(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 27)—McKendree University assistant softball coach Chelsea Thomas recently received one of the highest athletic honors from her alma mater with induction into the University of Missouri Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
Thomas, who joined the Bearcats' staff as assistant coach and pitching coach in June 2015, was one of six former Mizzou athletic figures inducted into the exclusive club on Oct. 19 in Columbia, Mo. The Pleasantville, Iowa, native was honored for her work in the pitching circle for the Tigers from 2009-13. Thomas was inducted into the Mizzou Athletics Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility.
 
"When I got the call it was crazy," said Thomas. "To receive the honor of induction (in the first year of eligibility) blindsided me. I wasn't expecting at all. The athletic director called me but I missed the call, so I heard the news on my voice mail. The first person I called was my dad. It was exciting to share that with him because he has played such a huge role in my career, having caught a million balls on the bucket and working with me. This is a great honor from Mizzou. I have always been grateful to play there, and I loved my time there and will always mean a lot to me."
 
One of the most dominant and feared pitchers of her era, Thomas helped elevate the Mizzou softball program to one of national prominence. She is the only Tiger softball player to be named a first-team All-America selection three times, and also won conference Pitcher of the Year honors three times.
 
Thomas left the Missouri program as the career leader with 111 victories along with 1,174 strikeouts. In addition, she ranks among the top five all-time at Missouri in career appearances (159), complete games (97), innings pitched (925), shutouts (46) and winning percentage (.782). Thomas tied for the program's single-season wins mark with 32 in 2011, the same year she struck out a school-record 397 batters. Thomas also led the NCAA with a 0.95 earned-run average that season.
 
A member of three consecutive Women's College World Series teams from 2009-11, Thomas was named to the WCWS All-Tournament team following the 2011 trip. In each of her last three seasons with the Tigers, Thomas garnered National Fastpitch Coaches Assocation (NFCA) first-team All-America honors. She was twice named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year (2011 and 2013) before collecting the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year award as a senior in 2013. Thomas earned All-Conference accolades three times in her career – twice in the Big 12 and once in the SEC.
 
Thomas also excelled in the classroom, grabbing Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors twice in her career. She was a three-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree while receiving SEC Academic Honor Roll mention in 2013.
 
"I am thrilled to see that Mizzou made the decision to induct Chelsea into the Hall of Fame," said McKendree head coach Ashley Fleming, who was a teammate of Thomas with the Tigers. "Being given the opportunity to be her teammate for four years, I got to see the work ethic and passion she brought to the sport each and every day. She made every player on our team better, and there could not have been a better person to represent our team each time she stepped onto the field. She helped make Mizzou softball a nationally-ranked program while we were there, and I am so glad she earned this recognition, because it would not have happened without her. I am just lucky that she continues to share her knowledge and love of the game with our student-athletes here at McKendree."
 
Following her collegiate playing days, Thomas spent four seasons as a member of the USSSA Pride in National Pro Fastpitch (NPF).