“Wunderkind” is an adjective used to describe a person who achieves great success at a young age.
It might be the perfect word to describe Alabama freshman outfielder Audrey Vandagriff, who has taken the college softball world by storm.
Her numbers speak for themselves: team-highs with .443 batting average and a .537 on-base percentage, a 1.114 OPS and 40 stolen bases, which is the most out of any player in the country. As the leadoff hitter and starting left fielder for the Crimson Tide, Vandagriff has surpassed even the highest of expectations thus far.
From a young age, she was a star in softball. She also excelled in track, winning a state championship in the 100- and 200-meter events. However, even with her success in track, she knew that softball was her calling and the sport she saw herself playing in college.
“Although I had a passion for track and had success, it wasn’t anything that softball has taught me,” Vandagriff said. “Softball has been there on my good days and bad days, and its made me who I am today.”
Vandagriff had a very successful prep career at Prince Avenue Christian School in Georgia, where she was a three-time first team All-State player and was named a PGF All-American. As the No. 18-ranked player in the class of 2024, she had plenty of suitors.
At the time of her commitment, her brother, Brock, had stayed close to home and was a quarterback at Georgia, and it was easy to assume his sister would follow suit. But she instead chose a different path and committed to Alabama in October 2022.
Vandagriff knew she wanted to play at Alabama because of the environment head coach Patrick Murphy has created over the past 26 years. She said the “elite program” Murphy has built is what she wanted in college, but she also pointed out what he’s done off the field to help grow the game.
“Just the way Murph promotes women’s sports is out of this world. There’s not another college program that does it the way he does,” Vandagriff said. “Every game the crowd is just packed, and as a female athlete, being celebrated like that just means the world to me.”
When Vandagriff got to experience playing in front of the home crowd at Rhoads Stadium for the first time, it was a dream come true.
“It was just so awesome,” Vandagriff said. “Having the fans cheer and call out my name was just such an honor.”
Right away in her first college game against Washington, she gave a sneak peak of what she brings to the diamond. She had an RBI double in her first collegiate at-bat and went 2/3 with a stolen base. She credited that game for helping her settle down early on in the season after she was “super nervous” the week leading up to Opening Day.
“Just getting that first hit under my belt really helped me relax and put those nervous feelings away,” Vandagriff said. “It was a moment where I realized I’ve made it, and it was something that I was dreaming about my whole life and it was finally here.”
In her fifth collegiate game, she set a school record. She used her championship-winning track speed and set the Alabama single-game record for most stolen bases when she swiped five against Western Michigan.
“After the game, I was in awe and I got a little emotional. I just couldn’t ask for anything better,” Vandagriff said.
Then at the Clearwater Invitational against Ohio State a few games later, Vandagriff set another milestone when she had four stolen bases, meaning she’s the only player in Crimson Tide history to swipe at least four bags in multiple games in a season.
As if the start to her freshman season couldn’t get any better, she slugged her first career homer against UCLA the very next game.
The home run came off of Bruins pitcher Taylor Tinsley, whom Vandagriff said she knew from competing against her high school.
“I can’t tell you how many times she struck me out back then. She’s a heck of a pitcher,” Vandagriff said. “But there was no other feeling like that. I’ll remember it forever and I’m super honored and blessed.”
Reflecting on her journey to Tuscaloosa and her hot start with the Crimson Tide thus far, Vandagriff credited her faith, which she said she has relied on her entire life, with helping her get to this point.
“I’m just so blessed, and God has blessed me with so much talent and ability to play the game I love,” Vandagriff said. “I truly believe he’s given me this platform, and I couldn’t have gotten to this point in my life without him.”
Having been the Alabama leader in multiple offensive categories such as walks and on-base percentage, Vandagriff has had a rather quick rise to stardom.
She appears to be just getting started and will look to continue as the next big star in college softball.
