Lutheran’s Meredith Barnhart received one last bit of hardware before setting off for the SEC, being named Gatorade Colorado Softball Player of the Year for the 2024-25 school year on Monday morning.
The Tennessee commit helped lead the Lions to four state titles during a decorated career with the Parker prep power, capped by a Class 4A player of the year nod after she hit .547 with 52 RBIs and 10 home runs last fall. The shortstop also stole 10 bases and had a .933 fielding percentage in her fourth and final all-state season.
“She controls the game from her defensive position and can change it with one swing,” Riverdale Ridge head coach Ray Garza said in a release announcing the award. “And it’s not just stats. Coaches and scouts look at how she carries herself — she lifts up her team, she’s vocal, supportive and leads by example, even when things aren’t perfect.”
In addition to her work on the diamond, Barnhart has donated time to the Miracle League of Metro Denver, which offers children and adults living with intellectual or physical challenges the opportunity to play baseball, and volunteered as a nanny for a family with a terminally ill parent.
She carries a 4.0 GPA and will play on scholarship at Tennessee starting next fall.
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