USA Softball has named Auburn Tigers ace pitcher Maddie Penta to its “Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List” for the 2024 season.
Penta joins 49 other softball student-athletes on the list, including 20 others from the Southeastern Conference.
The Chesapeake City, MD native kept opposing hitters at bay throughout the 2023 season, pitching to a 1.33 earned run average over 37 games started.
Penta went the distance in 17 of those 37 games, finishing with 220.2 innings pitched and 303 strikeouts.
The junior’s numbers were good enough to earn her SEC Pitcher of the Year honors. Penta was the first Tiger to ever accomplish the feat.
Now a senior, Penta should stay on track to become a Top 25 finalist once USA Softball reveals the list in early May.
Until then, the reigning SEC Pitcher of the Year will look to defend her crown starting on February 9 against Virginia Tech at home.
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