Monica Abbott

Monica Abbott was one of the most dominating fastpitch softball hurlers at every level – from high school to college and ultimately a two-time Olympian. She pitched North Salinas High to three straight section championships then spent the next four record-setting years at the University of Tennessee where she led the NCAA D-1 in victories all four years. She was the SEC Player of the Year three times and became first D-I pitcher in NCAA history to strike out 500 or more hitters in four different seasons. In 2007 the 6-foot-3 Abbott was USA Player of the Year and winner of the Honda Award.  Her career 2,440 strikeouts, 189 victories and 112 shutouts were all NCAA records. She was a member of the silver medal -winning U.S. Olympic teams in 2008 and 2020 and won gold medals in the World Cup of Softball, Pan American Games and Canada Cup. In 2016 she signed a 6-year, $1 million contract with the Houston Scrap Yard Dawgs of the National Pro Fastpitch League. It was the highest salary ever paid by a professional women’s sports team in the US.