Tori Magner returns for her fifth season at Indiana State as an assistant coach in 2021 following four seasons as both an assistant and then as the interim head coach in 2017.
Magner has made an impact on Sycamore outfielders and catchers. Brooke Mann (2017-19) was a dominate catcher for the Sycamores, Magner was a great mentor and asset to Mann. Brooke earned MVC Player and Newcomer of the week once in 2017. Mann played in every game during her time at Indiana State. She recorded a career fielding percentage of .996 putting her second overall in school history. Mann also recorded a career total of 578 putouts.
Another key player who has performed well under Magner is Bella Peterson. Peterson earned First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference as a freshman in 2018, Peterson also earned MVC Newcomer of the week once. Bella is on track to enter four categories in the career record book for batting average, on base percentage, slugging percentage, and doubles.
Annie Tokarek came to Indiana State in 2019. As Sophomore in 2020, she made an immediate impact behind the plate and in the batters box. She earned MVC Player of the week for her performance in the Memphis Tournament for the Sycamores. Tokarek lead the team going 9-for-16 (.562) hitting four home runs, driving in eight runs with a 1.375 slugging percentage in five games.
Under Magner's direction following being named the interim head coach on March 24, 2017, the Sycamores went 11-17 and 8-15 in MVC play, ending the season 24-29 overall for the seventh-best win total in school history. Included in that win total is a series win against eventual MVC regular season champs UNI in her first series as head coach, which featured two comeback walk off wins -- one of which was a six-run rally in the bottom of the seventh in the finale for the series win.
Under her leadership, the Sycamores broke team school records in double plays (26), runs (241) and saves (6), while also setting high marks in RBI (2nd, 197), sac flies (2nd, 10), hits (3rd, 401), walks (3rd, 153), batting average (3rd, .282), on-base (3rd, .357), stolen bases (3rd, 72), fielding (3rd, .966), slugging (7th, .346) and fewest strikeouts (7th, 161). ISU also improved in several categories following her appointment as interim head coach, including team ERA (went from 4.63 to 3.35) and team fielding (went from .951 to .979).
Magner mentored three All-MVC performers in 2017: starting pitcher Kenzie Ihle (Second-Team), second baseman Leslie Sims (Second-Team) and shortstop Kassie Brown (All-Defensive). Ihle went 17-14 overall (the fifth-best season in school history), and put up a dominant 12-strikeout performance at Evansville -- the most by an ISU pitcher in five seasons (Lindsey Beisser, 12 K, Sacred Heart, March 7, 2012). Sims was near the top of the Valley in batting average for most of the season, leading ISU with a .368 batting average and swiping 20 stolen bases (second-most in the Valley). Brown was instrumental in ISU breaking the double-plays record, her second time being part of a Sycamore team that did so after the 2015 team set the previous record at 24. Senior outfielder Rylee Holland also earned a spot on the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team.
Magner started her college playing career at IUPUI in 2010. After competing for IUPUI she continued her playing career at Indiana Wesleyan in 2015 and 2016. During her two years at Indiana Wesleyan, the Wildcats made two national appearances. Magner's first year at Indiana Wesleyan the team went 47-12 (.797), 26-8 (.765) in conference, and won the Crossroads League Tournament. Winning the tournament gave the Wildcats their birth to the National Championship.
In her second season, the Wildcats went 44-18 (.710), 26-10 (.722) in conference, and received a bid to the national tournament. Her senior year was the most successful year in IWU’s softball history, defeating No. 2 seed, Davenport Michigan, and No. 3 seed, Olivet Nazarene, in the national tournament to make program history.
Magner started her coaching career for an 18U travel team, the Indiana Stingers, for six summers, winning ASA “A” Diamonds of the South, State, State Games, PGF Midwest Qualifier, and made appearances to ASA “A” Nationals.
Besides coaching for the Indiana Stingers, she coached at Plainfield High School for two years, going 46-9 and winning a sectional title. While at Indiana Wesleyan, Magner also became an undergraduate assistant coach for the women’s soccer team.
