Maddy Dwyer, a 2017 pitcher/outfielder with the OC Batbusters – Briggs team, committed to Stanford last week and below FloSoftball talks to her about the recruiting process, her softball career and what she sees as her strengths that attracted the interest of the Cardinal coaches.

Maddy had a great sophomore year at Orange Lutheran High after earning 1^st Team All-County honors by OCSidelines.com as a freshman. This season she went 19-4 with a 1.66 ERA and 152 K’s in 139 innings pitched. At the plate she hit .439 with eight homers and 20 runs knocked in.

The future Pac-12 playr told OC Sideline’s: “Stanford represents the pinnacle of athletic and academic excellence. During my first visit to ‘The Farm’ I immediately felt a connection and Stanford has always remained my first choice. I also realize that my softball career will one day end but my Stanford degree will endure for a lifetime.”

“I am honored to be part of the Stanford Softball program and would like to thank the coaches who have helped me reach this goal and the coaches who have shown faith in my talents and potential.”

Here’s more on the So Cal standout…

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FloSoftball: When you look back on your softball career, what memory or two jumps out at you?
Maddy Dwyer: A specific memory doesn’t jump out at me, but very long weekends and days spent with some of the very best friends and coaches ever do.  Each day I am with them creates memories that will last a lifetime.  I am confident that the girls I play softball with, and the coaches I have, our friendships, will last a lifetime.  Being able to play the game with them is invaluable.

FS: What is it about the sport you love to have fine-tuned your skills with all the time and effort needed?
MD: Definitely the intense competition softball harbors mixed with my competitive nature. Softball has the hardest working and intensely driven female athletes I can think of and that pushes me to strive to be the best I can.

FS: You’re in the Batbuster organization… what does wearing that name on your jersey mean to you?
MD: Pursuit and achievement of excellence. Some of the best Division 1 players both past and present have been Batbusters.  As a younger player, I watched many of the girls move on to play D1 softball at a high level and it allowed me to see that through hard work I can also realize my dreams.  Now it is my responsibility to carry on that legacy as an example to the younger players.

FS: Academically, what is your GPA, SAT/ACT and what are you most proud of that you’ve accomplished in the classroom?
MD: I have 4.35 cumulative. Most proud: being able to manage my time and juggle workouts lessons, practice, travel, games, homework, family and some fun!

FS: How did the Stanford staff first discover you?
MD: I believe they first saw me at the OnDeck camp at Mt. SAC (Calif.) in 7th grade, then I attended the Stanford softball camp.

FS: When did you first realize they were following you?
MD: When they kept asking my coaches when and where we were playing.  I would see them in the stands or by the outfield watching our games.

FS: When and how did the offer come in to you?
MD: Actually, over the phone.

FS: How many minutes and seconds (joking here!) did it take before you committed?
MD: About one second… but I was initially stunned! It was really unbelievable that it was actually happening.

FS: What do you want to major in when you reach Palo Alto and what career would you like to pursue?
MD: Like most people, my answer will most likely change, but I am really interested in Biology, specifically genetics and the environment.  Who knows what I might develop a passion for later on?

FS: What’s something about you that makes a Pac-12 caliber athlete?
MD: My willingness to do whatever it takes to succeed, whether that be spending hours to perfect a specific pitch or running miles and miles to build up my endurance.

FS: Where are you excited to go this summer, be it to play or vacation?
MD: We are going to play in Chicago and I am looking forward to spending some time in the city.

FS: Describe yourself ON the field in one word… and then OFF the field!
MD: On the field: “focused.”  Off the field: “driven.”