NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Maya Johnson was named to six weekly honors as announced by national and regional outlets Tuesday morning. Picking up right where she left off, the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year opened the 2026 campaign with a statement weekend, anchoring Belmont to two signature wins.
Johnson went 2–0 in opening weekend action, pitching 14.0 innings with 27 strikeouts while allowing just one run. She opened the season Friday with a historic performance against Missouri State, tossing a perfect game in Belmont's season opener. Johnson struck out 15 batters over seven innings on just 83 pitches to record the first perfect game of her collegiate career.Â
She followed that effort with an equally impressive outing Sunday, earning a complete-game victory over No. 15 Georgia in Athens. Johnson struck out 12 over 7.0 innings, as Belmont secured its first-ever win against an SEC opponent and a Top-25 program.Â
For her performances, Johnson was named Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week and also earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association Pitcher of the Week honors.Â
National recognition followed, as Johnson was selected as Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week, Softball America Pitching Star of the Week, D1 Softball Mid-Major Player of the Week, and Softball on SI Pitcher of the Week, capping one of the most dominant opening weekends by a pitcher in the country.Â
The Week 1 accolades build on a historic 2025 season for Johnson, who finished last year as the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year, a First Team All-MVC selection, MVC Tournament MVP, and MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She also garnered national recognition as an NFCA First Team All-American and First Team All-Region honoree, along with D1 Softball Second Team All-American honors.Â
With her opening weekend performances, Johnson once again established herself as one of the premier pitchers in college softball, setting the tone early for another standout season in the circle for the Bruins.Â
