OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Redshirt senior shortstop Maya Brady on the No. 7 UCLA softball team was selected as a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Finalist, the organization announced 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.
This marks Brady's second consecutive season being named a Top 25 Finalist for the award. Brady was a Top 3 Finalist as a redshirt junior in 2023.
The Top 25 Finalists will be narrowed to 10 athletes on May 15, followed by the Top 3 Finalists set to be released on May 20. The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced prior to the start 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 UCLA with a .390 batting average, 50 runs batted in, 40 runs scored and 22 extra-base hits. Brady's .772 slugging percentage ranks second in the Pac-12 Conference behind teammate Sharlize Palacios.
USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Finalists
Reese Atwood, Texas
Jaysoni Beachum, Florida State
Kayla Beaver, Alabama
Maya Brady, UCLA
Alyssa Brito, Oklahoma
NiJaree Canady, Stanford
Jayda Coleman, Oklahoma
Claire Davidson, Duke
Jocelyn Erickson, Florida
Jenna Golembiewski, Miami-OH
Payton Gottshall, Tennessee
Kinzie Hansen, Oklahoma
Tiare Jennings, Oklahoma
Emiley Kennedy, Texas A&M
Lexi Kilfoyl, Oklahoma State
Kelly Maxwell, Oklahoma
Kiki Milloy, Tennessee
Jessica Mullins, Texas State
Jess Oakland, Minnesota
Korbe Otis, Florida
Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee
Kasey Ricard, Boston U.
Emma Ritter, Virginia Tech
Karli Spaid, Miami-OH
CC Wong, Wichita State
Jala Wright, Duke
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.
This marks Brady's second consecutive season being named a Top 25 Finalist for the award. Brady was a Top 3 Finalist as a redshirt junior in 2023.
The Top 25 Finalists will be narrowed to 10 athletes on May 15, followed by the Top 3 Finalists set to be released on May 20. The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced prior to the start 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 UCLA with a .390 batting average, 50 runs batted in, 40 runs scored and 22 extra-base hits. Brady's .772 slugging percentage ranks second in the Pac-12 Conference behind teammate Sharlize Palacios.
USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Finalists
Reese Atwood, Texas
Jaysoni Beachum, Florida State
Kayla Beaver, Alabama
Maya Brady, UCLA
Alyssa Brito, Oklahoma
NiJaree Canady, Stanford
Jayda Coleman, Oklahoma
Claire Davidson, Duke
Jocelyn Erickson, Florida
Jenna Golembiewski, Miami-OH
Payton Gottshall, Tennessee
Kinzie Hansen, Oklahoma
Tiare Jennings, Oklahoma
Emiley Kennedy, Texas A&M
Lexi Kilfoyl, Oklahoma State
Kelly Maxwell, Oklahoma
Kiki Milloy, Tennessee
Jessica Mullins, Texas State
Jess Oakland, Minnesota
Korbe Otis, Florida
Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee
Kasey Ricard, Boston U.
Emma Ritter, Virginia Tech
Karli Spaid, Miami-OH
CC Wong, Wichita State
Jala Wright, Duke