Hempfield grad Madi Stoner to coach in college softball league

Madi Stoner will be spending her summer in Florida, and not necessarily lying in the beach.

The Hempfield and Hillsdale College grad will be joining her Hillsdale coach, Kyle Gross, in Bradenton coaching in a softball league for high-level college softball players.

She will be assisting Gross at the Lakewood Ranch Rodeo team in the Florida Golf Coast League in Bradenton. The league, for Division I and Division II players from across the country, includes a 25-game schedule, an all-star game and playoff.

“I’m definitely looking forward to coaching,” Stoner said. “Softball is my love, and I want to give back to the sport. Coaching after I complete nursing school is something I’d like to do. I still have a lot of goals to obtain. I want to learn as much as possible from Coach Gross.”

Stoner was a five-year letterwinner at Hillsdale. She was a four-year starter at catcher. She ended her career by hitting .369 with 11 doubles, three home runs and 31 RBIs to finish as one of the Chargers’ top hitters.

In Great Midwest Conference play, she hit .460 with eight doubles and 14 RBIs.

Stoner graduated as one of the best offensive players in program history. She sits seventh all-time in career hits (186), fifth in RBIs (121), third in walks drawn (64) and tied for 10^th in home runs (13) at Hillsdale.

“I definitely had a good year,” Stoner said. “I was conference Player of the Week and earned second-team all-conference for the second consecutive season.”

Stoner was an all-star catcher at Hempfield, helping the Spartans win multiple WPIAL and PIAA Class 6A titles.