Softball
- Position:
- Assistant Coach
- Alma Mater:
- Miami University '22
- Email Address:
- ath-softball@osu.edu
Courtney Vierstra is Ohio State's pitching coach and will enter her second season on staff in 2025-26. Last spring, she guided a staff that saw Lorin Boutte earn Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors as well as Softball America Freshman All-America accolades. Kennedy Kay, a fourth-year junior, also set career highs in innings pitched and wins.
Vierstra spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons on Kirin Kumar’s staff at Miami University following her standout playing career for the RedHawks. In that time, she helped produce a MAC Pitcher of the Year, a MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year and two First-Team All-MAC pitchers.
In 2024, as Miami enjoyed its most successful season in program history, Vierstra helped Addy Jarvis register a 19-2 record – the best winning percentage in single-season school history – and Madilyn Reeves earn MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year accolades while going 22-4.
In her first season on the Miami staff, Vierstra mentored Bri Pratt, who after a 32-12 campaign was named the MAC Pitcher of the Year. Pratt posted career bests in wins (32), games started (44), complete games (34), innings pitched (270.1) and strikeouts (207).
Vierstra, who completed her playing career in 2022, ranks in the top-five in eight different career pitching records. Highlighted by 84 career wins (second all-time), she also ranks second in win percentage (.667), appearances (166), starts (109) and strikeouts (1,005). She’s third in innings pitched (779.2) and shutouts (27) and is fourth with 69 complete games.
A three-time first-team All-MAC honoree (2019, 2021, 2022), Vierstra was named the Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2021. She finished the 2021 season with a 26-5 record, throwing three perfect games and four no-hitters that season alone. Miami would go on to finish the 2021 season at 46-10 overall and 36-2 in MAC record, both conference bests.
The Thornville, Ohio, native went 17-9 in 2022, including 13-3 in conference play, helping the RedHawks to both a regular season and MAC Tournament Championship.
Vierstra completed her bachelor’s degree in education from Miami and finished her master’s degree in educational psychology in 2022 as she wrapped up her playing career.
