Will County Gazette

The Oswego High School softball community continues to mourn the death of varsity softball coach Amanda Stanton.

Stanton, 26, was killed in what police have said was a hit-and-run accident in rural Oswego around Plainfield Road in June. 

Stanton, who also worked as a math intervention teacher at Jefferson Junior High, is being remembered by her students, players and many admirers as one of the brightest and most energetic.

“Amanda served as the head softball coach for the Oswego High School girls’ varsity softball team for the past three years,” School District 308 spokesperson Theresa Komitas told The Herald. “She was a motivational leader, instilling her athletes with confidence and positivity. As a coach, Amanda was a mentor and friend to many, and her untimely and tragic death certainly has a large impact on the school community.”

Stanton was a standout player at Lockport High School, earning all-conference and all-area honors her senior year. From there, it was on to Eastern Michigan University (EMU), where she was named First Team All-MAC conference, was a two-time MAC West Player of the Week honoree, and was a member of the Academic All-MAC Team.

As a senior, Stanton became just one of three EMU players to hit over .300, finishing the year with a .321 average, .586 slugging percentage, 8 homers and 39 RBIs.

Before officially taking the job at Oswego, Stanton went back to her roots, spending an evening talking strategy with Marissa Chovanec, her coach and mentor at Lockport.

"It's every coach's dream to have former players who want to pursue the same profession you have dedicated your life to," Chovanec told the Herald. “Seeing her across the table from me at Honeyfield's with a big smile on her face, well, excuse me if I get choked up. That smile, her attitude, she was a beautiful young lady. I was fortunate to have had her as an athlete, an opposing coach, but mostly as a friend."