Pearl River softball coach Christie Meeks announced the grand slam hiring of former Winthrop standout Maddie Antone ahead of the 2023 season. Antone joined the program as the Hitting/Infield coach and assists with recruiting efforts.

In Antone's first season with the Wildcats in 2023, Pearl River finished with a stellar 43-13 record, including a 22-6 conference record and an unblemished 20-0 home record. As a team, PRCC hit .299 with a .379 on-base percentage and .478 slugging percentage. PRCC also scored 328 runs and hit 52 homers. Pearl River climbed as high as No. 9 in the NJCAA Softball rankings.

COACHING CAREER
Antone joined the coaching ranks immediately upon her graduation from Winthrop, joining the staff at Legion Collegiate Academy in Rock Hill, S.C. in 2019. Antone was named Co-Head Coach and helped lead the program to the 2021 Class 2A State Championship.

Antone became an assistant collegiate summer league coach in June 2021 for the Florida Gulf Coast League in Sarasota, Fla. While there, she was a leading contributor to practices, philosophy, strategy, fundamentals and technique.

She joined the coaching staff at Belmont Abbey College in August 2021 as an Assistant Coach and Head Developmental Coach. During Antone's time with the program, the Crusaders held a .295 team batting average with 254 RBIs, 189 walks, 52 doubles and 29 homers. BAC also finished with a remarkable 32-15 record on the season. While there, Antone helped develop hitting plans, winter workout programs, conditioning sets and outfield plans.

Atone joined the coaching staff of the Florida Vibe in April 2022. The Vibe are a professional softball organization located in Bradenton, Fla. Her time with the Vibe allowed her to coach professional athletes while also helping her gain experience in a number of other areas.

PLAYING CAREER
Antone had a storied collegiate career at Winthrop University, collecting numerous awards and honors.

In 2014, Antone was voted Big South Freshman of the year and was named to the All-Freshman Team. She finished her freshman season fifth in the Big South with a .365 batting average.

Over the course of three seasons, Antone batted an outstanding .379 with 89 runs, 159 hits, 31 doubles, 93 RBI and 52 walks. Her career slugging percentage of .592 and on-base percentage of .469 still ranks first all-time in the program's history.

In 2020, Antone picked up another massive honor, being named to the Big South All-Decade team.

She also got it done in the classroom, earning Big South Presidential Honor Roll in 2015-16.

Antone graduated from Winthrop in 2017 where she earned a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications with a minor in Psychology.