Bredbenner, Leger Headline Four Additions to Division 1 Softball Committee

The NCAA Division 1 Softball Committee has four new members entering the 2023 season.

Wichita State head coach Kristi Bredbenner, Louisiana-Lafayette Senior Woman Administrator Jessica Leger, Clemson Senior Woman Administrator Natalie Honnen, and UT-Martin athletic director Kurt McGuffin were selected for the committee in terms that began in September.

Bredbenner will serve a three-year term on the committee, as she is completing the tenure begun by former Memphis head coach Natalie Poole last year. Leger, Honnen, and McGuffin are slated to each serve 4-year terms on the committee.

Former SIU Edwardsville athletic director Tim Hall was originally selected for the committee, but departed SIUE to become athletic director at Longwood last month. As seen in previous similar instances, the NCAA traditionally likes to replace committee members who leave mid-term with a new member from a similar position within the same conference. While Hall is still currently listed on the softball committee roster, McGuffin was likely selected as his replacement.

Leger has been a part of the Ragin Cajuns’ athletic department staff since 2007 and was promoted to the role of Senior Woman Administrator in 2012. She currently also holds the title of Deputy Director of Athletics. She played softball in Lafayette and graduated from the school in 2003.

Honnen has been part of the Clemson senior staff since 2014. Per her Clemson bio, Honnen “was instrumental in the planning and ultimate execution of the addition of the softball program, contributing in all aspects, from hiring the coach to building the facility. She also helped oversee game operations once the program officially launched in Feb. 2020.”

McGuffin has been the athletic director at UT-Martin since 2017. His resume includes stints on the athletic staff at Colorado and Kansas State, as well as a 6-year tenure as Missouri Western State’s athletic director. He has previously served on the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball committees.

Since taking over at Wichita State, Bredbenner has led the Shockers through a conference change, four NCAA tournament appearances, five overall conference championships, and is the program’s all-time winningest coach. The Shockers made back-to-back postseason appearances in 2021 and ’22 for the first time in program history and reached the regional final in 2018 and 2021.

The current makeup of the Division 1 Softball Committee entering the 2023 season includes three head coaches; five school administrators; one conference administrator; and one athletic director. The committee is tasked with selecting the NCAA tournament field of 64, as well as putting on and managing the Women’s College World Series.