Concordia University Chicago Athletics

Kathleen Ann (Sandfort) Gehrs, ’73 – Gehrs played softball for four years and was a member of the cheerleading squad for two years.

Gehrs was a standout pitcher and the ace of the Kittens’ staff for all four seasons. Both Gehrs and the team enjoyed a winning record during all four of her seasons, and Gehrs’ pitching helped the Cougars to an undefeated regular season record in her senior year.

During Gehrs’ time at Concordia, the softball team competed regularly against the larger schools such as Northern Illinois and Illinois State, and the Cougars were invited to the statewide tournaments annually. Gehrs helped lead Concordia into the consolation finals at the IAIAW state softball tournament in 1972.

Gehrs earned her B.A. in elementary education from Concordia. Following graduation, she moved to Frankenmuth, Michigan where she has taught for nearly 30 years at St. Lorenz School. Gehrs has taught Sunday school and worked with the church youth group, teaching midweek classes at St. Lorenz. She played softball in Frankenmuth for 15 years, and coached her daughter’s softball team for several years. Gehrs was elected to the Frankenmuth Softball Hall of Fame in 2006.