One of the first players in her class to commit… check.  Win a national championship… check. Be considered one of the top prospects in the nation… check. 

There isn’t much today’s spotlight athlete hasn’t accomplished and you can be assured that she’s a name you’ll hear a lot of over the next several years in club and high school ball and probably well beyond that!

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Name: MADISON “MADDI” PACINI
High School: Bonita Vista High School
City: San Diego
State: California
Grad Year: 2018
Club: SoCal Athletics – Richardson 18u Gold
Position(s): C/OF
GPA: 3.83 GPA (Pre-Advanced Placement)

Club Accomplishments:

• 2014 PGF 14U Championship Tournament – 2^nd Place SoCal A’s Quarles
• 2014 ASA 14U Championship Tournament– National Champions SoCal A’s Quarles
• 2013 PGF 14U Championship Tournament – 3^rd Place SoCal A’s Quarles

Club Stats:

• 2014 Fall – batted over .500  with SoCal A’s Quarles 16U
• 2014 PGF Championship Tournament – batted .417 with SoCal A’s Quarles 14u
• 2014 ASA Championship Tournament – SoCal A’s Quarles
  • Offense: four home runs, 17 RBI, Championship game winning hit (2 RBI), final score: 2-0
  • Defense: starting centerfield, two game-saving catches in the gap during championship game

High School Stats (through March 17, 2015, first six games)

• leads team in batting average, hits, doubles, home runs and RBI
• batting average of .500 (9-for-18)
• walk-off two-run home run against Imperial High School in bracket play at Cougar Classic on March 14
• walk-off single against Rancho Bernardo High School to advance to finals at Cougar Class on March 16
• hit first high school home run in her first game, against Torrey Pines High School on March 2

Softball Honors:

• Invited to play with SoCal A’s Richardson 18u Gold ranked No. 6 in the nation in the preseason FAB 50 18U Club Rankings
• Only 2018 freshman on the team
• 2013 Participant OnDeck West Coast National Elite Camp at Mt. Sac
  • OnDeck Measurements (ODM) 2013:
    • Shuttle – 4.746 seconds
    • Bat speed – 81 mph
    • Exit speed – 76 mph
    • Overhand throw – 68 mph

Coach’s Comment:

“Madison Pacini is a very gifted athlete who catches right now, but has the athleticism to play anywhere.  She will be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come.  Madison popped a serious 4.8 in the Shuttle, and her times to 2B hovered near 1.8.”
— Derek Allister, OnDeck Softball

College Recruiting:

• Verbally Committed to University of Tennessee
• One of the first 2018 players to verbally commit (waited to commit on her 14^th birthday)
• Recruited by University of South Carolina, Arizona, UCLA, Oklahoma, Missouri, ASU (Coach Meyer/Woodard), Auburn

Off the Field:

• 2014 fall –high school volleyball
• 2014 winter – high school basketball
• Plays guitar and piano
• Novice surfer

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Bonus coverage! Here’s a Player Spotlight we did on Maddi two months ago on her birthday and a year to the day after she committed to Tennessee!

Name: MADISON PACINI
Grad Year: 2018
Pos: catcher/outfield
High School: Bonita Vista, San Diego, Calif.
GPA: 3.83
Club: So Cal Athletics – Richardson                                       
College: Tennessee

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FullCountSoftball.com: You recently made the jump up to one of the premier 18U teams in the country, the So Cal A’s – Richardson team. What was that like, tough to leave the A’s – Quarles team? Or more exciting to play at the 18 level?
Madison Pacini: I will miss the SoCal A’s – Quarles team… they are great teammates and coaches. But I am always ready to challenge myself. It was an honor to be asked to play with So Cal A’s – Richardson. I believe playing on one of the top 18U teams in the country will only make me a stronger player. I am looking forward to playing for Coach Bruce, Coach Jessie and Coach Bill and to be a part of the very talented A’s team.

FCS.com: Your 14U team came so close last summer, losing in the PGF Nationals to a great Corona Angels squad… happy memories or disappointing ones from that tournament?
MP: PGF was a great ride with happy memories getting to the championship game but it was very disappointing losing the championship. It was the worst feeling rounding third base when the music started playing and the game was over. And we weren’t the winners. However, we redeemed ourselves the very next week when we went to San Diego and won the 14U ASA National Championship!

FCS.com: You’ve played basketball and volleyball as well as softball… what do you like about each sport and what are your plans for the others?
MP: Softball is my No. 1 sport; for basketball and volleyball, I only play for the high school teams. I thrive on competition and enjoy the team aspect for those sports. Both sports help me keep active and increase my athletic ability and, most of all, I am having lots of fun.

FCS.com: Brooke Vines, the Tennessee signee and outstanding senior outfielder for the A’s, is now your teammate… have you two talked about Tennessee a lot?
MP: Brooke and I talk about Tennessee all the time. She is a great leader and mentors me. Actually, there are two other Tennessee commits: Taylor Rowland (2015, 1B/OF) and Jenna Holcomb (2016, outfielder). I am lucky to have the opportunity to play and bond with three other girls committed to Tennessee. It will make the transition to college a lot easier.

FCS.com: Speaking of the Vols, tell us how the Weeklys and the other coaches first became aware of you and how did the recruiting process go up to your offer?
MP: Two years ago, I was part of the very talented SoCal A’s – Quarles team with Malia Quarles, Alexa Schultz, Mary Iakopo, Alyssa Kumiyama, MJ James, Taylon Snow, Jordan Mathews, etc. I received attention from scouts because I was the youngest on the team. In the fall 2013, I was invited and attended the OnDeck Elite Futures Camp at Mount SAC in Walnut, Calif. After the camp, I received more interest and then offers.

FCS.com: What led into the decision and why did you commit when you did?
MP: I visited Tennessee in January 2014 and loved the campus, even in the winter. The coaching staff was very family- oriented. The softball team was just that: a team. I felt that I belonged there right away. I visited five other schools and didn’t have that strong feeling. I committed because I wanted to be part of a top-notch softball program that values my educational choices.

FCS.com: Is it a strange feeling to think, “Wow, I’m just a freshman and yet I know I’m going to one of the top programs in the country!”?
MP: It is a very strange feeling! It has been a year since I committed to Tennessee. It is going by so fast. I am so blessed to be given the opportunity to play for a great coaching staff and a great softball program.

FCS.com: Describe your emotions around committing, were you more nervous or more excited?
MP: It was my birthday when I committed (January 13, 2014). I was very excited. It was the best birthday by far!

FCS.com: What do you think (or have others said) are your strengths as a softball player?
MP: My hard work and commitment.

FCS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your athletic career?
MP: Winning 14U ASA nationals with the SoCal A’s – Quarles team, being invited to play for SoCal A’s – Richardson and verbally committing to Tennessee.

 

Quick Hitters

 

What did you like most about the state of Tennessee and the area where you’ll be when you visited?
The Southern hospitality.

Fill in the blank… softball is a great sport because:
… I get to swing a bat!

If you were President of the U.S. for one day, what’s the biggest issue you’d try to solve?
Solve the homeless problem in the U.S.

Favorite food:
Sushi.

Favorite color:
Orange (of course!).

Favorite song:
Something Bad by Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert

What’s the best way for you to relax?
Listen to music.

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I taught myself how to play the piano and guitar.

How would you describe yourself in one word?
Active.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
My phone.

Do you have any softball superstitions or rituals?
Too many to mention!

What’s your philosophy on life or the motto you live by:
Outwork, outhustle, outwit, outplay.

What’s your “guilty pleasure,” something you hate to admit you love?
Justin Bieber.

If you could have a super power, what would you want it to be?
Flying.

What’s playing in your earphones/buds right now?
Lips Are Moving by Meghan Trainor.

If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be?
Abraham Lincoln.

What did you want to be when you were little?
Bat Girl.

Favorite athlete:
LeBron James outside softball, in softball Annie Aldrete.

Nickname(s):
Maddi, Madz.

Something on your “must do” list:
Skydive.

Best thing about being from San Diego:
The weather.

Who or what is the best way to make you laugh:
My little brother, Cash.

What’s the No. 1 goal you want to accomplish this year?
Team goal: win PGF; individual goal: continue to improve and grow as a player.