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Maya McPherson POW Graphic

Softball Greg Hartlage, Director of Media Relations

Maya McPherson Named SoCon Softball Player of the Week

Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina sophomore third baseman Maya McPherson was named the Southern Conference Softball Player of the Week on Monday afternoon. The second-year corner infielder tallied three multi-hit games as part of a WCU's perfect 5-0 record at the home-opening Catamount Classic.

Weekly selections are made and announced by the SoCon office from nominations submitted by the communications or media relations personnel at each institution

McPherson is the first Catamount to garner SoCon Player of the Week honors since April 8, 2024, when Sydney Dirks and Tessa Juett swept the weekly awards from the league.


A native of Lancaster, Calif., McPherson posted one of her best collegiate weeks, finishing 10-for-22 (.455) with two doubles and a home run with three runs scored. She also finished with a team-high 16 RBIs, tied for the national lead with 16 runs knocked in over the course of the past week.

McPherson's busy week started with a two-run single to open Wednesday's midweek setback against Georgia State. She began the Catamount Classic with a bang, tallying a two-run single in the opening frame against N.C. A&T as part of a Catamount five-run first. She later connected on a game-ending grand slam in the fifth to push WCU to the 11-0 run-ruled win.

McPherson's six RBIs against the Aggies were the most by a Catamount hitter since Bailey Huneycutt had six in 2022 against Mercer. She's now one of six WCU student-athletes to have a game with 6 or more RBIs in the 20-year softball program history.

McPherson continued her torrid pace throughout the week with an RBI single and RBI double in Friday night's action against Rhode Island as part of the second shutout win of the day for Western Carolina.

After adding a sacrifice fly in Saturday's 8-2 win over Presbyterian, she wasted no time with a two-run single against URI to start the scoring in a 10-run first inning that saw 16 Catamounts step to the plate. In McPherson's second trip to the dish in the opening frame, she added another RBI single to the scoring barrage.

She capped her weekend with an RBI infield single and RBI groundout in the tournament finale against A&T, which saw WCU post its third shutout of the weekend and finish a perfect 5-0 tournament.

McPherson was one of four Catamounts to record a batting average over .455 as WCU totaled 58 hits including 14 extra base hits with nine doubles and five homers for a .529 slugging percentage. WCU scored 46 runs led by McPherson's 16 RBIs. Junior Rylee Butler (.526) led the Catamounts followed by sophomore Lily Bell (.471) and Mattie Mentel at (.462).

McPherson and the Catamounts begin a seven-game road swing with a trip to Clinton, S.C., to battle Presbyterian at the on-campus PC Softball Complex. WCU and PC square off in a twin bill beginning at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4. Both games will have live stats available on CatamountSports.com (Game One) | (Game Two).

Keep track of everything related to Catamount softball and WCU Athletics through social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountSB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountsb), or go to www.CatamountSports.com.
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Players Mentioned

Lily Bell

#3 Lily Bell

INF
5' 4"
Sophomore
L/R
Sydney Dirks

#77 Sydney Dirks

INF
5' 6"
Sophomore
R/R
Tessa Juett

#1 Tessa Juett

P
5' 6"
Senior
L/L
Maya McPherson

#66 Maya McPherson

INF
5' 9"
Sophomore
R/R
Mattie Mentel

#14 Mattie Mentel

C/OF
5' 6"
Senior
R/R
Rylee Butler

#5 Rylee Butler

OF
5' 7"
Junior
L/R

Players Mentioned

Lily Bell

#3 Lily Bell

5' 4"
Sophomore
L/R
INF
Sydney Dirks

#77 Sydney Dirks

5' 6"
Sophomore
R/R
INF
Tessa Juett

#1 Tessa Juett

5' 6"
Senior
L/L
P
Maya McPherson

#66 Maya McPherson

5' 9"
Sophomore
R/R
INF
Mattie Mentel

#14 Mattie Mentel

5' 6"
Senior
R/R
C/OF
Rylee Butler

#5 Rylee Butler

5' 7"
Junior
L/R
OF