ORLANDO – As announced by CSC Academic All-District and All-America Tuesday afternoon, the UCF softball team saw four players earn selections to the 2025 CSC Academic All-District Team as voted on by college sports communicators.
Senior right-handed pitcher Kaitlyn Felton, fifth year outfielder Madison Simon, redshirt junior first baseman Ashleigh Griffin, and redshirt-freshman right-handed pitcher Isabella Vega were recognized for the combination of their accomplishments on the field and in the classroom, with each producing a GPA of at least 3.50.
Vega, who has already been tabbed to Softball America’s Freshman All-American team for her standout debut season, has been advanced to the national ballot to be voted on for CSC Academic All-America status as well, with the results to be announced June 17.
The Bradenton native, in addition to earning freshman All-America honors from Softball America, was a top 10 finalist for the NFCA’s National Freshman of the Year award and also garnered NFCA All-Gulf Region First Team, All-Big 12 Conference First Team and All-Big 12 Conference Freshman Team honors.
She twice earned Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week and D1Softball National Freshman of the Week recognition, and was tabbed Wilson/NFCA National Division I Pitcher of the Week once for her efforts in UCF’s series sweep over the Kansas Jayhawks.
Throughout her debut season, Vega led her staff in ERA (1.70), starts (20), complete games (7), innings pitched (135.2), strikeouts (110) and batting average-against (.197), and co-led the squad with Felton in winning decisions (14).
Among her season accomplishments, Vega became the second freshman in program history, as well as the first freshman of any team since 2023, to throw a seven-inning complete game shutout against the Florida Gators, then ranked No. 3, March 26. She also tossed her first career no-hitter, as well as the program’s first no-no in Big 12 Conference play, against Kansas May 2.
Felton enjoyed a career year in her final collegiate season, setting single-season career bests in appearances (34), ERA (2.46), innings pitched (116.2), shutouts (3), complete games (9), winning decisions (14) and saves (4).
She won her first two career Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors during the spring, becoming the first player this season to win multiple conference weekly awards, and on UCF's all-time career pitching leaderboards, finished her career ranking in saves (7, T-4th), appearances (99, 6th), innings pitched (331.0, 9th) and strikeouts (234, 10th); her four saves in 2025 also ranked tied for second most in a single season in program history.
She led UCF to the highest-ranked series win in program history against then-No. 4 Arizona March 7-8, earning a win and a save in the series’ first two games, and tossed a seven-inning complete game against then-No. 21 Oklahoma State April 18, lifting her squad to its sixth ranked win of the year and first win over the Cowgirls under head coach Cindy Ball-Malone.
Simon established herself as the Knights’ steady everyday center fielder, appearing in 58 of UCF’s 60 total games, including 47 starts.
She set single-season career bests in total appearances, doubles (8) and stolen bases (4), and played a key role in many of the Black and Gold’s biggest wins of the spring. Her first career walk-off hit came against then-No. 15 Missouri Feb. 11, completing the largest comeback win in program history against a ranked opponent (five runs).
The Irvine, California, native hit safely in each of UCF’s three games at then-No. 4 Arizona, including recording hits in six straight at-bats, as the Knights earned the highest-ranked series win in program history, and also came through with a key home run-robbing catch at the center field wall in her team’s 5-4 game two win.
She also produced a two-hit showing in the first Big 12 Conference tournament win in program history over Utah May 7, and lined a go-ahead two-run single off the left field wall against then-No. 25 Michigan to help the Knights punch their ticket to the 2025 NCAA Austin Regional Final.
Griffin represented one of UCF’s most reliable situational hitters throughout the spring, producing a season .298/.407/.437 (45-for-151) line with 18 runs scored, three doubles, six home runs, 66 total bases, 25 walks, 32 RBI and four stolen bases.
She set single-season career bests in games played, starts, average, on-base percentage, runs scored, total hits, total bases and home runs, and four of her six long balls represented game-winners.
She homered in both of UCF’s first two games at then-No. 4 Arizona, highlighted by a key go-ahead two-run shot in the fifth inning of game two to help clinch the series, and completed the largest overall comeback win in program history (11 runs) with a go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning of UCF’s 14-13 win at Stetson April 23.
The first baseman also hit a timely walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift her team to its first Big 12 Conference tournament win May 7, against the Utah Utes, representing her first career walk-off homer.
FOLLOW THE KNIGHTS
Follow UCF softball on X (@UCF_Softball), Instagram (@UCF.Softball) and Facebook (/UCFSoftball).
GET THE APP
Never miss any UCF Knights news from your favorite teams by downloading the free UCF Knights app right to your iOS or Android devices. The app provides personalized information for men’s and women’s teams, scores, schedules, loyalty programs and breaking news. Click here to download the app now.