Meadow McWhorter

The 2023 season marks Head Coach Meadow McWhorter’s seventh season at the helm of the Portland State Softball program. She became just the fifth head coach since 1977 to lead the program after being hired as the head coach on July 7, 2016. McWhorter spent 14 years as the head coach at Mt. Hood Community College.

In 2022, McWhorter led the Vikings to their winningest season since 2011, compiling a 28-18 record. The Vikings went 10-5 in conference action, finishing in third place as the No. 3 seed at the tournament. McWhorter led the Vikings to their best start in program history (4-1), two wins over Pac-12 opponents (Cal and Oregon state), and the program's first win over a ranked opponent since 2011 (6-1 over No. 23 Oregon State). Six Vikings earned All-Conference honors, including first team selections Olivia Grey, Paetynn Lopez and Logan Riggenbach. Under the direction of McWhorter, Grey (second team pitcher) and Riggenbach (third team outfielder) were also named NFCA All-Pacific Region honorees.

In 2021, McWhorter led Portland State to its second Big Sky Championship in program history and its first NCAA Tournament Appearance since the 2013 season. After posting a 15-26 overall record and 8-10 record in Big Sky play, the Vikings became the first team in Big Sky softball history to win the tournament championship as the five-seed. McWhorter guided eight players to all-conference honors, including First team All-Big Sky selection Marissa Bruno. They finished the season with the highest batting average in program history (.320) which was the 13th-best in the nation.

McWhorter's fourth season with the Vikings was cut short due to COVID-19. During the shortened season, the Vikings went 6-18 overall (0-0 in Big Sky action).

McWhorter built off a solid second year with a 20-win season and a repeat trip to the Big Sky tournament in 2019. The Vikings finished fifth in the Big Sky with an 8-9 record, turning things around in the second half of the conference season. In the conference tournament, they upset host Sacramento State with a 2-1 win in 11 innings, the longest game in Big Sky postseason history.

After another near-upset against top-seeded Weber State in 10 innings on the same day, the Vikings fell to the bottom of the bracket and were eliminated by Montana.

She also guided Darian Lindsey to one of the best single seasons at the plate. Lindsey broke single-season records with 20 doubles and a .675 slugging percentage. She also set D-I era Portland State records in batting average (.404) and on-base percentage (.512).

McWhorter guided seven players to postseason honors from the Big Sky in 2019. Lindsey was named First Team All-Big Sky at shortstop while Rachel Menlove (C), Katie Schroeder (P), Tayler Gunesch (OF) and Kaela Morrow (UT) all received second team selection. Sala Pedebone (3B) and Marissa Bruno (OF) were honorable mentions.

McWhorter and the Vikings turned a corner in her second season on the Park Blocks. Portland State went 19-34 overall and finished fourth in the Big Sky Conference with a 10-10 record, earning her first conference tournament bid. The Vikings dropped the tournament opener but picked up their first tournament win since 2013, knocking out the defending tournament champion and host Weber State.

The 19 overall wins, 10 conference wins, and fourth Big Sky series wins were all the most for the program since 2013. With her first signing class, McWhorter brought in an infusion of power to the lineup. Portland State hit 28 home runs as a team, the most, again, since 2013.

Portland State had four players earn All-Big Sky Conference honors in 2018, including a first team selection for Kaela Morrow (Non-P/UT). Alyssa Burk (P), Darian Lindsey (SS), and Rachel Menlove (C) all earned second team honors. Lindsey was also named the program’s first Big Sky Newcomer of the Year.

In her first season on the Park Blocks, McWhorter began to rebuild the PSU program. She inherited just nine returners from the previous year’s roster and welcomed 11 freshman, which made up one of the nation’s largest freshmen classes. Portland State went 9-36 overall and 7-14 in Big Sky Conference play in 2017, narrowly missing out on the Big Sky Softball Championship.

McWhorter and her staff guided senior Shae Nelson a career year and her second consecutive All-Big Sky Honorable Mention honor. Nelson finished the regular season just outside the Big Sky’s top 10 with a .343 batting average.

During McWhorter’s tenure leading Mt. Hood, she coached six players who went on to play for Portland State including recent PSU graduates Kristen Crawford and SheaLee Lindsey. McWhorter posted an impressive 468-146 (.762) overall record at Mt. Hood winning five Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) titles (2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, and 2016).

McWhorter was named the NWAC Coach of the Year four times (2009, 2010, 2014, and 2016) and her staff has earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Coaching Staff of the Year honors three times (2004, 2008, 2014).

McWhorter led the MHCC program to three 40-win seasons including a program best 43-7 record in 2007. Her teams won over 80-percent of their games in eight of her 14 seasons at MHCC. Twenty-five of her players have earned NFCA All-American honors.

McWhorter started her playing career at Mt. Hood before finishing at Jacksonville State University where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation Administration.