Mary Bedinger joined the Fighting Saints in July of 2015 as an assistant coach for the softball team to the pitchers and catchers. The 2025-26 season will mark Bedinger’s 11th year with the program.
At St. Francis, Bedinger assists the program in coordination of practice plans, operation of bullpen activities, individual player development, assisting in training sessions, and implementation of game strategies.
Bedinger has helped USF to an overall record of 286-129 (145-43 CCAC) during her 10 years with the program, while capturing four Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season championships (2017, 2018, 2023, 2024), two CCAC Tournament titles (2017, 2018) and seeing the team to four NAIA National Tournament appearances (2017, 2018, 2023, 2024). She has helped develop 14 CCAC All-Conference pitching selections, three CCAC Pitchers of the Year (Morghan Dieringer – 2017 & 2018, Hannah Vachon - 2023), one CCAC Freshman of the Year (Hannah Vachon - 2019), two NAIA All-American pitchers (Morghan Dieringer – 2017 & 2018), seven NFCA All-Region pitchers, three CCAC Gold Glove pitchers, as well as 21 CCAC Pitcher of the Week selections and one NAIA Pitcher of the Week honoree (Morghan Dieringer – 2018). In 2017, Bedinger helped lead the Fighting Saints pitching staff to a No. 3 national ranking in ERA and a No. 9 team ranking in the NAIA national poll.
Prior to joining the Fighting Saints staff, Bedinger spent one seasons (2007) as the pitching coach for Lewis University before taking the same position at Lincoln-Way Central High School in New Lenox, Ill. for two seasons (2008-09). While as an assistant coach for the Knights, Bedinger helped guide the program to an IHSA state championship in 2008.
Bedinger pitched collegiately at NCAA Division II Lewis University, where she earned All-Conference, All-Region, and All-American accolades in 2004, and led the Great Lakes Valley Conference with an ERA of 0.16 in addition to achieving the distinction of pitching a perfect game.
She earned All-State First Team honors during her four-year varsity career at Joliet Township High School, where she received numerous accolades, including being named to the Illinois Coaches All-State First Team and the Chicago Tribune All-State First Team. She was a two-time Joliet Herald News All-Area and All-Chicagoland Team member, and was the Daily South-Town Player of the Year in 2000. Bedinger was a three-time All-Chicago Team member and All-State selection. At the time of graduation, she was ranked 7th all-time in pitching victories for the state of Illinois (88-15), had an ERA of 0.28 in 95 innings pitched, and authored a remarkable 24 shutouts in 2000 (28-1). In that same year, she helped lead the Steelmen to the 2000 IHSA state championship and was named the State Tournament MVP. From 1990-2000, Bedinger was a member of the Joliet J’s travel organization, where she helped lead the J’s to three consecutive state championships and numerous tournament victories.
In 2005, Bedinger and her husband Doug opened Bedinger’s Bullpen in Shorewood, Ill., where she serves as the head of softball instruction, specializing in pitcher and hitting development. To date, Bedinger has successfully seen 150+ of her former students go on to play at the collegiate level.
Outside of softball, Bedinger has served for 16 years as a special education teacher and currently works for the Troy School District in Plainfield, Ill. She also works with 6th grade students at William B. Orenic Intermediate School.
Bedinger earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Lewis University in 2004. In 2008, she returned to obtain her Master’s degree in Special Education, and later received her Autism Specialist certification in 2019. In 2024, Bedinger was the recipient of the Will County Great Teacher award.
