Longtime Illinois State University softball assistant coach Tina Kramos has begun her first season as the program’s new head coach. She replaces Melinda Fischer ’72, M.S. ’75, the winningest coach in Illinois State Athletics history, who announced her retirement in August 2022 after 37 seasons at the helm of the Redbird softball program.
Appears InKramos, who had served as the senior associate head coach since 2017, is beginning her 23rd season as a member of the Redbird softball staff and her first as a head coach.
“I am truly honored and humbled to lead such an amazing group of young women as we continue to build on the tradition of winning on the field, in the classroom, and in our community,” Kramos said when her promotion was announced in August.
Kramos has helped manage every aspect of the softball program and is the third-longest tenured coach at Illinois State. As an assistant, Kramos coached three All-Americans.
Fischer ended her illustrious career as one of only 28 head coaches in NCAA Division I softball who have won 1,000 games in their coaching career.
“I’m not sure there are enough words or the right words to express the enormous amount of gratitude, thankfulness, appreciation, and love I have for being a part of Illinois State University and Redbird Athletics for nearly 47 years,” Fischer said when announcing her retirement.
Fischer directed the Redbirds to national prominence, guiding the team to nine NCAA Regional appearances, 10 regular-season Missouri Valley Conference titles, two Gateway Conference regular-season championships, and five MVC Tournament titles.
“We all know in this profession that winning is very important and that certainly matters, but what really matters to me is the development of the student-athletes and the total experience they have during their careers,” Fischer said. “I am so proud to have had the tremendous opportunity to lead this program for 37 years.”
A recipient of six conference coach of the year honors, Fischer is a two-time inductee into the Illinois State Athletics Percy Family Hall of Fame and a 2016 College of Applied Science and Technology (CAST) Hall of Fame member.
