Player Spotlight: Aniston Wright Helps Leads North Georgia to NCAA Division II Title

Aniston Wright is one of the lucky ones when it comes to winning games. Or maybe she’s just the type of player that makes her teammates better.

She has known nothing but winning in both high school and during her career at the University of North Georgia. She helped lead East Coweta High School to back-to-back state championships and North Georgia to the NCAA Division II national championship last season.

In high school she was ranked as the 109th best player in the 2020 class by Extra Inning Softball.

Wright is an outstanding student having been named an NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete in 2022 and Peach Belt Conference Presidential Honor Roll Bronze Scholar in 2023.

Name: ANISTON WRIGHT
Position: Pitcher
Parents: Joe and Stephanie Wright
College: University of North Georgia
College City/State: Dahlonega, Ga.
College Coach: Mike Davenport
College Division: Division II
Year in College: Senior

What are your team’s top accomplishments?
At the University of North Georgia, I have been a part of winning two conference championships, two regional championships, and two trips to the softball championship series. My first trip was in 2022 to Denver, Colo., where we placed third in the national tournament. In 2023, in Chattanooga, Tenn., we won the NCAA National Championship with a 64-7 record.

What are your top individual accomplishments (stats, honors, titles)?
During my career at East Coweta High School, I was a four-year letterwinner and a four-year First Team All-Region Honoree. I won the All-State Georgia Dug Out Club home run derby. I hit the home run to send us to the first state championship game which we ended up winning during an undefeated season. I pitched in the region championship game and hit the walk-off grand slam to win the 10th consecutive region championship. We won back-to-back state and national titles at East Coweta.

In travel ball, I pitched against the Chinese National Team and we lost by just one run and I also pitched against the Canadian National Team where we picked up a victory. I was able to experience Jennie Finch as my coach for a week in Vero Beach, Fla.

Now at the University of North Georgia during the conference championship series, I started and finished my first complete game since 2019 and only allowed three hits and one run.

What are your strengths in softball?
I would say my strength in softball is the ability to be a great teammate. I take pride in this, and it is very important to me. I put in the work and when it comes to games and playing, I simply trust God’s plan and talk to him throughout the game. I wouldn’t be where I am today without Him.

What is your favorite softball memory?
There are a lot, but I think my favorite is when I hit the home run in the final four game allowing us to advance to, and eventually win, the state championship for the first time.

Do you have any softball superstitions?
I do! I do not change my hairstyle every game. At the beginning of the year whatever hairstyle I have in when I play really well, my hair will stay in that style until it doesn’t work and then I change it.

What is the funniest thing you have ever seen happen on a softball field?
It would have to be when my teammate was taking dry swings before her at bat and let go of the bat and it flew behind her and hit the back stop net.

If you could meet anyone in the softball world, who would it be?
If I could meet anyone in the softball world, I would choose to meet Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso. Although I am an Alabama fan, Patty is a phenomenal coach and has done amazing things with her program. As a woman, aspiring to be a strength & conditioning coach, I would love to understand her approach to coaching and how she was able to develop athlete buy-in so effectively.

What is one thing you have learned from your coach that will always stay with you?
Always tell the person who is working with you, thank you. It doesn’t matter if it was just them throwing you front toss. They took time out of their day to be there to work with you on your craft when they didn’t have to. Not everyone gets that same opportunity or has someone willing to work with them, so it is something to be thankful for. Also, the kind of teammate you are will be remembered far more than your stats ever will be.

EXTRA INSIGHTS:

What is something unique about you?
I have completed the 75 hard mental toughness challenge and phase 1 of the challenge. 75 hard taught me a lot about myself and showed me that my body can push past my brain telling me to stop.

Who is your hero and why?
My hero is my dad and his best friend Michael. My dad has taught me how to be a strong and fearless woman in today’s world. He has taught me how to improve, adapt, and overcome almost any situation in my life. I am thankful to have such a strong and hardworking dad who has taken so much time to work with me to become the best athlete I could be. I am thankful and blessed to have parents who have worked very hard to give me the best life possible. I chose Michael as well because he is my dad’s best friend who was taken away way too soon and was not able to live out his dreams of playing college football. His number 32 was passed down to my dad and was given to me when I started playing softball. I have worn it with pride and promised Michael that I would never give up on our dream even after two major arm surgeries.

What other activities/hobbies do you enjoy outside of softball?
I enjoy anything that involves art! I enjoy drawing, painting, sculpting, pottery, etc. It is a fun outlet for me to unwind and destress! I also enjoy being a UNG Sports Performance intern and getting to work with other teams in the weight room.

If you could have dinner with anyone (dead or alive), who would it be and why?
I would like to have dinner with my great grandmother who passed away when I was two. I never got the chance to truly meet her and she is a very important woman on my dad’s side of my family. I have always had a strong connection to her and have always wanted to meet her.

What is your favorite quote or motto?
“Don’t worry about a thing ’cause every little thing gonna be alright” – Bob Marley

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