MINNEAPOLIS – The University of Minnesota Softball program announced today the hiring of Gopher alumna Autumn Pease as its new Player Development Coordinator.
Pease returns to the Maroon & Gold following a decorated collegiate and professional career that established her as one of the top pitchers in the country.
“Autumn was a tremendous player during her time at Minnesota, and we’re thrilled to welcome her back to our program,” said head coach Piper Ritter. “Having her rejoin the team brings not only her experience and talent, but also the passion and pride she’s always shown for Gopher Softball.”
Following her graduation from Minnesota in 2023 with a degree in kinesiology, Pease went on to excel in the Women’s Professional Fastpitch (WPF) League, winning back-to-back league championships, first with the Texas Smoke in 2024 and then the Atlanta Smoke in 2025. She was named the 2024 WPF Pitcher of the Year after a dominant season in the circle.
Alongside her professional career, Pease has gained valuable coaching experience. She served as the pitching coach at Crown College (2024), providing individualized instruction and video analysis for the Storm staff. She also works with Catalyst Softball in Minneapolis, where she directs the High-Performance Pitching Program, focusing on biomechanics, injury prevention, and individualized player development.
As a Gopher, Pease put together one of the most decorated pitching careers in program history. In her final season (2023), she was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, an NFCA Second Team All-American, DI Softball Second Team All-American, All-Big Ten First Team, and led the conference in ERA (1.46), strikeouts (273), and wins (27). Her dominant campaign included a 12-game win streak, four Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors, and a stretch of 21 consecutive scoreless innings.
Off the field, Pease was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree and a consistent member of the Academic All-Big Ten Team.
Pease will oversee player development for the Gophers, combining her expertise as a professional champion and her coaching background to help elevate the program’s student-athletes.
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