Amanda Chidester

Amanda Marie Chidester (born April 11, 1990) is an American, former collegiate All-American, National Pro Fastpitch All-Star, softball player at third base originally from Allen Park, Michigan. She is the reigning NPF Player of The Year for the Chicago Bandits.[2] She has been a member of the USA Softball Women's National Team on-and-off since 2012. She previously played for the Michigan Wolverines softball team from 2009 to 2012 and was named First Team All-Big Ten three of her seasons. She was twice selected as the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year and National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American.[3][4] Chidester was named a member of Team USA for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[5]

Amanda Chidester
Catcher, Infield
Born: (1990-04-11) April 11, 1990
Allen Park, Michigan[1]
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Women's softball
Representing  United States
Pan American Games
2015 Toronto Team

Early years

Chidester was born in 1990 and grew up in Allen Park, Michigan. She attended St. Francis Cabrini High School, graduating in 2008. As a senior in 2008, she was selected as the Detroit Catholic League Female Athlete of the Year. In 2007, she was named the Gatorade Michigan Softball Player of the Year. She was also selected as a first-team EA Sports All-American in both 2007 and 2008.[6]

University of Michigan

Chidester enrolled at the University of Michigan in the fall of 2008. As a freshman in the spring of 2009, Chidester appeared in 58 games and led the Michigan softball team with a .350 batting average. She was selected as a second-team NFCA All-American and a first-team All-Big Ten player.[6]

As a sophomore in 2009, Chidester started all 57 games for Michigan, including 56 games at second base.[6]

As a junior in 2010, Chidester moved to third base. She started all 58 games for Michigan, including 51 at third base and seven at catcher. She led the team with a .423 batting average and 75 RBIs. At the end of the season, she was selected as the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year and a first-team NFCA All-American at third base.

As a senior in 2011, Chidester was the captain of the Michigan softball team. She started 58 games for Michigan, including 13 at third base and 45 at first base. She compiled a .347 batting average with 46 RBIs and was named Big Ten Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. On May 25, 2013, she became the second Michigan Wolverines softball player to reach 200 career RBIs.[6][7][8]

Team USA

In June 2012, Chidester was named to the USA Softball Women's National Team.[9][10] She hit a grand slam to lead Team USA to a victory over Brazil in the 2012 World Cup of Softball.[11]

Professional career

During the 2019 season, Chidester was named the NPF Player of the Year, NPF Offensive Player of the Year, and Home Run Award winner.[12]

Statistics

Michigan Wolverines
YEAR G AB R H BA RBI HR 3B 2B TB SLG BB SO SB SBA
2009 58 183 37 64 .349 38 8 3 10 104 .568% 11 22 0 2
2010 57 164 34 49 .299 41 9 0 8 84 .512% 14 20 1 2
2011 58 175 49 74 .423 75 13 1 9 124 .708% 21 15 1 3
2012 58 176 37 61 .346 46 10 1 12 105 .596% 31 22 2 2
TOTALS 231 698 157 248 .355 200 40 5 39 417 .593% 77 79 4 9

Personal life

Chidester is openly lesbian and is engaged to a Mexican softball player Anissa Urtez.[13]

References
  1. "Amanda Chidester Biography". Team USA.
  2. "NPF AWARDS BANQUET KICKS OFF 2019 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES". Profastpitch.com. 2019-08-14. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  3. "2009 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Teams". Nfca.org. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  4. "2011 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-Americans". Nfca.org. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  5. "2020 U.S. Olympic Softball Team". Teamusa.org. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  6. "Amanda Chidester Biography". Mgoblue.com. University of Michigan. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013.
  7. Michael Rothstein (May 19, 2011). "A consistent Amanda Chidester leads Michigan softball team into NCAA regional action". AnnArbor.com.
  8. "Michigan's Carol Hutchins, Amanda Chidester and Haylie Wagner sweep Big Ten softball awards". AnnArbor.com. May 16, 2011.
  9. Jo-Ann Barnas (June 14, 2012). "Allen Park's Amanda Chidester named to U.S. national softball team". Detroit Free Press.
  10. Colleen Thomas (June 17, 2012). "Chidester makes U.S. national team". The Michigan Daily.
  11. "World Cup of Softball: Amanda Chidester's grand slam powers Team USA past Brazil". NewsOK. July 1, 2012.
  12. "NPF Awards Banquet Kicks Off 2019 Championship Series". profastpitch.com. August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  13. Zeigler, Cyd (15 December 2020). "These 2 athletes will play against each other at the Olympics. They just got engaged". Outsports. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
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