Eastern Illinois University Softball

Kristi Paulson was hired as the 14th head coach in Eastern Illinois softball history on July 11, 2024.  Paulson comes to EIU following a successful run as the head

Eastern Illinois  * Hired as an assistant softball coach in July 2024 and moved to co-head coach position with wife Kristi Paulson * Enters second season at EIU

Denise Godwin was hired as assistant softball coach at Eastern Illinois in July 2025. She comes to EIU with extensive collegiate coaching experience. Most recently, she served as head coach at the University of the Ozarks from 2018-25, where she developed multiple NFCA/Easton All-American Scholar-Award recipients and had numerous players earn All-Conference honors. Prior to Ozarks, Godwin was an assistant coach at Illinois Wesleyan from 2015-18, where she helped coach the team to three consecutive NCAA Division III World Series appearances (2016, 2017, 2018) and was part of the NFCA Great Lakes Region Coaching Staff of the Year in each of those three seasons. She also has assistant coaching experience at Lake Land College (2012-15), where she helped coach a team to a 5th place finish at the 2013 NJCAA D1 National Tournament, and at Millikin University (2010-12), where she assisted in coaching the team to the 2011 CCIW Conference Championship. Godwin also served as head coach of Premier Fastpitch from 2012-17, coaching ages 14U through 18U Gold teams. She is a former softball player at the University of Illinois and holds both a bachelor's degree from Illinois and a master's degree from Illinois State University (2017). She is a native of Mt. Zion, Illinois.

Eastern Illinois * Hired as assistant softball coach in August 2025 * Begins first season on EIU staff for the 2025-26 season Personal/Prior to Eastern Illinois *