CMU Legend Margo Jonker Receives MAC Trailblazer Award

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- Margo Jonker, an icon in Central Michigan Athletics history, received the 2025 Mid-American Conference Trailblazer Award on Thursday at the MAC Honors Dinner in Cleveland.

The award is bestowed annually by the league on an individual who has demonstrated support of equal opportunities and the student-athlete experience.

"Coach Jonker's exemplary career on the field set a clear and high standard for all future softball coaches at CMU and, quite frankly, across the MAC," Zyzlewski Family Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Amy Folan said. "Her legacy, both on and off the field, reflects her dedication to the support of equal opportunities and to the student-athlete experience.

"Coach Jonker is more than a legendary coach. She is a pioneering force whose leadership has permanently elevated the standard for equality and her influence has extended far beyond the softball diamond. She has shaped institutional culture, mentored generations of athletes and coaches, and laid the groundwork for long-lasting, equitable progress in collegiate athletics.

"She embodies the spirit of the MAC Trailblazer Award. Her career reflects innovation, long-term vision, and a passionate dedication to student-athlete opportunity. She is a true pioneer whose work has had an everlasting impact."

Jonker began her career at CMU as a graduate assistant working with both the softball and volleyball teams in 1979. She became the head coach of the Chippewa softball program in 1980 and retired after the 2019 season as one of the most decorated coaches in NCAA softball history.

She led the Chippewas to a 1,268-808-7 mark and is the all-time winningest softball coach in MAC history and ranks ninth in NCAA Division I history. She led the Chippewas to 10 MAC regular season championships and 13 NCAA Tournament berths.

Her 1982 team went 4-2 in the AIAW National Division I Softball Championship in Norman, Okla., and her '87 squad finished tied for fifth in the NCAA Women's College World Series and she was named the NCAA Mideast Region Coach of the Year and the NCSA National Coach of the Year. Jonker earned the MAC Coach of the Year a record 10 times and twice earned the Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year Award.

She is a member of eight halls of fame, represented CMU and the MAC on the international stage, including as an assistant coach for the gold medal-winning U.S. teams at the 2000 Olympics in Australia and at the 1998 World Championships in Japan.

Eight Chippewas received All-America recognition and 53 earned all-region honors during Jonker's tenure, and 126 received All-MAC accolades. Seven of Margo's CMU student-athletes earned the MAC Player of the Year Award; three received the MAC Pitcher of the Year Award; six received the MAC Freshman of the Year Award; and seven were named the Most Valuable Player of the MAC Tournament.

As one of the many women who came of age during the early days of Title IX, she was a leading voice for women's sports and cultivated an atmosphere in which players were encouraged to grow in areas beyond softball and now, even in retirement, she continues to serve the Central Michigan community by mentoring student-athletes.

In 2008, CMU honored Jonker by naming the Chippewas' home park Margo Jonker Stadium. As a testament to her legacy, many alumni stepped forward with monetary support in honor of the name change, a reflection of the the many relationships she built and the impact she made on both current and former student-athletes.

"At a time when opportunities for women in athletics were still emerging, coach Jonker became a national leader and role model," Folan said. "She created a legacy of access and excellence, advancing gender equity in tangible ways and helping to build Central Michigan University into a national leader in women's athletics. Her leadership helped ensure that female student-athletes had the same opportunities, support, and visibility as their male counterparts.

Her commitment is not symbolic; it is deeply personal and sustained. She makes herself available, listens, advises, inspires and continues to maintain a high profile at CMU. Her influence is felt in every athlete who gains confidence and every coach who finds their voice under her mentorship."

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