LSU commit named MaxPreps National Player of the Year after leading Patriots to Florida's Class 6A state championship.
Jayden Heavener of
Pace struck out 16 batters and blasted a two-run home run in Florida's Class 6A state championship game, cementing a 2-0 victory and 2024 MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors.
Heavener finished her career with a 70-9 mark in the circle, a 0.67 ERA in 502 innings, 1,174 strikeouts, 27 no-hitters and four perfect games. Both of Pace's losses this season came to national champion
Orange Beach (Ala.) but the LSU signee still mowed down 26 batters in those contests.
The 2024 MaxPreps All-America Team features 85 players in addition to Heavener. Selections are based on a combination of factors, including statistics provided to MaxPreps, individual performance and team impact and success.
Past MaxPreps National Players of the Year2010 — Kasey Fagan,
Dunnellon (Fla.)2011 — Paige McDuffee,
The Woodlands (Texas)2012 — Kenzie Conrad,
Keystone (La Grange, Ohio)2013 — Casey Stangel,
Lake City (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)2014 — Johanna Grauer,
Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.)2015 — Tannon Snow,
Chino Hills (Calif.)2016 — Caroline Hedgecock,
Downers Grove South (Downers Grove, Ill.)2017 — Taylor Dockins,
Norco (Calif.)2018 — Montana Fouts,
East Carter (Grayson, Ky.)2019 — Sydney Supple,
Oshkosh North (Oshkosh, Wis.)2020 — No selection due to pandemic
2021 — Jordyn Bahl,
Papillion-LaVista (Papillion, Neb.) / Sophia Simpson,
Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas)2022 — Keagan Rothrock,
Roncalli (Indianapolis, Ind.)2023 — Ava Brown,
Lake Creek (Montgomery, Texas)
First Team
Headed to: Boise State
Led the only team in California to finish undefeated in 2024 with a 30-0 mark. She was nearly flawless on the rubber with a 25-0 record, 0.73 ERA and 192 strikeouts. As a lefty hitter, she did damage at the plate, batting .520 with 51 total hits.
Headed to: South Carolina
Bennett was about as dominant as a player could be for a team that finished 30-0 and won back-to-back state titles. She finished with a 0.16 ERA while opponents batted just .079 against her in 89 innings of work. Also the team's best bat, Bennett smacked 13 home runs and drove in 41 RBI.
Kaniya Bragg, Sr., Pacifica (Garden Grove, Calif.)Headed to: UCLA
Three-sport star was one of the most feared bats in the the extremely competitive Southern Section. The shortstop capped her career by blasting a bomb in the Division 1 title game.
Payton Burnham, Sr., Sheldon (Eugene, Ore.)Headed to: Arkansas
Helped the Irish win a second-straight state championship by tossing a no-hitter in the title game. Burnham struck out 328 hitters this season and also hit 17 bombs at the dish.
Carsyn Cassady, Sr., Watkins Memorial (Pataskala, Ohio)Headed to: Michigan State
Wrapped up her career with a 102-6 record in the circle. The senior's 331 strikeouts in 2024 pushed her over the 1,000 mark overall.
Caigan Crabtree, Jr., Melissa (Texas)Headed to: Texas
One of the toughest outs in the entire country. She finished the spring with 21 home runs, a .623 OBP, 61 RBI and scored 57 runs.
Ella Cunningham, Sr., Silverdale Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Headed to: Michigan State
Led the state with 368 punch outs. Her ERA at the end of the season was 0.58 after pitching in 192 innings. She was also third in the state with 17 home runs.
Kaylee Favors, Jr., Orange Beach (Ala.)
Headed to: South Carolina
The ace for the top-ranked team in the country. The junior finished 21-1 on the rubber with a 0.77 ERA and 197 strikeouts.
Milana Fiordalisi, Sr., St. Anthony's (Melville, N.Y.)
Headed to: Cornell
Helped the Friars go undefeated (25-0) and win their third consecutive CHSAA title. She was nearly flawless this season with 208 strikeouts and 0.55 ERA in 124 innings of work.
Addisen Fisher, Sr., Bend (Ore.)
Headed to: UCLA
Showed why she is considered one of the top overall players in the Class of 2024 by mowing down 259 batters. The powerful right-handed ace held opponents to a 0.92 batting average.
Jasmine Francik, Sr., Melbourne (Fla.)
Headed to: Florida State
Will go down as one of the top pitchers in Florida history. She wrapped up her senior season with 399 strikeouts, a 0.20 ERA, and a 26-1 record in the circle.
Jolie Hays, Sr., Northwest Rankin (Brandon, Miss.)
Headed to: Southern Mississippi
Will go down as one of the top prep players from the state of Mississippi. Guided her team to a perfect 34-0 record and a second-straight state title. Hays led the team in batting average and had a 0.86 ERA in 113 innings of work.
Ava Hodo, So., Orange Beach (Ala.)
Headed to: Undecided
The powerful catcher and corner infielder hit 12 bombs, drove in 63 runs and finished with a .488 average for the top-ranked team in the country.
Aubrey Jones, Jr., Gaylord (Mich.)
Headed to: Oklahoma State
Had a season most could only dream of, batting .444 and leading the nation with 26 home runs and 84 RBI. In the circle she was just as dominant, going 15-0 and striking out 122 batters in 81 innings of work.
Abbey Lane, Sr., Woodgrove (Purcellville, Va.)
Headed to: George Mason
Finished with a 24-0 record, 0.15 ERA and 297 strikeouts. She also hit .457, helping the Wolverines go 26-0.
Hailey Maestretti, Sr. Lutheran (Parker, Colo.)
Headed to: Utah
The lefty wrapped up her illustrious career in the fall with a 72-2 overall record, 0.96 ERA and 702 strikeouts. Also batted .475 with 23 jacks.
Karly Meredith, Jr., Kaukauna (Wis.)
Headed to: Undecided
The junior struck out over 300 batters this spring, tossed 20 shutouts and was also the team's biggest threat at the plate. She helped her team win 108-straight games before falling in the state semifinals.
Gabi Novickas, Jr., Marist (Chicago)
Headed to: Georgia
Smashed 19 home runs even though she was walked 20 times. The junior drove in 61 runs and finished with a .554 on-base percentage.
Katelynn Oxley, Sr., Bartow (Fla.)
Headed to: Florida
Struck out over 1,000 batters during her illustrious career. Opponents never hit over .100 and she finished each season with a sub-1.00 ERA.
Shelby McKenzie, Sr., Pace (Fla.)
Headed to: Florida State
Hit 47 career long balls and had one of the top bats in the country. She wrapped up her senior season with a .617 batting average, 49 RBI and a .697 OBP.
Sara Phillips, Sr., Hewitt-Trussville (Trussville, Ala.)
Headed to: Mississippi State
Two-time Alabama Player of the Year struck out 50 batters in 32 innings of work during the postseason, allowing just one earned run. She pitched a gem in the state title game, which included nine shutout innings in a 1-0 win over Daphne.
Kailey Plumlee, Jr., Gordonsville (Tenn.)
Headed to: Tennessee
Plumlee was a dual threat every time she stepped on the field. She was a beast in the circle striking out 359 batters and brought that same fear at the plate, smashing 22 home runs and batting .551.
Lauren Putz, Sr., Xavier College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Headed to: Michigan
The utility player finished her senior season with an incredible .802 on-base percentage. She somehow managed to hit 18 home runs even though she was walked 59 times in 102 plate appearances.
Yanina Sherwood, Sr., Jackson (Mill Creek, Wash.)
Headed to: UNLV
Helped the Timberwolves win back-to-back state titles as a major contributor on both sides starting in the circle. The team's go-to pitcher went 25-2 overall, finished with a 0.50 ERA and struck out 273 batters. On offense, she smashed 10 home runs and was walked 24 times.
Taylor Shumaker, Sr., Esperanza (Anaheim, Calif.)
Headed to: Florida
Posted a .725 on-base percentage and hit 18 home runs this spring. Opposing teams worked around her as best they could, including 10 walks over her final four games.
Caroline Stanton, So., Buford (Ga.)
Headed to: Undecided
The sophomore sensation was lights out for the top-ranked team in the fall. She helped the Wolves capture a Class AAAAAAA title, finishing the season with a 0.77 ERA and nearly 13 strikeouts a game.
Ramsey Walker, Sr., Calvary Baptist Academy (Shreveport, La.)
Headed to: Arkansas
Did what she has done her entire prep career in this year's state title game – come up clutch. Walker hit a three-run blast, her 23rd of the season, to help the Cavs win their fourth consecutive state title. She finished the season batting .575, drove in 68 runs and had 41 extra-base hits.
Sydnie Watts, Jr., Austintown-Fitch (Youngstown, Ohio)
Headed to: Georgia Tech
The centerpiece for the Falcons, who won a second consecutive Division 1 title. Finished 22-1 in the circle with a .044 ERA and 273 Ks while batting .500 with 11 home runs.
Brianne Weiss, Sr., Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Headed to: Notre Dame
Threw almost every inning for the Lancers this spring. The lefty ace finished with 245 strikeouts, a 0.87 ERA and three no-hitters.
Hannah Wells, Jr., Coahoma (Texas)
Headed to: Texas
Helped her squad go 32-0, making Coahoma the sixth team in UIL history to finish as an unbeaten state champion. She was a beast on both sides of the ball, batting .685 with 15 home runs while going 20-0 in the circle and surpassing the 600-Ks mark with a season to go.
Second TeamAlaunah Almaraz, Sr., Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas)
Headed to: University of Texas-Tyler
Showed her power and big bat all season long. She had 34 extra-base hits, including 17 home runs. The senior was given 21 free bases and only struck out three times.
Maddy Anson, Jr., St. Mary's Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)
Headed to: Kentucky
Near the top of the national home run leaderboard this season with 24, she drove in 62 RBI and finished with a .500 batting average.
Julia Bacoulis, Jr., Masuk (Monroe, Conn.)
Headed to: Florida Gulf Coast
Helped the Panthers win a sixth-straight Class L state championship. She hit .450 with 10 home runs and was also 19-0 in the circle with a 0.80 ERA.
Sarah Breaux, Jr., Doral Academy (Doral, Fla.)
Headed to: Clemson
One of the top hitters in the country finished the year batting .603 with 15 bombs.
Natalie Cable, Jr., Bloomingdale (Valrico, Fla.)
Headed to: UCLA
Another very talented ace from the Sunshine State, Cable has nearly 950 career strikeouts with a season left to play. She can smash too, hitting 12 bombs in 2024.
Cambree Creager, Sr., Georgetown (Texas)
Headed to: Arizona State
Tossed one perfect game and two no-hitters this spring. She finished with a 0.67 ERA, 147 strikeouts and gave up just 29 hits.
Kina Davis, Jr., South Brunswick (Southport, N.C.)
Headed to: Charlotte
Davis was sensational in leading her team to a Class 3A state championship. She led the state with 328 strikeouts while batting .416 with 10 home runs.
Lisabella Dimitrijevic, Jr., Lincoln-Way Central (New Lenox, Ill.)
Headed to: Florida State
At the plate, the junior hit .405 and went deep eight times. On the rubber, she struck out 343 and finished with 0.55 ERA.
Taryn Ford, So., Carterville (Ill.)
Headed to: Undecided
Ford was sensational during a 1-0 victory over North Boone in the state championship game, striking out 16 in six innings of work and hitting the walk-off base hit to win it all in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Addy Frye, Jr., Neshannock (New Castle, Pa.)
Headed to: Providence
Helped the Lancers finish with a 26-0 record and Class 2A state title. Frye struck out 212 batters, had a 0.59 ERA and held opponents to a .136 batting average. Also hit .492 with six home runs.
Brielle Gardiner, Fr., Ridgeline (Millville, Utah)
Headed to: Undecided
Led the Riverhawks to a Class 4A state title at the plate and in the circle. Batted .532 with nine home runs while going 27-1 with a 0.78 ERA. Struck out 246 batters in 162 innings.
Gabrielle Gradishar, Jr., Champion (Warren, Ohio)
Headed to: Penn State
Blasted 23 home runs and batted .640 this spring. The utility player also did work in the circle, striking out 278 batters in 133 innings of work.
Kloey Hamblen, Sr., Papillion-LaVista (Papillion, Neb.)
Headed to: Peru State
Went out with a bang in the fall, helping her squad capture the Class A state title. She finished with a .481 average and blasted 18 bombs.
Peyton Hardenburger, Jr., Wamego (Kan.)
Headed to: Tennessee
For the second consecutive year, Hardenburger threw back-to-back no-hitters in the semifinals and final to lead her team to a state championship. She may have had the top individual performance of the season as she mowed down 30 batters in a 17-inning quarterfinal game that lasted nearly four hours.
Cameryn Harrison, Sr., Katy (Texas)
Headed to: Arkansas
Compiled a 22-1 record with a 0.53 ERA. She was a force at the plate as well, batting over .500 with 10 home runs.
Dani Jackman, Sr., University Prep (Victorville, Calif.)
Headed to: Williams College
The power hitter finished her prep career with 64 home runs, including 20 this spring. She was second in the country with 82 RBI this season and piled up 283 during her four years on varsity.
Anna Kemp, Jr., Henderson County (Henderson, Ky.)
Headed to: Undecided
At the dish, Kemp crushed 10 home runs and batted .409. In the circle, she went 25-1, struck out 195 hitters and guided the Colonels to their first state championship.
Audrey Lowry, Sr., Tri-West Hendricks (Lizton, Ind.)
Headed to: Oklahoma
One of the most dominant left-handed pitchers in the country ended her senior season with a 0.49 ERA and went over the 1,000-strikeout mark for her career. She also did damage at the plate.
Elsa Morrison, Jr., Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Headed to: Tennessee
Struck out just once in 116 plate appearances. She walked 44 times, finished with a .733 OBP and blasted 15 home runs.
Victoria Moten, Jr., Daphne (Ala.)
Headed to: Alabama
In the circle she finished with a 0.46 ERA in over 200 innings of work. She also smashed 15 home runs at the dish.
Kate Munnerlyn, Sr., Saint Francis (Mountain View, Calif.)
Headed to: Texas A&M
Nearly flawless in the circle all season long for the Lancers, the lefty ace finished 15-0 with a 0.52 ERA in over 100 innings of work.
Madison Pickens, Sr., Buford
Headed to: Louisville
The catcher/outfielder blasted a school-record 20 home runs and finished with a .609 batting average. She finished with a .660 on-base percentage, 52 RBI and 18 stolen bases.
Cambria Salmon , Sr., Beaumont (Calif.)
Headed to: Texas
Finished her career by mowing down 304 batters this spring, which pushed her past the 1,000 mark for her career. She also batted .427 and hit nine jacks.
Ryann Sanders, Sr., Bentonville (Ark.)
Headed to: Louisville
Stepped up when her team needed her most, allowing just one run in the final five games while striking out 49. Pitched a complete game shutout in a 1-0 win over Har-Ber in the 6A title game.
Malie Satete, Fr., West Las Vegas (Las Vegas, N.M.)
Headed to: Undecided
Freshman sensation blasted 25 home runs, finished with a .773 batting average and drove in 76 runs. She also helped the Dons win their first state championship in the circle, going 14-1 and mowing down 143 batters.
Phoenyx Silva, Jr., La Salle Academy (Providence, R.I.)
Headed to: Undecided
Silva has propelled the Rams to back-to-back state titles, including a 25-0 record this season. She batted .493 with 24 extra-base hits, 10 home runs and a .579 on-base percentage.
Grace Swedarsky, So., Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.)
Headed to: Undecided
The right-handed ace struck out 77 batters over the final five games of the season, including 13 Ks in the Class 4A state championship game to help HSE win the title. She finished the season with 270 total punch-outs.
Maddie Taylor, Sr., Sterlington (La.)
Headed to: McNeese State
She finished 19-1 with a 0.96 earned run average and 146 strikeouts. Also batted .463 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI.
Talia Tretton, Sr., Douglas (Minden, Nev.)
Headed to: Iowa
Will go down as one of Nevada's all-time greats. The do-it-all player struck out 373 batters in 216 innings of work. She also hit eight bombs and batted .459.
Mya Holt, Sr., Wetumpka (Ala.)
Headed to: Troy
Finished her career with 69 home runs, 302 RBI and 199 runs while being walked 122 times. She also finished 112-27 in the circle with 734 strikeouts.
Honorable Mention
