Valerie Cagle added to her impressive resume Tuesday when she won the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award.
After an impressive season, the dual-threat player was honored at the 2023 NCAA Softball Women’s College World Series banquet in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where she had a chance to speak about what the award means.
“This year had many challenges, and a lot of them looked different than I expected or what I had experienced in the past,” Cagle said. “Despite these challenges, I was able to find the joy of playing again. I found a way to feel and embrace the level of competitiveness this game gives me.”
Helping lead the Tigers to super regionals, Cagle finished the season 25-8 in the circle with a 1.56 ERA and 188 strikeouts. She was just as effective as a hitter, batting .469 on the year with 19 home runs and 57 RBIs.
Cagle’s name will forever be etched in the history books as she is the first Clemson softball player to win the award in the program’s short four-year history.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to Cagle’s award:
🗣️ “This year had many challenges, but despite them all, I was able to find the 𝗷𝗼𝘆 of playing again. I found a way to feel & embrace the level of 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 this game gives me.”
– 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙧, 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗴𝗹𝗲 pic.twitter.com/sWvnz8iJT6
— USA Softball (@USASoftball) May 31, 2023
Yet another honor for 72 and another first for this young program. The nation’s best softball player is in Clemson, S.C. 🐅🥎 https://t.co/noxbAhfODk
— Graham Neff (@GrahamNeff) May 31, 2023
🗣️ BUILD THE STATUE
The 🐐 cements her legacy. Valerie Cagle is the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year! pic.twitter.com/Nm7zfoqhKM
— Austin Pendergist (@apthirteen) May 31, 2023
Nobody more deserving than Valerie Cagle. The two-way superstar is one of the greatest to ever come through #Clemson & is a huge part of the program’s success through its first 4 inaugural seasons. Her 2023 numbers:
.469BA, 83 Hits, 57 RBI, 19 HR
25-8 W/L, 1.56 ERA, 193.0 IP https://t.co/Aht2MvoXxd— Johnny Falduto (@johnnyfalduto) May 31, 2023
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