CHICAGO (August 26, 2019) - Loyola University Chicago head softball coach Alicia Abbott announced the addition of Beth Golitko to her coaching staff today. Golitko will serve as an assistant coach with the Maroon & Gold.
 
"I am thrilled to announce the addition of Beth Golitko to our staff," Abbott said. "Her enthusiasm for softball and her knowledge of the Midwestern recruiting territory paired with her experience as a head coach made the decision to bring her on staff easy. Beth has proven she is loyal and dedicated to her student-athletes during her time at Western Illinois and I am confident that she will serve as a positive role model to our Rambler family."
 
Golitko joins the Ramblers after serving the past 11 seasons at Western Illinois University, the last two of which were spent as the program's head coach.
 
Last season, Golitko piloted Western Illinois to a 20-20 overall record, the team's top win total since 2010. The Leathernecks earned back-to-back third-place finishes in the Summit League highlighted by a 12-6 mark in 2019. During her time as head coach, she guided 10 student-athletes to All-Summit League accolades. Golitko's team also excelled in the classroom, posting a 3.635 grade-point average that ranked as the highest for a single semester in program history.
 
As an assistant coach from 2015-2017, Golitko helped guide the Leathernecks to 56 victories. She also worked as a graduate assistant for two seasons (2011-12 to 2012-13) and received her master's degree from WIU before joining Cleveland State as an assistant coach for the 2014 season, where mentored a pair of First Team All-Horizon League selections.

Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Golitko had a successful four-year playing career with the Leathernecks, closing her time in Macomb, Ill. as a career .326 hitter with nine home runs and 81 RBIs.  She was a driving force behind a Western Illinois team that captured the 2008 Summit League Tournament title and earned a berth to the NCAA Division I Softball Tournament. The Leathernecks went on to take home back-to-back regular season conference crowns in 2009 and 2010. Golitko was recognized as a First Team All-Summit League honoree as a junior and was also lauded for her work away from the field, earning a pair of selections to The Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence.

"I am so excited to be joining the Rambler family," Golitko said. "I want to thank Alicia for giving me this opportunity be a part of the softball program as well as the Athletic Director Steve Watson and the rest of the Athletic Administration. I'm thrilled to hit the ground running and start working with our players and staff to keep adding to the rich traditions that have been built."

The Ramblers are slated to return 11 letterwinners this season, including All-MVC honorees Allyson Ivey, Shannon McGee, Jessica Shields and Madison Ebeling.