Caitlyn Hitchcock

Head Coach

Caitlin Hitchcock was named the 17th head coach in the history of the Nichols College softball program on June 14, 2022.

Hitchcock spent 17 seasons as the head softball coach at Trinity (CT) College (2003-19), posting 10 winning seasons and making nine trips to the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Tournament, advancing to the semifinals in 2019 and the finals in 2007. A two-time NESCAC Coach of the Year (2016-17), she stands as the winningest coach in Trinity program history with a record of 279-267-1 (.511).

Under the guidance of Hitchcock, Trinity student-athletes received 14 NESCAC All-Conference First Team honors and 22 Second Team nods. Eleven were named National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-New England Region, six garnered All-New England accolades and three took home All-Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) honors.

Hitchcock coached a pair of major NESCAC award winners in Sara Doherty (2007 NESCAC Player & Pitcher of the Year) and Caroline Blanchard (2011 NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year), as well as 2003 CoSIDA Academic All-America selection Laura Heath. In 2017, the Bantams ended Tufts University’s 65-game conference winning streak and became the first NESCAC program to sweep a DH from the Jumbos.

Off the field, Hitchcock – who spent two years as a graduate assistant with the Trinity softball program (2002-03) before being elevated to head coach – saw 43 student-athletes named to the NESCAC Academic Team. In her final season in Hartford in 2019, a total of 11 student-athletes were Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar- Athletes, which requires a grade point average (GPA) of 3.50 or higher. The team, meanwhile, placed 11th in all of NCAA Division III with a 3.650 cumulative team GPA.

While at Trinity, Hitchcock was an assistant coach with both the women’s basketball (2000-03) and women’s volleyball (2002-11) programs, assisting with practice and gameday planning, recruiting, and contest management. She was also a physical education teacher in the athletic department.

Hitchcock earned her bachelor's degree from Trinity in educational studies and her master's degree from the college in American Studies. She was a four-year member of both the Bantams softball and women’s basketball programs (1996-2000), earning NESCAC Softball Second Team honors in 1999 before serving as team captain of both programs the following season. Hitchcock currently ranks No. 6 in runners caught stealing and No. 9 in career fielding pct. (.978).

Amanda Alioto

Assistant Coach

Amanda Alioto ’21 begins her first season as a volunteer assistant softball coach at Nichols College in 2023. She also works as an admissions counselor at the college.

A four-year member of the Bison softball program, Alioto appeared in 79 games for the Bison during her career. The Patchogue, N.Y. native started 32 at second base as a junior in 2019, when she barred .265 and collected six multi-hit games. Alioto drove in a career-high four runs against Curry that season and finished the campaign with 11 RBI.

Alioto majored in sport management at Nichols and later earned her master’s degree in Business Administration

Sam Witmer

Assistant Coach