Breaking News: Megan Faraimo Named Gatorade 2018 National Softball Player of the Year

It was announced this afternoon that Megan Fariamo of Cathedral Catholic High in San Diego was named as the Gatorade 2018 National Softball Player of the Year after being recognized on Monday as the California State Player of the Year.

Earlier today, high school student athlete Megan Faraimo of Cathedral Catholic High School (San Diego, Calif.) was participating in a mock media interview when two-time Olympic softball pitcher Jennie Finch surprised her with the Gatorade Player of the Year trophy and the news that she won the 2017-18 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year award.

Shortly after, friends, family and teammates showed up to celebrate the award with Megan. Here’s footage of how it all went down:

The 6-foot-1 senior right-handed pitcher compiled a 26-3 record in the circle with a 0.23 ERA this past season, leading the Dons (26-4) to the San Diego Section Open Division championship game.

Faraimo struck out 405 batters—the second-highest single-season total in CIF San Diego Section history—while surrendering just 47 hits and issuing eight walks in 186.1 innings pitched. She fired 17 shutouts with five no-hitters, including four perfect games.

At the plate, Faraimo produced a .316 batting average with seven home runs, 22 RBI and a .645 slugging percentage.

Ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2018 by Extra Inning Softball, she concluded her prep softball career with 1,028 strikeouts.

Twice this year, the week of March 11 and the week of April 8, the senior was recognized as the National Player of the Week by Extra Inning Softball and was the only one to be honored two times.

Faraimo has volunteered locally as a youth tutor and softball coach, and she has donated her time on behalf of multiple community service initiatives through her church.

She has maintained a 3.49 weighted GPA in the classroom

Faraimo has signed a national letter of intent to play softball on scholarship at UCLA beginning this fall and has won a PGF National Championship as a member of the Corona Angels club team.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track and field; and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport.

In addition to athletic excellence, the award recognizes academic achievement and exemplary character on and off the field.