Angela Tincher O'Brien (born Angela Susan Tincher; December 16, 1985) is an American, former collegiate
All-American, retired professional All-Star
softball
Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...
pitcher and coach. She most recently served as the pitching coach at
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six re ...
. She was a 2008 first-round draft selection for the
NPF Akron Racers
The Akron Racers were a women's softball team based in Akron, Ohio. They have moved to Cleveland and been renamed the Cleveland Comets in 2018. The team was started by Joey Arietta in 1999 to participate in the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). ...
. She is a graduate of James River High School and a 2008 graduate of
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six re ...
. In 2013, she was hired as Virginia Tech's softball pitching coach where she owns numerous school records. She is the
ACC career leader in
wins,
strikeouts
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is deno ...
,
shutouts
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
,
innings pitched, strikeout ratio and
no-hitters
In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
, while also ranking in several records for the
NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athletic ...
, where she is one of five pitchers to achieve 100 wins, 1,000 strikeouts, an
ERA
An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth.
Comp ...
under 1.00 and average double-digit strikeouts for her career.
Playing career
College career
Born Angela Susan Tincher in
Low Moor, Virginia
Low Moor is a census-designated place (CDP) in Alleghany County, Virginia. The population was 258 at the 2010 census.
History
Low Moor was the birthplace of World War II Medal of Honor recipient Jimmie Monteith, for whom Camp Monteith, located ...
, Tincher O'Brien attended
Alleghany High School in
Covington for one year before moving to
Eagle Rock and transferring to
James River High School in nearby
Buchanan.
At
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six re ...
, Tincher O'Brien was a pitcher for
Virginia Tech Hokies softball
The Virginia Tech Hokies softball team is a college softball program that competes in NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Coast Conference. Their home games are played at Tech Softball Park. The team appeared in the NCAA Tournament in four success ...
from 2005 to 2008 under head coach Scot Thomas. Tincher began her career by breaking the school records for season strikeouts and strikeout ratio. In addition, she also achieved the second best
opponents batting average, which now all rank top-5 all-time. Tincher made her debut on February 12, 2005, defeating the
Stetson Hatters
The Stetson Hatters are composed of 18 teams representing Stetson University in intercollegiate athletics. The Hatters compete in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the ASUN Conference for most sports, ...
with a one-run, twelve-strikeout performance. On March 25, Tincher tossed her first career no-hitter over the
Maryland Terrapins
The Maryland Terrapins, commonly referred to as the Terps, consist of 19 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, College Park in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divis ...
.
For her sophomore campaign, Tincher was named an NFCA Second-Team
All-American, All-ACC and ACC pitcher of the year. She broke her own records for strikeouts, strikeout ratio (both were top-ten for an NCAA season) and topped the opponents batting average list; her season ERA and
innings pitched ranked second in the school books and now are top-five all-time. She also threw four no-hitters that year.
On February 19, 2006, she set her first school single game record by striking out 19 in seven innings of work against the
UNCG Spartans; Tincher and the Hokies won the game 3–0. The total tied her at third in strikeouts for a single regulation game in the NCAA. On March 3, Tincher struck out 26 batters in an 11-inning win over the
Nevada Wolf Pack
The Nevada Wolf Pack are the athletic teams that represent the University of Nevada, Reno. They are part of NCAA's Division I's Mountain West Conference. It was founded on October 24, 1896 with football as the Sagebrushers in Reno, Nevada.
Hi ...
. The total was another school and career record, as well as the NCAA sophomore class record for single game strikeouts. It also tied the second-most strikeouts ever in an NCAA collegiate game, and Tincher was only the second player to match
Michele Granger's 1993 record-setter. Along with Jordan McPherson, who struck out 14 Hokies, she and Tincher set an NCAA record for combined strikeouts at 40, which is now the fifth best single game total.
Tincher was named to the First Team
All-American list as a junior and again repeated all-conference honors. Tincher broke and set season records for wins, ERA,
WHIP,
shutouts
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
, opponents' batting average, and strikeout ratio (13.8). Of these career highs, she led the nation in ERA, and her shutouts and strikeout ratio are still top-ten season records for the NCAA. Tincher also managed to break the strikeouts (NCAA all-time junior class record) and innings pitched school records and they still remain top-five for a Virginia Tech season. Tincher would achieve an ACC Triple Crown for the best wins, ERA and strikeout totals. She also threw 5 no-hitters (an NCAA top-five season record), two of them
perfect games
Perfect game may refer to:
Sports
* Perfect game (baseball), a complete-game win by a pitcher allowing no baserunners
* Perfect game (bowling), a 300 game, 12 consecutive strikes in the same game
* Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, New York ...
.
Starting on February 11, Tincher pitched 45.2 consecutive scoreless innings for a career highlight. In a win over the
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
The Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Tennessee Technological University (TTU), located in Cookeville, Tennessee, United States. The TTU athletic program is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and c ...
, she allowed runs in the first but shut out the team the rest of the way before throwing five complete game shutouts back-to-back. The streak ended in a win over the
Illinois State Redbirds
The Illinois State Redbirds are the athletic teams that represent Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. Teams play at the NCAA Division I level ( FCS in football). The football team competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference w ...
when they scored in the fifth inning. During the streak, the Hokie went 6–0 with 102 strikeouts and only giving up 9 hits and 10
base on balls for a 0.42 WHIP and strikeout ratio of 15.7. In that first matchup with the Eagles, Tincher matched her career high of 19 strikeouts in regulation, which she would match two more times that year. The fourth shutout of the streak was also her first career
perfect game
Perfect game may refer to:
Sports
* Perfect game (baseball), a complete-game win by a pitcher allowing no baserunners
* Perfect game (bowling), a 300 game, 12 consecutive strikes in the same game
* Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, New York ...
vs. the
Lehigh Mountain Hawks. Tincher would also surpass 1,000 career strikeouts on February 28 in a shutout win vs. the
Radford Highlanders
The Radford Highlanders are composed of 15 teams representing Radford University in intercollegiate athletics, including men and women's basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, and tennis. Men's sports include baseball. Women's sports include v ...
. Then, on March 18, Tincher retired the final 8 batters in a win over the
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), located in Atlanta, Georgia. The teams have also been nicknamed the Ramblin' Wrec ...
without allowing a hit. In a matchup with the
Florida State Seminoles on March 24, she threw an 8-inning perfect game to start that series and finally a day later did not allow a hit through the first six innings for a second win. The streak ran for 16.2 consecutive hitless innings, with Tincher fanning 31 and surrendering only a walk.
For a final time, Tincher was named
All-American, all-conference as well as earning the
ACC Player of The Year award. She was also honored as the
USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year is an award given by USA Softball to the best college softball
College softball is softball as played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education, predominantly in the United S ...
and won the
Honda Sports Award for softball. Tincher broke her own and set school season records for strikeouts and innings, as well as tying her own wins mark. For the strikeouts, Tincher become one of the only pitchers to have three 500 and just the second with two 600 strikeout seasons. She also set school second best records in ERA, strikeout ratio and shutouts, while her opponents average ranks third all-time. She led the Nation in ERA and strikeout ratio while throwing 4 no-hitters and garnering her second conference pitching Triple Crown.
Tincher also broke her own NCAA record for combined strikeouts in a loss to the
Arizona Wildcats on March 1, 2008, shared with
Taryne Mowatt who combined for 41 strikeouts. Beginning on March 9 against the
Cal State Northridge Matadors
The Cal State Northridge Matadors (branded as the CSUN Matadors) are the athletic teams that represent California State University, Northridge in Northridge, Los Angeles, California. The Matadors field 17 teams in nineteen sports. The Matadors ...
, the Hokie posted a career best 13 consecutive game win streak ending on April 9 in a loss to the
Longwood Lancers
The Longwood Lancers are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent Longwood University, located in Farmville, Virginia. The University's 14 men’s and women’s teams compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) D ...
. During the streak, Tincher struck out 186, surrendering 8 earned runs in 83.1 innings pitched along with 25 hits and 23 walks for a 0.67 ERA and 0.58 WHIP. Tincher won her 100th career game in shutout fashion against the
NC State Wolfpack on March 22. For one of her no-hitters, Tincher would be just the third pitcher to cross into the 2,000 career strikeouts club vs. the
East Carolina Pirates
The East Carolina Pirates are the athletic teams that represent East Carolina University (ECU), located in Greenville, North Carolina. All varsity-level sports teams participate at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division ...
on April 29. On May 25, 2008, she led the Hokies in back-to-back victories over the
Michigan Wolverines to advance to their first
Women's College World Series
The Women's College World Series (WCWS) is the final portion of the NCAA Division I softball tournament for college softball in the United States. Eight teams participate in the WCWS, which begins with a double-elimination tournament. In other wo ...
. Virginia Tech ended up being eliminated, but not before Tincher came within one of the World Series record for single-game strikeouts with 19 against the No. 1 seeded
Florida Gators in her last collegiate appearance. Despite the loss, Tincher would make the WCWS All-Tournament Team.
She would also leave
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six re ...
holding the school career records for wins, shutouts, ERA, innings pitched, WHIP, strikeout ratio, opponents average, no-hitters, game, season and career strikeouts. She would also hold or tie for the ACC crown for all except ERA. Tincher ranks third behind
Monica Abbott
Monica Cecilia Abbott (born July 28, 1985) is an American professional softball player. Abbott was an All-American pitcher for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers in college before starting a professional career in the NPF and in the Japan Softball ...
and
Cat Osterman
Catherine Leigh Osterman (born April 16, 1983) is a retired American softball player. Osterman pitched on the United States women's national softball team that won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and silver medal at the 2008 and 2020 Su ...
on the
NCAA Division I Softball career strikeouts list. Finally, she ranks second in career strikeout ratio (13.4) and is tied sixth for no-hitters (14).
On March 26, 2008, Tincher pitched a no-hitter, striking out 10 batters in a 1–0 exhibition win over the
United States Olympic softball team, ending its 185-game pre-Olympic exhibition game winning streak dating back to 1996. Tincher had a goal of becoming an Olympic softball player. It was the first loss to a true college team in USA softball's history. She was one of four pitchers on the 2006 winning
ISF World University Softball Championship team,
and was invited to try out but was not selected for the 2008 Olympic Team.
Tincher's accomplishments as a Hokie led to her enshrinement into the
Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2018, her first year of eligibility.
Professional career
Tincher was the third overall pick in the first round of the 2008
National Pro Fastpitch
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), formerly the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL), was a professional women's softball league in the United States. The teams battled for the Cowles Cup.
The WPSL was founded in 1997 and folded in 2001; the NPF revive ...
senior draft. The
Akron Racers
The Akron Racers were a women's softball team based in Akron, Ohio. They have moved to Cleveland and been renamed the Cleveland Comets in 2018. The team was started by Joey Arietta in 1999 to participate in the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL). ...
signed Tincher to a record $10 million multi-year deal; she made her professional debut on June 10, 2008, in a 7–2 loss to the
Washington Glory
The Washington Glory was a women's softball team based in Fairfax, Virginia. They played during 2007 and 2008 as a member of National Pro Fastpitch.
History
The Glory won the 2007 NPF championship, defeating the Rockford Thunder in the final ga ...
. Tincher played 3.1 innings and had seven strikeouts to counter five hits and three home runs that scored five.
She had a rookie season high of 10 strikeouts and led the league with 157, just four short of the
NPF record for a season. She also had a 12–11 record in 129.1 innings pitched on 84 hits, 46 runs and 87 walks. Tincher was also named to the 2008 All-NPF Team.
Tincher also played for the Japanese team Leopalace 21 in 2009.
Coaching career
Tincher O'Brien began her coaching career as pitching coach at
Syracuse in 2010, helping the team win the
Big East
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and ...
title.
In 2011, Tincher was pitching coach at
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
and was later pitching coach for the junior college softball team of
Daytona State College from 2012 to 2013.
On August 27, 2013, Tincher O'Brien returned to Virginia Tech as pitching coach under Thomas.
Thomas was fired after the 2018 season, and Tincher O'Brien became interim head coach. Virginia Tech later hired Pete D'Amour as head coach, and D'Amour did not retain Tincher O'Brien on staff.
Personal life
Tincher O'Brien is married to former Virginia Tech baseball player Sean O'Brien. They have two children.
Statistics
Collegiate awards
* 2006 ESPN the Magazine Second-Team Academic All-American
* 2006 ACC Player and Pitcher of the Year; First-Team All-ACC
* 2006 Second-Team NFCA All-American
* 2007 ESPN the Magazine First-Team Academic All-American
* 2007 ACC Tournament MVP
* 2007 ACC Pitcher of the Year; First-team All-ACC
* 2007 First-Team NFCA All-American
* 2008 AAU Sullivan Award Finalist
* 2008
Lowe's Senior CLASS Softball Award
* 2008 ACC Tournament MVP
* 2008 ACC Pitcher of the Year; First-team All-ACC
* 2008
USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year is an award given by USA Softball to the best college softball
College softball is softball as played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education, predominantly in the United S ...
* 2008
Honda Sports Award winner
* 2008 One of five finalist for the
Honda-Broderick Cup
The Honda-Broderick Cup is a sports award for college-level female athletes. The awards are voted on by a national panel of more than 1000 collegiate athletic directors. It was first presented by Tom Broderick, an American owner of a women's sport ...
* 2008 Espy's Best Female Collegiate Athlete Nominee
External links
*
Tincher's Virginia Tech staff biography
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tincher OBrien, Angela
1985 births
Living people
Akron Racers players
Tincher family
American softball coaches
Junior college softball coaches in the United States
Maryland Terrapins softball coaches
People from Alleghany County, Virginia
People from Botetourt County, Virginia
Softball players from Virginia
Syracuse Orange softball coaches
Virginia Tech Hokies softball players
Virginia Tech Hokies softball coaches