North Tonawanda's Addison D'Andrea Shatters Records, Reaches Milestones in Stellar Junior Season

North Tonawanda, NY – It was a season for the record books for North Tonawanda High School junior Addison D’Andrea, who emerged from "under the radar" to become a standout force on the softball diamond. The consistent centerfielder not only played a pivotal role in the Lumberjacks' impressive 14-6 overall (10-4 NFL) record but also shattered the school's all-time home run record and achieved the remarkable milestone of 100 career hits during her stellar junior campaign.

D'Andrea's power was on full display early in the spring, highlighted by a dominant week where she belted three home runs. One of those blasts decisively broke the North Tonawanda softball program's historical home run record, a goal she had set for herself years ago.

"It means a lot to me," D’Andrea shared. "When I made Varsity as an eighth grader and I hit my first home run and I started to think that there was a chance I could break the record. I set that goal for myself as an eighth grader. I loved breaking that record, but with breaking it I hope it brought light to our program and team because NT used to be an amazing program and we have a very good team now."

Just as noteworthy was D’Andrea’s pursuit of another significant milestone: 100 career hits. A goal closely tracked only by her and her family, the junior entered the season needing 25 hits. Overcoming the unpredictable Western New York weather that often limits games, D'Andrea fittingly secured her 100th hit with a two-run bomb to center field during a 17-0 victory, pushing NT's record to 11-2.

"At the beginning of the season I knew I was only 25 hits away and I was on pace to break that milestone this year," she explained. "No one really knew except my family and I, we kept tracking it every year."

D'Andrea attributes her consistent success at the plate to a remarkably simple yet effective approach: "see ball, hit ball."

"When I go into the box I take a deep breath and have the mentality of see ball, hit ball. I worked a lot with my hitting coach, Trevor Sterner over the past three years, and we’ve realized that, that mentality helps the most," D’Andrea stated. "Softball is a mental game and my hitting coach has helped me a lot with phrases that set my mind straight before I approach the box."

However, D’Andrea is far more than just a power hitter. Driven to be an all-around elite player, she dedicates significant time to refining every facet of her game, particularly her outfield play.

"I work a lot in the off season with my travel team, and there my coaches; Shaun DiMino, and Daryl Ross help me work a lot of fundamentals and little things," she said. "Out of practice, I work at the field with my mom and dad. With the weather it is tough to get outside, especially being an outfielder working outside is important I work on a lot of fast transitions and quick first steps. I always like to do more."

This relentless pursuit of improvement extends to her commitment to travel softball, where she has played for the highly-regarded NY Diamond Girls for the past seven years. This experience exposes her to top-tier competition from across the state, allowing her to hone skills that might not be polished during the shorter high school season.

"Travel allows me to transition from seeing the same teams for 2 months to seeing teams from all over the states that are really good competition," D’Andrea noted, highlighting the benefits of the demanding travel schedule. "I enjoy playing every weekend and traveling. I’ve done it for the last 7 years so I have adjusted to traveling a lot in the summer."

As D’Andrea prepares for her senior year, the collegiate recruiting process has intensified, a challenging but ultimately enlightening journey.

"Through the process I have learned that everything that is supposed to happen, will happen," she reflected. "I’ve realized not every team is going to want you but your work won’t go unnoticed. Someone will see the countless hours that have been spent practicing and analyzing. At times I don’t mentally have it in me because not every coach will answer and that’s part of recruiting. Now is the time for me to really ramp up emailing. I’ve been emailing coaches and going to camps since I was a freshman. The camps have helped me get to know coaches and what to say when reaching out."

From setting ambitious goals as an eighth grader to breaking records and meticulously charting career hits, Addison D'Andrea's junior season has firmly established her as a force to be reckoned with, both on and off the field, with her sights now set on collegiate success.