Newsstand: Michigan softball announces Amanda Chidester as assistant coach

Tweets Of The Day

First-year Michigan softball coach Bonnie Tholl announced the addition of U-M alum and Olympian Amanda Chidester as an assistant coach.

From Michigan’s press release:

A two-time All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year at U-M, Chidester also captured an Olympic silver medal with Team USA in Tokyo.

“I’m beyond excited to finalize our already talented staff with Amanda Chidester,” said Tholl. “As a former Michigan captain, ‘Chiddy’ has a true passion for Michigan and a clear vision for what this program stands for. She will elevate the play and competitiveness of our players immediately. Sharing her experiences as an Olympian, professional player and NCAA All-American will add great value to Michigan softball.”

“It is an absolute honor to be back wearing the maize and blue,” said Chidester. “A week ago, I didn’t know that college coaching would be my next adventure, but when your dream job is offered to you, you have to take it. I can’t wait to share my knowledge and experiences from the last 10 years of playing both internationally and professionally with Team 46, and I can’t wait to get to work!”

“Chiddy,” a native of Allen Park, Mich., had a distinguished Wolverine career (2009-12), earning All-America status twice — as a freshman in 2009 (second team) and as a junior in 2011 (first team). She was twice named the Big Ten Player of the Year (2011, ’12) and a three-time All-Big Ten first team honoree (2009, 11, ’12). She was named as Michigan’s Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient following her senior campaign.

The ultimate utility player, Chidester saw significant playing time as a catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman and outfielder, boasted a .355 collegiate batting average and finished her career ranked second in Michigan program history in RBI (200), second in grand slams (five), fourth in slugging percentage (.596), fifth in home runs (40), ninth in hits (248) and 10th in runs scored (157).

Chidester captured Olympic silver for the United States at the 2020 Tokyo Games, becoming the first player in Michigan softball history to claim an Olympic medal. She produced a pair of game-winning hits in Tokyo, including a walk-off two-run single in the eighth inning of Team USA’s 2-1 win over Australia. She also delivered a two-out RBI single in the fifth inning in a 1-0 win over Canada.

She played with the USA Softball Women’s National Team for the better part of nine years (2012-18, ’20-21), also winning a gold medal and two silvers at the WBSC Women’s World Championship.

In the professional ranks, Chidester played for the Scrap Yard Dawgs (2016) and Chicago Bandits (2019) of the National Pro Fastpitch league and, in 2019, was named the NPF Player of the Year, NPF Offensive Player of the Year and Home Run Award winner.

Most recently, she played in all three seasons of Athletes Unlimited (2020-22), earning the No. 1 draft pick in the inaugural season and finishing second and fifth in points in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Chidester retired from competitive softball at the conclusion of the AU season a little more than a week ago — on Sunday, Aug. 28. She went 2-for-3 in her final career game and belted a two-run homer in her final at-bat.

WELCOME HOME!!

We are thrilled to announce Michigan alum, Olympian @chiddy3 as our new assistant coach!

RELEASE: https://t.co/tt8EVK0XCy pic.twitter.com/Dq9YlJobIp

— Michigan Softball (@umichsoftball) September 6, 2022

Per ESPN’s Field Yates, Michigan has 33 players on active rosters ahead of the 2022 NFL season, the 7th most out of any college football program.

The 10 schools with the most players on 53-man rosters as Week 1 begins:

1. Alabama: 58
2. LSU: 53
3. Ohio State: 51
4. Georgia: 43
5. Notre Dame: 35
6. Penn State: 34
7. Michigan: 33
T-8. Oklahoma: 32
T-8. Florida: 32
10. Iowa: 30

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 6, 2022

Michigan graduate assistant Milan Bolden-Morris made history last weekend.

This weekend, Milan Bolden-Morris made her debut on the Michigan sideline — the first female grad assistant at a Power 5 school. pic.twitter.com/GdYnyDwCMG

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) September 6, 2022

Michigan sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy met with reporters Tuesday night ahead of his 1st career start.

This is in no means a referendum on how he'll play once he's on the field, but he has been so impressive in media sessions. Poised, energetic, thoughtful and charismatic. Easy to see why both QBs have the respect and adoration of the locker room. https://t.co/NyPV6NrRjO

— Anthony Broome (@anthonytbroome) September 7, 2022

Quote Of The Day

“Being around guys that we have here and being around coaches that we have here, they just fill you with uber confidence, and I’ve always been a guy to have extreme confidence in myself so being around guys like that and coaches like that only amplifies it.”

Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy on his “extremely” high confidence level ahead of his first career start

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