Strength Through a Setback: Anna Chellman Perseveres

Written by Stephanie Gordon

Softball Paves the Way

At the age of five, Anna Chellman, ’26, picked up her first bat and softball. From that moment, she committed herself to the sport of softball through recreational leagues and travel teams. Chellman was a successful pitcher and all-around utility player in high school and knew she wanted to continue playing the game she loved at the collegiate level. Now a third baseman for the Chargers softball team, Chellman has learned that commitment to excellence takes diligence, even when a possible career-ending injury seems to crush years of dedication.

Chellman grew up in Stevensville, Michigan, and attended Lakeshore High School. She helped lead her high school softball team to the 2022 Michigan High School Athletic Association Division II state title as a senior. When it came time to choose a college, Hillsdale seemed like the natural choice. After all, her father and mother, John and Summer, both Class of 1997, are former Chargers athletes. John was an offensive lineman for the football team, and Summer was a pitcher on the softball team. “I was obviously very familiar with Hillsdale and had attended a lot of Hillsdale Homecomings with my parents,” Anna smiled, “but for a while, I didn’t know if Hillsdale was the school for me.”

What Chellman wanted was a small college experience that emphasized academic excellence. She also wanted a tight-knit collegiate softball experience. So, she and her parents visited several colleges, and at the end of her search, Hillsdale emerged as her top choice. “My dad’s freshman roommate is my godfather,” she said. “My mom’s two best friends from her Hillsdale softball days are still a huge part of my life. I asked myself, ‘Why wouldn’t I want to be like them?’ Having these positive influences in my life really drew me to Hillsdale College, along with the softball program and academic rigor.”

Growth Through Challenges

“I popped up a bunt, ran, stopped and twisted, and tore my ACL from the rotation during the last double header of my freshman year season,” Chellman explained. “No athlete wants to go through a torn ACL injury.”

For Chellman, the year-long recovery was one of the hardest things she had to do—both mentally and physically. “It wasn’t easy, and it was a mental battle,” she said. “The entire time I told myself, ‘I can do hard things.’ I know it sounds cheesy, but it was what I needed to tell myself. God chose me to go through this journey for a reason. Looking back, it has made me stronger and more appreciative of the opportunities I have through softball.”

Chellman focused on her rehabilitation during the summer of 2023. “I took a lot of things for granted before I tore my ACL,” she said. “I see every day as a blessing because I now know what it’s like to not be able to walk or go outside and be active.”

During rehabilitation, Chellman never once felt like she was excluded from the softball team. “If anything, the injury strengthened my relationship with the team,” she said. “Coaches Gross and Hess and my teammates were always there for me. My role during my sophomore season was to support the team and be a positive presence for everyone.”

And that she did. Chellman continued to show up to practices, travel with her teammates, and cheer on her team at games. “It wouldn’t have been a positive experience if it weren’t for my teammates,” Chellman said. “I wouldn’t want to play softball anywhere else because I love these people so much.”

By the end of Chellman’s sophomore year, she was able to pinch-hit in five of the regular season games in the last three weeks of the season. She was even able to cover third base for a few innings. She attributes her success to continued strength and agility training and her positive teammates and coaches.

“Coach Kyle Gross is probably one of the best college coaches out there,” Chellman said. “He makes sure that we’re all held accountable, and we, as a team, always put in the most work because that helps with consistency. He cares so much for his players and our well-being. A lot of coaches don’t see the person outside of the player. But he does.”

Stronger Than Ever

Her junior year, Chellman was simply elated to play softball again. “I was so excited to be on the field and to swing a bat,” she said. “Hitting a ball is my favorite thing in the world. Even when I strike out, I learn from my mistakes and adjust and do better the next time.”

For the 2024-25 season, Chellman stepped into a full-time starting role for the first time at third base and excelled, starting all 57 games for the Chargers, according to the Athletic Department. She batted .277 and tied for second on the team with 11 doubles while also finishing second with 35 RBIs. Chellman also had 10 multi-hit games and hit the go-ahead three-run home run in Hillsdale’s G-MAC Tournament win over Findlay on May 1, 2025, helping the Chargers advance and eventually claim the G-MAC crown while earning All-Tournament team honors in the process. In addition to her success on the field, she was named to the 2025 CSC (College Sports Communicators) Academic All-District team for her success in the classroom and on the field.

Chellman especially enjoyed traveling to Florida and Hawaii for tournaments, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime experience to grow as a team. “And it wouldn’t be possible without our parent support system,” she said. “That’s what’s different from other schools—our stands are always filled with parents. No matter where we are, they are there for us.”

Chellman has learned that softball means three things: growth, loyalty, and trust. “Softball gives me the opportunity to overcome hard things as an individual and as part of a team,” she said. “You have to trust the girls you play with, and they have to trust you. You don’t realize this until you step out on the field and there are high expectations and a lot at stake. You also have to trust your team to be able to succeed. Softball means more than I can put into words.”

With nearly two decades of softball experience under Chellman’s belt, she’s no stranger to commitment, challenges, and success. It’s evidence of “doing hard things,” all while keeping her team’s best interest in mind. “That’s what I’ll always try to do,” Chellman concluded. “It’s not just about me in softball. It’s about what I can do to help the team, and where I fit in the puzzle because everyone’s piece is different. It takes time and trust for everyone’s pieces to fall into the right place.”

Stephanie Gordon, a lifelong Hillsdale native, is the managing editor of Virtue and Valor: The Official Blog of Hillsdale College. She is married to chiropractor, Dr. Matt Gordon, and has three children: Eloise, Flora, and Jack. She enjoys baking, floating on Baw Beese Lake, Detroit Lions football, and breaking a sweat at the gym.

Reposted from the fall 2025 issue of Arete.