Tennessee announces addition of Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year
Tennessee announces addition of Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year
Tennessee softball will play in its ninth College World Series all time in 2025. The Lady Vols will open World Series play against Oklahoma on Thursday in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. EDT and will be televised by ESPN.
Ahead of Thursday's opening game, Tennessee announced the addition of Eastern Kentucky transfer Maddi Rutan.
"We are excited to welcome Maddi to the Lady Vol Softball family," Tennessee head coach Karen Weekly said. "She is incredibly versatile and has had success on both sides of the ball at the college level. Maddi brings toughness and a competitive fire to the field every day. She is a great fit for our culture."
During her sophomore 2025 season at Eastern Kentucky, the 5-foot-5 pitcher appeared in 33 games, including 28 starts, as a pitcher. She recorded a 2.91 ERA and 227 strikeouts in 176.0 innings.
Rutan also appeared in 54 games, including 54 starts, offensively for the Colonels. She recorded a .413 batting average, 13 home runs, 61 RBIs, 44 runs and five stolen bases in 2025.
Rutan earned 2024 Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors.
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