SBLive/SI California all-state softball teams: Kate Munnerlyn named 2024 Player of the Year

Top-ranked Pacifica (Garden Grove) leads the way with three first-team selections; Saint Francis pitcher-slugger Kate Munnerlyn is State Player of the Year

Saint Francis senior Kate Munnerlyn went 15-0 and slugged six home runs to earn California Player of the Year honors / Photo: Heston Quan

California is considered one of the nation's hotbeds for softball high school. The talent up and down the 10 CIF sections is enormous as proven by the SBLive/SI all-state selections below.

The state's No. 1 team and Southern Section's Division 1 champion, the Pacifica Mariners of Garden Grove boasted three players on the first team to lead the way.

The state's No. 2 squad — the Saint Francis Lancers of Mountain View — claimed the Player of the Year and two second teamers.

SBLIVE/SI CALIFORNIA ALL-STATE SOFTBALL TEAMS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: P Kate Munnerlyn – Saint Francis (Mountain View) – Sr.

This season's player of the year race had a few challengers with not only strong cases, but legitimately spotless resumes. For example, Sutter's Olivia Bauer was untouchable both hitting and pitching for a 30-0 team, and Esperanza outfielder Taylor Shumaker might've been selected as the national Player of the Year if the Aztecs had the surrounding talent to compete at the highest level. CIF-SS champion Pacifica had three seniors producing MVP-caliber seasons – although picking one out of the crowd would be tough – and Orange Lutheran's Brianne Weiss might've gotten the nod if her Lancers completed the CIF-SS title quest against the Mariners.

But Texas A&M-bound Kate Munnerlyn was too brilliant to turn down. A two-way force for the CIF-CCS Open Division champion and California's No. 2 team, she went 15-0 with a 0.52 ERA and 183 strikeouts in 107.1 innings, and hit .356 with six home runs and 36 RBI. Starring for one of the nation's preeminent programs, Munnerlyn allowed only 10 runs and eight earned runs all year, and only one run in the CCS playoffs.

FIRST TEAM

P Olivia Bauer – Sutter – Sr.

Bauer headlined Sutter's season for the ages to put herself in the statewide player of the year conversation. The Boise State commit led the Huskies to a 30-0 campaign, CIF-SJS D4 title, and NorCal D3 title going 25-0 with a 0.73 ERA, 192 strikeouts, and 0.67 WHIP in 143 innings. She also hit .520 with two home runs, 20 total extra-base hits, 36 RBI, and 38 runs scored, and didn't record an error all season.

P Brynne Nally – Pacifica (Garden Grove) – Sr.

A longtime Long Beach State commit and the OC Register Pitcher of the Year, Nally had her best season yet to guide Pacifica to its second consecutive CIF-SS Division 1 title. In 127 innings, she set career marks by going 19-2 with a 0.99 ERA, and 0.75 WHIP. Nally closed her career with her crown jewel, a two-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts to beat Orange Lutheran in the championship.

Pacifica senior pitcher Brynne Nally (5) pitched a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts in CIF Southern Section D1 championship win over Orange Lutheran on 5-8-2024 / Photo: Heston Quan

P Cambria Salmon – Beaumont – Sr.

While her team didn't make a ton of noise, the future Texas Longhorn and former IE Varsity Player of the Year turned in her best two-way season yet as a senior. In 170.1 innings, Salmon went 18-7 with a 0.86 ERA and 304 strikeouts to finish her high school career with 1,006 K's. The Ken Hubbs Memorial Award winner also hit .427 with nine long balls and a 1.371 OPS.

P Brianne Weiss – Orange Lutheran – Sr.

Now a three-time SBLive all-state selection, the Notre Dame signee went 19-2 with a 0.87 ERA and 245 K's in 136.1 innings to lead OLu the Southern Section D1 finals. Playing one of the state's hardest schedules, Weiss held opposing batters to a .134 average and gave up just 17 earned runs all season to earn Trinity League Pitcher of the Year honors.

Orange Lutheran senior pitcher and Notre Dame signee Brianne Weiss in 3-0 loss to Pacifica during the 2024 CIF Southern Section D1 championship game. / Photo: Heston Quan

C Mya Flindt – Whitney (Rocklin) – Sr.

It's not often that a catcher turns in an offensive season like the one Flindt just had. The South Carolina commit and Sacramento Bee Player of the Year led Whitney to an SFL title and CIF-SJS finals appearance batting .545 with 14 homers, 42 RBI, and a mammoth 1.821 OPS.

C Corri Hicks – Archbishop Mitty – Sr.

With defensive dominance behind the dish to go with power and the clutch gene at bat, Hicks is the prototypical modern catcher, and she even led Mitty in runs (31). No wonder she's signed to Oklahoma. Hicks hit .377 with seven home runs and 25 RBI en-route to winning WCAL co-Player of the Year honors.

INF Kaniya Bragg – Pacifica (Garden Grove) – Sr.

Speaking of defensive stardom and clutch hitting, Bragg was as good as it gets when it mattered most for the Southern Section Division 1 champions. The UCLA signee and L.A. Times Player of the Year hit .431 with eight homers, 27 RBI, and 30 runs scored, and went 5-7 with two home runs, six RBI, and five runs scored in the last two rounds of the playoffs.

Pacifica shortstop Kaniya Bragg earned first-team All-State honors after hitting .431 with eight home runs her senior year in 2024. She signed at UCLA / Photo: Heston Quan

INF Aleena Garcia – Whittier Christian – Sr.

A UCLA signee and Olympic League MVP, Garcia earns a first team nod after making second team last year. She hit .570 with 13 home runs, 33 total extra-base hits, 37 RBI, and a 1.901 OPS.

INF Mia Phillips – Hollister – Sr.

While Hollister didn't have what it takes to repeat as the top team in California, Phillips was the top reason than the Haybalers were still elite in 2024. The clutch-hitting Cal signee batted .548 with four home runs and 44 RBI.

OF Ilove'a Brittingham – Oaks Christian – Sr.

After helping Oaks Christian set a new state record last year with 68 home runs as a team, Brittingham supplied 19 dingers alone as a senior to finish second in the state – and first among players with less than 100 plate appearances. In addition to hitting for power, the BYU commit got a hit in all 27 games, batting .540 with 38 RBI and scoring 42 runs.

OF Taelyn Holley – Murrieta Mesa – Jr.

Holley, the IE Varsity Player of the Year and Tennessee pledge, hit .598 with 11 homers, 32 RBI, and a massive 1.818 OPS for California's No. 4 team. To top it off, she led the entire state (among reported leaders) with 59 runs scored.

OF Taylor Shumaker – Esperanza – Sr.

The OC Register Player of the Year and a Florida commit, Shumaker was one of the premier hitters and all-around position players in the country as a senior. Despite Esperanza's grueling schedule, she hit .636 with 18 home runs, 12 doubles, 37 RBIs, and a .725 on-base percentage, striking out only three times. To boot, she scored 43 times and was a standout glove in center field.

UTIL: P Kaylee Davis – Amador Valley – Jr.

Talk about flipping the playoff switch. Amador Valley went just 12-11 in the regular season before the Dons' Cal Poly-committed two-way star sparked their miraculous sweep of the CIF-NCS and NorCal playoffs at the Division 1 level. Overall, Davis 17-4 with a 2.42 ERA and 200 K's in 179.2 innings, and a hit .392 with three homers, 29 RBI, and a 1.000 OPS. And in seven playoff games, Davis hit 9-22 with 11 RBI while reaching another level in the circle.

UTIL: P Lilly Hauser – Murrieta Mesa – So.

Hauser might not have gotten the hype she deserved a year ago for her tremendous freshman campaign, but everyone knows her prowess after year two. She helped lead the Rams to the CIF-SS D1 semifinals and a regional championship going 23-1 with a 0.64 ERA and 216 strikeouts in 121.2 innings while batting .514 with nine home runs and 37 RBI.

UTIL: C/OF Delaina Ma'ae – Pacifica (Garden Grove) – Sr.

The UC Santa Barbara commit makes three first-teamers for the CIF-SS champion Mariners. Ma'ae hit .515 with three home runs, 20 RBI, and 16 walks, good for a 1.458 OPS, while providing the best fielding work of her career at catcher.

UTIL: P Lila Partridge – Casa Grande – Jr.

In leading her squad to a 23-3 record and CIF-NCS D2 title, Partridge exceled in regards to pitching, contact hitting, power hitting, and sheer consistency. She went 16-2 with a 1.27 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 110.2 innings, and hit .529 with seven long balls, 23 RBI, and a 1.571 OPS.

UTIL: P Ayla Tuua – Capital Christian – So.

It couldn't have been easy to take a leap immediately after winning Cal-Hi Sports Freshman of the Year, but Tuua did it. She shined in every facet of the game to lead the Cougars – now known as the Destiny Christian Lions – to a 26-3-1 record, CIF-SJS D3 finals appearance, and NorCal Division III championship. Tuua went 19-2 with a 0.93 ERA, 245 strikeouts, and jaw-dropping .075 opposing batting average in 135 innings, and that wasn't all. She also hit .488 with 11 home runs, 13 doubles, 28 RBI, and 1.662 OPS, and stole 17 bases en-route to scoring 41 runs.

SECOND TEAM

P Miranda De Nava – Riverside Poly – Sr.

The Cal signee had her best season yet on both sides of the ball as Riverside Poly turned in another state-ranked campaign. De Nava went 20-2 with a 1.10 ERA and 220 K's in 140 innings, and proved to be a serious hitting threat with a .337 batting average, a .963 OPS, and 27 RBI.

P Hannah Duncan – Whitney (Rocklin) – Sr.

Duncan got considerably better in the circle every season throughout high school, and capped her career with a monster senior year. The Fresno State commit navigated a daunting schedule to steer Whitney (22-4) to a banner year and finished 18-3 with a 0.93 ERA and 188 K's in 135.2 innings.

P Kassandra Gewecke – Temple City – Sr.

Another year, another amazing two-way season for the incoming Ohio State Buckeye. Recording an ERA below 1.00 in all four years of high school, Gewecke went 18-1 with a 0.53 ERA, 176 strikeouts, and a 0.56 WHIP in 118.1 innings as a senior, and batted .452 with 24 RBI.

P Miali Guachino – Great Oak – Sr.

The Mississippi signee and former CIF-SS Division 2 champion was once again among the state's top pitchers as a senior. Guachino led the Wolfpack to the Division 1 section quarterfinals and regional semifinals with her two-way play, which included a three-hitter to upset offensive juggernaut Norco 3-1.

C Sophia Burmeister – Poway – Jr.

After a strong sophomore season, Burmeister broke out in 2024 as one of the state's top players regardless of class or position, and was named the CIF-SDS Player of the Year. The Clemson pledge led Poway to a repeat bid atop the San Diego Section hitting .495 with 14 homers and 38 RBI.

C Alyssa Torres – Valley View – So.

As just a sophomore, Torres had a downright freakish season hitting the ball for a catcher while anchoring one of the better teams in the state. She batted .513 with a state-best 20 home runs, 12 doubles, 55 RBI, a 1.723 OPS, and 51 runs scored.

INF Sydney Barker – Rocklin – Sr.

The Oklahoma commit led Rocklin to a CIF-SJS Division 2 championship hitting .384 with seven home runs, 22 RBI, and 30 runs scored. What really sets Barker apart from the rest is her fantastic defense at shortstop, where she took away countless hits and made her case as the best defensive infielder in the state.

INF Makenzie Butt – Fountain Valley – Sr.

Despite Fountain Valley's overwhelming schedule, Butt dominated to the tune of a 1.886 OPS. The Boise State recruit hit .545 with 12 home runs, 10 doubles, 36 RBI, and 27 runs scored.

INF Rylee McCoy – Oaks Christian – Sr.

A pinnacle of consistency at the plate, McCoy repeats as a second team selection with a stat line nearly identical to her junior year numbers. The Oregon commit hit .512 with nine homers, 13 doubles, 40 RBI, and 31 runs scored.

INF Kiara Sipe – Clovis North – Sr.

Sipe, a Fresno State commit, was the top offensive force on the CIF-CS Division 1 champion. She hit .422 with seven home runs, 18 total extra-base hits, 30 RBI, and 28 runs scored.

OF Kai Minor – Orange Lutheran – Jr.

Like her co-star Brianne Weiss, Minor has now made SBLive's first or second all-state team three times – and the Oklahoma commit still has a year left. Minor, the Trinity League Player of the Year, batted .420 with four home runs, scored 26 times, and dazzled in center field as always.

OF Jaime Oakland – Saint Francis (Mountain View) – So.

In just the first half of her high school career, Oakland has already won two WCAL Player of the Year awards and made a strong case as arguably the top contact hitter in the state. Batting .629, she recorded 56 hits, 20 RBI, and 36 runs scored.

OF Tamryn Shorter – Norco – Jr.

Norco might've had the deepest and most balanced batting lineup in California, but it still had a clear focal point – Shorter. The Boise State commit notched 49 hits, batting .598 with eight home runs and 27 RBI.

UTIL: P Alyssa Galindo – Etiwanda – Jr.

Etiwanda was California's top breakout team in 2024, and Galindo was Etiwanda's top breakout star. She led the Eagles to a CIF-SS Division 3 crown going 10-2 with a 0.85 ERA and batting .521 with 12 dingers, 36 RBI, and a 1.523 OPS.

UTIL: OF Natalia Hill – Gahr – Sr.

The Nebraska signee led Gahr to an underdog CIF-SS D2 championship hitting .549 with seven home runs and 33 RBI. Hill has since been named the Division 2 Player of the Year and Press-Telegram Player of the Year.

UTIL: P Shannon Keighran – Saint Francis (Mountain View) – Sr.

Keighran heads to Boise State having spent her entire high school career as a two-way star on one of the premier programs in the nation. As a senior, she went 13-1 with 113 strikeouts and a 1.37 ERA in 71.2 innings, and hit .358 with 31 RBI for the CIF-CCS Open Division champion.

UTIL: P/INF Mya McGowan – Poway – Jr.

McGowan, a two-way star and Cal commit, formed one of the top batteries in California and beyond with fellow second-teamer Sophia Burmeister for the CIF-SDS' top dog. Both are expected to be back as seniors as Poway goes for the three-peat.

UTIL: P/INF Jessica Phelps – Del Norte (San Diego) – Sr.

A two-way star for the other top team in the San Diego Section, the Princeton signee went 14-2 with a 1.64 ERA and hit .388 with some power. Phelps' Nighthawks made the title game in both the section and regional playoffs.

THIRD TEAM

P Alanna Clincy – Willow Glen – So.

P Kailey Estes – Gregori – Sr.

P Raegan Everett – Oakdale – Sr. (UC Riverside)

P Jasmine Whorley – Alameda – Sr. (University of Illinois Chicago)

C Avery Motroni – Capuchino – Jr. (Arizona State)

C Sofia Mujica – Granite Hills (El Cajon) – Sr. (UCLA)

INF/OF Kaycie Burdick – Foothill (Pleasanton) – Jr. (Washington)

INF Joie Economides – South Hills – Sr. (Stanford)

INF Caylene Nguyen – San Marcos (San Marcos) – Sr. (Columbia)

INF Sereniti Trice – Cathedral Catholic – Sr. (Iowa State)

OF Ashleigh Mejia – Santiago (Corona) – Sr. (Arizona State)

OF Saskia Raab – Granada (Livermore) – Sr. (Nevada)

OF Mia Rodriguez – Archbishop MItty – Sr. (San Diego State)

UTIL: P Thomara Drummer – San Rafael – Jr.

UTIL: C/INF/OF Dani Jackman – University Prep (Victorville) – Sr. (Williams College)

UTIL: P Abi Jones – Salinas – Jr. (Grand Canyon)

UTIL: P/1B Priscilla Llamas – Roosevelt (Eastvale) – Sr. (Ole Miss)

UTIL: P Madi McDonnell – Capistrano Valley – Sr. (UT Arlington)

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

P Bree Barner – Golden Valley (Merced) – Sr. (Stanislaus State)

P Madison Cabrera – Centennial (Bakersfield) – Jr.

P Sofia Elliott – Mission Viejo – Sr. (Iowa)

P Cari Ferguson – Los Alamitos – Sr. (Santa Clara)

P Madison Finnerty – Moorpark – Sr. (Lehigh)

P Abby Ford – JSerra – Fr.

P Kennedi Freeland – Oak Ridge – Fr.

P Felesha LePenske – Dixon – Sr.

P Kyleigh Mace – Archbishop Mitty – So.

P Malaya Majam-Finch – Fullerton – So.

P Loula McNamara – Tesoro – Jr. (Boise State)

P Taylor Mediano – St. Joseph (Santa Maria) – Jr. (Utah)

P Addison Moorman – Granada Hills Charter – Jr. (Lehigh)

P Chase Mueller – Ponderosa – Sr. (Abilene Christian)

P Katia Nesper – King's Academy – So.

P Zoe Prystajko – Huntington Beach – Sr. (Stanford)

P Pricilla Ramirez – California (Whittier) – Jr.

P Montserrat Reyes-Cardenas – La Mirada – Jr. (San Diego State)

P Jayden Rutledge – Imperial – Jr.

P Ava Schaffel – Millikan – Sr. (San Diego State)

P Jordan Simmons – Canyon (Anaheim) – Jr. (Brown)

P/INF Paige Murphy – Archie Wiliams – Jr.

C Angelina Apodaca – Camarillo – Sr. (Long Beach State)

C Brooklyn Paratore – Oak Ridge – So.

C Kaylie Stauffer (Saugus) – Sr. (Oregon State)

C Bella Tonso – Roseville – Sr. (Nevada)

INF Paige Bambarger – Murrieta Mesa – Sr. (Oregon State)

INF Marisa Bryson – Pioneer (Woodland) – So.

INF Marley Cortez – Gahr – Sr.

INF Sophia Everett – San Rafael – Jr. (Cal)

INF Sophia Jin – San Ramon Valley – Jr. (Stanford)

INF Jayden Ramos – Central (Fresno) – Sr. (Arkansas)

INF Quinn Southerland – Capistrano Valley – Sr. (Boise State)

OF Jae Cosgriff – Livermore – Sr. (Minnesota)

OF Callie Fitzpatrick – Los Alamitos – Sr. (Long Beach State)

OF Gigi Ganje – Aliso Niguel – Sr. (Pennsylvania)

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