All-American Girl: Maddie Penta reflects on historic campaign

How do you accomplish something that’s never been done before? There’s no blueprint, no step-by-step instructions, no path to follow. You dig deep within yourself and forge your own path. It’s not easy, but it seems that way for Auburn softball’s senior ace Maddie Penta as she continues to shatter records and leave her mark on the sport.

“I think the motivation comes within myself,” Penta said. “There are always opportunities to do more, to be more. Why not keep pushing myself further? When you reach a spot where you feel like there is nothing more you can do, that’s when people tend to stay the same. It’s important to keep pushing yourself. I remind myself of that every day.” 

Penta turned in one of the most prolific pitching performances in school history during her junior campaign, helping Auburn to its most overall wins and its highest Southeastern Conference finish since the 2017 season. Among her many highlights during the 2023 season, she became just the second player in program history to record 300 strikeouts in a season, tied record for wins in a season and posted the lowest earned run average ever by a Tiger in SEC play. Her efforts were rewarded with Auburn’s first SEC Pitcher of the Year selection. The icing on the cake, Penta became the only pitcher in program history to earn first team All-America honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

“Ever since I was little, I dreamed about being an All-American,” she said of the accomplishment. “It brought me a great sense of pride. I have my coaches to thank for that. I have my teammates to thank for that. I have everyone that’s involved in the athletics program to thank for that. They all help to keep pushing me further to show me what I am capable of. I had no idea even in my sophomore year on what an All-American does, but I guess I found out just by doing what I did last year.”

She’s Maddie Penta. 😏

And she’s an All-American. 🇺🇸#WarEagle pic.twitter.com/Sqi9uFuP2q

— Auburn Softball (@AuburnSoftball) June 2, 2023

She remembers exactly where she was when she found out she won both major awards, and she’ll be the first to tell you that they were a little anticlimactic. The first was in her hotel room in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the morning of the SEC Tournament Semifinals. With a later start, Penta was still in bed when her roommate on the trip, catcher Aspyn Godwin, tapped on her the shoulder to break the news that she was named the league’s top pitcher. 

“I’m half asleep,” Penta recalled. “I mumble ‘woah, that’s super cool’ and went back to sleep. When I got up later and actually woke up, it hit me. When we got to the field, I had this great sense of pride. It was awesome.” 

Her All-American status was discovered on an Instagram story. Back home in Chesapeake City, Maryland, Penta was in the car with her mother to help coach her younger sister, Skylar, and her little league team in their playoff game when she stumbled upon the news. 

While the pride and meaning behind her awards, records and stats aren’t lost on Penta, ever the competitor, her attention is on the 2024 season, what is next for her and what she can do to top her junior season performance. Her eyes are set on a repeat All-America performance with a personal goal of finishing as a top-three finalist for USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year. 

That journey starts in the offseason. Resting her shoulder during the team’s fall season, Penta is poised to come into her senior campaign stronger and better than ever.

“Taking this time off in the fall is going to be good for me,” Penta said. “Giving my shoulder a break and being fresh in the spring is going to help with my longevity as well as possibly my pitch speed. My shoulder is a lot stronger than it would be normally because I’ve gone through so much rehab and physical therapy. I’m continuing to work on new pitches and my consistency. Those things will help me elevate my game.” 

Added rest is not the only thing that will make her upcoming senior season special. The 2024 campaign will give Penta a chance to share the field with her younger sister, Mariah, an infielder who is entering her freshman season. It marks the first time the two sisters have shared the field since travel ball.

“Getting to see her grow and get her chance out there on the field is going to be really special,” the older Penta remarked. “Now that I’m a senior, I’ve set the stage for the newcomers. My parents are going to be able to be around more. I don’t get to see them very often, and it’s always special when they visit.” 

While she may be over 840 miles from home, Penta has created a family on The Plains. It’s one that she cherishes and knows will have her back no matter what. That is why wearing Auburn across her chest and representing the program at the highest level matters so much to Penta.

“Representing Auburn means everything. I love this school so much. It’s given me amazing experiences. It’s given me a family that has my best interest no matter what. Believe it or not, throughout high school, I did not have a lot of those people outside of my blood family. Now, I have these people that will do anything for me and are setting me up to be successful in the future. That’s the best kind of love you can get.” 

While her days in an Auburn uniform are winding down, Penta’s not looking too far ahead. She doesn’t want to add any more pressure to her senior campaign. It’s just another year to play the sport that she loves. She does have her eyes set on playing professionally in Japan following her collegiate career, but she has something left to prove in the Orange and Blue first. 

Her lists of accolades and accomplishments are staggering. Her career stat line will be one of the best produced by a Tiger in the circle by the end of the 2024 season. The name Maddie Penta will be a staple in the record book for decades to come. She has cemented herself as one of the best Auburn softball has to offer, but how she wants to be remembered – her legacy – has nothing to do with the records set or trophies won. 

“I’d love for my legacy to be that I was a fierce competitor. Someone that worked not only until the job was done, but past that to bring everybody else up and to challenge myself to be the best person and athlete I can be. I want to be known as a person who truly loves softball. I know it’s so cheesy, but I’m not over it. It’s a great sport that brings me so much joy. Being portrayed to young girls and my teammates as someone who loved softball till my last day on the field is how I want to be remembered.”