Assistant coach Chelsea Thomas is in her second season on the Saint Louis University softball staff. Thomas serves as the Billikens’ pitching coach.
In 2014 Thomas mentored Brianna Lore, who earned Atlantic 10 Conference co-Pitcher of the Year plaudits, a spot on the All-Conference first team and second-team All-Region honors. Lore won a school-record and conference-best 25 games and also established program season standards in starts (led A-10), innings (led A-10) and complete games. She tied for the league lead in strikeouts.
Thomas, who played on University of Missouri teams that reached the Women’s College World Series in 2010, 2011 and 2012, was one of the nation’s top pitchers during her time with the Tigers. She concluded her collegiate playing career in 2013, claiming Pitcher of the Year and first-team All-Conference laurels in Missouri’s first season in the Southeastern Conference. Thomas, a member of Team USA in 2011 and 2012, signed with the USSSA Pride of the National Pro Fastpitch League in 2013 and continued her professional career with the Pride in 2014.
Thomas was a three-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association first-team All-American (2011, 2012, 2013) and a top-three finalist for the USA Softball Player of the Year award in 2011. She was a Big 12 first-team All-Conference pick and the league’s Pitcher of the Year in 2011 and 2012, and she led the nation in ERA and was a WCWS All-Tournament performer in 2011. Thomas was a 10-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Week.
Upon completion of requirements for a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences in December 2012, Thomas immediately began working toward a master’s degree in positive coaching at Missouri. She was selected to the Capital One Academic All-America squad in 2013 (first team) and 2012 (second team) and was an Academic All-Big 12 first-team honoree in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
“Chelsea is an extremely accomplished pitcher and a terrific part of our staff,” head coach Christy Connoyer said. “Her skills in the circle are some of the best in the country, and we are thrilled to have her work with our pitchers to further their development.”
