Linda Witt begins her sixth season as the head coach of the UNC softball squad. During Witt's tenure as the Bears' leader she has compiled a five-year record of 76-117 overall.

Witt has been charged with taking the Bears back to Division I softball, a level she is very familiar with at UNC.

"We are going back to Division I and it's exciting because I was a part of the tradition as a player and now I have the opportunity to do it as a coach," Witt said.

Witt was named the Co-Coach of the Year in 2002 after leading the Bears to a 28-18 overall mark and an 11-5 record in league action. Witt has compiled an overall mark of 41-36 in two full seasons as the Bears' head coach. Witt played for the Bears' during here college days and led the squad to the NCAA championship game in 1978 before falling to UCLA, 2-0, in the title contest.

A 1978 graduate of UNC, Linda Witt spent 20 years as a teacher and coach at University High School (UNC Laboratory School). While at University High, Witt coached the girls' gymnastics team (1979-93), girls' track & field team (1979-2000) and boys' track & field team (1984-2000). Her gymnastics' squads captured 10 state championships and five runner-up finishes during her tenure, including several individual state championship performances. In addition, she coached numerous track & field athletes to individual state titles.

Along the way, Witt has garnered many coaching honors, including National High School Athletic Coaches Association - National Coach of the Year Runnerup (1994), NHSACA Regional Coach of the Year (1994), Gatorade "Coach Who Cares" Award (1993), McDonald's Regional Coach of the Year (1992) and Colorado Sportswoman Coach of the Year (1985).

Witt has also been very active in the Northern Colorado softball community. She coached several competitive travel teams from 1989-93 and helped initiate numerous softball tournaments, camps and clinics. From 1995-97, she served as a softball instructor and clinician at the Greg Riddoch Sports Academy.

As a student-athlete at UNC, Witt excelled in field hockey and softball. For her efforts, Witt was inducted into the UNC Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996 and was recognized along with her 1978 softball teammates during the induction of the team at the 1998 ceremony. Witt was also a member of the United States Field Hockey team from 1979-1982.