CAREER AWARDS/ACCOLADES
- All-Big 12 Conference Second Team (2026)
- All-Big 12 Conference Freshman Team (2024) (Unanimous)
JUNIOR (2026)
- Appeared in 60 of UCF's 61 games, including 54 starts.
- Set single-season career bests in average (.383), on-base percentage (.467), slugging percentage (.461), runs scored (31), total hits (44), triples (3) and RBI (16), and matched her previous season high in stolen bases (8).
- Singled and scored during UCF's 5-1 win over then-No. 10 LSU in Clearwater Feb. 14.
- Was UCF's leading hitter by average throughout the last 37 games of the season, slashing .432/.505/.534 (38-for-88) with 20 runs scored, three doubles, three triples, 12 RBI, 47 total bases and seven walks in that span.
- Hit safely in each of UCF's three games in Stillwater against then-No. 12 Oklahoma State, hitting .625 (5-for-8) with one double, one triple, one run scored, two RBI and eight total bases in the series; produced a pair of multi-hit games in the series and hit a triple against 2026 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year Ruby Meylan in the series-opener March 6.
- Went 2-for-3 in the series-opener against then-No. 3 Texas Tech March 20, including a third-inning triple against two-time NFCA Pitcher of the Year NiJaree Canady.
- Recorded a five-game hit streak against FGCU, Houston and Utah March 25-April 2, hitting for a combined .700/.750/.800 line (7-for-10) in that span, accompanied by two multi-hit games, five runs scored, one double, three RBI, eight total bases and three walks; also went 3-for-4 with a run scored in the series finale against Utah April 4.
- Hit safely in both of UCF's final two games against then-No. 23 Arizona State April 11-12, going 2-for-5 with three runs scored, one double and one walk in that span.
- Went 1-for-3 in UCF's 5-3 win over Stetson April 15, producing an RBI triple in the fourth inning that plated the Knights' fifth run.
- Hit safely in each of UCF's three games against then-No. 24 Kansas April 17-19, hitting .556/.556/.556 (5-for-9) with two RBI in the series; the three-game set punctuated an overall six-game hit streak that saw her hit for an aggregate .471/.526/.647 (8-for-17) line with three runs scored, one double, one triple, three RBI, 11 total bases and two walks.
- Hit safely in each of the Knights' three games against Iowa State, including a pair of multi-hit games in the teams' last two matchups; hit for an aggregate .500 average in the series (5-for-10) with three RBI.
- Went 1-for-2 with a run scored against fifth-seeded Kansas in UCF's Big 12 Tournament opener.
- Went 1-for-1 with a walk and two runs scored in UCF's 10-1 NCAA Tallahassee Regional win over Stetson May 16; also went 1-for-2 with a run scored in game one against No. 9 overall seed Florida State May 17.
- Went 1-for-3 with a run scored against No. 8 overall seed UCLA in game two of the NCAA Los Angeles Super Regional May 23.
SOPHOMORE (2025)
- Appeared in each of UCF's 60 games, including 57 starts, hitting .250/.316/.344 (40-for-160) with eight multi-hit games, 30 runs scored, nine doubles, two home runs, 55 total bases, 14 walks, 14 RBI and eight stolen bases.
- Set single-season career bests in games played, starts, runs scored, total hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, walks and stolen bases.
- Posted a single-season career best .969 fielding percentage in a single-season career high 127 total chances, making only four errors against 107 total putouts and 16 assists.
- Recorded a season-long nine-game on-base streak Feb. 7-15, during which she hit .333/.419/.481 (9-for-27) with seven runs scored, four doubles, two RBI, 13 total bases and four walks.
- Against James Madison Feb. 9, went 2-for-2 with a walk and a game-tying fifth-inning RBI double in UCF's 3-2 comeback win; also made a sliding catch in right field foul territory that earned the No. 6 spot on SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays.
- Went 1-for-3 with a season-high three runs scored in UCF's largest comeback win over a ranked opponent in program history (five runs) against then-No. 15 Missouri Feb. 11.
- Doubled in three consecutive games against then-No. 5 Texas A&M, Auburn and Clemson during the Clearwater Invitational Feb. 14-15.
- Hit a two-run first-inning double in UCF's 4-2 win over Pitt Feb. 20, driving in the eventual game-winning run; went 2-for-2 in the winning effort.
- Recorded her second multi-RBI game of the year against George Mason Feb. 28, going 1-for-2 with a fourth-inning two-run single that gave UCF the eight runs it needed for the 8-0 run-rule win.
- Went 1-for-4 in UCF's 5-4 win at then-No. 4 Arizona March 8.
- Went 1-for-2 with a double and a walk against then-No. 3 Florida March 12.
- Enjoyed a prolific offensive series at Baylor March 28-30, hitting safely in each of the three games and producing an aggregate .455/.455/.818 (5-for-11) line throughout the weekend; hit her first career home run in UCF's 7-2 win March 30 as part of her second career three-hit game.
- Went 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in UCF's 8-4 win over St. Thomas April 4 during the Okana Invitational hosted by then-No. 2 Oklahoma.
- Went 2-for-8 with three runs scored in UCF's first two games at BYU April 10-11, helping the Knights to a series win in Provo.
- Recorded her third career three-hit game as UCF completed the largest overall comeback win in program history (11 runs) at Stetson April 23, including hitting her second career home run; her third-inning solo shot marked UCF's fifth of the inning, setting the program record for most home runs in a single frame.
- Scored three runs during UCF's series sweep of the Kansas Jayhawks May 2-4.
- Went 1-for-2 in UCF's Big 12 Championship quarterfinal matchup against then-No. 10 Arizona May 8.
FRESHMAN (2024)
- Unanimous All-Big 12 Freshman Team selection.
- Hit .321/.333/.375 (18-for-56) with 15 runs scored, one double, one triple, 21 total bases, one walk, five RBI and one stolen base in 41 games, including 20 starts, in the infield and outfield.
- Posted a .935 fielding percentage, committing only four errors in 62 total chances while recording 32 putouts and 26 assists.
- Recorded her first collegiate multi-hit game against Georgia State Feb. 11, going 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored.
- Recorded her first collegiate three-hit game against Wisconsin Feb. 16, going 3-for-3 with a stolen base. Her four runs scored in the game also represented a single-game Big 12 conference high in 2024.
- Produced back-to-back multi-hit games for the first time in her career at Texas Tech and vs. North Florida March 30-April 2.
- Hit her first collegiate triple in the Knights' 11-4 win over North Florida April 2.
- Hit her first collegiate double in the Knights' 12-3 win at Iowa State May 4.
- Pushed her season-long hit streak to three consecutive games at Baylor and vs. Bethune-Cookman April 21-24, going 3-for-5 with a run scored in that span.
HIGH SCHOOL
- Attended Notre Dame High School Salinas, playing under head coach Tom Cardinale.
- For her efforts during her junior 2022 campaign, was named Monterey Herald Player of the Year, league MVP, Cal-Hi 2022 All-State, First Team All-League, Extra Inning Softball First Team High School All-American, and 2022 CCS First Team.
- Was awarded Cal-Hi Sports All-State First Team, Cal-Hi Sports All-State, and a First Team Underclassmen selection during her junior year.
- With her club team, the Batbusters Stith 18-U, won the 2022 Alliance Fastpitch National Championship.
- Also played tennis during her senior year, garnering 2022 league champion honors.
- Was named to the honor roll and California Scholarship Federation during her high school tenure as well.
"The coaches are amazing, and I love the environment at UCF."
ABOUT SAMANTHA
Major: Inderdisciplinary Studies ... Favorite pro athlete: Derek Jeter ... Favorite pro team: San Francisco Giants ... Pregame ritual: Putting on my right sock before my left ... Favorite off day activity: Watching movies ... Favorite movie: Tangled ... Favorite music artist: Olivia Dean or Frank Ocean ... Go-to karaoke song: Unwritten ... Nickname growing up: 'Smalls' or 'Shorty' ... Favorite sport other than softball: Football ... Dream vacation destination: Japan ... Go-to road trip snack: Hot fries ... Fun fact: I also used to golf, and ended up choosing to pursue softball full-time over golf.