Alyssa Palomino Photo: ASA/USA Softball
Alyssa Palomino, a member of the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Softball First Team last spring, was named the USA Softball Junior Female Athlete of the Year, ASA/USA Softball announced on Friday.
Palomino was one of the most feared power hitters in the country last season at Mission Viejo (Calif.) where she finished her career No. 2 in California history with 58 home runs, second only to fellow ALL-USA first-teamer Tannon Snow. Palomino hit .532 with 16 homers and an on-base percentage of .619.
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After her high school season, she led the Junior Women’s National Team to gold medla at the WBSC Junior Women’s World Championship and a fifth-place finish at the World Cup of Softball X.
She tied the record for most home runs at junior worlds with with five and drove in a tournament-record 28 RBI. She also batted .396 (19 for 48) with a .483 on-base percentage.
Palomino is now a freshman at Arizona.
“It is such an honor to be named the USA Softball Junior Female Athlete of the Year,” Palomino said in a statement. “The summer this team had was incredible and it was the best experience of my life! I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that was given to me and I will cherish every memory that was made! Being able to play with USA across my chest is something I have always dreamed of and just being able to play was a dream come true. I would like to thank the ASA/USA Softball staff for this honor and the team and coaches for an amazing summer. Without them, this summer would have never been possible.”