The numbers are hard to argue with. For the past few years, Maya Johnson has been one of the best pitchers in college softball.
But she might be the most talented player that casual fans of the sport know the least about.
She isn’t highly-paid in a Power 4 conference like Texas Tech’s NiJaree Canady. She isn’t playing both ways at a high level like Nebraska’s Jordy Frahm. And she isn’t throwing as hard as Tennessee’s Karlyn Pickens is in the SEC.
Johnson hasn’t grabbed the headlines like those players, but she’s still one of the sport’s top aces.
Consider that she led all of Division I in ERA this season with a wildly impressive 0.66 mark. Entering the NCAA Tournament, the 6-foot lefty also ranks third nationally in hits allowed per seven innings (3.41), sixth in total innings pitched (201), first in shutouts (14), first in strikeout-to-walk ratio (11.91), first in total strikeouts (381), first in strikeouts per seven innings (13.3), third in pitching wins (27), and ninth in walks allowed per seven innings (1.11).
A strong case could be made that Johnson, who plays for Belmont, is better than Canady, Frahm and Pickens from the circle.
The regional round of the NCAA tournament marks the beginning of her last chance to make a lasting mark on the sport. Johnson’s Belmont Bruins — despite an incredibly successful season — have a tough road ahead of them. They’ll face No. 8 seed SE Louisiana in their opener on Friday, and then will likely have to face Alabama, the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed.
Here’s what you need to know about Johnson:
Where is Maya Johnson from?
She grew up in Columbia Station, Ohio and played her high school ball at Saint Joseph Academy. Johnson holds her high school’s career and season records for strikeouts, perfect games, ERA, no-hitters and shutouts.
Johnson began her college career at Pitt, but redshirted as a freshman.
Does Maya Johnson have lupus?
Yes, the star pitcher for the Belmont Bruins has had a decorated career in college softball while battling this chronic disease. Before this season, she told The Athletic, she went through 10 weeks of chemotherapy because the disease was causing her kidneys to malfunction.
Johnson left Pitt because the Panthers didn’t clear her to play because of her lupus diagnosis.
She landed at Belmont, where she’s twice been named Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year and set the program record for most strikeouts in a single game with 22. Johnson is also the NCAA’s active career leader in strikeouts.
Has Maya Johnson thrown a perfect game?
Yes, the Belmont ace tossed a perfect game in her season debut this year, striking out 15 batters with 83 pitches across seven innings in a 9-0 victory.
Johnson also has impressive wins this season over Georgia and Mississippi State. Last year, she defeated Arizona State, Purdue and Maryland.
Was Maya Johnson drafted by the AUSL?
Indeed, Johnson was the third overall pick in the AUSL college draft a few weeks ago, selected by the Oklahoma City Spark. She was the first mid-major player to receive one of the AUSL’s coveted Golden Tickets.
When does Maya Johnson play?
Presumably, Johnson will be Belmont’s starting pitcher on Friday, May 15 at 3:30 p.m. ET against SE Louisiana in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. That game will stream on ESPN+.
Depending on the result of that game, Belmont will play again on May 16 at either 2 p.m. or 4:30 p.m.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Maya Johnson? Top softball pitcher plays in final NCAA Tournament
