Steve Crook is in his 24th season as the head coach of the Concordia University Wisconsin softball program in the 2023 campaign. Crook, the winningest coach in program history, has 500 victories to his name. He is a five-time conference coach of the year, claiming the honor in 2002, 2004, 2019, 2021 and 2022.
Coach Crook led the Falcons to new heights in 2022. The Falcons finished with a program record of 36-6 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Regional Finals for the first time in program history. The Blue and White went 20-3 in the NACC and claimed the NACC Regular Season title and the NACC Tournament title with victories over Benedictine and MSOE. CUW landed two NFCA All-American selections in Gina Followell (First Team) and Claudia Utz (Third Team). Kelsey Bollon earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors. Coach also had three NFCA All-Region honors with Claudia Utz and Gina Followell earning first-team honors and Jess Pozezinski earning third-team. Coach Crook and the staff earned NACC Coaching Staff of the Year honors, with Gina Followell being the NACC Pitcher of the Year and Jess Pozezinski the NACC Freshman of the Year. The Falcons picked up victories over No. 13 Roanoke and No. 25 Case Western in the NCAA Tournament.
The Falcons claimed the NACC North Division title with an 18-2 record. The Blue and White went 31-8 on the season. The Falcons landed five All-NACC selections, with Gina Followell being named the NACC North Division Pitcher of the Year. Followell also earned NFCA All-American honors. Crook was named the NACC North Division Coach of the Year. Gina Followell and Kelsey Bollon earned NFCA All-Region honors, Bollon was also a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.
The 2020 season was cut short by the coronavirus. The Falcons posted a perfect 4-0 record with four victories in Michigan.
The 2019 season was a magical run for the Falcons. The Blue and White earned their first-ever NACC Regular Season title with a 19-3 record. CUW finished 24-11 on the year and finished with a program-record six All-NACC selections. CUW reached the 20-win plateau for the 11th-straight year. Molly O'Connell and Jenna Pozezinski earned NFCA All-Region accolades. Gina Followell was the first Falcon to be named the NACC Newcomer of the Year in softball.
CUW won 20-plus games for a 10th straight season in 2018, posting a 22-16 record. The Falcons went 12-10 in NACC play, tying for fifth in the conference standings. During the year, he claimed his 400th career victory.
The Falcons won the second-most games in program history in 2017, reaching 31 victories. For the second straight season, CUW clinched an opening-round bye in the NACC Tournament, tying for second in the regular-season standings. CUW reached the NACC Tournament Title game and forced a second championship before falling to Benedictine.
Crook coached several Falcons to awards in 2017, including five First Team All-NACC selections. In addition, the Falcons placed a program-record four players on the NFCA All-Region Teams, Second Team nods for Emily Brekke and Lexi Holsten, and Third Team honors for Carly Sobrilsky and Maddie Zazas. Brekke was also chosen as a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree after her impressive campaign.
The Falcons tied for second in the NACC during the 2016 season, posting a 15-7 league record and earning a bye in the NACC Tournament. CUW finished third at the event and ended the season with 26 victories. The Falcons again had an All-Region selection in 2016, as sophomore shortstop Deidra Weinberger was named to the NFCA Great Lakes Third Team. In addition, Crook helped guide senior Melissa Perkins to the career wins record, as she finished off an impressive career for the Falcons.
Crook had perhaps his most impressive season in 2015, taking a team that had just one senior and who started multiple freshmen and guiding them to a 28-win campaign. The 28 wins were tied for the second-most in program history at the time.
The youthful Falcons also made an appearance in the NACC Championship game at the NACC Tournament in 2015. CUW would fall to Aurora, finishing off its impressive year with a 28-15 final mark.
In 2014 Crook guided the Falcons to another NACC Tournament appearance as CUW posted a 22-19 record. He helped CUW stay alive in the conference tournament until the final day for the second straight season before being eliminated by top-seeded Aurora University.
In 2013 Crook guided CUW to a 28-17 overall record, the fourth time in the past five seasons the Falcons have won at least 25 games. CUW finished fourth in the Northern Athletics Conference, posting a 17-7 record.
2013 also marked a couple of firsts for the Falcons softball team as Crook coached Cara Landherr, who was named to the NFCA All-Great Lakes Region First Team. Landherr became the first player in program history to earn All-Region first-team honors. Stephanie Kramer was named to the Second Team, also a first in Falcon's history. Crook then coached Mariah Giesseman to a Third Team All-Region selection in 2014.
Crook's second-best season with the Falcons came in 2011 when he guided them to a program-record of 32 wins. CUW went an impressive 21-3 in conference play during that spring.
In 2012, Crook and the Falcons finished third in the Northern Athletics Conference after posting a 19-5 league record. They finished 2012 with a 25-16 overall mark, the fourth straight year CUW has won at least 20 games.
Crook is the winningest coach in CUW softball program history and directed his team to the NCAA Tournament in 2009 after winning the NAC Tournament. The 2009 Falcons defeated St. Norbert College in the NCAA Tournament, posting a 1-2 record.
Since joining the NAC in the 2007 season, Crook has produced 43 All-Conference players. In both 2011 and 2012, CUW finished with seven players who earned conference awards. Crook's teams have always performed incredibly well during the conference season, maintaining a .647 winning percentage in league games under his direction.
Crook won Lake Michigan Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2002 and 2004 and led the Falcons to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2006.
In addition to coaching the softball program, Crook serves as an assistant athletic director at CUW. He received his Bachelor's degree in Sociology from UW-Stevens Point in 1990 and his Master's Degree in Education from Concordia University Wisconsin in 1997.
