Ava Zachary has always been the consummate teammate.
It’s never been about me for the humble, hard-working Penn softball superstar.
On Saturday, it was finally all about Zachary.
And no one deserved it more than the do-it-all third baseman.
Zachary, the face of the Penn program the past four years, claimed the state’s top honor as she was named Miss Softball. Zachary, a Notre Dame commit, received the accolade in between the pair of North-South All-Star games at Indiana University in Bloomington.
Zachary becomes the first Miss Softball winner from the tradition-rich and ultra-successful Penn program.
“This means so much to me,” said Ava in a phone interview Saturday afternoon as she headed back home with her family. “I’m just grateful. Grateful for all of the opportunities that softball has given me.
“It just felt super surreal when they announced my name. I had no expectations going into it. I was just grateful to be nominated with so many great players from across the state.
“When they announced it, my mind just went to all of my teammates, coaches, family and all of the support system that I’ve had at Penn these past four years. I would not be here without all of them and they all mean so much to me.”
The other four finalists for Miss Softball included star pitcher Ava Geyer of New Prairie, along with outfielders Katelyn Marx of Tecumseh and Izzy Neal of Brownsburg and infielder Addison Steineker of Shelbyville.
Zachary has been around the Penn program since birth. Her mother Beth, a former star pitcher herself, is the Penn coach. Older sister Aubrey graduated in 2024 after a terrific prep career and younger sister Addyson was a freshman member of the Kingsmen this past season. Dad Dave, a former star baseball pitcher at Penn, is an assistant coach for the program.
“My parents have been my biggest supporters and have always had my back,” Ava said. “They have been my rocks through it all.”
Ava was a force from day one as the ultimate winner when she joined the Kingsmen. She helped lead her team to a 103-26-1 overall mark, including going 43-2 in Northern Indiana Conference play. She helped the Kingsmen win four sectional and four regional titles in Class 4A play and the state championship in 2023 when she scored the game winning run in the ninth inning on a wild pitch as Penn beat Roncalli 2-1.
Ava, a lethal lefty with power and speed, batted .543 her senior season with an on-base percentage of .574 to go with a 1.000 slugging percentage and an 1.574 OPS. She had 50 hits, a state best 62 RBIs with 10 doubles, four triples and eight home runs. She stole 22 bases and committed just one error at third base.
Ava was at her best in the big moments again in pacing Penn to a 25-5 mark this past season that ended with a 4-2 loss to eventual state champion Crown Point in the semistate title game. She blasted two doubles and drove in three runs in the 11-1 five-inning sectional final win over LaPorte and then hit the walk-off homer that ended a 10-0 five-inning victory over Elkhart in the regional contest at Penn. The Kingsmen have won a state record 11 regional titles in a row.
“It’s just very humbling and we are so proud of Ava,” said Beth as she drove home Saturday afternoon. “We sit in gratutude. For her to be recognized with all of these great, talented and amazing athletes is just so amazing.
“It’s so meaningful because it’s much bigger than just Ava. This is not an individual award. It’s one for our entire Penn program. We have an amazing history here and I’m just so proud of the program we have built and all of the players we have had play here.”
“I know all of the hard work that Ava has put into this. Her legacy is about growing our program and also the sport of softball.”
Ava played in a total of 128 games in a Penn uniform in her prolific prep career. She batted .482 with 196 hits and 174 RBIs with 169 runs scored. She had 41 doubles, 19 triples and 20 home runs with 79 stolen bases and a .544 on base percentage.
Ava was also a star in the classroom and the weight room too. She was part of a team with an overall GPA of 3.898, among the top 10 in the state. She was also named the 2025 National Female Athlete of the Year by the National High School Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association for her prowess in that area.
Ava has already begun classes at Notre Dame. Beth said the family hoped to just take a day off together on Sunday to rest and enjoy the honor together.
“This just feels really good,” concluded Ava. “I’ve had an amazing time these last four years and all of the hard work paid off.
“I’m super sad this is ending (my high school career), but I’m super excited for the future.”
A future that is so bright for the consummate teammate.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Penn High School’s Ava Zachary named Miss Softball
Reporting by Scott Davidson, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
