# Amanda Chidester

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Amanda_Chidester.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Chidester
> Source revision: 1318625532
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|American softball player (born 1990)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| image = Amanda Chidester.jpg
| caption = Chidester in 2016
| name = Amanda Chidester
| current_title    = Assistant coach
| current_team     = [Michigan](/source/Michigan_Wolverines_softball)
| current_conference = [Big Ten](/source/Big_Ten_Conference)
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|1990|4|11}}
| birth_place      = [Allen Park, Michigan](/source/Allen_Park%2C_Michigan), U.S.<ref>{{cite web |title=Amanda Chidester Biography |publisher=Team USA |url=http://www.teamusa.org/Athletes/CH/Amanda-Chidester.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403205533/http://www.teamusa.org/Athletes/CH/Amanda-Chidester.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref>
| alma_mater       = [Michigan](/source/University_of_Michigan)
| player_years1    = 2009–2012
| player_team1     = [Michigan](/source/Michigan_Wolverines_softball)
| player_years2    = 2016
| player_team2     = [Scrap Yard Dawgs](/source/Scrap_Yard_Dawgs)
| player_years3    = 2019
| player_team3     = [Chicago Bandits](/source/Chicago_Bandits)
| player_positions = [Catcher](/source/Catcher)
| coach_years1     = 2023–present
| coach_team1      = [Michigan](/source/Michigan_Wolverines_softball) (Asst.)
| teams = 
| awards =
* NPF Player of the Year ([2019](/source/2019_National_Pro_Fastpitch_season))
* [All-NPF](/source/List_of_All-NPF_Players) Team (2019)
| medaltemplates = 
{{MedalSport | Women's [softball](/source/softball) }}
{{MedalCountry | {{USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [Olympic Games](/source/Olympic_Games) }}
{{MedalSilver| [2020 Tokyo](/source/2020_Summer_Olympics) | [Team](/source/Softball_at_the_2020_Summer_Olympics) }}
{{MedalCompetition | [Pan American Games](/source/Pan_American_Games) }}
{{MedalSilver | [2015 Toronto](/source/2015_Pan_American_Games) | [Team](/source/Softball_at_the_2015_Pan_American_Games_%E2%80%93_Women's_tournament) }}
}}

'''Amanda Marie Chidester''' (born April 11, 1990) is an American former professional [softball](/source/softball) player and current assistant coach for [Michigan](/source/Michigan_Wolverines_softball). She was named [National Pro Fastpitch](/source/National_Pro_Fastpitch) Player of the Year for the [Chicago Bandits](/source/Chicago_Bandits) in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://profastpitch.com/npf-awards-banquet-kicks-off-2019-championship-series/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190817111112/https://profastpitch.com/npf-awards-banquet-kicks-off-2019-championship-series/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=August 17, 2019 |title=NPF AWARDS BANQUET KICKS OFF 2019 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES |location=Profastpitch.com |date=2019-08-14 |accessdate=2019-10-07}}</ref> She has been a member of the USA Softball Women's National Team on-and-off since 2012. She played [college softball](/source/college_softball) at Michigan 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](/source/Big_Ten_Conference_Softball_Player_of_the_Year) and National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nfca.org/awards/awards-history/2009-di-aa-teams-4082 |title=2009 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Teams |location=Nfca.org |date= |accessdate=2019-10-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://nfca.org/awards/awards-history/2011-di-all-americans-4219 |title=2011 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-Americans |location=Nfca.org |date= |accessdate=2019-10-07}}</ref> Chidester represented Team USA at the [2020 Summer Olympics](/source/2020_Summer_Olympics) and won a silver medal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.teamusa.org/usa-softball/team-usa/2020-olympic-team |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007043704/https://www.teamusa.org/usa-softball/team-usa/2020-olympic-team |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 7, 2019 |title=2020 U.S. Olympic Softball Team |location=Teamusa.org |date= |accessdate=2019-10-07}}</ref> In 2021, Chidester played her second season in the [Athletes Unlimited Softball](/source/Athletes_Unlimited_Softball) league and placed second in individual points earned.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://auprosports.com/leaderboard/?season=4 |title=Player Leaderboard |location=Auprosports.com |date= |accessdate=September 27, 2021}}</ref>

==Early life==
Chidester was born in 1990 and grew up in [Allen Park, Michigan](/source/Allen_Park%2C_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.<ref name=Bio>{{cite web |title=Amanda Chidester Biography |work=Mgoblue.com|publisher=University of Michigan |url=http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/chidester_amanda01.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130101073800/http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/chidester_amanda01.html|archivedate=January 1, 2013}}</ref>

==College career==
Chidester enrolled at the [University of Michigan](/source/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.<ref name=Bio />

As a sophomore in 2009, Chidester started all 57 games for Michigan, including 56 games at second base.<ref name=Bio />

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.<ref name=Bio /><ref>{{cite news |author=Michael Rothstein |title=A consistent Amanda Chidester leads Michigan softball team into NCAA regional action |newspaper=AnnArbor.com |date=May 19, 2011 |url=http://www.annarbor.com/sports/a-consistent-amanda-chidester-has-led-michigan-softball-into-the-ncaa-regionals/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Michigan's Carol Hutchins, Amanda Chidester and Haylie Wagner sweep Big Ten softball awards |newspaper=AnnArbor.com |date=May 16, 2011 |url=http://annarbor.com/sports/michigans-carol-hutchins-amanda-chidester-and-haylie-wagner-sweep-big-ten-softball-awards/}}</ref>

==Team USA==
In June 2012, Chidester was named to the [USA Softball Women's National Team](/source/United_States_women's_national_softball_team).<ref>{{cite news |title=Allen Park's Amanda Chidester named to U.S. national softball team |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |date=June 14, 2012 |author=Jo-Ann Barnas |url=http://www.freep.com/article/20120614/SPORTS18/120614043/allen-park-softball-amanda-chidester}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Chidester makes U.S. national team |newspaper=The Michigan Daily |date=June 17, 2012 |author=Colleen Thomas |url=http://www.michigandaily.com/sports/chidester-makes-us-national-team}}</ref> She hit a grand slam to lead Team USA to a victory over Brazil in the [2012 World Cup of Softball](/source/2012_World_Cup_of_Softball).<ref>{{cite news |title=World Cup of Softball: Amanda Chidester's grand slam powers Team USA past Brazil |newspaper=NewsOK |date=July 1, 2012 |url=http://newsok.com/world-cup-of-softball-amanda-chidesters-grand-slam-powers-team-usa-past-brazil/article/3689213}}</ref>

At the Tokyo Games, Chidester garnered four hits and drove in three runs for Team USA. She and the team lost in the gold medal game against [Team Japan](/source/Team_Japan) 2-0 on July 27, 2021, with Chidester going making three outs at the plate.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://olympicsoftball.wbsc.org/en/2021/schedule-and-results/box-score/6289 |title=JPN 2, USA 0 |location= Olympicssoftball.wbsc.org|date=2021-07-27 |accessdate=2021-07-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://olympicsoftball.wbsc.org/en/2021/teams/USA/players/74690 |title=Chidester |location= Olympicssoftball.wbsc.org |date=2021-07-27 |accessdate=2021-07-28}}</ref>

==Professional career==
During the [2019 season](/source/2019_National_Pro_Fastpitch_season), Chidester was named the NPF Player of the Year, NPF Offensive Player of the Year, and Home Run Award winner.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://profastpitch.com/npf-awards-banquet-kicks-off-2019-championship-series/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190817111112/https://profastpitch.com/npf-awards-banquet-kicks-off-2019-championship-series/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=August 17, 2019 |title=NPF Awards Banquet Kicks Off 2019 Championship Series |website=profastpitch.com |date=August 14, 2019| accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
On September 6, 2022, Chidester was named an assistant coach for the [Michigan Wolverines softball](/source/Michigan_Wolverines_softball) team.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mgoblue.com/news/2022/9/6/softball-wolverines-add-michigan-alum-olympian-chidester-to-coaching-staff.aspx |title=Wolverines Add Michigan Alum, Olympian Chidester to Coaching Staff |date=September 6, 2022 |access-date=September 6, 2022 |publisher=CBS Sports |work=MGoBlue.com |first=Leah |last=Howard}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Chidester is openly lesbian and is engaged to Mexican softball player [Anissa Urtez](/source/Anissa_Urtez).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zeigler |first1=Cyd |title=These 2 athletes will play against each other at the Olympics. They just got engaged |url=https://www.outsports.com/2020/12/15/22175474/olympic-softball-amanda-chidester-anissa-urtez-usa-mexico |access-date=18 December 2020 |work=Outsports |date=15 December 2020}}</ref>

== Statistics ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+[Michigan Wolverines](/source/Michigan_Wolverines_softball)
|- align=center
| '''YEAR'''
| [G](/source/Game)
| [AB](/source/At_bats)
| [R](/source/Softball)
| [H](/source/Hit_(baseball))
| [BA](/source/Batting_average_(baseball))
| [RBI](/source/Run_batted_in)
| [HR](/source/Home_runs)
| [3B](/source/Triple_(baseball))
| [2B](/source/Double_(baseball))
| [TB](/source/Total_bases)
| [SLG](/source/Slugging_percentage)
| [BB](/source/Base_on_balls)
| [SO](/source/Strikeout)
| [SB](/source/Stolen_base)
| SBA
|- align=center
| '''2009'''
| 58
| 183
| 37
| 64
| .349
| 38
| 8
| 3
| 10
| 104
| .568%
| 11
| 22
| 0
| 2
|- align=center
| '''2010'''
| 57
| 164
| 34
| 49
| .299
| 41
| 9
| 0
| 8
| 84
| .512%
| 14
| 20
| 1
| 2
|- align=center
| '''2011'''
| 58
| 175
| 49
| 74
| .423
| 75
| 13
| 1
| 9
| 124
| .708%
| 21
| 15
| 1
| 3
|- align=center
| '''2012'''
| 58
| 176
| 37
| 61
| .346
| 46
| 10
| 1
| 12
| 105
| .596%
| 31
| 22
| 2
| 2
|- align=center
| '''TOTALS'''
| '''231'''
| '''698'''
| '''157'''
| '''248'''
| '''.355'''
| '''200'''
| '''40'''
| '''5'''
| '''39'''
| '''417'''
| '''.593%'''
| '''77'''
| '''79'''
| '''4'''
| '''9'''
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+[Team USA](/source/United_States_women's_national_softball_team)
|- align=center
| '''YEAR'''
| [G](/source/Game)
| [AB](/source/At_bats)
| [R](/source/Softball)
| [H](/source/Hit_(baseball))
| [BA](/source/Batting_average_(baseball))
| [RBI](/source/Run_batted_in)
| [HR](/source/Home_runs)
| [3B](/source/Triple_(baseball))
| [2B](/source/Double_(baseball))
| [TB](/source/Total_bases)
| [SLG](/source/Slugging_percentage)
| [BB](/source/Base_on_balls)
| [SO](/source/Strikeout)
| [SB](/source/Stolen_base)
|- align=center
| '''2020'''
| 13
| 32
| 4
| 7
| .219
| 6
| 0
| 0
| 1
| 8
| .250%
| 2
| 3
| 0
|- align=center
| '''2021'''
| 31
| 84
| 22
| 30
| .357
| 27
| 7
| 0
| 5
| 56
| .666%
| 13
| 13
| 2
|- align=center
| '''[Olympics](/source/2020_Summer_Olympics)'''
| 6
| 20
| 0
| 4
| .200
| 3
| 0
| 0
| 2
| 6
| .300%
| 0
| 4
| 1
|- align=center
| '''TOTAL'''
| '''50'''
| '''136'''
| '''26'''
| '''41'''
| '''.301'''
| '''36'''
| '''7'''
| '''0'''
| '''8'''
| '''70'''
| '''.514%'''
| '''15'''
| '''20'''
| '''3'''
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+[Athletes Unlimited Softball](/source/Athletes_Unlimited_Softball)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://auprosports.com/softball/stats/ |title=Player Stats |location=Ausports.com |date= |accessdate=2021-07-11}}</ref>
|- align=center
| '''YEAR'''
| [G](/source/Game)
| [AB](/source/At_bats)
| [R](/source/Softball)
| [H](/source/Hit_(baseball))
| [BA](/source/Batting_average_(baseball))
| [RBI](/source/Run_batted_in)
| [HR](/source/Home_runs)
| [3B](/source/Triple_(baseball))
| [2B](/source/Double_(baseball))
| [TB](/source/Total_bases)
| [SLG](/source/Slugging_percentage)
| [BB](/source/Base_on_balls)
| [SO](/source/Strikeout)
| [SB](/source/Stolen_base)
|- align=center
| '''2020'''
| 15
| 50
| 3
| 15
| .300
| 13
| 3
| 2
| 1
| 29
| .580%
| 4
| 8
| 0
|- align=center
| '''2021'''
| 15
| 46
| 12
| 19
| .413
| 12
| 7
| 0
| 1
| 41
| .891%
| 9
| 6
| 0
|- align=center
| '''TOTAL'''
| '''30'''
| '''96'''
| '''15'''
| '''34'''
| '''.354'''
| '''25'''
| '''10'''
| '''2'''
| '''2'''
| '''70'''
| '''.729%'''
| '''13'''
| '''14'''
| '''0'''
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [https://www.usasoftball.com/roster/amanda-chidester/ Amanda Chidester] at [USA Softball](/source/USA_Softball)
* {{Team USA|new_id=amanda-chidester-905347|old_id=CH/Amanda-Chidester|archive=20220204120916}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{Olympics.com|amanda-chidester}}
* {{Official website|https://www.chiddysoftball.com/}}

{{Michigan Wolverines softball navbox}}
{{Big Ten Conference Softball Player of the Year navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chidester, Amanda}}
Category:1990 births
Category:LGBTQ people from Michigan
Category:American lesbian sportswomen
Category:LGBTQ softball players
Category:Living people
Category:American softball players
Category:Olympic softball players for the United States
Category:Chicago Bandits players
Category:Michigan Wolverines softball players
Category:People from Allen Park, Michigan
Category:Sportspeople from Wayne County, Michigan
Category:Scrap Yard Dawgs players
Category:Softball players from Michigan
Category:Softball players at the 2015 Pan American Games
Category:Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games
Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in softball
Category:Softball players at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Category:Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in softball
Category:Olympic medalists in softball
Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people
Category:21st-century American sportswomen

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Amanda Chidester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Chidester) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Chidester?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.