The WCWS most excellent gamers, since 1982

NCAA Girls’s Faculty World Sequence historical past dates again to 1982, when UCLA earned its first of 12 nationwide championships.

The Most Excellent Participant award, which is given to one of the best particular person WCWS participant annually, was first offered in 1995. Since then, Oklahoma has amassed eight MOPs, probably the most by any group. Of the 32 MOPs, 24 have been pitchers, with 14 being seniors.

Beneath is a year-by-year historical past of the WCWS MOPs, compiled from the NCAA file guide.

Teagan Kavan, Texas | 2025

Teagan Kavan constructed on a promising 2024 freshman season the place she made the WCWS all-tournament group by main Texas to its first WCWS title in program historical past in 2025. Kavan allowed zero earned runs in a file 31.2 innings pitched all through the WCWS.

Kelly Maxwell, Oklahoma | 2024

Kelly Maxwell transferred from in-state rival Oklahoma State to Oklahoma previous to the 2024 season, after which closed out the Sooners’ fourth-straight title in reduction. Maxwell earned 4 wins along with a save within the championship clincher over 5 WCWS appearances.

Jordy Bahl, Oklahoma | 2023

Jordy Bahl did not enable a single run in 24.2 innings (5 appearances) through the 2023 Girls’s Faculty World Sequence. Bahl spinned a complete-game two-hit shutout in Sport 1 of the championship sequence in opposition to Florida State, after which the sophomore fired three hitless innings in Sport 2 reduction the subsequent evening to shut out the Sooners’ third-straight title win.

Jocelyn Alo, Oklahoma | 2022

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Jocelyn Alo celebrates a house run in Sport 1 of the 2022 WCWS championship.

Jocelyn Alo, the profession house run file holder, went 12 for 18 (.515) with 5 HRs and 13 RBI within the 2022 WCWS. The Oklahoma star and two-time USA Softball Participant of the Yr hit two house runs in Sport 1 of the 2022 WCWS championship sequence, then adopted by going 1-3 in Sport 2 with a run scored. Alo completed the 2022 championship sequence 4-6 with 3 RBIs. 

Giselle Juarez, Oklahoma | 2021

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Giselle Juarez pitched the primary two video games within the 2019 WCWS championship sequence, shedding Sport 1 and Sport 2 after permitting seven runs on 15 hits by means of 10.2 innings. Quick ahead two years later, Juarez pitched one of the best recreation of her profession to safe Oklahoma the 2021 nationwide championship. The redshirt senior allowed simply two hits and notched seven strikeouts within the Sport 3, 5-1 victory over Florida State.

All through the 2021 event, Juarez posted a 0.90 ERA, went 5-0 and dished out 38 strikeouts.

2021 IN REVIEW: Full protection of the 2021 WCWS

Rachel Garcia, UCLA | 2019

Rachel Garcia’s path to the 2019 WCWS finals pivoted through the June 2 semifinal recreation in opposition to No. 3 Washington. Ten innings of 16-strikeout, shutout ball got here to fruition in the mean time her bat launched a pitch over the fence. The walk-off, three-run house run despatched Garcia and the Bruins to the finals. She added one other house run in Sport 1 of the finals in opposition to No. 1 Oklahoma.

DREAM-WORTHY: Rachel Garcia tells the story of an emotional — however fairytale — 2019 season

She ended her WCWS profession with a 5-0 file, 1.75 ERA and 33 strikeouts. She hit .333 with two house runs, eight RBI and 5 walks.

Jessie Warren, Florida State | 2018

Tying a WCWS file of 13 hits, Florida State’s Jessie Warren had a .520 batting common, two doubles, two house runs, 4 RBI and 6 runs scored within the 2018 WCWS. She helped lead the Seminoles to their first WCWS Championship Sequence. Throughout Sport 1, Warren hit a pair of doubles, then preserved the 1-0 lead with a seventh-inning diving catch off a sac-bunt try. The acrobatic play capped ESPN SportCenter’s High Performs.

Warren batted 3-for-4 with a house run, two RBI and two runs scored in Sport 2. The 8-3 win over Washington gave FSU its first WCWS Championship.

Shay Knighten, Oklahoma | 2017

Shay Knighten got here in clutch numerous instances throughout Oklahoma’s 2017 title run. She hit .350 with eight RBI in Oklahoma Metropolis. Sport 1 of the finals noticed Knighten knock a go-ahead three-run house run within the seventeenth inning. Sport 2 adopted along with her go-ahead three-run double. 

MVP: Shay Knighten breaks down her largest Girls’s Faculty World Sequence moments

Knighten cruised to a career-best 12-game hitting streak by means of each recreation of the 2017 postseason.

Paige Parker, Oklahoma | 2016

As a sophomore, Parker led the nation in wins (38), positioned second in shutouts (14) and tenth in strikeouts (269). In that very same 12 months, Parker gained the 2016 WCWS MOP after pitching seven innings of one-run ball to beat Auburn for the championship.

Lauren Haeger, Florida | 2015

Lauren Haeger’s .571 batting common in Oklahoma Metropolis helped the Florida Gators to their first back-to-back nationwide championships. From the circle, Haeger dominated with 24 consecutive victories to begin the 2015 season. She ended the 12 months with a 32-2 file and 1.23 ERA and hit .347 with 19 homers and 71 RBI.

DINGERS: Faculty softball’s all-time house run leaders

Much more spectacular than her 2015 MOP honor — she joined Babe Ruth as the one DI softball, DI baseball or Main League Baseball gamers to succeed in 70 profession victories and 70 profession house runs.

Hannah Rogers, Florida | 2014

Hannah Rogers wanted solely 80 pitches to raise Florida over Alabama in Sport 1 of the 2014 WCWS finals. Her save in Sport 2 clinched Florida’s first WCWS title, ending her NCAA event profession with a 0.64 ERA.

Keilani Ricketts, Oklahoma | 2013

No. 1 seeds do not at all times attain the WCWS finals. However No. 1 Oklahoma, led by Keilani Ricketts, gained the championship in an exasperating battle with Tennessee. Sport 1 went 12 innings, ending on Lauren Chamberlain’s two-run walk-off house run. Ricketts then drove in all of Sport 2’s runs, together with her fiftieth profession house run, to clinch the 2013 championship and punctuate her career-best 21 recreation win streak.

WIN STREAKS: The longest successful streaks in NCAA DI softball historical past

Ricketts ended the 2013 season with a 1.10 ERA, 27-1 file and 6 no-hitters, a top-5 NCAA file for a single season.

Jackie Traina, Alabama | 2012

Jackie Traina threw each WCWS pitch for Alabama, even putting out 11 Solar Devils, the defending champions, to advance to the semifinals. The win positioned Traina in sole possession of Alabama’s single-season file for wins (42). 

In opposition to Cal within the semifinals, Traina threw a two-hitter and batted 2-for-3 with a house run. She went 2-for-4 with three RBI within the Sport 2 finals win over Oklahoma and drove within the series-winning run in Sport 3. Due to Traina, Alabama grew to become the primary SEC group to turn out to be WCWS champions.

Dallas Escobedo, Arizona State & Michelle Moultrie, Florida | 2011

Co-Most Excellent Gamers has solely been awarded as soon as. Arizona State’s Dallas Escobedo and Florida’s Michelle Moultrie secured the respect after duking it out within the championship sequence.

Escobedo hurled 35 innings, permitting 12 earned runs, 27 hits, 19 walks and putting out 38 batters throughout the 2011 postseason. She’s simply the second freshman to win the MOP, after Michigan’s Samantha Findlay.

Moultrie batted .542 in the identical span, going 13-for-24 with 4 house runs and 7 RBI. Escobedo and the Solar Devils ended up successful the 2011 WCWS title over Florida.

Megan Langenfeld, UCLA | 2010

UCLA couldn’t have clinched the 2010 WCWS title with out Megan Langenfeld. Her 12-for-17 (.706) efficiency was the second-best complete for one WCWS. Her 1.529 slugging share set a WCWS file. On the similar time, she went 3-0 within the circle with 17 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings of labor.

LEGENDARY: Megan Langenfeld broke down her record-breaking WCWS run

Langenfeld’s efficiency grew to become Bruins lore when she homered twice, one among which was a walk-off in extras, in Sport 1 of the WCWS finals. Add one other house run in Sport 2 and Langenfeld completed 6-for-8 with 5 RBI to seal the title. 

Danielle Lawrie, Washington | 2009

Danielle Lawrie used her bat and arm to turn out to be the 2009 MOP. She shut out seven of the top-10 groups within the NCAA event, together with No. 1 Florida in Sport 1 of the finals when she struck out 12 Gators. Together with pitching the Huskies to a 3-2 win over Florida in Sport 2, Lawrie went 2-for-3 with an RBI to safe the nationwide championship.

FROM THE SOURCE: Danielle Lawrie breaks down 3 of her largest WCWS moments

Katie Burkhart, Arizona State | 2008

Arizona State’s Katie Burkhard pitched back-to-back shutouts in opposition to Texas A&M within the championship sequence. Her 13 strikeouts in Sport 2 tied the file for many in a championship recreation and in the end led the Solar Devils to their first WCWS title. Burkhart completed her senior 12 months with a 0.75 ERA and 41-5 file. 

Taryne Mowatt, Arizona | 2007

Taryne Mowatt pitched eight full video games, tossed 60 innings and threw 1,035 pitches over the seven-day WCWS stretch in 2007 when she was the one Wildcat to pitch. Her powerful workload led to a number of WCWS information, together with victories (6), innings pitched (60), strikeouts (76) and full video games (8).

UNBELIEVABLE: 13 notable Girls’s Faculty World Sequence information

Should you suppose that is domination, examine what’s subsequent. Mowatt’s 0.47 ERA restricted opponents to a .163 batting common. Two ESPY Awards (voted by followers) for Finest Feminine Athlete and Finest Feminine Faculty Athlete shortly adopted her MOP honor.

Alicia Hollowell, Arizona | 2006

Alicia Hollowell began each semifinal video games in opposition to Tennessee and each finals video games in opposition to Northwestern. Via these 27 innings, Hollowell allowed one run over 15 hits — 9 of these in Sport 2 of the finals. She additionally struck out 45 batters in that span. Hollowell ended the 12 months with a 0.89 ERA, which oddly grew to become her second highest season ERA over her four-year profession.

Samantha Findlay, Michigan | 2005

Earlier than advancing to the championship sequence, Samantha Findlay went 2-for-3 with a two-RBI double within the 4-0 second spherical win over Texas. She then drove in all 4 runs in Sport 2 of the championship sequence, together with three RBI within the tenth inning to interrupt the tie and win the title, 4-1. Findlay slugged .725 with 17 RBI and a .400 common all through the NCAA event. She was the primary freshman and first baseman to earn the MOP honor. 

Kristin Schmidt, LSU | 2004

A 3-2 file throughout the WCWS does not precisely spell out an MOP-type efficiency. However by trying a bit deeper at Kristin Schmidt’s statistics, you may discover why she beat out many for the 2004 MOP award. She compiled a 1.72 ERA, permitting 10 runs, 36 hits and 10 walks over 40.2 innings. A sequence greatest 44 strikeouts over 4 full video games made Schmidt stand out from the remaining. Lastly, her 600 pitches and 4 full video games positioned her in prime place to turn out to be the primary MOP in historical past to not take part within the championship recreation.

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Keira Goerl, UCLA | 2003

Six full video games over 5 days — that is how Keira Goerl grew to become the 2003 WCWS MOP. Her 9-inning no-hitter through the WCWS championship recreation punctuated her impeccable postseason efficiency. It stays the one no-hitter in WCWS championship recreation historical past. In the course of the WCWS, she additionally broke the UCLA profession victories file with 130 wins — tenth all time in NCAA historical past. 

GOERL: How the one no-hitter in a WCWS championship recreation virtually ended

Jocelyn Forest, Cal | 2002

Finch and the Arizona Wildcats returned to the championship recreation in 2002, however Jocelyn Forest’s season couldn’t be matched. Her 4-0 WCWS file with a 0.50 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 28.0 innings made Cal unstoppable. She out-pitched Jennie Finch, permitting only one hit by means of seven innings. The 6-0 victory was Cal’s first ladies’s group title at school historical past. This is Forest’s 2002 season in a nutshell: 29-12 file and 1.11 ERA.

Jennie Finch, Arizona | 2001

UCLA’s Amanda Freed pitched the WCWS title recreation once more in 2001. She threw with higher precision within the circle, however Arizona’s Jennie Finch was only a tick higher, shutting out the Bruins, 1-0. Finch’s seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball included 7 strikeouts and, finally, a union with the 2001 WCWS championship trophy.

WILDCATS: We have decided Arizona’s all-time lineup

Jennifer Stewart, Oklahoma | 2000

Like many MOPs earlier than her, Jennifer Stewart was trusted with each pitch. She gained all 4 Oklahoma WCWS video games in 2000, giving up simply two runs in 23 innings.

SOONERS: Listed below are one of the best Oklahoma Sooners at every place

The championship recreation was a first-rate instance of her ability. Stewart confronted UCLA’s Amanda Freed in a pitcher’s duel. Each pitched seven innings, however Stewart allowed only one run on eight hits for the 3-1 win over the Bruins. It was the Sooners’ first nationwide championship.

Julie Adams, UCLA | 1999

Shoulder accidents have been a difficulty for Julie Adams. She redshirted through the 1998 season whereas recovering from shoulder surgical procedure. Her bounce again was closely felt throughout convention play in 1999, when she batted .341 with 4 house runs, 21 RBI and 5 doubles.

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Adams maintained her domination within the WCWS regardless of dislocating her left shoulder within the opening recreation in opposition to DePaul. Within the championship recreation in opposition to Washington, she went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Adams is only one of two third baseman to earn the MOP honor.

Amanda Scott, Fresno State | 1998

In a profession that included two nationwide ERA championships and 4 All-America honors, Amanda Scott put Fresno State on the softball map. Again-to-back reigning champion Arizona challenged Scott and the Bulldogs within the 1998 championship recreation. However her precision within the circle was the deciding issue. Scott pitched seven scoreless innings for the 1-0 victory — the primary WCWS title in Fresno State historical past. 

Nancy Evans, Arizona | 1997

Nancy Evans was one among Arizona’s 5 first-team All-Individuals from the 1997 season. She threw all 5 Arizona video games on the World Sequence, serving to lead the Wildcats to their fifth WCWS title and second back-to-back effort. Within the championship recreation, Evans went 1-for-3 with three RBI, a double and a stroll. Within the circle, she pitched 5 innings, permitting two runs and 5 hits.

Jenny Dalton, Arizona | 1996

There’s just one second baseman to win the WCWS Most Excellent Participant in historical past. Jenny Dalton has reserved that spot. As a senior, she grew to become the Pac-10’s first Triple Crown Winner by hitting .469, knocking 25 house runs and driving in 109 runners. Dalton led Arizona to its fourth WCWS title in 1996, going 1-for-2 with three RBI, a house run and two walks to shut out the championship recreation. Years later she instructed NCAA.com, “That house run within the first inning was really a miraculous mistake.”

“That house run within the first inning was really a miraculous mistake.” @JennyDaltonHill displays on the 1996 #WCWS, the place she led @ArizonaSoftball to a Nationwide Championship and was named event Most Excellent Participant. pic.twitter.com/DaHNvI5yb6

— NCAA Softball (@NCAAsoftball) Might 27, 2020

*Tanya Harding, UCLA | 1995

Hailing from Australia, Tanya Harding spent one season with UCLA, main all of them the best way to a title. She pitched and gained all 4 video games within the 1995 WCWS, posting a 0.75 ERA. She additionally batted .500 with six RBI. She left UCLA shortly after with a 17-1 profession file. 

*UCLA’s 1995 nationwide championship was later vacated by the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions