MARSHALL, Texas – Putting her name down as the best in NCAA Division III, East Texas Baptist University softball player
Tristen Maddox is the NCAA Division III Athlete of the Year presented by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) and Honda. She is the fifth softball player to earn the award in the 35 years of the award and second American Southwest Conference (ASC) player following Hardin-Simmons University's Ashley Huston (track & field) in 2009.
The award will be given to Maddox on Monday, June 24, at 6:00 p.m. Central Time in New York City at the CBS Sports Studio and can be watched on the CBS Sports Network. The ceremony, presented by CWSA and Honda, can be streamed on a computer or watched on the CBS Sports Network on YouTube TV, Fubo TV, HULU Live and through the CBS Sports app.
Maddox, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Player of the Year, helped ETBU to the 2024 National Championship at Bell Park at Taylor Field. She recorded eight RBI, two home runs, and batted .333 with two home runs being named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. ETBU won two elimination games on the final day of the Championship over Belhaven University, 8-2, and, 9-5, for the program's second NCAA Division III National Championship.
A three-time NFCA All-American and two-time ASC Player of the Year, Maddox finished the year batting .437 with 69 hits, 16 doubles, 63 RBI and an ETBU single season record 17 home runs. She was also the ASC Tournament MVP and a member of the NCAA Division III Marshall, Texas All-Regional Tournament team. The four-time All-ASC first-team player won the ASC Hitter of the Week award three times.
ETBU won a program best 48 games going 10-1 in the NCAA Tournament claiming the 2024 National Championship. They started their post-season run going 3-0 in the ASC Tournament winning the program's 12
th championship. Following that, they won three games in the NCAA Marshall, Texas Regional Tournament with wins over Simmons University, 10-0, and no. 9 Texas Lutheran, 12-0, and 5-3. A Super Regional Championship came after that with two wins over Williams College, 8-0, and 10-9. The National Championship Tournament opened with three wins taking two over no. 13 Rowan, 7-0, and 5-2, and a victory over no. 10 Belhaven, 3-2, advancing to the Championship Tournament. Belhaven handed ETBU their first loss at home in the first game of the championship series, 4-3, but the Tigers bounced back with two wins on the final day for the national championship trophy.
The NCAA Division III National Championship won by ETBU was the first modern-day championship won by the host team. ETBU went 28-1 at Bell Park and Taylor Field in 2024 with a 15-0 regular season record. They also had a program best 48 wins and a 23-game winning streak.
TRISTEN MADDOX CAREER AWARDS
HONDA NCAA Division III Athlete of the Year: 2024
NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament MOP: 2024
NCAA Division III Marshall, Texas Regional All-Tournament Team: 2024
NFCA Player of the Year: 2024
NFCA All-American First Team: 2023, 2024
NFCA All-American Second Team: 2022
NFCA All-Region First Team: 2023, 2024
NFCA All-Region Second Team: 2022
NFCA Watch List: 2023, 2024
NFCA Top 50 Players: 2023
NFCA Gold Glove: 2023
ASC Female Athlete of the Year: 2023
ASC Tournament Most Outstanding Player: 2024
ASC Player of the Year: 2023, 2024
All-ASC First Team: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
ASC Hitter of the Week: 5 times
CWSA Release on Maddox
Tristen Maddox, a softball standout, from East Texas Baptist State University was named the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year as announced today by Executive Director Chris Voelz of THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.
Maddox will be honored alongside the Class of 2024 and the Honda Cup winner on a live telecast on CBS Sports Network on Monday, June 24, 2024, at 7 PM ET, in New York City.
Finalists for the DIII award included Kristina Akselsen (Soccer, Messiah), Alexis Boykin (Track & Field, MIT), Natalie Bruns (Basketball, NYU), Olivia Foley (Volleyball, Juniata), Amy Griffin (Field Hockey, Middlebury), Rena Lin (Tennis, Chicago), Kaley McIntyre (Swimming, NYU), Hope Shue (Lacrosse, Middlebury), Fiona Smith (Cross Country, Saint Benedict) and Alison Takamiya (Golf, George Fox).
"It is such an honor and a blessing to receive this award," said Maddox. "I would not have been able to do this without my teammates and coaches pushing me to do better and without my friends and family who have continued to support me in everything I do. I am very thankful to be part of such a loving community and to be able to make my friends and family proud and so thankful that God put me on the path to meet the people who have helped me grow in my athletic journey and as a person."
Most recently, Maddox was named the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) DIII National Player of the Year after leading her team to the 2024 NCAA Championship title. The shortstop was also named the 2024 NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player for her efforts after she hit .333 recording eight RBI, two homers and four stolen bases in the championship series.
Hailing from Mission, Texas, she is a three-time NFCA All-America honoree including two First Team nods and is a four-time First Team All-American Southwest Conference (ASC) performer. She earned back-to-back ASC Player of the Year honors, the first time the conference had a back-to-back winner since 2014, and was named the 2024 ASC Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
The senior led the ASC in runs scored (69), hits (69), doubles (16), home runs (17), and RBI (63) and her home runs ranked sixth in the nation in DIII. She batted .437 on the season and holds the ETBU career record for doubles (54).
"What an honor it is for Tristen to receive the DIII Honda Athlete of the Year award," stated head coach
Janae Shirley. "The impact that she has made on our program both as an athlete and as a leader has been tremendous. She truly is the definition of a coach's dream - she works hard, competes, is humble, kind, an amazing leader, as well as an incredible athlete. We are so proud of her and the woman she is."
The CWSA, entering its 48th year, has honored the nation's top NCAA women athletes for their superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service. Since commencing its partnership in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.4 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women's athletics programs.
About Honda Corporate Social Responsibility
For more than 60 years in the U.S., Honda has been committed to making positive contributions to the communities where its associates live and work. Honda's mission is to create products and services that improve the lives of people while conducting its business in a sustainable manner and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Accordingly, Honda believes in helping people reach their life's potential through its focus on the areas of education, the environment, mobility, traffic safety and community. Learn more at
http://csr.honda.com/.
Tune In To CBS Sports Network* Monday, June 24th, at 7 pm ET to watch The Collegiate Women Sports Awards Presented by Honda live from NYC and see who takes home the Honda Cup! Join us in celebrating the Class of 2024!
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