Softball is a direct descendent of baseball, with two major differences: the ball is bigger, and the pitches are thrown underhand instead of overhand. The diamond used for softball games is significantly smaller than that used for baseball games.
Throughout the history of sports, there have been great athletes, then even greater ones, and finally, the greatest of the best. Since its inception, softball has produced many outstanding players who have left permanent marks on the game. Including the game in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics only adds to the rising attention and popularity of the sport. About a thousand colleges across North America are members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, a non-profit that oversees collegiate athletics.
These are the top softball pitchers in terms of speed in the current NCAA.
8. Melissa Paz
Speed/ERA: 1.15
Position: Utility Player
Team: Morgan State
Career Highlight/Award: –
photo source: The MSU Spokesman
Melissa Paz, born on May 22, 2001, is most commonly referred to by her nickname, “Mel.” She is pursuing a degree in business administration as her major. Paz was one of the pillars of the Morgan State pitching staff, which led to the team’s regular-season championship. She is presently tenth in the nation among qualifying pitchers in ERA (1.15).
Paz allowed only 10 earned runs but was not a regular starting pitcher.
Did You Know:
The Lady Bears defeated the North Carolina Central Eagles thanks to a three-run home run by senior Melissa Paz in the third inning, which gave the team a 3-2 lead.
7. Kamryn Meyer
Speed/ERA: 1.13 Position: Starting Pitcher/Relief Pitcher Team: Omaha Career Highlight/Award: Summit League Athlete of the Month
photo source: UNO Gateway
In 2022, Kamryn Meyer produced impressive stats for UNO. In the season opener, she struck out six Huskers and issued eight free passes, resulting in a 6-1 defeat. The following day, she struck out nine batters and walked nine but still beat Drake 3-2 with a six-hitter.
After the first weekend, Meyer has allowed six runs, 18 hits, 24 walks, and 85 strikeouts in 48 innings in nine appearances. She has thrown five scoreless innings, including one no-hitter and two one-hitters. Meyer was the best pitcher for UNO in 2021 when she finished 10-8 with a 3.0 ERA and threw a no-hitter in the Summit Tournament.
Did You Know:
Kamryn Meyer established the school record for most strikeouts in a single game with 18, only to surpass it one week later with 19.
6. Jordyn Bahl
Speed/ERA: 1.09 Position: Starting Pitcher/Relief Pitcher Team: Oklahoma Career Highlight/Award: 2022 NFCA National Freshman of the Year
photo source: Softball America
On February 10, 2022, Jordyn Bahl made her college debut for Oklahoma against UC Santa Barbara. In 2+23 innings, she struck out four of the eight opponents she faced.
In the Women’s College World Series championship game on June 9, Bahl allowed four hits, two runs, three walks, and two strikeouts in four innings while winning. After an amazing season, she was awarded Big 12 Rookie of the Year, Co-Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, and unanimously selected to the Big 12’s first team.
Did You Know:
Jordyn Bahl was injured during pregame warm-ups for the regular season finale versus Oklahoma State. Due to arm pain, she did not pitch in the 2022 Big 12 Conference softball tournament.
5. Regan Spencer
Speed/ERA: 1.07 Position: Starting Pitcher/Relief Pitcher Team: Clemson Career Highlight/Award: 2019 Dispatch Player of the Year
photo source: The Clemson Insider
Regan Spencer began her academic career at Clemson University as a first-year student in the fall of 2020. She was born on March 2, 2002. She has nine appearances in relief for the squad in 2021, which leads the team.
She threw a full game shutout at Louisville (March 20) while recording a season-high eight strikeouts, which was also the game in which she got her first save of her career, which occurred in game No. 1 at Syracuse (May 8).
Throughout her 59 innings of work, Spencer has shown herself one of the most consistent pitchers for the Tigers. The opposition is batting just.209 against Spencer, a sophomore right-hander, giving him the highest earned run average on the club (1.07).
In the final game of the regular season for Clemson, which was played against Georgia Tech, Spencer took a perfect game into the fifth inning when a leadoff walk ignited a two-run inning for the Yellow Jackets, which tied the game. Spencer ultimately lost the game. Spencer ended the period, which paved the way for a walk-off triumph for the Tigers in the extra innings.
Did You Know:
Regan Spencer is a member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll and is presently majoring in Health Science.
4. Kya Matter
Speed/ERA: 1.01 Position: Starting Pitcher Team: University of Maryland-Baltimore County Career Highlight/Award: America East Pitcher and Rookie of the Week
photo source: UMBC Athletics
Kya Matter decided to attend UMBC rather than Harvard, Radford, Michigan, or Penn State after being impressed with the sense of community on the UMBC campus. She also enjoyed getting to know the other members of the team.
In addition, Matter wanted a solid education, and UMBC provided that opportunity for her. Matter, who is 5 feet, 5 inches tall, and throws right-handed, has a record of 111 innings thrown with an earned run average of 1.01 while striking out 177 hitters. Her opponents scored 152 points against her.
Matter has already begun accumulating new trophies for her own private display case. In 2022, she was honored with the Rookie of the Year title from the America East and six Rookie of the Week accolades, honors on the All-Rookie Team and second All-America East team, as well as honors from the ECAC.
Did You Know:
Kya Matter is considering majoring in biology to pursue a job as a chiropractor.
3. Courtney Coppersmith
Speed/ERA: 0.78 Position: Starting Pitcher/Relief Pitcher Team: University of Maryland-Baltimore County Career Highlight/Award: America East Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year
photo source: UMBC Athletics
Courtney Coppersmith has been the most successful player on the softball field at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. No one else has come close. Her career includes two flawless games, and as a result, the America East Conference honored her as the conference’s Female Athlete of the Year for all sports.
A native of York County, Pennsylvania, the three-time winner of the America East pitcher of the year award helped guide the UMBC Retrievers to consecutive berths in the NCAA tournament. There is also the one occasion on which she completely outperformed practically every other pitcher in the annals of baseball history.
Coppersmith concluded her 2022 campaign ranked top in the nation with 13.2 strikeouts per seven innings, and she was ranked third in the nation in terms of her earned run average (0.78). She finished her career with a 1.30 ERA, 896 strikeouts in 542.1 innings pitched, seven no-hitters, and two perfect games. Her career strikeout total was 896.
She had 105 hits and 26 doubles during her career, with 105 hits and a batting average of 318.
Did You Know:
Courtney Coppersmith has made efforts to raise awareness about the mental health requirements of athletes, in addition to her accomplishments in the academic and athletic realms.
2. Hope Trautwein
Speed/ERA: 0.77 Position: Starting Pitcher Team: Oklahoma Career Highlight/Award: 2022 Women’s College World Series champion 
photo source: UNT Athletics
Hope Trautwein is a current Oklahoma Sooners player. She previously played at North Texas, where she pitched the only perfect game in the history of NCAA Division I in which every out was a strikeout. In 2018, Trautwein began her college career in North Texas. During her collegiate debut on February 9, 2018, she earned five strikeouts in four and two-thirds innings while allowing two runs.
On April 11, 2021, during a game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, she pitched the first perfect game in NCAA Division I history by striking out all 21 batters. This was the first perfect game in the history of the North Texas baseball program and the second in Conference USA history.
Trautwein announced her transfer to Oklahoma on June 18, 2021. On February 10, 2022, Trautwein debuted for Oklahoma versus UC Santa Barbara. She struck out three of the three batters she faced in two innings. The former North Texas and Oklahoma standout joined the professional women’s softball league, the USSSA Pride of Women’s Professional Fastpitch, in 2022.
Did You Know:
Hope Trautwein was recognized as the Co-Pitcher of the Week for Conference USA for the week that ended on February 24, 2020.
1. Georgina Corrick
Speed/ERA: 0.51 Position: Starting Pitcher/Relief Pitcher Team: South Florida Career Highlight/Award: 2022 NFCA National Pitcher of the Year
photo source: USF Athletics
With a 0.51 ERA, Georgina Corrick is now the NCAA’s quickest pitcher. Corrick graduated from USF in 2021 with a marine biology and conservation science degree. She was chosen to the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team each year, she attended the university for four honors.
She participated in 39 games as a senior in 2021, with 33 starts, 28 complete games, 15 shutouts, three saves, and 333 strikeouts in 228+1/3 innings. Her 15 shutouts led the country and set a USF program record for a single season.
Georgina has been a GB Women’s Softball Program member since 2015. In 2016, she led the GB Under-19 Women to the first-ever European fastpitch gold medal in GB history, a 1-0 victory over Italy in the final. She was voted AAC Pitcher of the Year and NFCA third-team All-American after an exceptional season.
She completed her career with 39 USF and AAC marks, including career strikeouts (1,302), innings pitched (977 + 33), complete games (102), shutouts (55), games started (141), and career victories (113).
Corrick was the third overall pick in the Athletes Unlimited Softball draft of 2022. With 1,308 points, she finished sixth in the inaugural AUX Softball competition.
Did You Know:
Georgina Corrick is currently pursuing a master’s degree in global sustainability in addition to her athletic career.