If there is one thing UCF is really good at, it is softball. Head coach Cindy Bal-Malone has built up UCF's softball program in the six years she has been there. UCF softball has reached heights higher than ever before under Ball-Malone, otherwise known as "Bear," and she isn't done yet.
Ball-Malone has had a top recruiting class the past few seasons, building UCF's future programs with each class. This season in the Big 12 softball honors, UCF had five players named to some sort of All-Conference team, three of them being freshmen.
Junior shortstop Aubrey Evans and sophomore third baseman Sierra Humphreys were both named to the All-Big 12 Second Team. Freshmen Izza Mertes, Beth Damon, and Isabella Vega were all named to the All-Big 12 Freshman Team, with Vega earning the unanimous appointment.
This is the second year in a row UCF has landed five players on an All-Big 12 team, which means they have shown out well in their two seasons in the Big 12.
Freshman pitcher Isabella Vega is snubbed for both Big 12 Freshman of the Year and Big 12 Pitcher of the Year
Vega has by far been the best pitcher for the Knights this season in her first collegiate season. Vega is a redshirt freshman after choosing to sit out and learn in the 2024 season, and it clearly worked out in her favor.
The redshirt freshman has put together a record season with a 0.89 ERA, the best in the Big 12, and even beat out the previous record of a 1.05 ERA in the Big 12 by Nijaree Canady. Vega allowed two or fewer runs in her final 11 appearances in conference play and ended the regular season on a 22.2-inning scoreless streak.
Vega was a serious contender for both Big 12 Freshman of the Year and Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, but was snubbed in both awards by the conference, even with the best ERA in the conference.