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Caroline Stanton is having quite a year.
In the fall, Stanton led Buford High School (GA) to her third state championship in her prep career. In January, she graduated and was an early enrollee at Florida, where she redshirted her freshman season.
She was also a key player on USA Softball’s Women’s Junior National Team that won the gold medal at the 2025 World Baseball Softball Confederation U-18 World Cup. Stanton earned Tournament Defensive MVP honors.
To celebrate all of her achievements, on Tuesday, June 9, Stanton learned from her favorite player — and travel ball coach — Cat Osterman ahead of a ceremony that morning at her high school that she is the 2025-26 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year.
REQUIRED READING: Who is Caroline Stanton? The story behind UF softball's newest pitcher
"It means everything," Stanton told USA TODAY Sports. "I think it's such an honor and I am just super thankful."
Stanton entered a doorway at Buford High School on Tuesday and was immediately greeted by Osterman, walking toward her with a trophy. Osterman congratulated Stanton on being the Gatorade Softball Player of the Year before her teammates mobbed her as she held the trophy.
"I was superjoyed," Stanton said. "I saw all of my favorite people that I love and it was just so surreal."
Osterman said the Gatorade reps told her that the winner of this year's award said she was her favorite player. Based on their previous connection, when Osterman knew where she was traveling to, she knew who the winner was.
Osterman coached Stanton's travel ball team, where the two forged a connection. So, it meant a lot that Osterman, who won the award herself in 2000-01, had the opportunity to present the award to Stanton.
"I said I'd be there in a heartbeat," Osterman told USA TODAY Sports.
Osterman, who was a three-time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year during her softball career at Texas, winning Big 12 Pitcher of the Year honors four times, had the honor of presenting the award to Stanton.
After college, she was the No. 1 overall pick in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) draft in 2006. She was a four-time champion, a two-time NPF Pitcher of the Year and the 2009 NPF Championship Series MVP as a professional.
"I think just being able to have her as a coach but also as a person off the field," Stanton said. "She's probably my favorite person and my favorite player, because she's the most incredible person and coach I've ever had."
The 6-foot right-handed pitcher led the Wolves to a perfect 36-0 record during her senior season, which culminated in a state championship, the third of her career. Stanton finished with a 14-0 record with a 0.35 ERA in 81 innings, with 11 shutouts, three no-hitters and a WHIP of 0.49.
“Caroline Stanton’s resume is exceptional from every angle,” Prep Softball National Analyst Kayla Lombardo said. “She was utterly dominant in the circle from the high school level all the way through the international ranks. When you combine her elite performance, championship impact and success against the highest levels of competition, she’s clearly a stellar choice for the Gatorade National Player of the Year award.”
In the state semifinals, Stanton struck out 20 of the 21 hitters she faced, throwing a perfect game in the process. The 20 strikeouts are a school record for Buford.
At the plate, Stanton finished with a .329 batting average with eight home runs and 38 RBI, producing a .740 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.157.
"You look at the talent of Caroline, that's obvious and how she plays," Osterman said. "There's an aspect of her that always continues to get better. There aren't a lot of athletes who get to play for a state championship every single year of high school and come out wanting to figure out how to get better."
After winning three state championships and losing just four games during her prep career, Stanton was ranked as the nation’s No. 1 prospect in her class by both Prep Softball and Softball America.
That culminated with her joining Florida in January, just months after winning the state title in October.
While she redshirted, she had the opportunity to be with the team for the NCAA Regional and Super Regional rounds.
"It's been an awesome year," Stanton said. "I've got to experience a lot of super cool things. I am just really thankful."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gatorade announces 2025-26 National Baseball Player of the Year
Continue reading...
In the fall, Stanton led Buford High School (GA) to her third state championship in her prep career. In January, she graduated and was an early enrollee at Florida, where she redshirted her freshman season.
She was also a key player on USA Softball’s Women’s Junior National Team that won the gold medal at the 2025 World Baseball Softball Confederation U-18 World Cup. Stanton earned Tournament Defensive MVP honors.
To celebrate all of her achievements, on Tuesday, June 9, Stanton learned from her favorite player — and travel ball coach — Cat Osterman ahead of a ceremony that morning at her high school that she is the 2025-26 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year.
REQUIRED READING: Who is Caroline Stanton? The story behind UF softball's newest pitcher
"It means everything," Stanton told USA TODAY Sports. "I think it's such an honor and I am just super thankful."
Cat Osterman presents Gatorade Player of Year award to Caroline Stanton
Stanton entered a doorway at Buford High School on Tuesday and was immediately greeted by Osterman, walking toward her with a trophy. Osterman congratulated Stanton on being the Gatorade Softball Player of the Year before her teammates mobbed her as she held the trophy.
"I was superjoyed," Stanton said. "I saw all of my favorite people that I love and it was just so surreal."
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Osterman said the Gatorade reps told her that the winner of this year's award said she was her favorite player. Based on their previous connection, when Osterman knew where she was traveling to, she knew who the winner was.
Osterman coached Stanton's travel ball team, where the two forged a connection. So, it meant a lot that Osterman, who won the award herself in 2000-01, had the opportunity to present the award to Stanton.
"I said I'd be there in a heartbeat," Osterman told USA TODAY Sports.
Osterman, who was a three-time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year during her softball career at Texas, winning Big 12 Pitcher of the Year honors four times, had the honor of presenting the award to Stanton.
After college, she was the No. 1 overall pick in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) draft in 2006. She was a four-time champion, a two-time NPF Pitcher of the Year and the 2009 NPF Championship Series MVP as a professional.
"I think just being able to have her as a coach but also as a person off the field," Stanton said. "She's probably my favorite person and my favorite player, because she's the most incredible person and coach I've ever had."
Caroline Stanton leads Buford to state title, enrolls at Florida
The 6-foot right-handed pitcher led the Wolves to a perfect 36-0 record during her senior season, which culminated in a state championship, the third of her career. Stanton finished with a 14-0 record with a 0.35 ERA in 81 innings, with 11 shutouts, three no-hitters and a WHIP of 0.49.
“Caroline Stanton’s resume is exceptional from every angle,” Prep Softball National Analyst Kayla Lombardo said. “She was utterly dominant in the circle from the high school level all the way through the international ranks. When you combine her elite performance, championship impact and success against the highest levels of competition, she’s clearly a stellar choice for the Gatorade National Player of the Year award.”
In the state semifinals, Stanton struck out 20 of the 21 hitters she faced, throwing a perfect game in the process. The 20 strikeouts are a school record for Buford.
At the plate, Stanton finished with a .329 batting average with eight home runs and 38 RBI, producing a .740 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.157.
"You look at the talent of Caroline, that's obvious and how she plays," Osterman said. "There's an aspect of her that always continues to get better. There aren't a lot of athletes who get to play for a state championship every single year of high school and come out wanting to figure out how to get better."
After winning three state championships and losing just four games during her prep career, Stanton was ranked as the nation’s No. 1 prospect in her class by both Prep Softball and Softball America.
That culminated with her joining Florida in January, just months after winning the state title in October.
While she redshirted, she had the opportunity to be with the team for the NCAA Regional and Super Regional rounds.
"It's been an awesome year," Stanton said. "I've got to experience a lot of super cool things. I am just really thankful."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gatorade announces 2025-26 National Baseball Player of the Year
Continue reading...
