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Traverse City Central senior pitcher Piper Cavanaugh was named the 2025-26 Gatorade Michigan Softball Player of the Year on Friday, June 5.
Ranked No. 41 nationally by Softball America, Cavanaugh is a 5-foot-11 Oregon commit who has helped lead the Trojans to a 33-3 record and a chance to win a Division 1 regional title Saturday. Traverse City Central faces Saginaw Heritage in a regional semifinal at Mount Pleasant High School.
The right-hander is 19-0 with a 0.41 ERA, 244 strikeouts and four walks in 102 innings. At the plate, she's batting .593 with 51 RBIs, 57 runs, nine home runs and a .633 on-base percentage.
“Her presence changes matchups and strategy, and she’s the type of athlete opponents have to account for every inning,” Traverse City West coach Brandi Reynolds said in a statement. “She’s the kind of complete player you don’t see very often.”
Cavanaugh carries a 3.99 weighted GPA and volunteers as a student athletic trainer at her school and pitching instructor for a 12U travel softball team.
She becomes the 23rd player in the past 27 years to earn the award in Michigan. Gatorade honors one athlete from each state and Washington DC, in 12 sports, recognizing 610 athletes annually. The Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee chooses one national winner in each sport with input from coaches, scouts, media members and other experts.
2026 - Piper Cavanaugh, pitcher, Traverse City Central
2025 - Kaitlyn Pallozzi, pitcher/first baseman, Farmington Hills Mercy
2024 - Aubrey Jones, shortstop/pitcher, Gaylord
2023 - Reganne Bennett, pitcher/first baseman, Novi
2022 - Ava Bradshaw, pitcher, South Lyon
2021 - Kali Heivilin, shortstop, Three Rivers
2020 - Gabi Salo, pitcher, Escanaba
2019 - Lauren Esman, pitcher/outfielder/first baseman, Richland Gull Lake
2018 - Jenny Bressler, pitcher/infielder, Plymouth
2017 - Meghan Beaubien, pitcher, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central
2016 - Meghan Beaubien, pitcher, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central
2015 - Meghan Beaubien, pitcher, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central
2014 - Taylor Weaver, pitcher, Romeo
2013 - Alyssa Huntley, pitcher, Sterling Heights Stevenson
2012 - Briana Combs, pitcher, Livonia Ladywood
2011 - Sara Driesenga, pitcher/first baseman, Hudsonville
2010 - Sara Driesenga, pitcher/first baseman, Hudsonville
2009 - Sara Driesenga, pitcher/first baseman, Hudsonville
2008 - Jenna Ignowski, pitcher, Niles
2007 - Amanda Chidester, catcher, Allen Park Cabrini
2006 - Nicole Nemitz, pitcher/first baseman, Warren Regina
2005 - Jessie Granger, pitcher, Troy
2004 - Jessie Granger, pitcher, Troy
2003 - Jill DeRoache, pitcher/first baseman, Brighton
2002 - Ashley Smith, catcher, Portage Northern
2001 - Jessica Merchant, shortstop, Wayland Union
2000 - Jessica Beech, pitcher/shortstop, Okemos
1999 - Robyn Golden, shortstop, Belleville
Brandon Folsom covers high school sports in metro Detroit for Hometown Life and the Detroit Free Press. Follow him on his new X.com account at @folsomwrites.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Piper Cavanaugh named Gatorade Michigan Softball Player of the Year
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Ranked No. 41 nationally by Softball America, Cavanaugh is a 5-foot-11 Oregon commit who has helped lead the Trojans to a 33-3 record and a chance to win a Division 1 regional title Saturday. Traverse City Central faces Saginaw Heritage in a regional semifinal at Mount Pleasant High School.
The right-hander is 19-0 with a 0.41 ERA, 244 strikeouts and four walks in 102 innings. At the plate, she's batting .593 with 51 RBIs, 57 runs, nine home runs and a .633 on-base percentage.
“Her presence changes matchups and strategy, and she’s the type of athlete opponents have to account for every inning,” Traverse City West coach Brandi Reynolds said in a statement. “She’s the kind of complete player you don’t see very often.”
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Cavanaugh carries a 3.99 weighted GPA and volunteers as a student athletic trainer at her school and pitching instructor for a 12U travel softball team.
She becomes the 23rd player in the past 27 years to earn the award in Michigan. Gatorade honors one athlete from each state and Washington DC, in 12 sports, recognizing 610 athletes annually. The Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee chooses one national winner in each sport with input from coaches, scouts, media members and other experts.
Gatorade Michigan Softball Player of the Year winners since 1999
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2026 - Piper Cavanaugh, pitcher, Traverse City Central
2025 - Kaitlyn Pallozzi, pitcher/first baseman, Farmington Hills Mercy
2024 - Aubrey Jones, shortstop/pitcher, Gaylord
2023 - Reganne Bennett, pitcher/first baseman, Novi
2022 - Ava Bradshaw, pitcher, South Lyon
2021 - Kali Heivilin, shortstop, Three Rivers
2020 - Gabi Salo, pitcher, Escanaba
2019 - Lauren Esman, pitcher/outfielder/first baseman, Richland Gull Lake
2018 - Jenny Bressler, pitcher/infielder, Plymouth
2017 - Meghan Beaubien, pitcher, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central
2016 - Meghan Beaubien, pitcher, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central
2015 - Meghan Beaubien, pitcher, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central
2014 - Taylor Weaver, pitcher, Romeo
2013 - Alyssa Huntley, pitcher, Sterling Heights Stevenson
2012 - Briana Combs, pitcher, Livonia Ladywood
2011 - Sara Driesenga, pitcher/first baseman, Hudsonville
2010 - Sara Driesenga, pitcher/first baseman, Hudsonville
2009 - Sara Driesenga, pitcher/first baseman, Hudsonville
2008 - Jenna Ignowski, pitcher, Niles
2007 - Amanda Chidester, catcher, Allen Park Cabrini
2006 - Nicole Nemitz, pitcher/first baseman, Warren Regina
2005 - Jessie Granger, pitcher, Troy
2004 - Jessie Granger, pitcher, Troy
2003 - Jill DeRoache, pitcher/first baseman, Brighton
2002 - Ashley Smith, catcher, Portage Northern
2001 - Jessica Merchant, shortstop, Wayland Union
2000 - Jessica Beech, pitcher/shortstop, Okemos
1999 - Robyn Golden, shortstop, Belleville
Brandon Folsom covers high school sports in metro Detroit for Hometown Life and the Detroit Free Press. Follow him on his new X.com account at @folsomwrites.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Piper Cavanaugh named Gatorade Michigan Softball Player of the Year
Continue reading...
