the DeKalb area.
“Everybody has a clean slate and a chance to start over,” Gleason said. “I don’t know them or what they did in practices or games last year. You can look at stats or videos, but I think they’re just excited for the clean slate for everybody to start new again.”
Gerak said she’s excited to see what Gleason can do with the Huskies.
“Coach Gleason is going to be so incredible at NIU,” Gerak said. “I’m so excited for her. She has been an incredible mentor for me, and I’m so grateful to her. I know she’s going to do great things in DeKalb.”
Gleason said she was equally excited to see what Gerak does with the Norse, a program Gleason led for nine years.
“I’m really humbled for this opportunity,” Gerak said. “I’m so grateful for the incredible mentors I had in my life, I think about Kate Drohan and Kathryn Gleason being the two biggest ones. They gave me every opportunity in the world to feel so prepared for this moment.”