Aurora University Women's Softball

Mike McKenzie took over as head softball coach of the Aurora University softball program in 2004. At AU, McKenzie has compiled a 659-226-2 record and three NIIC conference championships, eight Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Championships and four NACC Tournament Championships. McKenzie was named NIIC Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2006 and NACC Coach of the Year in 2007, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2021. McKenzie's Spartans have made seven trips to the NCAA Division III Championships and compiled a 369-67 conference record. He came to Aurora from Marian College in Indianapolis where he served as the head women's softball coach, assistant men's basketball coach, and director of intramurals. Over six seasons at Marian, McKenzie posted a 171-80 record, including a 36-10 record and a NAIA national tournament appearance in 2003. He was named Mid-Central Conference coach of the year in the 1998 and 2002 seasons. McKenzie began his coaching career as a basketball and baseball coach at Scecina Memorial High School in Indianapolis from 1986 to 1995. As an athlete, he played both basketball and baseball at Beech Grove High School in Indianapolis where he was named MVP of his varsity basketball team. McKenzie continued his playing career at Marian College in Indianapolis. He was a three-year starter and captain of the men's basketball team. He received his B.S. in physical education from Marian College and his master's degree in kinesiology from Indiana University. He was named outstanding senior in physical education at Marian College in 1986.   AURORA UNIVERSITY COACHING RECORD - SOFTBALL YEAR OVERALL CONFERENCE (Place) 2004 29-11-1 13-3 (1st) 2005 40-6-1^ 14-1 (1st) 2006 38-11^ 12-3 (1st) 2007 35-8 21-1 (1st) 2008 37-8^ 23-1 (1st) 2009 31-7 22-2 (1st) 2010 38-9^ 22-2 (2nd) 2011 33-11 21-3 (2nd) 2012 26-17 20-4 (2nd) 2013 39-8^ 23-1 (1st) 2014 27-15 18-4 (1st) 2015 37-8^ 22-0 (1st) 2016 32-14^ 19-3 (1st) 2017 28-16 15-7 (4th) 2018 29-17 16-6 (3rd) 2019 28-16 16-6 (3rd) 2020* 7-1 -- 2021 35-7 18-2 (1st) 2022 31-8 19-5 (2nd) 2023 27-17 17-7 (4th) 2024 31-11 18-6 (4th) 2025 23-18 13-11 (T-7th) 2026 26-15 16-8 (4th) 23 Years 707-259-2 (.731) 398-86 (.822) Career - 29 years 878-339-2 (.721) ^NCAA Appearance *2020 season was canceled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Roman Hill joined the Aurora University track and field program as an assistant coach in the fall of 2023.  Hill comes to AU after a two-year stint as the graduate assistant at Concordia University Chicago where he coached the sprints and jumps. No stranger to the NACC, Hill competed collegiately at Benedictine University bvefore finishing his career at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Hill was a multi-time NCAA qualifier and earned Indoor All-American honors in 2017. 

Emma Lytton joined the Aurora University Athletic Department as a Graduate Assistant for the Spartan Softball team in the fall of 2025. Emma graduated from Aurora in the winter of 2024 with Bachelor degrees in Therapeutic Recreation and Autism Studies, with a minor in Psychology. She is now persuing her Master's of Business Administration with a focus in Leadership. During her time at AU, she competed for the Spartan Softball team for four years before being the Assistant Coach for the spring 2025 season. She was also a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Emma is from Berkeley, Illinois.