Bio

Kaitlyn Brannstrom is the Softball Graduate Assistant at Union Commonwealth University. A native of Portage, Michigan, she graduated from Portage Central High School in 2020, where she was a standout three-sport athlete in softball, basketball, and more. In softball, she totaled 99 runs over three years, batted .426 or better each season, earned three-time All-Conference and All-District First Team honors, and was named NFCA Second Team All-American as a junior. She also contributed to her basketball team’s district championship in 2018–19.

Brannstrom continued her academic and athletic career at Purdue University (2020–2022), where she played every game as a true freshman, earning All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Freshmen Team honors. She led the team in home runs and RBIs, posted multiple season-high performances, and was awarded the John Wooden Leadership Award as a sophomore. She later transferred to Grand Canyon University (2022–2024), earning WAC All-Academic honors and helping the team win back-to-back Western Athletic Conference Tournament Championships. At Grand Canyon, she finished a season with a .344 batting average, eight home runs, 41 RBIs, and a .983 fielding percentage. Brannstrom spent the 2024–2025 season at the University of Pittsburgh, starting 51 of 52 games at first base, hitting key grand slams, and earning the Panthers Champions in the Community award.

Off the field, Brannstrom is the daughter of Kenny and Kathy Brannstrom and has a twin brother, James, and a younger sister, Erin. Her hobbies include reading, learning about sports, and watching sports documentaries. She is an avid fan of Detroit professional sports, cheering for the Lions, Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings.