Best High School Softball Player Ever From Every State

These are the greatest high school softball players of all time from every state.

High school softball has been played for many years in the United States, and for an elite group of players, the stakes are always a little higher.

The top high school softball players in the country include former stars who have become household names to sports fans around the world, and they began grabbing headlines in high school.

From state championships to national championships to Olympic gold medals and beyond, these are the best high school softball players of all time from every state. With the exception of South Dakota, which began playing high school softball for the first time in the spring of 2023.

Alabama: Shelby Holley

Amy Holley

High school: Pisgah High School (Pisgah, Alabama)

Position: Catcher

Graduation year: 2011

Colleges: Jacksonville State, Alabama State

Career highlights: MaxPreps All-American (2011), Class 3A state champion (2011), Class 3A State Tournament MVP (2011), Ms. Alabama Softball (2011), Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year (2011)

Bottom line: Pisgah High’s Shelby Holley had one of the most memorable senior campaigns of all time in 2011 when she set a national single-season record with 35 home runs and led her school to the Class 3A state championship. Holey also batted .617 with 98 RBI, 16 doubles and 54 runs.

Holley’s 78 career home runs at Pisgah set a national record. However, she’s officially only credited for 72 home runs hit between her freshman and senior seasons. Alabama is a state that allows middle schoolers to play on the varsity level, and she hit six home runs before her freshman year.

Alaska: Pauline Tufi

Alaska Sports HOF

High school: West Anchorage High School (Anchorage, Alaska)

Position: First base/right-handed pitcher/shortstop/catcher

Graduation year: 2013

College: Louisiana Tech

Career highlights: Three-time Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year (2011-13), four-time Large School All-State (2010-13), Large School state champion (2011), Conference USA Tournament MVP (2017), Conference USA All-Freshman Team (2014)

Bottom line: There aren’t a lot of Division I athletes who come out of Alaska, and West Anchorage High do-it-all star Pauline Tufi is the best to ever do it in her sport.

Tufi helped lead the Eagles to a state championship in 2011 and was a three-time Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year and four-time All-State selection. As a senior in 2013, Tufi batted .842 with six home runs, 36 RBI and a 1.1474 slugging percentage, and her team made it to the state semifinals.

Tufi played college softball for Louisiana Tech, where she started almost every game for four years. She was named Conference USA Tournament MVP as a senior in 2017 after she hit the game-winning solo home run in a 1-0 win over FIU in the Conference USA championship game.

Arizona: Kenzie Fowler

Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo

High school: Canyon del Oro High School (Oro Valley, Arizona)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2009

College: Arizona

Career highlights: Two-time National Gatorade Player of the Year (2008, 2009), three-time Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year (2007-09), four-time Arizona Republic All-State (2006-09), Arizona Republic Player of the Year (2009), three-time Class 4A state champion (2007-09), two-time NFCA All-American (2010, 2011)

Bottom line: Canyon del Oro’s Kenzie Fowler is still the only player to be named National Gatorade Player of the Year twice, which she did in 2008 and 2009.

As a senior in 2009, Fowler was brilliant with a 0.048 ERA and finished her career with 1,449 career strikeouts in 685 innings to go with 14 no-hitters. Fowler also set records at the plate with 163 career hits and 45 RBI in a single season.

Fowler, perhaps the most sought-after softball recruit of all time, stayed home to attend the University of Arizona, where she was a two-time All-American and threw four no-hitters in 2010, when she was a finalist for national player of the year.

Arkansas: Autumn Humes

Bald Knob High Athletics

High school: Bald Knob High School (Bald Knob, Arkansas)

Position: Right-handed pitcher/utility player

Graduation year: 2016

Colleges: Harding/Kentucky

Career highlights: Two-time Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year (2015, 2016), two-time Class 3A state champion (2015, 2016), four-time Class 3A All-State (2013-16), NCAA Division II National Freshman of the Year (2017), NCAA Division II All-American (2017), Great American Conference Player of the Year (2017), Great American Conference Freshman of the Year (2017)

Bottom line: Bald Knob High’s Autumn Humes won 89 games and had a 0.70 ERA in her four-year prep career while being named Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year in her junior and senior seasons.

Humes also led Bald Knob to back-to-back Class 3A state championships. The team went 36-0 her senior season as she was 31-0 with a 0.34 ERA and 295 strikeouts in 185 innings. At the plate, she was almost as effective with a .527 batting average, 11 home runs and 54 RBI.

Humes was the NCAA Division II Freshman of the Year and an All-American as a freshman at Harding University before transferring to the University of Kentucky, where she pitched a no-hitter in her first career start against North Dakota State.

California: Lisa Fernandez

ArroyoSeco5 / Twitter

High school: St. Joseph High School (Lakewood, California)

Position: Pitcher/utility player

Graduation year: 1989

College: UCLA

Career highlights: CIF champion (1989), three-time Pac-12 Player of the Year (1991-93), four-time National Player of the Year (1990-93), four-time NFCA All-American (1990-93), two-time national champion (1990, 1992), three-time Olympic gold medalist (1996, 2000, 2004)

Bottom line: California high school softball has more National Gatorade Player of the Year winners than any other state, but the very best to come out of the state played almost a decade before the first Gatorade awards were even handed out.

Former St. Joseph High star Lisa Fernandez is usually the first person brought up when the discussion over the greatest softball player of all time comes up. And for good reason.

Fernandez dominated high school competition in the late 1980s before starring at UCLA, where she was a four-time All-American, won two national championships and finished as national runner-up twice. After college, Fernandez led Team USA to three consecutive Olympic gold medals in 1996, 2000 and 2004.

GOAT status: unlocked.

Colorado: Rainey Gaffin

Karl Gehring / AP Photo

High school: Legacy High School (Broomfield, Colorado)

Position: Right-handed pitcher/utility player

Graduation year: 2012

College: Tennessee

Career highlights: Two-time Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year (2011, 2012), four-time Class 5A state champion (2008-11), three-time Class 5A All-State (2009-11), NFCA High School All-American (2012), two-time Colorado Sportswoman of the Year (2011, 2012), two-time NFCA All-American (2015, 2016), two-time SEC All-Defensive Team (2015, 2016), two-time All-SEC (2015, 2016)

Bottom line: Legacy High won four consecutive state championships with Rainey Gaffin as its star player, going 95-4-1 in that stretch as she became a two-time Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year. Over her final two seasons, Gaffin went 45-2 as a pitcher, and as a senior, she batted .593 with 15 home runs, 48 RBI and 12 stolen bases.

Gaffin became an SEC star in college at the University of Tennessee, where she was a two-time All-American and two-time All-SEC selection. As a junior, she picked up a complete game victory over Florida State in the NCAA Super Regional to put Tennessee into the Women’s College World Series.

Connecticut: Rachele Fico

Douglas Healey / AP Photo

High school: Masuk High School (Monroe, Connecticut)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2009

College: LSU

Career highlights: Two-time Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year (2008, 2009), two-time Class LL state champion (2007, 2008), two-time NFCA All-American (2012, 2013), three-time All-SEC (2010, 2012, 2013), SEC Freshman of the Year (2010), All-SEC Defensive Team (2010)

Bottom line: Masuk High’s Rachele Fico was a national sensation in high school, when she set or tied national records with 26 career perfect games, 26 consecutive strikeouts in a single game, five consecutive perfect games and 10 consecutive no-hitters.

For her career, Fico was named Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year twice, won a pair of state championships and set the state record with 47 career no-hitters.

For her prep career, Fico was 105-3 with a 0.07 ERA and 1,884 strikeouts over 775 innings before signing with LSU, where she was a three-time All-SEC pick and a two-time All-American. Fico was the No. 1 pick in the 2013 NFP draft by the Akron Racers.

Delaware: Rachel Gillen

Archmere Academy

High school: Archmere Academy (Wilmington, Delaware)

Position: Left-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2011

Colleges: Virginia, Fordham

Career highlights: Three-time Delaware Gatorade Player of the Year (2009-11), MaxPreps All-American (2011), two-time Atlantic 10 Tournament Most Outstanding Player (2015, 2016), All-Atlantic 10 (2015), MaxPreps All-American (2011)

Bottom line: No softball player in Delaware history dominated like Archmere Academy’s Rachel Gillen, who was a three-time Delaware Gatorade Player of the Year and four-time all-state selection. Gillen finished her prep career with a 69-10 record, 0.31 ERA, 1,161 strikeouts and 25 no-hitters.

Gillen battled injuries in college and was sidelined for most of her first two seasons after high school — first at Virginia, then at Fordham. Once she was healthy, Gillen became one of the greatest Fordham pitchers of all time and was a two-time Atlantic 10 Conference tournament Most Outstanding Player.

She finished her career in Fordham’s top 10 for appearances (101), starts (69), innings (467.2), complete games (39), wins (48), strikeouts (470) and shutouts (13) despite essentially playing just two full seasons for the Rams.

Florida: Dot Richardson

Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

High school: Colonial High School (Orlando, Florida)

Position: Shortstop

Graduation year: 1980

Colleges: Western Illinois, UCLA

Career highlights: NCAA Player of the Decade (1980s), NCAA champion (1982), Olympic gold medal (1996)

Bottom line: Dot Richardson played five sports at Colonial High in the early years after Title IX was passed — volleyball, basketball, softball, track and field, and tennis. Softball is where she truly made her mark.

Richardson not only became a trailblazer for women’s sports in Florida but all over the country, leading UCLA to its first national championship in 1982 and eventually being named the NCAA Player of the Decade for the 1980s.

Richardson was an Olympic star after college, winning a gold medal for Team USA in 1996.

Georgia: Kelly Barnhill

Georgia High School Athletic Association

High school: Pope High School (Marietta, Georgia)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2015

College: Florida

Career highlights: Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year (2015), USA Today Softball Player of the Year (2015), Class 6A state champion (2014), NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-American (2015), three-time NFCA All-American (2017-19), USA Softball National Player of the Year (2017), three-time All-SEC (2017-19), two-time SEC Pitcher of the Year (2017, 2018), SEC Tournament MVP (2019)

Bottom line: Kelly Barnhill was a dynamo on the mound at Pope High and beyond, tossing 22 no-hitters over her prep career and leading her school to the 2014 Class 6A state championship. Barnhill was named Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year and USA Today National Player of the Year in 2015.

At the University of Florida, Barnhill became the first player in school history to be named a three-time All-American and was named national player of the year in 2017. She also set NCAA career records for shutouts (44) and starts (137), was second in strikeouts (1,208), and third in wins (104).

Hawaii: Jocelyn Alo

Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo

High school: Campbell High School (Ewa Beach, Hawaii)

Position: Utility player

Graduation year: 2017

College: Oklahoma

Career highlights: MaxPreps All-American (2017), two-time Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year (2016, 2017), three-time Division I state champion (2015-17), two-time WCWS national champion (2021, 2022), WCWS Most Outstanding Player (2022), four-time NFCA All-American (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), two-time USA Softball College Player of the Year (20221, 2022), two-time Softball America Player of the Year (2021, 2022), NFCA National Player of the Year (2022), two-time Big 12 Player of the Year (2021, 2022)

Bottom line: If there is one softball player who has broken through to the culture at large over the last few years, it’s Jocelyn Alo.

Alo first started grabbing headlines at Campbell High, where she was a two-time Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year and won three Division I state championships — even though teams intentionally walked her 58 times in 107 at-bats as a senior.

Alo became a national sensation at the University of Oklahoma, where she was a four-time All-American, two-time national player of the year, won back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022, and set NCAA career records for home runs (122), slugging percentage (.987), and total bases (761), with her 323 career RBI No. 2 on the NCAA career list.

Idaho: Casey Stangel

lakecity_sb / Twitter

High school: Lake City High School (Couer d’Alene, Idaho)

Position: Outfield/right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2013

Colleges: Missouri, Washington

Career highlights: MaxPreps National Player of the Year (2013), three-time NFCA High School All-American (2011-13), three-time Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year (2011-13), Class 5A state champion (2013), four-time Inland Empire League Player of the Year (2010-13), four-time Class 5A All-State (2010-13), two-time All-Pac-12 (2015, 2017)

Bottom line: You have to be really special to gain the attention of the nation when it comes to high school softball, regardless of where you live.

Doing it from Idaho? That requires a little extra. Lake City’s Casey Stangel managed to do it in 2013, when she was named MaxPreps National Player of the Year after she went 28-0 with a 0.73 ERA and batted .640 with 15 home runs and 64 RBI while leading her school to the Class 5A state championship.

Stangel, who was also a three-time Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year, started her college career at Missouri before returning to the Pacific Northwest to play for Washington, where she was a two-time All-Pac-12 pick.

Illinois: Caroline Hedgecock

badgerssoftball / Twitter

High school: Downers Grove South High School (Downers Grove, Illinois)

Position: Left-handed pitcher/utility player

Graduation year: 2016

Colleges: Arkansas/Wisconsin

Career highlights: MaxPreps National Player of the Year (2016), Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year (2016), Chicago Daily Herald Player of the Year (2016), two-time Class 4A All-State (2015, 2016)

Bottom line: Downers Grove South High star Caroline Hedgecock became the first and (so far) only national player of the year from Illinois in 2016, despite battling elbow problems that limited her time in the pitching circle.

Hedgecock, a two-time Class 4A All-State pick, went 47-1 in West Suburban Conference play over four seasons, and as a senior, Downers Grove went 36-4 and finished third in Class 4A as Hedgecock went 14-1 with a 0.96 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 95 innings. She also batted .549 with 22 home runs, 69 RBI, 10 doubles and 59 runs.

Hedgecock started her college career at Arkansas before transferring to Wisconsin.

Indiana: Keagan Rothrock

ExtraInningSB / Twitter

High school: Roncalli High School (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2023

College: Florida (committed)

Career highlights: Gatorade National Player of the Year (2022), MaxPreps National Player of the Year (2022), two-time Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year (2021, 2022), two-time MaxPreps All-American (2021, 2022), two-time Class 4A state champion (2021, 2022)

Bottom line: The only active player to make the list, Roncalli High pitcher Keagan Rothrock swept the Gatorade and MaxPreps National Player of the Year awards in 2022 and is already a two-time Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year heading into her senior season in 2023.

Ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2023 and committed to play for the University of Florida, Rothrock led Roncalli to a second consecutive Class 4A state championship in 2022 as she went 27-0 with a 0.73 ERA and 366 strikeouts in 163.1 innings.

Rothrock can also get it done at the plate and batted .529 with 14 home runs and 54 RBI as a junior.

Iowa: Paige Lowary

Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo

High school: Dallas Center-Grimes High School (Dallas Center, Iowa)

Position: Left-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2013

Colleges: Missouri/Oklahoma

Career highlights: Two-time Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year (2012, 2013), two-time Class 4A state champion (2012, 2013), two-time All-Big 12 (2017, 2018), WCWS All-Tournament Team (2017), WCWS national champion (2017), All-SEC Freshman Team (2015), Big 12 All-Tournament Team (2018)

Bottom line: Dallas Center-Grimes won back-to-back state championships in 2012 and 2013 with pitcher Paige Lowary named Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year both years. Lowary set school records at Dallas Center-Grimes for wins (124), strikeouts (1,415), opponent batting average (.112), and innings (923). She also dominated at the plate with 254 hits, 60 doubles and 403 total bases.

Lowary started her career at Missouri and withstood a harrowing injury when she was hit in the face with a line drive against the University of Oregon. She played her final two seasons for Oklahoma, earning All-Big 12 honors both seasons and helping lead the Sooners to a Women’s College World Series national championship in 2017.

In just two seasons at Oklahoma, Lowary set the school’s career record with 18 saves.

Kansas: Kelsey Stewart

Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo

High school: Maize High School (Maize, Kansas)

Position: Infielder

Graduation year: 2012

College: Florida

Career highlights: Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year (2010), four-time KSHSAA All-State (2009-12), Wichita Eagle All-Metro Team (2012), NFCA High School All-American (2012), Under Armour All-American (2010), two-time WCWS national champion (2014, 2015), two-time NFCA All-American (2014, 2015), SEC Player of the Year (2015), three-time All-SEC (2013-15), SEC All-Freshman Team (2013), Olympic silver medalist (2020)

Bottom line: Maize High’s Kelsey Stewart is one of the most complete players on this list — something we had ample evidence of during her time as a prep superstar in the Wichita suburbs.

Stewart was named Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year as a sophomore and Wichita Eagle All-Metro Player of the Year and an All-American as a senior when she lit up the scorebook, batting .649 with 12 home runs, 52 runs, 65 RBI, a 1.378 slugging percentage, and a .711 on-base percentage in leading the Eagles to the state semifinals.

Stewart took her place among the all-time NCAA greats at the University of Florida, winning back-to-back national championships and earning back-to-back All-American honors in 2014 and 2015, and being named SEC Player of the Year in 2015.

Kentucky: Montana Fouts

MontanaFouts / Twitter

High school: East Carter High School (Grayson, Kentucky)

Position: Right-handed pitcher/first base

Graduation year: 2018

College: Alabama

Career highlights: MaxPreps National Player of the Year (2018), three-time Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year (2016-18), four-time MaxPreps All-American (2015-18), four-time USA Today All-American (2015-18), three-time Class 2A Player of the Year (2016-18), three-time NFCA All-American (2019-21), three-time All-SEC (2019-21), SEC Pitcher of the Year (2021), SEC Tournament MVP (2021), SEC Freshman of the Year, two-time WCWS All-Tournament Team (2019, 2021)

Bottom line: East Carter pitcher Montana Fouts was almost unhittable during her prep career. She set the state record for career ERA (0.16) along with single-season state records for perfect games (9) and no-hitters (14) on the way to being named MaxPreps National Player of the Year in 2018 and a four-time high school All-American.

Fouts finished high school with 1,483 strikeouts, 25 no-hitters and 15 perfect games before signing with the University of Alabama.

In college, Fouts was a three-time All-American for the Crimson Tide as well as being named SEC Pitcher of the Year and NFCA National Pitcher of the Year in 2021.

Louisiana: Ashley Brignac

Louisiana-Lafayette pitcher Ashley Brignac

RaginCajuns / Twitter

High school: John Curtis Christian School (River Ridge, La.)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2007

College: Louisiana-Lafayette

Career highlights: Gatorade National Player of the Year (2007), two-time Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year (2006, 2007), four-time Division I state champion (2004-07), Times-Picayune Athlete of the Year (2007), LHSAA Division I MVP (2007), three-time LSCA Class 2A Player of the Year (2005-07), two-time Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year (2008, 2011), two-time NFCA High School All-American (2006, 2007), Sun Belt Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player (2008), All-Sun Belt Conference (2008), Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament Team (2011)

Bottom line: John Curtis Christian’s Ashley Brignac dominated the competition unlike any other player ever did. She led her school to four consecutive Division I state championships along with posting a 0.00 ERA over her last two seasons and a 122-4 record for her career. She topped things off by being named the Gatorade National Player of the Year in 2007.

Brignac was a star in college at Louisiana-Lafayette, becoming a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection and two-time Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year.

Maine: Hannah Hill

Doug Jones / AP Photo

High school: Fryeburg Academy (Fryeburg, Maine)

Position: RHP

Graduation year: 2009

Colleges: Seton Hall/Maine

Career highlights: Two-time Maine Gatorade Player of the Year (2008, 2009), Miss Maine Softball (2009), two-time Class B State MVP (2008, 2009), two-time Class B state champion (2008, 2009), Portland Press Herald Player of the Year (2009), All-America East Conference (2014)

Bottom line: Fryeburg Academy’s Hannah Hill was a two-time Maine Gatorade Player of the Year and led her school to back-to-back Class B state championships in 2008 and 2009. As a senior in 2009, Hill went 19-1 with a 0.26 ERA and 276 strikeouts in 136 innings. She also had a .516 batting average, three home runs and 23 RBI.

In four years of prep softball, Hill went 64-12 with a 0.57 ERA and 912 strikeouts, along with 10 no-hitters. She started her college career at Seton Hall before transferring to the University of Maine for her final season.

Maryland/Washington, D.C.: Megan Elliott

Toni L. Sandys / AP Photo

High school: Calvert High School (Prince Frederick, Maryland)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2006

College: Arizona State

Career highlights: Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year (2006), four-time Washington Post All-Metro (2003-06), two-time Division I state champion (2004, 2006), two-time Washington Post Metro Player of the Year (2005, 2006), College World Series national champion (2008)

Bottom line: Calvert High’s Megan Elliott finished her career with two state championships, and state career records with 88 pitching wins, 1,345 strikeouts and a staggering 32 no-hitters. She also set school records with 22 shutouts in a row and 18 consecutive strikeouts. She also owns the state record with 12 perfect games.

Elliott went across the country to play for powerhouse Arizona State. As a sophomore in 2008, Elliott went 20-0 with a 2.14 ERA in 131.1 innings and helped lead the Sun Devils to the College World Series national championship.

Massachusetts: Giana LaCedra

buzzzbry / Twitter

High school: Lowell High School (Lowell, Massachusetts)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2022

College: UMass Lowell

Career highlights: Four-time Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year (2019-22), four-time MVC Player of the Year (2019-22), four-time Boston Globe Player of the Year (2019-22), four-time Boston Herald Player of the Year (2019-22)

Bottom line: Lowell High’s Gianna LaCedra pulled off the rarest of feats when she was named Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year four consecutive years in a row — the first player in the history of the award to do so.

As a senior, LaCedra went 18-4 with a 0.38 ERA and 317 strikeouts in 149 innings while batting .394 with 11 extra-base hits and a .697 slugging percentage. LaCedra chose to stay in her hometown to play college softball for UMass Lowell.

Michigan: Meghan Beaubien

St. Mary Catholic pitcher Meghan Beaubien

mhsaa / Twitter

High school: St. Mary Catholic Central High School (Monroe, Michigan)

Position: Left-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2017

College: Michigan

Career highlights: Three-time Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year (2015-17), MaxPreps All-American (2016), two-time NFCA High School All-American (2015, 2016), three-time Division 3 state champion (2015-17), four-time Division 3 All-State (2014-17), Big Ten Pitcher of the Year (2018), NFCA All-American (2018), three-time All-Big Ten (2018, 2019, 2021), Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2018), Big Ten Tournament MVP (2019)

Bottom line: Michigan has a wealth of softball talent and was one of the most difficult states to pick a player for, but St. Mary Catholic Central pitcher Meghan Beaubien gets the nod.

Beaubien led her school to three consecutive state championships, and she was never better than in the postseason. Beaubien did not allow an earned run in a state tournament semifinal or championship game over three seasons and pitched a perfect game in the 2016 state final — she also was her school’s valedictorian for the Class of 2017.

Beaubien finished her prep career with a 100-11 record and 1,442 strikeouts before heading to the University of Michigan, where she was a three-time All-Big Ten selection. In 2018, she was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and an All-American after leading the nation with 33 wins.

Minnesota: Sara Moulton

Eagan High School Athletics

High school: Eagan High School (Eagan, Minnesota)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2010

College: Minnesota

Career highlights: Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year (2010), two-time Minneapolis Star-Tribune All-Metro Player of the Year (2009, 2010), Pioneer Press Player of the Year (2009), MSHSL state champion (2008), four-time MSHSL All-State (2007-10), Minnesota Miss Softball (2010), NFCA All-American (2014), four-time All-Big Ten (2011-14), Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2011)

Bottom line: No high school player in Minnesota history dominated like Sara Moulton. She went 83-13 with 1,142 strikeouts, 58 shutouts, 13 no-hitters and three perfect games over four All-State seasons at Eagan High, including a state championship as a sophomore and Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year honors as a senior.

Moulton stayed in her home state for college and became the first pitcher from the University of Minnesota to earn All-American honors as a senior in 2014. She also was a four-time All-Big Ten selection and Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2011.

Mississippi: Aspen Wesley

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High school: Neshoba Central High School (Philadelphia, Mississippi)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2019

College: Mississippi State

Career highlights: Four-time MaxPreps All-American (2016-19), six-time Class 5A state champion (2014-19), four-time Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year (2016-19), five-time Class 5A All-State (2015-19)

Bottom line: Mississippi’s state bylaws allow athletes to compete on the varsity level before they’re in high school, and Neshoba Central pitcher Aspen Wesley made the most of that extra time. Wesley led her school to six consecutive state championships and was named Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year all four years she was in high school.

Wesley signed with Mississippi State. As a junior in 2022, she was second on the team in ERA (2.99), wins (9), starts (18), innings (103.0) and opponent batting average (.232).

Missouri: Paige Parker

JTOYOSHIBA / Twitter

High school: Truman High School (Independence, Missouri)

Position: Left-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2014

College: Oklahoma

Career highlights: Two-time Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year (2011, 2013), Class 4 state champion (2012), two-time Kansas City Star All-Metro Player of the Year (2010, 2012), three-time Kansas City Star All-Metro (2011-13), four-time Class 4 All-State (2009-12), WCWS Most Outstanding Player (2016), two-time WCWS national champion (2016, 2017), four-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Year (2015-18), four-time All-Big 12 (2015-18), NFCA National Freshman of the Year (2015), four-time NFCA All-American (2015-18), Big 12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player (2017)

Bottom line: Truman High’s Paige Parker led her school to a state championship as a junior in 2012 — Missouri plays high school softball in the fall — and was a two-time Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year when she dominated on the mound and at the plate.

Parker continued her ascendence at the University of Oklahoma, where she was a four-time All-American, four-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, and won back-to-back WCWS national championships in 2016 and 2017.

Montana: Morgan Ray

MHSAA

High school: Frenchtown High School (Frenchtown, Montana)

Position: Right-handed pitcher/utility player

Graduation year: 2016

College: Ohio State

Career highlights: Three-time Montana Gatorade Player of the Year (2014-16), MaxPreps All-American (2016), three-time Class A All-State (2014-16), All-Big Ten (2019)

Bottom line: There aren’t a lot of high-level softball players that come out of Montana, but Frenchtown High’s Morgan Ray was the exception to the rule. Ray led Frenchtown to three consecutive Class A state championships from 2014 to 2016 and was also a three-time Montana Gatorade Player of the Year.

Ray went from Montana to the Big Ten following high school, where she was in Ohio State’s starting pitching rotation all four years. She finished her career with All-Big Ten honors as a senior in 2019, when she became the first Buckeye to throw multiple no-hitters in a season with three.

Nebraska: Jordyn Bahl

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High school: Papillion-La Vista High School (Papillion, Nebraska)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2021

College: Oklahoma

Career highlights: Gatorade National Player of the Year (2021), MaxPreps National Player of the Year (2021), two-time Gatorade Nebraska Player of the Year (2020, 2021), three-time Class A state champion (2019-21), four-time Class A All-State (2018-21), NFCA All-American (2022), NFCA National Freshman of the Year (2022), All-Big 12 (2022), Big 12 Freshman of the Year (2022), Big 12 Pitcher of the Year (2022), College World Series national champion (2022)

Bottom line: Papillion-La Vista’s Jordyn Bahl capped her prep career by sweeping the Gatorade and MaxPreps National Player of the Year awards in 2021. That season, she went 27-0 with a 0.10 ERA and 316 strikeouts in 137 innings while her school won a third consecutive Class A state championship. Bahl was also sharp at the plate, batting .510 with 20 home runs and 55 RBI.

Her success continued as a freshman at the University of Oklahoma, where she helped lead the Sooners to the 2022 national championship and was named an All-American, National Freshman of the Year and Big 12 Pitcher of the Year.

Nevada: Kelly Dick Orlich

University of Nevada

High school: Sparks High School (Sparks, Nevada)

Position: Shortstop

Graduation year: 1979

College: Nevada

Career highlights: AIAW Division II All-American (1982), University of Nevada Hall of Fame (1999)

Bottom line: Few softball players can stake a claim to having the impact in their home state like former Sparks High and University of Nevada star shortstop Kelly Dick Orlich. In 1982, she became the first softball All-American in school history when she batted .351 and led Nevada to a berth in the national tournament.

Orlich ended her college career as the program’s career leader in batting average, home runs, RBI and stolen bases and became the first softball player inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1999.

After her college career, Orlich stayed in Nevada and became the head coach at McQueen High, leading the school to a state championship in 1986.

New Hampshire: Taylor Carbone

NHHSAA

High school: Alvirne High School (Hudson, New Hampshire)

Position: Infielder/pitcher

Graduation year: 2013

College: Massachusetts

Career highlights: Two-time New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year (2012, 2013), two-time Division I state champion (2012, 2013), Atlantic-10 All-Freshman Team (2013),

Bottom line: Taylor Carbone led Alvirne High to back-to-back state championships in 2012 and 2013, earning New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year honors both years.

Carbone played college softball for UMass, where she started a staggering 121 consecutive games over her first three seasons and made the Atlantic-10 All-Freshman Team in 2013.

New Jersey: Michele Smith

AP Photo

High school: Voorhees High School (Glen Gardner, New Jersey)

Position: Left-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 1985

College: Oklahoma State

Career highlights: Three-time NFCA All-American (1987-89), three-time All-Big Eight (1987-89), two-time Olympic gold medalist (1996, 2000), four-time ASA Championship Most Valuable Player (1990, 1993-95)

Bottom line: Michele Smith was a record-setting star at Voorhees High in the early 1980s but almost lost her life in a car accident following her freshman year at Oklahoma State when she was tossed from a truck and smashed into a roadside post, severing part of her left elbow and completely tearing her triceps from her arm — her pitching arm.

Smith’s career seemed over at that point, but after nine months of intense rehab, she returned to OSU and became a three-time All-American and three-time All-Big Eight selection by dominating in the pitching circle and at the plate.

Following her college career, Smith won two Olympic gold medals with Team USA in 1996 and 2000 and played professional softball in Japan. After years as ESPN’s leading softball commentator, she became the first female commentator for an MLB game in 2012.

New Mexico: Missy Martinez

Cibola High School

High school: Cibola High School (Albuquerque, New Mexico)

Position: Left-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2009

College: New Mexico Highlands

Career highlights: Three-time Class 5A state champion (2007-09)

Bottom line: Cibola High’s Missy Martinez finished her prep career with state records for career wins (98), single-season wins (29), career strikeouts (1,211), career shutouts (35), career no-hitters (11), and second in career ERA (0.87).

Standing just 5-foot-3, Martinez was fearless in the pitching circle and led Cibola to three consecutive state championships from 2007 to 2009. She played two seasons of college softball at NCAA Division II New Mexico Highlands and threw a no-hitter in her first college start. Martinez died of COVID-19 on Feb. 4, 2022, at just 30 years old — she was a second-grade teacher in Albuquerque.

“She was radiant,” Martinez’s best friend and Cibola teammate Cheyene Crum told The Albuquerque Journal. “I don’t know if anyone had the pleasure of meeting her, but they would say the same.”

New York: Meghan Giordano

Adam Hunger / AP Photo

High school: Croton-Harmon High School (Croton-on-Hudson, New York)

Position: Third base/shortstop

Graduation year: 2018

College: Hofstra

Career highlights: LOHUD Section 1 All-Decade Team, two-time Section 1 Player of the Year (2017, 2018), two-time All-CAA (2019, 2022), CAA Rookie of the Year (2019)

Bottom line: New York is one of those states that allow middle schoolers to participate in varsity sports, and Croton-Harmon High’s Meghan Giordano went about setting records in the process.

Giordano still holds the state records for highest career batting average (.695) highest single-season batting average (.821), career home runs (56), and is second for career RBI (226).

Giordano went on to star at Hofstra, where she was a two-time All-CAA selection and named Team MVP as a senior in 2022.

North Carolina: Crystal Cox

Central Cabarrus High pitcher Crystal Cox

Central Cabarrus Athletics

High school: Central Cabarrus High School (Harrisburg, North Carolina)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2002

College: North Carolina

Career highlights: North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year (2002), two-time Class 3A state champion (2001, 2002), two-time Class 3A Player of the Year (2001, 2002), ACC Rookie of the Year (2003), All-ACC (2005)

Bottom line: Over 20 years since she graduated from Central Cabarrus High, Crystal Cox still owns state records for career strikeouts (1,455), no-hitters (37), perfect games (17) and innings (747.2).

Cox led Central Cabarrus to back-to-back Class 3A state championships in 2001 and 2002 and was named North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior in 2002 after she set the national record with eight perfect games in a single season.

Cox stayed in her home state and starred at the University of North Carolina in the early 2000s, when she was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 2003 and an All-ACC selection in 2005.

North Dakota: Logan Gronberg

demonfastpitch / Twitter

High school: Bismarck High School (Bismarck, North Dakota)

Position: Right-handed pitcher/infielder

Graduation year: 2022

College: North Dakota

Career highlights: Three-time North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year (2019, 2020, 2022), three-time Class A All-State (2019, 2020, 2022), Class A state champion (2022)

Bottom line: Three-time North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year Logan Gronberg went 12-1 as a senior with a 1.27 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 77 innings while batting .621 with 49 RBI and a .714 on-base percentage.

Gronberg was at her best in a 7-6 win over Dickinson in the state championship game, going 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBI and picking up the pitching win.

Gronberg is currently a freshman at the University of North Dakota.

Ohio: Kenzie Conrad

Keystone High School

High school: Keystone High School (La Grange, Ohio)

Position: Right-handed/utility player

Graduation year: 2012

Colleges: Akron/Coastal Carolina

Career highlights: MaxPreps National Player of the Year (2012), MaxPreps All-American (2012), Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year (2012), Division II state champion (2012), Cleveland Plain Dealer Player of the Year (2011)

Bottom line: Kenzie Conrad was the star player for Keystone High as a senior in 2012 when her school went 32-0 and won the Division II state championship.

Conrad went 25-0 with a 0.74 ERA, 178 strikeouts and 14 shutouts in 142 innings while hitting .485 with 11 home runs and 44 RBI. She was also named MaxPreps Player of the Year and Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year. Conrad finished her career with a 66-5 record.

She played two seasons of college softball at Akron before transferring to Coastal Carolina.

Oklahoma: Stacey Johnson

Louisiana Tech Hall of Fame

High school: Putnam City North (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

Position: Pitcher

Graduation year: 1983

College: Louisiana Tech

Career highlights: AAU National Tournament MVP (1982), two-time AIAW All-American (1983, 1986), three-time Louisiana Tech Player of the Year (1983, 1984, 1986)

Bottom line: In a telling sign of the era she was a star, Putnam City North’s Stacey Johnson became one of the most highly recruited pitchers in the country playing summer softball. She went 49-4 in the summer before her senior season with a 0.50 ERA with 371 strikeouts.

Johnson went on to become a star at Louisiana Tech, where she was an All-American in 1983 after she posted a 0.37 ERA. She finished her college career with school records for strikeouts and ERA.

Oregon: Ariel Carlson

MaristUSA / Twitter

High school: Marist Catholic High School (Eugene, Oregon)

Position: Utility player

Graduation year: 2019

College: Oregon

Career highlights: Three-time MaxPreps All-American (2017-19), two-time Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year (2018, 2019), OSA Softball Player of the Year (2019)

Bottom line: Marist High’s Ariel Carlson was one of the most prolific prep hitters of all time, ending her career with 72 home runs and 252 RBI, which placed her in the top 10 career lists nationally for both.

Carlson was a three-time MaxPreps All-American and two-time Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year before staying in her hometown and signing with the University of Oregon.

Carlson was an impact player for Oregon from her freshman season on but had a breakout season as a junior in 2022 as her home run total went from one home run as a sophomore to 15 home runs as a junior.

Pennsylvania: Mady Volpe

Joe Ferguson Fast Pitch / Facebook

High school: North Penn High School (Lansdale, Pennsylvania)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2021

College: Coastal Carolina

Career highlights: Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year (2021), Class 6A state champion (2021), PHSCA Softball Player of the Year (2021), three-time Class 6A All-State (2018, 2019, 2021), MaxPreps All-American (2021)

Bottom line: North Penn’s Mady Volpe capped her career by earning Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year honors and leading her school to the Class 3A state championship in 2021. As a senior, Volpe led the state with 335 strikeouts and set single-season school records for ERA (0.67) and shutouts (18) as well as recording a streak of 42 consecutive shutout innings.

Volpe made 12 starts as a freshman at Coastal Carolina in 2022, going 3-5 with 56 strikeouts, two saves and her first career shutout against South Alabama during an elimination game at the Sun Belt Conference tournament.

The 5-foot-8 senior right-handed pitcher led the Knights (24-2) to the Class 6A semifinals at the time of her selection. Volpe posted a 24-2 record with a 0.73 ERA through 26 games, striking out 316 batters in 162 innings pitched.

A two-time first-team all-state honoree and a three-time all-league selection, she also batted .309 with 22 RBI.

Rhode Island: Lindsey Mayer

RIAA

High school: Lincoln High School (Lincoln, Rhode Island)

Position: Infielder

Graduation year: 2013

Colleges: Virginia/Fordham

Career highlights: Two-time Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year (2012, 2013), three-time All-Rhode Island (2011-13), 2010s Rhode Island Player of the Decade, Atlantic-10 Player of the Year (2016), two-time All-Atlantic-10 (2016, 2017), Atlantic-10 Championship All-Tournament Team (2015)

Bottom line: Lindsey Mayer stands above all other Rhode Island high school softball players. She was a two-time Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year at Lincoln High and was named Rhode Island Player of the Decade in 2019.

Mayer started her college career at Virginia before transferring to Fordham, where she was a two-time All-Atlantic-10 Conference selection and the Atlantic-10 Player of the Year in 2016.

Mayer was hired as the head coach at NCAA Division III Arcadia University in July 2022.

South Carolina: Carley Hoover

Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo

High school: D.W. Daniel High School (Central, South Carolina)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2013

Colleges: Stanford/LSU

Career highlights: National Gatorade Player of the Year (2013), two-time South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year (2012, 2013), two-time MaxPreps All-American (2012, 2013), two-time Class 3A Player of the Year (2012, 2013), four-time Class 3A All-State (2010-13), two-time NFCA All-American (2015, 2018), two-time All-SEC (2015, 2016), two-time NCAA Regional Most Valuable Player (2015, 2016), SEC All-Freshman Team (2015)

Bottom line: Carley Hoover became the first Gatorade National Player of the Year from South Carolina as a senior in 2013, when she led Daniel High to the Class 3A state championship.

As a senior, Hoover posted a 0.15 ERA and 338 strikeouts in 138 innings while also batting .500 with four home runs and 45 runs. She also set the national record by drawing 157 intentional walks in her career.

At 6-foot-2, Hoover was also a dominant volleyball player, earning Class 3A Player of the Year honors in both sports. She played one season at Stanford before transferring to LSU, where she was a two-time All-American and two-time All-SEC selection.

South Dakota: High School Softball Opens in 2023

South Dakota Public Broadcasting Network

South Dakota will begin playing high school softball as an officially sanctioned sport in spring 2023 after the South Dakota High School Activities Association board of directors unanimously passed a recommendation in January 2022 to add the sport.

South Dakota adding softball means that all 50 states now have high school softball. Wyoming added the sport in 2021.

Tennessee: Ashley Rogers

genehenley / Twitter

High school: Meigs County High School (Decatur, Tennessee)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2018

College: Tennessee

Career highlights: Two-time Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year (2017, 2018), three-time Division I Class AA state champion (2016-18), two-time MaxPreps All-American (2017, 2018), three-time Class AA Tennessee Miss Softball (2016-18), three-time Chattanooga Times Free Press Player of the Year (2016-18), two-time All-SEC (2019, 2021), NFCA All-American (2021), two-time All-SEC (2019, 2021), SEC All-Tournament Team (2022)

Bottom line: Ashley Rogers led Meigs County to three consecutive state championships and was a two-time Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year. She set school records for career strikeouts (1,401), career wins (108), single-season strikeouts (441), single-season wins (33), career home runs (35) and single-season home runs (15). She also was a two-time MaxPreps All-American.

Rogers stayed in her home state to play for the University of Tennessee, where she was an All-American in 2021, is a two-time All-SEC selection and is on the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year watch list headed into her senior season in 2023.

Texas: Cat Osterman

AP Photo

High school: Cypress Springs High School (Cypress, Texas)

Position: Left-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2001

College: Texas

Career highlights: Gatorade National Player of the Year (2001), NFCA High School Player of the Year (2001), Texas Gatorade Player of the Year (2001), three-time Class 5A All-State (1999-2001), three-time NFCA All-American (2002, 2003, 2005), four-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Year (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006), Big 12 Freshman of the Year (2002), three-time All-Big 12 (2002, 2003, 2005), two-time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year (2003, 2005), Olympic gold medalist (2004), two-time Olympic silver medalist (2008, 2020)

Bottom line: Cat Osterman started to gain the attention of softball fans all over the world at Cypress Springs High in the late 1990s and early 2000s — the beginning of a career that would see her become one of the greatest softball players of all time.

After Osterman was named National Gatorade Player of the Year in 2001 she matriculated to the University of Texas, where she was a three-time All-American, four-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, two-time National Player of the Year, and became the first softball player to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Osterman has been a member of Team USA for 18 years, winning a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics and silver medals at the 2008 and 2020 Olympics.

Utah: Niki Andersen

Alta High School

High school: Alta High School (Sandy, Utah)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2001

College: BYU

Career highlights: Two-time Utah Gatorade Player of the Year (2000, 2001), three-time Class 5A state champion (1999-2001), three-time Salt Lake Tribune Class 5A Player of the Year (1999-2001), two-time Deseret Times Player of the Year (2000, 2001), four-time Class 5A All-State (1998-2001), NFCA High School All-American (2001)

Bottom line: The daughter of former BYU and Los Angeles Rams tight end Rob Andersen, Alta High’s Niki Andersen graduated from Alta High over 20 years ago but still owns state records for career ERA (0.12), single-season ERA (0.00), consecutive no-hitters (4), consecutive shutout innings (68), career perfect games (6), single-game strikeouts (21), consecutive strikeouts (37) and consecutive wins (44).

Andersen led Alta to three consecutive Class 5A state championships and was a two-time Utah Gatorade Player of the Year before signing with BYU. She helped lead the Cougars to the 2005 Mountain West Conference championship and set school records for wins and strikeouts.

Vermont: Angela Megaw

Dartmouth athletics

High school: Fair Haven Union High School (Bomoseen, Vermont)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2005

College: Dartmouth

Career highlights: Two-time Vermont Gatorade Player of the Year (2004, 2005), two-time Division II state champion (2004, 2005), three-time All-Marble Valley League (2003-05)

Bottom line: Fair Haven Union’s Angela Megaw was a star for the tiny school in rural Vermont. She piled up strikeouts on the way to winning back-to-back Division II state championships in 2004 and 2005 and being named Vermont’s Gatorade Player of the Year twice.

Megaw played college softball at Dartmouth, where she left at No. 3 on the school’s career list with 311 strikeouts.

Virginia: Angela Tincher

Virginia Tech

High school: James River High School (Buchanan, Virginia)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2004

College: Virginia Tech

Career highlights: Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year (2003), three-time VHSCA state champion (2002-04), two-time VHSCA All-State (2003, 2004), VHSCA Pitcher of the Year (2004),

Bottom line: Angela Tincher led James River high to three consecutive state championships and finished her career with over 900 strikeouts, 23 no-hitters, and went 22-2 as a senior with a 0.14 ERA over 154.2 innings.

Tincher, who was the Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior in 2003, truly defined her legacy at Virginia Tech, where she’s considered one of the greatest athletes in school history, regardless of sport. At Virginia Tech, Tincher was a two-time ACC Pitcher of the Year, two-time All-American and led the Hokies to the College World Series for the first time as a senior in 2008, when she was also named national player of the year.

Tincher’s greatest victory, however, came in an exhibition game when she pitched Virginia Tech to a 1-0 win over Team USA — the “Miracle on Dirt” — snapping their 185-game winning streak in exhibition games after Tincher was cut from the team just months prior.

Washington: Sam Skillingstad

University of Oregon

High school: Shadle Park High School (Spokane, Washington)

Position: Right-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2008

College: Oregon

Career highlights: Two-time Washington Gatorade Player of the Year (2007, 2008), two-time Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-American (2007, 2008), two-time Class 4A Player of the Year (2007 2008), Class 4A state champion (2007)

Bottom line: Shadle Park’s Sam Skillingstad was dominant on the mound. She went 75-2 over her final three seasons and led her school to a state championship as a junior in 2007 and a state runner-up finish as a senior in 2008. She was also named Washington Gatorade Player of the Year twice.

Skillingstad played college softball for Oregon, where she made the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team in 2009 and was an All-Pac-10 selection as a sophomore.

West Virginia: Morgan Zerkle

Athletes Unlimited

High school: Cabell Midland High School (Ona, West Virginia)

Position: Infielder/outfielder

Graduation year: 2017

College: Marshall

Career highlights: MaxPreps All-American (2013), Mountain State Athletic Conference Player of the Year (2017), two-time Class AAA All-State (2012, 2013), West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year (2013), three-time All-Conference USA (2015-17), Conference USA Player of the Year (2017), NFCA All-American (2017)

Bottom line: Cabell Midland’s Morgan Zerkle was named West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year and a MaxPreps All-American as a senior in 2013 after she batted .651 and scored 61 runs to go with 23 RBI, eight triples and four home runs.

Zerkle became one of the greatest players in Marshall history, where she was a three-time All-Conference USA selection and the Conference USA Player of the Year in 2017.

Wisconsin: Sydney Supple

Robert Franklin / AP Photo

High school: Oshkosh North High School (Oshkosh, Wisconsin)

Position: Left-handed pitcher

Graduation year: 2019

College: Northwestern

Career highlights: MaxPreps National Player of the Year (2019), four-time MaxPreps All-American (2016-19), three-time Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year (2017-19), Wisconsin Large School Player of the Year (2019), Extra Inning Softball National Player of the Year (2019)

Bottom line: Oshkosh North pitcher Sydney Supple was a three-time Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year. She capped her career by going 29-0 with a 0.75 ERA, 298 strikeouts, 15 shutouts and 12 walks in 167 innings as her school went 35-0 and won a state championship.

Supple was named the 2019 MaxPreps National Player of the Year and finished her career with an 89-8 record, four no-hitters, four perfect games, a 0.79 ERA and 972 strikeouts. She also had a .546 career batting average and 29 home runs.

Supple signed with Northwestern, where she’s been a two-way player for her first three seasons and was part of the Wildcats’ 2022 Women’s College World Series team. She will be a senior in 2023.

Wyoming: Brogan Allen

WyoPreps.com / YouTube

High school: Cheyenne Central High School (Cheyenne, Wyoming)

Position: Right-handed pitcher/third base/shortstop

Graduation year: 2022

College: Dawson Community College

Career highlights: Wyoming Gatorade Player of the Year (2022)

Bottom line: Cheyenne Central’s Brogan Allen made history in 2022. She became the first Wyoming Gatorade Player of the Year after leading her team with a .533 batting average and leading the state with 10 home runs and 43 RBI as Cheyenne Central went 19-9 and was the Class 4A state runner-up.

Allen also scored 39 runs, had a .625 on-base percentage and 1.111 slugging percentage. It was only the second year of having high school softball in Wyoming. Allen currently plays for Dawson Community College.