CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Central Michigan’s Margo Jonker has been named the recipient of the 2025 Trailblazer Award presented on Thursday, May 29 at the MAC Honors Dinner, as part of the Conference annual Spring Meetings. The Trailblazer Award is an annual award that honors a MAC individual in any position who has demonstrated support of equal opportunities and the student-athlete experience.

For 40 years, Margo Jonker was the driving force behind the Chippewa softball program. Her commitment to excellence, resilience, and championship culture left a legacy not only felt in Mount Pleasant, but across the Mid-American Conference and the entire collegiate softball landscape.

Jonker’s 1,268 career victories rank ninth all-time in NCAA Division I history and stand alone at the top of the Mid-American Conference record books. Under her leadership, CMU captured 10 MAC regular-season titles, appeared in 13 NCAA Tournaments, and reached both the AIAW and NCAA Women’s College World Series -- extraordinary accomplishments that cemented Central Michigan as a national contender.

She was named MAC Coach of the Year a record 10 times, was recognized as National Coach of the Year by the NCSA, and earned regional Coach of the Year honors three times. But her impact can’t be measured in titles alone.

She coached eight All-Americans, 53 all-region standouts, and over 120 All-MAC selections. Her players became MAC Players of the Year, Pitchers of the Year, Freshmen of the Year, and Tournament MVPs.

Jonker didn’t just blaze a trail on the college fields—she left her mark on the international stage as well. She served as an assistant coach for Team USA’s gold-medal-winning softball team at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, and again at the 1998 World Championships in Japan, helping guide the best players in the world to the top of the podium.

In 2008, Central Michigan honored her by renaming their home stadium Margo Jonker Stadium.