"This coach has a complete churn and burn recruitment strategy, retaining less then 40% of her freshman through their senior year over her tenure as Head Coach. Plan on hitting the portal. And if you don't hit the portal, don't count on any player development. This is an authoritarian coach that hides behind a "team family" facade. She substitutes manufactured socialization activities for actual team chemistry. She pathologizes questions about playing time, has no clear metrics for meritoriously earning a spot on the team. There is more emphasis on "energy" and "communication" than softball mechanics. The energy and communication boils down to serving as good cheerleaders for the players she puts on the field, who coincidentally are those who most vocally and faithfully echo her every misguided sentiments. The athletes have no autonomy, micromanaged with 40 defensive plays transmitted on digital devices that substitute detailed instruction for critical thinking. She maxes her on-field conferences in nearly 50% of the games, with 25% of her games being double conference innings. Her game times are consistent anomalies as she spends more time on the field weaponizing the rule book, presumably because she has to win on procedure and not skill. Freshman rarely make it to graduation, but the year over-year annual retention rates hover around 60%. Portal players are prioritized over homegrown players and inexperienced (eager to please) freshman play over tenured players who have developed a voice and opinion on play. In 2026 Guthrie has consistently started 6 players who are new to UIS this season, 3 freshman and 3 transfers. While athletes were have previously earned All-Conference honors in those positions now sit on the bench. This environment does not embody the "Life in Balance" approach in the NCAA DII Strategic Plan, and I would not recommend this coach to my worst enemy."