Franchise history
2005
The Chicago Bandits inaugural season took place at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois. Chicago recorded an NPF-best 41–7 record, but lost to the Akron Racers in the championship.
2006
Chicago posted a 30–12 record, which again was best in the NPF, but lost to the Connecticut Brakettes in the championship series.
2007
The 2007 Chicago Bandits went 23–21, but failed to qualify for the playoffs after finishing in sixth place in the league.
2008
The Bandits began their first season in Elgin with a 4–7 record, playing without Jennie Finch and Vicky Galindo of the United States National Team, and Caitlin Lever of the Canadian National Team, due to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Jessica Sallinger and Kristina Thorson each won 12 games and were Chicago's first duo to record double-digit victories since Jennie Finch, Amy Harrein 2005. After moving to their new stadium, the Bandits recorded 61 home runs in 2008, which was more home runs than in the franchise's first three years combined. The team's home run leaders were Stacy May (13), Rachel Folden (11), Jamie Clark (11)
The Bandits completed their season sweeping the Akron Racers, New England Riptide and Rockford Thunder to finish the regular season 32-16 and on a 12-game winning streak, earning the highest seed in the 2008 Championship Series.
In the Championship Series, Chicago won all three games and earned the franchise's first NPF Championship with a victory over the Washington Glory in the title game.
2009
The Chicago Bandits began their second season at Judson University in Elgin, Illinois, with the return of Olympians Jennie Finch, Vicky Galindo, and Caitlin Lever. Chicago finished the regular season with a 27–12 record, ranking first in the National Pro Fastpitch standings and earning the top seed for the playoffs in Akron, Ohio.
Despite having the best record in the NPF in 2009, Chicago was upset in the NPF playoffs by the USSSA Pride two games to one, and lost the opportunity to repeat as league champions.
2010
In 2010, the Bandits once again won the regular season title, but once again, the USSSA Pride ended the Bandits championship hopes, winning their first Cowles Cup title.
After the season, standouts Stacy May-Johnson and Jennie Finch announced their retirements from professional softball.
2011
The Bandits moved into their brand new home stadium, Ballpark at Rosemont, in Rosemont, Illinois in time for the beginning of the 2011 season. [2] The team officially opened the stadium for NPF play on June 16, 2011, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony prior to the Bandits 1–0 walk-off win over the USSSA Pride. Caitlin Lever drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 7th.
Unlike the previous three years, the Bandits did not win the regular season title. They finished third in the four-team NPF with a 20–20 record, after losing six of their final eight games at home to close out the regular season.
The Bandits opened the playoffs in Sulphur, LA against the second-seeded Akron Racers and swept the Racers with two straight victories, capped off by a three-run walk-off home run in extra innings by Nikki Nemitz to advance to the finals.
In the finals, they once again met the Pride. In the first game, the Pride took an early 2–0 lead, but rookie Megan Wiggins hit a three-run double off Pride starter Cat Osterman. Two pitches later, Osterman went down with an arm injury, but the Pride came back to tie the game at 3 in the bottom of the 7th. In the 8th, Bandits right-fielder Amber Patton drove in the go-ahead run and NPF Co-Pitcher of the Year Monica Abbott made it stand up for a one-game lead in the best-of-three series.
The next afternoon, Chicago got on the board early and often, scoring five times in the bottom of the first. The Pride got two back, but that was as close as they would get the rest of the day, as the Bandits cruised to their second Cowles Cup championship with a 10–3 victory. They became the first NPF team to win multiple Cowles Cup championships.
2015
Before the season, the Bandits signed 2015 draftees shortstop Sammy Marshall of Western Illinois signed with the Bandits. [3] and outfielder Brenna Moss of Fresno State [4] AJ Andrews of LSU signed with the Bandits on June 12. [5]
After tryouts, the Bandits signed free agents infielder Megan Blank of the Iowa Hawkeyes, [4] outfielder Kelsi Jones of Louisville, catcher Vicky Galasso of Idaho State, [6] and pitcher Lacey Waldrop of Florida State. [7]
2016
The Bandits announced an agreement with radio station 1590 WCGO to broadcast all Bandits home and road games for the 2016 season. [8]
After finishing the regular season with a 23–25 record (the first sub-.500 regular season in franchise history), the Bandits won their second consecutive Cowles Cup title, and fourth overall in franchise history, defeating the USSSA Pride 2–1 in a winner-take-all game three of the Championship Series finals.
2017
Head coach Mike Steuerwald stepped down and became assistant general manager of the Scrap Yard Dawgs. [9]
On February 1, the Village of Rosemont announced it would be assuming ownership of the Bandits from previous owner Bill Sokolis. The transaction included a $50,000 licensing fee paid to the NPF. Rosemont employee Toni Calmeyn will take over as general manager and will hire a new head coach. [10]
Later that month the Bandits hired University of Florida assistant coach Sharonda McDonald as their head coach. McDonald was an All-NPF player, playing with the Philadelphia Force in 2007 and 2008, the Racers from 2010 to 2012, and 2014 with the USSSA Pride. [11] Later, Chicago hired as their assistant coach Kyla Holas, who coached University of Houston from 1999 to 2016. [12] On June 8, the Bandits announced the hiring of Grinnell College alumna Annie Smith as assistant coach. [13]
2018
The Bandits announced that McDonald would not be returning for the 2018 season. [14] On September 19, they announced that their new coach would be Olympian medalist and NCAA champion Stacey Nuveman Deniz. [15] Nuveman Deniz held the NCAA home run record of 90 from 2002 to 2015, when Lauren Chamberlain broke it. She played in the NPF for the Arizona Heat in 2005.
