Maya Johnson is a 6-foot-0 professional softball pitcher from Columbia Station, Ohio. She was acquired by the Oklahoma City Spark with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 AUSL College Draft following a collegiate career at Belmont.
Personal Life
Background: Has a cat named Bianca, rescued on the Belmont softball field. Lists Belmont coach Laura Matthews and travel coach Camille Hayes as major influences. Models her game after Danielle Lawrie and Monica Abbott. Earned a Bronze medal for Team USA at the World Kickboxing Championships as a child. Worked on a farm for three summers.
Education & Career: Works as a registered nurse while working to obtain her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.
Family: Daughter of Kristen and Ryan Johnson. Chose to wear No. 23 in honor of her brother.
Professional Experience
Athletes Unlimited Softball League (2026)
2026 AUSL Regular Season (Oklahoma City Spark): Johnson made 14 appearances in the circle during her rookie season, leading the AUSL with 11 games started while ranking fourth in total appearances. She finished ninth in the league with a 4.88 earned run average, logging a 3-5 record over 43.0 innings pitched, which tied for fifth in the league. She struck out 31 batters, good for eighth in the AUSL, including 12 strikeouts looking. Johnson opened her professional career with a complete-game victory over Texas on June 9. On June 13, at Chicago, she gave up just one hit over 4.0 innings with a season-high four strikeouts in the win. She led the Spark to a victory over Portland on July 4, allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts over 4.0 innings. Johnson threw a season-high 6.1 innings against Utah, tying her season high with four strikeouts, and also tallied four strikeouts over 4.2 innings against Carolina on June 29.
College Experience: Belmont (2023–2026)
Career Statistics: Four-year letter winner who appeared in 122 games (100 starts) after redshirting as a freshman at Pittsburgh. Compiled a 79-20 career record with a 1.43 ERA, 1,186 strikeouts, 69 complete games, and 30 shutouts in 697.0 innings.
Senior Year (2026): Authored a 28-3 record with 31 complete games, 15 shutouts, and a 0.78 ERA. Struck out 397 batters in 215.2 innings and threw three no-hitters, including a 19-strikeout performance against Evansville.
Junior Year (2025): Logged a 24-6 record over 35 appearances (32 starts) with a 1.52 ERA and 366 strikeouts. Threw 23 complete games and posted 24 games with 10 or more strikeouts.
Sophomore Year (2024): Finished with a 16-5 record, a 1.49 ERA, and 216 strikeouts in 141.1 innings.
Redshirt Freshman Year (2023): Totaled 207 strikeouts with a 2.26 ERA. Set a career high with 22 strikeouts in a nine-inning effort against Evansville.
Awards & Honors
National Honors: 2026 Softball America Pitcher of the Year and a Top 10 Finalist for the 2026 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. One of four finalists for the 2026 Honda Sport Award for Softball.
All-America: Consensus First-Team All-America selection (NFCA, D1Softball, Softball America) as a senior, and NFCA First-Team All-America as a junior.
Conference & Region Honors: Two-time Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year (2025, 2026) and a three-time First-Team All-MVC selection. Three-time NFCA All-Region First Team honoree.
Academic: Two-time MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
