The 2024 season will be Virginia McAndrews’ first as the assistant pitching coach of the Thunder softball team.
McAndrews comes to Wheaton from Trinity Christian College (TCC), where she served as the primary pitching instructor. McAndrews and the rest of Fazzari’s staff led the 2023 Trinity Christian College squad to the program's first winning season since 1992 and advanced to the Final of the 2023 National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Softball World Series for the first time in program history. McAndrew’s pitchers were key contributors to the Trolls’ 4-1 record at the NCCAA Tournament. The pitching staff only gave up one run prior to the championship game and threw the program’s first no-hitter since 2012.
As a player at Judson and Olivet Nazarene University, McAndrews helped lead her team to multiple conference championships and an NAIA 9th-place finish. McAndrews’ pitching statistics led her to be ranked #1 in NAIA Division I for total runs allowed (23), with 15 earned runs (2nd in Division I), a 0.64 conference ERA, and an overall season 1.05 ERA (5th in Division I). Her opponents’ batting average was .181 (10th in Division I), with only 4.48 hits allowed (64 total hits). While being a three-year Academic All-American, her performance earned her Pitcher of the Year awards, multiple appearances as a First Team All-Conference selection, several NAIA Player of the Week recognitions, and was voted NAIA All-American Honorable Mention. McAndrews still holds pitching records at both universities and at the NAIA level.
McAndrews was raised in Wheaton with five siblings and two step sisters. Currently, McAndrews resides in Carol Stream and works locally as an Accountant and Tax Auditor. McAndrews loves giving back to the game of softball by performing private pitching, hitting, and team lessons in the DuPage area. McAndrews also coaches and runs camps at the local park districts.
