Penn State Harrisburg softball player Madelyn Lehigh has been named the United East Female Senior Athlete of the Year.
MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Penn State Harrisburg softball player Madelyn Lehigh has been named the United East Female Senior Athlete of the Year.
The highest individual honor the conference bestows, the award represents the epitome of the student-athlete model thanks to their high level of performance in their respective sport, in the classroom, and in their community.
Lehigh was chosen from a pool of 10 women who earned United East Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors for their respective sports during the 2024-25 campaign.
Lehigh will now represent the United East as the conference's NCAA Woman of the Year Award nominee. She also will represent the league as its women's nominee for the regional and national athlete of the year awards presented by the Division III Commissioners Association.
"Throughout four standout seasons at Penn State Harrisburg, Maddy redefined success as a student-athlete," said Mandi Baer, softball head coach. "She became a NCAA statistical champion, program record holder in nearly every offensive category, and a three-time academic all-district honoree. She continually demonstrated unmatched drive, focus and leadership. She set the gold standard for Penn State Harrisburg softball, leaving a legacy that will inspire future generations of student-athletes."
The most-decorated player in program history, Lehigh completed her career as the NCAA active leader in triples across all three divisions. In 2024, she was named the United East Player of the Year, won a pair of NCAA Statistical Championships in the categories of triples per game and triples, and was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region IV Third Team. She secured NFCA All-Region Second Team honors in 2023, and she was named United East Rookie of the Year in 2022. A four-time United East All-Conference honoree that included three first-team recognitions, Lehigh ended her career as the program's all-time leader in batting average, on-base percentage, OPS, slugging percentage, hits, runs, RBIs, walks and triples.
Lehigh, a Harrisburg native, also has been strong in the classroom throughout her career. She was the first Penn State Harrisburg student-athlete to earn three College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District accolades, was a two-time Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society inductee, and garnered four straight conference all-academic awards. She bolstered her academic experience with internships at nearby Focused Physical Development and RAK Baseball. A human development and family studies major, she graduated in May with a 3.70 cumulative GPA.
Serving as Penn State Harrisburg's 2024-25 Student-Athlete Leadership Council (SALC) treasurer, Lehigh helped facilitate a canned food drive that collected items for the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and Penn State Harrisburg's on-campus food pantry. She also had a hand in Penn State Harrisburg's involvement with National Read Across America Day at local elementary schools.
Outside of campus, she involved herself with local communities by volunteering with military families at the nearby Indiantown Gap National Cemetery through the Wreaths Across America program, working with students at Central Dauphin's annual Ready For School Fall Festival and serving as a student-athlete mentor with Polar Elite Softball.
More about Lehigh’s accomplishments can be found on the Penn State Harrisburg Athletics website.
