SAN ANTONIO – UTSA head softball coach Vann Stuedeman is nationally renowned for her knowledge of the circle – the pitching circle, that is. But long before she emerged as one of the game’s elite coaches, many of her most important lessons were shaped by a different sphere – pizza.
Growing up in the greater Birmingham, Ala., area, Stuedeman spent countless hours at Papa Joe’s Pizza, the family business owned by her mother, Roseanne. With locations in Hoover and later Vestavia Hills, the restaurant became more than just a workplace – it was a training ground. Stuedeman credits those early experiences for creating the work ethic and resilience that has since defined her coaching career.
“Those restaurant people are tough people and it’s a tough job,” Stuedeman said. “It was a lot of fun. I’ve made pizza, sandwiches, pastas, washed a lot of spaghetti plates, done a lot of dishes and served a lot of tables.”
It’s also where Stuedeman gained an appreciation for the importance of community.
“I learned at an early age that everybody is family,” Stuedeman said. “My mom would be yelling at me in the back and the door would open and she would look at them and say, ‘Hey, how can I help you? What can I get you today?’ I was like, ‘Okay, I get it.’”
That is the same philosophy Studeman has brought to the UTSA Softball team, where she has built a passionate fan base that has supported the Roadrunners in record numbers. Her revitalization of the UTSA program has included a meteoric rise in the attendance at Roadrunner Field, even as the team has steadily increased its win total each season.
“It doesn’t matter good, bad or ugly, I want San Antonio to feel like they are on our team,” Stuedeman said. “I know we need to win. Everyone loves a winner and we’re going to continue to put a great product out there for them. But I want them to know us more than just the wins and the losses. I want them to know our players.”
The Roadrunners currently rank top-60 in the nation this season in average attendance and have sold out 19 of their 24 home games this season. Creating the community to support her program, Stuedeman knows, will be a lifelong advantage for her players. Her student-athletes excel in a variety of rigorous majors, including neuroscience major Madison Hornback, the team’s starting third baseman.
“We have some great student-athletes who are going to be great in their careers as they move on,” Stuedeman said. “They are going to be living in our community. We want them to go to school here, we want them to graduate from here and we want them to stay here. It’s important to me that the softball community, especially, but the whole community of San Antonio knows that we’re here and knows that they’re invited.”