OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Redshirt junior utility Maya Brady and redshirt senior pitcher Megan Faraimo were selected as USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Finalists, the organization announced on Wednesday.
The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, which is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I women's collegiate softball, recognizes the outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female players across the country.
The Bruins are one of just five teams with multiple players listed on the Top 25.
This marks Faraimo's third consecutive season being named a Top 25 Finalist for the award. She was also a Top 10 Finalist as a redshirt sophomore in 2021. This is Brady's first time being recognized as a finalist after being named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 preseasons.
The Top 25 Finalists will be narrowed down to 10 athletes on May 3, followed by the Top 3 Finalists set to be released on May 17. The 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed prior to the Women's College World Series.
Two Bruins have taken home the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award a total of three times. Rachel Garcia (2017-21) was honored in back-to-back seasons in 2018 and 2019 and Stacey Nuveman (1997, 1999, 2001-02) won UCLA's first award in 2002.
This season, Brady leads the Pac-12 in batting average (.448), home runs (15) and slugging percentage (.912) and is in the hunt for the conference triple crown, ranking second in runs batted in (48). Brady has been the Pac-12 Conference Player of the Week twice this season (Feb. 13 and April 17).
Brady is one of just three players in the country with at least a .440 batting average, 15 home runs and 45 runs batted in (Clemson – Valerie Cagle, Marshall – Autumn Owen).
Brady has 15 multi-hit and multi-RBI performances in 2023. Last week at Arizona, she became the first Bruin since B.B. Bates in 2013 to homer in four straight games. She has three multi-homer games this season against San Diego (Feb. 12), Fresno State (March 3) and Washington (March 19). In week one of the 2023 season, Brady broke a 24-year-old UCLA record by recording a hit in 11 consecutive at-bats.
Faraimo leads the team with a 22-2 record, 180 strikeouts and a 1.10 earned run average. Faraimo ranks tied for first in the nation in wins, 11th in strikeouts and 13th in ERA. She has recorded six shutouts and five double-digit strikeout performances. Faraimo had a career-long 35.2 scoreless innings streak that was snapped in game three at Arizona last week. She has been honored as Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week four times this season.
The Oceanside, Calif. native has thrown two no-hitters in 2023 against San Diego on Feb. 12 and No. 3 Florida on Feb. 23. Her performance against the Gators was her first no-no against a ranked opponent in her career.
The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, which is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I women's collegiate softball, recognizes the outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female players across the country.
The Bruins are one of just five teams with multiple players listed on the Top 25.
This marks Faraimo's third consecutive season being named a Top 25 Finalist for the award. She was also a Top 10 Finalist as a redshirt sophomore in 2021. This is Brady's first time being recognized as a finalist after being named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 preseasons.
The Top 25 Finalists will be narrowed down to 10 athletes on May 3, followed by the Top 3 Finalists set to be released on May 17. The 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed prior to the Women's College World Series.
Two Bruins have taken home the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award a total of three times. Rachel Garcia (2017-21) was honored in back-to-back seasons in 2018 and 2019 and Stacey Nuveman (1997, 1999, 2001-02) won UCLA's first award in 2002.
This season, Brady leads the Pac-12 in batting average (.448), home runs (15) and slugging percentage (.912) and is in the hunt for the conference triple crown, ranking second in runs batted in (48). Brady has been the Pac-12 Conference Player of the Week twice this season (Feb. 13 and April 17).
Brady is one of just three players in the country with at least a .440 batting average, 15 home runs and 45 runs batted in (Clemson – Valerie Cagle, Marshall – Autumn Owen).
Brady has 15 multi-hit and multi-RBI performances in 2023. Last week at Arizona, she became the first Bruin since B.B. Bates in 2013 to homer in four straight games. She has three multi-homer games this season against San Diego (Feb. 12), Fresno State (March 3) and Washington (March 19). In week one of the 2023 season, Brady broke a 24-year-old UCLA record by recording a hit in 11 consecutive at-bats.
Faraimo leads the team with a 22-2 record, 180 strikeouts and a 1.10 earned run average. Faraimo ranks tied for first in the nation in wins, 11th in strikeouts and 13th in ERA. She has recorded six shutouts and five double-digit strikeout performances. Faraimo had a career-long 35.2 scoreless innings streak that was snapped in game three at Arizona last week. She has been honored as Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week four times this season.
The Oceanside, Calif. native has thrown two no-hitters in 2023 against San Diego on Feb. 12 and No. 3 Florida on Feb. 23. Her performance against the Gators was her first no-no against a ranked opponent in her career.