Great Teaching: Brenda Volk

November 10, 2025

In her 28 years as head softball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Brenda Volk has built a strong program that successfully carries out her consistent, organized approach to the game.

The team’s success is a byproduct of Volk — a quiet, soft-spoken competitor — and her emphasis on the development and experience of her student-athletes.

Since Volk took the reins of the program in 1999, the Warhawks have won 800 games and claimed a conference-leading 11 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season championships, nine league tournament titles, and 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a national runner-up finish in 2008 and a third-place finish in 2014.

 

 

“There are so many rewards in the coaching world, but a couple that come to mind are watching athletes grow and learn both on and off the field,” Volk said. “I love seeing the improvement that these athletes make on the field as well as in their confidence and comfort levels year after year.”

Volk’s philosophy and personality have cultivated a culture of positivity and love among current and past student-athletes — the softball team’s spring Alumni Day is annually one of the best attended among UW-Whitewater athletics teams.

Together, student-athletes, coaches, and alums experience the highs and lows of life on and off the softball diamond. Volk continues to show up for her current and former athletes, whether it be for a joyous occasion or during a difficult time in their lives.

“We have been fortunate to experience so many big wins and many championships which, of course, we are very proud of and grateful for,” Volk said. "But it's during those happy or challenging times when you sit back, see who you are surrounded by and remember what this experience is all about. It's a great reminder of why I do what I do and really inspires me to keep going."

Volk started life as a Warhawk as a first-generation college student from the small town of Plain, Wisconsin, approximately one hour northwest of Madison. She started off as an accounting major before quickly discovering her passion for teaching and coaching at the high school level.

 

 

“I was fortunate enough to have great coaches and teachers growing up and I wanted to make that same impact on my student-athletes someday,” Volk said. “Coaching at the college level wasn't even something I even thought of.”

After earning her BSE in secondary math education with a minor in coaching, Volk remained on campus to work with Warhawks coach Irv Madsen as an assistant coach, serving in the role for six years while finishing school and working as a part-time and substitute teacher. She coached a high school varsity softball team in Florida for one year before returning to Whitewater as the head softball coach.

Since then, she’s benefitted from a consistent coaching staff that she empowers — assistant coaches Beth Bonuso and Steve Evans have each been a part of the program for Volk’s entire tenure — and the strong relationships she’s built with hundreds of student-athletes.

 

 

“I think the biggest thing in trying to reach all the individual needs of the student-athletes comes down to building relationships and learning how they respond to certain things,” Volk said. “It can be a challenge, and I have been very fortunate to have Beth Bonuso as my assistant for the past 25 years to help build those strong relationships with our student-athletes. I truly believe that everything that Beth has brought to them — including mental skills training — is the difference maker in our program and in the success we have had over the years.”

Volk’s quiet but relentless pursuit of excellence in coaching, teaching, and recruiting puts her student-athletes in the best positions to succeed on the field, in the classroom and the workplace, and in the community.

She’s grateful to be passing her wisdom and teachings along to students at her alma mater.

“I am just very fortunate for the opportunities and successes that have come my way and I will forever be grateful for the experiences and all the people I have met throughout my years at UWW. I will forever bleed purple.”

Volk encourages all students to get involved in campus life, make connections, and to get to know their professors. She also recommends that students utilize the resources that are available on campus to help them succeed and not to be afraid to reach out if they need extra support. 

Most importantly, Volk wants each student to enjoy the college experience and each day as it comes — just as she enjoys them.