The Rising Star Who Plays for Jesus

She’s a lightning bolt on the basepaths and dynamite at the plate.

Alabama’s sophomore all-American, Audrey Vandagriff comes from a family of athletes.

Will Dawson: I heard somebody say recently that you might be the most talented of all of them.

Audrey Vandagriff: Well, if I am that’s saying a lot. I’m just fortunate enough to be part of this family and a part of what God has in store for our family.

Her mom, dad, brother, and sister all played college sports.

By the time Audrey was a freshman in high school, the Vandagriffs knew she was going to follow in her family’s footsteps.

“My dad would stop football practice and the whole football team would line up in the outfield and watch me hit,” says Audrey. “And if I hit a home run, practice was over. If I bunted, walked, anything but a home run they were putting their helmets back on and they’re going back to practice.”

Dawson: That’s a lot of pressure!

Vandagriff: Exactly!

That same year, Audrey’s track coach challenged her to become a leader in more than just sports.

“He said ‘You know Audrey, you have a phenomenal ability to play sports and your athleticism is unmatched, but this year I really want to teach you to be a servant leader.’ 

I saw myself grow in ways that I never thought I could grow,” she says.

“God is the ultimate leader, but he served others. And that kind of just kind of hit me in the face. And I was like, wow, you know, my whole thing of what I thought leadership was, is, is not according to Jesus. And, ever since then, my life has been completely flipped upside down.”

She had always attended Christian schools, so when it was time to choose a college, Audrey knew her faith may be tested.

“I knew no matter where I chose little to no people would believe in what I believed in,” she says. “I also I knew no matter what school, it's not going to be perfect and it is going to be hard. But at some point it had to change for me. I couldn’t just go to Bible class every single day to have a relationship with Christ. I had to do extra. I had to grow in ways that my Bible teacher couldn’t teach me. Anytime I get the chance, I want his presence to be known in me.”

Last year in her freshman season at Alabama, she had that opportunity. Facing the best team in the nation, and the best pitcher in softball, Audrey stepped into the box in extra innings.  

“It was honestly the most nervous I have ever been. I was like, ‘Lord please just take my anxieties away from me. Like whatever your will is for me, please be my strength is right now because I am so nervous.’ I stepped into the box. I just took a deep breath, and as soon as I let that deep breath out, I was calm.”

Alabama broadcast: “This is what makes it great. Now if you’re Alabama, this is what you want. First pitch to Audrey Vandagriff, that one’s lined to left, that one’s back AND GONE!!! Audrey Vandagriff with a walk-off solo homer here in the bottom of the eighth and the Crimson Tide wins it 2-1!”

After the game, Audrey gave glory to God.

From the postgame interview, “Goodness gracious, I don’t have the words to describe it. Right before I stepped in the box I just gave everything to God and just said, ‘God I give this moment to you Lord.’ And he gave it to me, He delivered for me and I couldn’t have done it without him.”

“I truly believe that was kind of my first big, experience where God really used me to glorify his name because I don't know how many people were watching that game, but, in that interview that was solely for him, solely for his power, his glory, his name,” she says. “And I'm just super grateful for that opportunity.”

This season, Audrey and the Crimson Tide are one of the best teams in the country, with a chance to win a Women’s College World Series. Ultimately, Audrey has one goal.

“I truly believe God put me at this place for a reason. And it honestly showed last year why he put me here and I'm just super grateful for that opportunity.

I don't even want them to see me as Audrey,” she says.  “I just want them to be like, ‘You know, Audrey Vandergriff. Gosh, I just see God through her.’  Honestly, this brings tears to my eyes. We had affirmation letters at the end of the spring in softball. And I read the first five and, my whole prayer about year had been, ‘God, let others see you through me.’

And I pulled out the first five and they said, ‘Audrey, you shine God's light like I've never seen before.’ And I was just like, ‘Wow!’ You know, and, I feel like my first year in college was the first time I really gotten to see how powerful and how great God is. And I'm just, gosh, I'm just worlds of thankful for that.”