Perseverance Leads Magali Frezzotti from Argentina to Purdue

A self-proclaimed “softball junkie” had an opportunity to come to the United States as a teenager to pursue her dream of playing college softball. However, Magali Frezzotti’s parents did not see the need for their youngest daughter to pursue an education outside of Argentina.

“They didn’t realize the opportunity,” said Frezzotti. “They said, ‘Why go to the U.S. when you can do it here (in Argentina)?’

“I didn’t have $3,000 for a plane ticket so I did what was asked of me to do. I got my degree.”

Frezzotti continued to play and develop as a catcher and earned a roster spot on the Argentina National Team. Through that experience she met University of Michigan standout Amanda Chidester, a fellow catcher, who eventually invited her to the U.S. to train and see what coaching opportunities were available.

Before she accepted that offer, Frezzotti exhausted all efforts to play collegiately, even at the NAIA level where she believed her advanced age for a typical college player did not matter. Her national team experience still made her ineligible.

“I wanted to play. I wanted to experience that,” said Frezzotti.

With her eligibility exhausted, the opportunity to stay with Chidester became an option that led her to coaching. Ten years later, Frezzotti is the new head coach at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

While her rise through the coaching ranks was routine, her softball journey was anything but normal.

Gymnasium Softball

As a young girl, Frezzotti and her classmates were allowed to return to school late in the afternoons to play softball.

“I started playing as an after-school activity,” she said. “We could stay and play at 5 p.m. in a gym – not on a field. The equipment was very limited. That’s how we learned how to play. We did not have bases. We used hula hoops. Me and my friends would ride our bikes to school at 5 p.m. and had a blast. We played for three hours in a gym.”

The youngest of six children progressed into travel ball games and spent weekends at the area diamonds.

“I would come home after a long Saturday of playing games and my sister would ask how we did?” she recalled. “I would say, ‘We lost but we’re learning.’ They would make fun of me. But 20 years later I am the head coach at Purdue.”

Mind of a catcher

Frezzotti’s abilities naturally pushed her to the shortstop position but her mental game led her to becoming a catcher.

“I grew up a shortstop but the way I thought the game, anticipating and making decisions for myself … and the need for a catcher in travel ball and then in national ball,” said Frezzotti of the position change.

Students in U.S. schools are exposed to multiple sports while progressing through their educational track. That was not the case for Frezzotti in Argentina. Travel ball was her only way to compete and grow within the sport but even that looked different than travel ball in the United States.

“They didn’t have athletics in school attached the way it is here,” she explained. “In travel ball, I was 15, 16, 17 playing with 25, 26, 32, 35-year-old women. It was cool.

“The more you play the more you learn the strategy. I took advantage of the opportunities and it was a blessing.”

Frezzotti can look back now and agree that the experience was preparing her to become a coaching prospect.

“Back home if you wanted to coach you got a (physical education) degree and picked a school,” she explained. “I knew I was obsessed with softball and wanted to learn more, compete and play with the national team, which I did until I was 30 years old.”

Argentina to Ann Arbor

Through her connection with Chidester, Frezzotti was presented with a second chance to come to America.

“Chidester said I could stay at her home and we could train together,” said Frezzotti. “I asked my parents to buy me one plane ticket and I would take care of the rest.”

This time, her parents agreed to help.

“It wasn’t meant to be the first time. So I went to Ann Arbor,” she said.

Mother Nature quickly got Frezzotti’s attention.

“I did not have the clothes that were warm enough for that winter,” she said with a laugh. “I learned fast.”

With a passing grasp of a second language, Frezzotti settled in quickly to her new environment.

“That transition was not difficult. I was excited about the opportunity but it was an adjustment for sure,” she said. “I could speak English but not the English I have today. I had great people in my corner. They blessed me with kindness and patience.”

Frezzotti never got to play college softball in the United States but now had a front row seat at one of the country’s softball meccas in Ann Arbor.

“I was a softball junkie. It was absolutely a dream come true,” she said. “I found out I could make money (coaching). I definitely wanted more.”

Frezzotti was put in charge of catcher development at Michigan as well as organizing camp logistics and official visits from 2016-2017. She became a graduate assistant at nearby Concordia and eventually an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan.

After another coaching stint at Michigan, Frezzotti was hired as an assistant coach at Montana.

“I would have never thought about Montana. It made me think how serious am I? Do I push on or go home?” said Frezzotti. “I went to Montana in the middle of nowhere and I loved every second of it.”

Following a three-year run in Big Sky country, Frezzotti accepted an assistant coaching position at Purdue, which brought her wife, Haley Frezzotti-Hostetler, back home to her Indiana roots.

Back to the Big Ten

While the Boilermakers had one of the best defenses in the Big Ten under Frezzotti’s watch, the program produced back-to-back sub .500 seasons and head coach Boo De Oliveira was relieved of her position. Suddenly, Frezzotti had an opportunity to apply for her first head coaching job.

“I didn’t know if I had a shot,” she admitted. “I asked for the opportunity to interview. I knew I wanted to be a head coach.”

Throughout the interview process, Frezzotti made herself keep her emotions in check.

“I had the mindset to enjoy it and not put pressure on myself. The outcome was out of my control,” she said. “I did my preparation but I went in with an open mind and did not worry about what was going to happen.”

Frezzotti was introduced as Purdue’s fifth head coach in program history on June 16. The transition is going smoothly, according to Frezzotti, thanks to her familiarity with both the returning players and a highly-regarded recruiting class.

“I am fortunate enough to inherit a roster with a lot of talent,” said Frezzotti. “I am not starting from zero. I don’t feel that is the case for us as a coaching staff.

“We need to put student-athletes in a position to be successful. The way we want to win should match the student-athletes on the roster. We have to do better with what we have.”

Purdue needs a more dynamic offense to match its stellar defensive habits. Frezzotti also is excited to pair new pitching coach Jordan Richwood with the Boilermakers’ pitching staff.

Extra Inning Softball ranked the Purdue recruiting class at No. 23 nationally – a second-straight top 25 recruiting class coming to West Lafayette. Speed, power and versatility are part of the makeup of the 2023 recruits.

“They are all pushing the roster,” said Frezzotti. “I hope they all have an impact. They push every single day. I’m excited to see who steps up and stands out and who the team follows.”

One other benefit to promoting coaches from within the program, Frezzotti was able to keep the recruiting class from decommitting following a coaching change.

“I don’t think I can take credit for that,” she said. “Purdue gets the credit. The value of the Purdue degree. You come here you know you will practice in a facility (Bittinger Stadium) that is top notch nationally. The conference is getting stronger and better. Purdue did the job (keeping the recruits).”

New coaching staff

With a new head coach comes new assistant coaches as well. Frezzotti also added veteran coach Heather Gelbard from Georgia Southern and former Northwestern standout catcher Jordyn Rudd to her new staff.

“Rudd is a huge, huge addition to our program,” said Frezzotti.

Frezotti’s sheer will and love of the game of softball helped her persevere long enough to become a Big Ten coach. She knows Purdue can compete nationally. Trust she has a vision to make it happen.

“We need to find the identity of play we want and utilize the talent and strengths of our players,” said Frezzotti. “We want to put pressure on offensively. That’s what we are working on this fall. And how that happens against different types of pitchers.

“And then competing on the mound. I think we’re moving in the right direction.”

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