Morgan VanderBor, a 2018 graduate of Western Michigan, joined the WMU softball program as an assistant coach in July of 2022. She serves as the program's primary pitching coach.
VanderBor has helped the Broncos improve in the circle since joining the program before the 2023 season. VanderBor helped guide 2024 graduate Rissa Bajusz earn the programs first MAC Pitcher of the Year Honors for the 2024 season where Bajusz had a 16-13 record with 20 complete games, 8 shutouts, and an ERA of only 1.93. She also has helped WMU post three seasons with a sub 4.50 ERA.
VanderBor joined the Broncos after spending six seasons as the head coach at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. During her tenure at KVCC, the Cougars were extremely successful, as the team posted an overall record of 139-81 (.632), a 112-40 (.737) mark in conference play, made four NJCAA Regional appearances, had a regional runner-up finish and twice finished as the state runner-up. Under her guidance, the team posted an overall ERA of 3.88 and racked up 40 shutouts.
The 2018 Western Conference Coach of the Year, VanderBor had eight All-Region selections, four of which were pitchers, and boasted a pair of Region Players of the Year, including one pitcher. Under her tutelage, KVCC racked up 22 All-Conference honorees and 21 Honorable Mention All-Conference performers. The softball program was also the campus’ team GPA leader on five occasions.
Prior to taking over the head coaching position at KVCC, VanderBor spent two seasons as an assistant with the Cougars, primarily focusing on recruiting and coordinating team practices.
In addition to her collegiate coaching background, VanderBor has extensive experience working and training athletes on an individual level. She is the owner of Starting Lineup LLC in Vicksburg, Mich., where she works with dozens of clients individually on pitching, hitting and fielding. During her time at Starting Lineup, the program has produced players who have gone on to play at 18 different schools throughout the Great Lakes region.
Before her time at Starting Lineup LLC, VanderBor worked with young softball players from ages 6-18 at Worden’s Softball Academy in Kalamazoo.
VanderBor played at KVCC from 2012-14, helping the Cougars to back-to-back NJCAA National Tournament appearances. In her career, she batted .392, posted a .467 on-base percentage, blasted 10 home runs, collected 18 doubles and drove in 49 runs. As a freshman, she registered a 2.43 ERA in the circle.
A native of Vicksburg, VanderBor graduated from WMU’s Haworth College of Business with a bachelor’s degree in Management and General Business in 2018.
2026:
VanderBor's success in developing young pitchers continued in her third season as the Broncos had a program first in the circle. VanderBor helped freshman pitchers Ava Geyer and Hannah Potts to the best freshman seasons in the circle in just under 20 years. Both pitchers reached the 100+ strikeout mark during the 2026 regular season, making it the first time in WMU program history that two freshman pitchers threw over 100 strikeouts each.
VanderBor guided Geyer to the 2026 All-MAC Second Team, making her the first freshman pitcher to earn All-MAC honors excluding the All-Freshman Team since Sydney Stefaniak in 2018. Geyer ended her freshman campaign with an 11-8 record in 29 apperances with 25 starts. The freshman had a team-low 3.29 ERA through 136.0 innings pitched that included 11 complete games, five shutouts, and 112 strikeouts.
Along with developing Geyer, VanderBor helped Potts to end the season as the conference leader in strikeouts with 132 Ks during her first year in a Brown and Gold jersey. Potts dominance in the circle had her ending the season with over 30 more strikeouts than 2026 MAC Pitcher of the Year Presley Hosick of Miami. Potts ended the 2026 season with a 12-15 record in 34 apperances and 27 starts with eight complete games and two shutouts. VanderBor helped Potts become Western Michigan's stalwart in the circle, totaling 149.2 innings of work with a 4.68 ERA and an opponent batting average of .277.
VanderBor also continued her work with upperclassman pitchers, junior Casey Fazzini and senior, Jadeyn Merrill. Fazzini became the Broncos most consistent reliever, dropping her ERA by three tenths to 4.36 in 21 apperances. Fazzini earned a 3-1 record with two saves during the 2026 season across 35.1 innings of work with seven strikeouts.
While Merrill had a record game in the circle against Butler (2/21) in 2026 as she pitchers her first complete game in a WMU uniform and first since her freshman season at Rider. Facing the Bulldogs, Merrill limited them to three hits and two runs while striking out a career high 11 batters. Merrill ended her final collegiate season through VanderBor's mentorship with a 1-1 record in 12 apperances and two starts with 18.0 innings pitched for 19 strikeouts.
2025:
In her second season with the Broncos, VanderBor helped grow a young pitching staff with only one starter being an upperclassman. VanderBor helped sophomore Casey Fazzini become a regular starter, jumping from only two appearances in 2024 to 31 appearances in the circle for WMU. Under VanderBor's guidance, Fazzini ended the season with a 3-7 record in the circle with a 4.68 ERA, a complete game, and a save.
VanderBor helped freshman Kaylee Salyer become the Brown and Gold's second starter with 30 appearances and 16 games started over the course of 52 games. Salyer spent the most time in the circle for Western Michigan, throwing a team-high 92.2 innings while striking out 39 batters. VanderBor also guided Salyer to four complete games and two saves during the season.
VanderBor also helped graduate pitcher Jensen Gremillion to her best season in the circle of her career with a career best record of 6-11 in 27 appearances. Gremillion earned the only shutout of the Broncos season with VanderBor's guidance in an 8-0 win over in-state rival Michigan State. Gremillion pitched 4 complete games and ended the year with 76.2 innings pitched, 25 strikeouts, and the lowest opponent batting average of WMU's starters at .318.
2024:
VanderBor helped the Broncos see one of their best defensive seasons in over a decade: During the campaign, VanderBor guided the WMU pitching staff to their fewest runs allowed since 2012 (excluding the shortened 2020 COVID year) behind a team total of 300 strikeouts. In the circle, VanderBor helped senior pitcher Rissa Bajusz and junior Kailey O'Connor combine for 11 shutouts and 23 complete games behind career years in the circle.
Additionally, VanderBor led Bajusz to one of the best campaigns ever by a Bronco pitcher: Bajusz posted career highs with 16 wins (fourth most pitching wins in WMU single-season history), a 1.93 ERA (a career-high for Bajusz), 218 strikeouts (fifth most strikeouts in WMU single-season history) and eight shutouts in 173.0 innings pitched. Under VanderBor's guidance, Bajusz became WMU's first ever MAC Pitcher of the Year behind All-MAC First Team honors, three MAC Pitcher of the Week selections, and three NFCA Top Performer nods.
VanderBor would also propel O'Connor to a career year after she posted a career-best 7-4 record in 2024 behind 48 strikeouts and two complete game shutouts. During the season, O'Connor allowed the fewest earned run average and earned run total of career. On April 9, O'Connor earned first career NFCA Top Performer nod after limiting opponents to a minuscule 0.68 ERA in 10.1 innings pitched with the help of six strikeouts while limiting opposing batters to two walks. At the time of her nomination, VanderBor helped O'Connor to third in the MAC in shutouts and second in the conference in hits allowed.
