In its 40th year of honoring the nation’s most elite high school athletes for excellence on the field of play, in the classroom and in their communities, Gatorade today announced Hannah Wells of Coahoma High School in Coahoma, Texas is the 2024-25 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year.

Wells joins an all-star group of former Gatorade National Softball Players of the Year who have combined for more than 17 gold medals and five National Championships. Wells was selected from more than half a million other student-athletes who play high school softball nationwide.

Here resume is amazing and includes winning a third straight Class 3A Div. II title just last month with video game level stats. In the circle, she went 22-1 with a 0.49 ERA and struck out 258 batters versus just 31 walks in 127.2 innings. With the bat, she hit .602 with 31 home runs and 75 RBIs.

Her career stats are as equally amazing as she went 77-3 with a 0.75 ERA and 879 strikeouts. Offensively, Wells batted .591 with 86 home runs and 253 RBIs.

Wells was surprised today with the trophy at school surrounded by her family, coaches and teammates, and she also received a video call from Olympic medalist and Women’s College World Series champion Jennie Finch-Daigle congratulating her on the honor.

Following the surprise, Wells got a taste of the pro athlete experience with a styling session, photoshoot and media interviews.

One of those interviews was a Zoom call with Line Drive’s Brentt Eads who asked the record-setting athlete what today’s unexpected and surprising experience was like.

“One of my teammates said we had pictures at 7:30 a.m. and a couple of interviews,” Wells recalled. “I was like, okay… I wasn’t very happy and was kind of grumpy.”

It wasn’t until she passed through the dugout—where teammates were hiding with phones—that Wells realized something major was unfolding. Her mother stepped forward, holding a trophy overhead.

Wells’ confusion quickly turned to stunned joy.

“That’s when I figured out what it was,” she said. “It was the Gatorade National Player of the Year award.”

“I started crying,” she said. “This was something I’ve wanted since my freshman year. And then I was embarrassed—everyone staring at me holding this trophy. That is not my element at all!”

More than a trophy, Gatorade Player of the Year has a 40-year legacy recognizing and celebrating the next generation unlike anyone else, from one-on-one connections to their favorite pros to first access to Gatorade Drops and participation in community initiatives.

From CEOs and coaches to elite professional athletes, Gatorade Player of the Year Winners showcase the power of sport, touting an impressive group of softball alumni that includes:

• Cat Osterman (2000-01, Cypress Springs High School, Texas),
• Rachel Garcia (2014-15 & 2012-13, Highland High School, Calif.),
• Ava Brown (2022-23, Lake Creek High School, Texas)
• Addisen Fisher (2023-24, Bend High School, Oregon).

She also got high praise from a key executive at Gatorade:

“Hannah’s remarkable talents and character on the field, in the classroom and in her community made her a clear choice for Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year,” said Gatorade Chief Brand Officer Anuj Bhasin.

“The award shows the world who the athletes are on and off the field, and she couldn’t be more deserving of this top honor.”

Gatorade Players of the Year are not only the best of the best in their respective sports, but they’re also role models and leaders off the field.

A National Honor Society member, Wells has volunteered locally on behalf of Tate’s Place, a non-profit organization devoted to providing for those in need through food banks, shoe drives and Thanksgiving meals, among other initiatives.

She has also donated her time by picking up trash in her community, particularly after sporting events, and by offering instruction to youth softball players.

Wells has maintained an A average in the classroom, and she has signed a written letter of athletic aid to play softball at the University of Texas this fall.

Here’s her social media post in September of 2023 when she announced she’d be a future Longhorn:

HOOK’EM 🤘🏼
So excited! @CoachSingTexas @TexasCoachWhite Coach Z, @PattieeeRuthhh pic.twitter.com/xATPgrgobe

— Hannah Wells (@HannahWells_13) September 19, 2023

A two-way threat, the senior has impressed her high school coach for her prowess both on offense and defense:

“She is incredibly hard to game plan against, because you have to prepare high school kids to compete against Hannah, who is already at the level of a dominant Division I [college] pitcher,” said Joseph Morelion, head coach at Stanton (TX) High School.

“At the plate, Hannah is the best hitter I’ve been able to witness with my own eyes at any level. The ball is going to be hit hard—it’s just a matter of where and how far.”

As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $5.6 million in grants to winners across more than 2,000 organizations.

• To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes, click HERE.
• Also, to see all of the 2024-25 Gatorade Softball State Players of the Year, click HERE.

Finally, click on the following links to read some of the Line Drive Softball articles involving Hannah (most recent listed first):

• Club News: Alliance Fastpitch Announces 2025 Alliance All-Stars and Upcoming All-Star Game (May 17, 2025)
• Club News: Line Drive Hot 50 18U Club National Rankings #’s 30-21 (April 30, 2025)
• The 2025 Line Drive HOT 100 Player Rankings… Closer to the Top With #’s 20-11! (Oct. 24, 2024)
• Event News: Texas Glory in 16U National Power Pool Championship Bracket at Triple Crown Colorado 4th of July (July 6, 2024)
• Event News: Inconceivable Athletics-Firecrackers Slugfest at Triple Crown Colorado 4th of July (July 5, 2024)

— Brentt & Shannon Eads/Line Drive Softball