This week, we will wrap-up our coverage of the 2027 Line Drive HOT 100 with a spotlight today on the No.1-rated player – announced here on Line Drive Softball on July 29, 2024 – as well as look at top players who are “On the Bubble” (those 101-plus who may enter the HOT 100 in the future) as well as class rankings by Positions and Regions.

Today we talk to Macie Bryant, the standout pitcher from Texas who was named the No. 1 overall 2027 prospect.

She has had great success in her career to this point including helping the USA Women’s Junior National Team to a World Cub Gold Medal with a one-hit, 17 strikeout performance in the championship game.

Here’s what Macie says about being ranked No. 1, what she wants to study in college and the one word she uses to describe herself on and off the field…

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Line Drive Softball: There’s a saying that it’s harder to stay on top (in this case, being ranked No. 1 in the Class of 2027) than to get there… as far as playing over the last year after you were named No. 1 in your class previously, do you believe opposing teams have tried to elevate their game when playing against you?
Macie Bryant: I definitely feel like teams make adjustments off of my strengths, and I have to make adjustments off of their adjustments.

Line Drive Softball: Your Impact Head Coach, Tamar Turner, praises you for your skill at blocking out everything and having great focus when you pitch. Where do you believe that skill comes from?
Macie Bryant: My dad has always made my workouts challenges to try to prepare me for tough moments in the game. And I always fall back on my preparation because I know I have done everything to be prepared for any situation.

Line Drive Softball: What was it like to pitch for the USA Junior Women’s and have such great success individually and as a team like you did?
Macie Bryant: It was the most exciting and the most pressure I have ever felt, and the feeling has been unmatched. When I was pitching what helped me relax is that all I had to do was execute my pitches because the country’s best defense had my back.

Line Drive Softball: What’s been the toughest experience you’ve had in softball?
Macie Bryant: My toughest experience in softball was the passing of Mo3 (editor’s note: Morgan “Mo” Wilson was a 2027 infielder from Louisiana who played on the Impact Gold National 2K9 time and died Dec. 22, 2022). When she passed it hurt, but I also wanted to make her proud by playing for her.

It has been the most challenging time as we mourn the loss of one of our own, Morgan “Mo” Wilson. We are heartbroken and will forever miss Mo’s presence here with us. Please pray for Morgan’s family, and respect the family’s privacy. We will never forget our Mo3. pic.twitter.com/gVwcX4VLO9

— Impact Gold Fastpitch (@ImpactGoldOrg) December 28, 2022

Line Drive Softball: Pretend you’re pitching with a one run lead, last inning, bases loaded and a full count…. Which of your many pitches would YOU prefer to throw to seal the win?
Macie Bryant: The pitch I would throw would depend on the type of hitter I’m facing. For example, if someone is really aggressive, I would probably lean towards a changeup. If it’s a hitter that sits back on off speed well, then, I would throw a backdoor curve or screwball.

Line Drive Softball: Your father is a successful club softball coach and has been with you all your life in the sport… what are the good and bad aspects to a parent/coach with athlete relationship?
Macie Bryant: I like having my dad call my pitches but at the same time he always knows when I miss my spot so even if I get a strikeout, I still have to hear crap on how I got lucky that the hitter didn’t hit a bomb!

Line Drive Softball: Looking back on your amazing career, what memory or highlight jumps out to you first?
Macie Bryant: Having the opportunity to represent my country by wearing USA across my chest.

Line Drive Softball: The recruiting process is a year or two away, but have you and your family started a plan or are making efforts to look at potential future colleges for you to attend?
Macie Bryant: My parents emphasize to me life after softball… I’m really leaning towards doing something in sports medicine as a career so I will probably choose a program that will allow me to do what I love to do and lines up with my career goals.

Line Drive Softball: Do you currently play other sports or are you focusing solely on fastpitch?
Macie Bryant: I do not play any other sports. About a year ago we even narrowed the focus down to just pitching.

Line Drive Softball: Tell us something most people don’t know about you on and/or off the softball fields…
Macie Bryant: Something a lot of people don’t about me is I like to read and, even though I don’t look like it, I can do the splits.

Line Drive Softball: Last question: if you had to describe yourself in one word as a player on the field, what word would you choose? And one word as a person off the field?
Macie Bryant: One word to describe myself on the field is determined. One word to describe myself off the field is driven.

—Brentt Eads/Line Drive Softball