TOPEKA, Kan. – Washburn Athletics Director Loren Ferré has announced Brenda Holaday as the 13th coach in the Ichabod softball program's history. An introductory press conference will be held on Wednesday, July 20 at 11 a.m. in the McPherson Booster Room overlooking Lee Arena.
 
"We're excited to have someone with Brenda's knowledge and experience to lead our softball program," Ferré said. "She is one of the most successful coaches in the state and we are confident that will carry over to Washburn."
 
Holaday, who has coached the last 19 seasons at Washburn Rural High School in Topeka, has recorded a 351-93 record leading the Junior Blues to three 6A state championships as well as winning 14 league championships earning 16 6A state tournament berths, five second-place state finishes and three third-place state finishes. She has been named the Centennial League Coach of the Year and City Coach of the Year nine different times earning the Midwest Sectional Coach of the Year in 2011 and the 6A Kansas Coach of the year two times in 2008 and 2011 and was named the overall Kansas Coach of the Year in 2011.
 
"I am excited and grateful for this opportunity to lead the Washburn University softball program," Holaday said. "We are going to work very hard to be champions in the classroom, the community and on the softball field. I look forward to working with the university and our alumni to develop strong support and excitement for our program. I have been told the young ladies in this program are great students, hard workers and wonderful representatives of the university. I am anxious to meet them and their families." 
 
While at Washburn Rural, Holaday has coached more than 40 players who have gone on to play college softball including three at the NCAA Division I level.
 
Also successful in the classroom, her teams at Washburn Rural have received the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Academic Team Award eight of the 10 years the award has been in existence and has finished in the top 10 schools in the country three times.
 
Holaday serves as the chair of the NFCA national high school All-American committee and the Kansas 6A All-State selection committee as well as the NFCA South Central Region selection committee.
 
While coaching at Washburn Rural, Holaday was also the school's counseling department dean for 23 years.
 
She holds degrees in Secondary Education from Kansas State and her Master's of Science in Education, Counseling Psychology from Kansas.
 
Holaday was a member of the Kansas State softball team from 1981 to 1983 and she lives in Topeka. Her son Mitchell is currently a student at Kansas State.
 
"I have been blessed with many wonderful years in public education," Holaday added. "I am grateful to the many students and athletes I have had the privilege to teach, guide and coach. Both Wabaunsee HIgh School and Washburn Rural surrounded me with great support. The colleagues I worked beside every day also became great friends. I have a lifetime of memories from both places. I know the trophies and championships are the most visible, but it's really the relationships that I will treasure the most."