Leanna Johnson, a junior pitcher for the Trojan Softball team, is not only known for her craft of pitching but being highly decorated for it as well.

While she has made a name for herself within the Sun Belt Conference, she says she found her love of softball in childhood.

“I’ve been doing it pretty much my whole life,” says Johnson. “I played t-ball growing up and then I started pitching when I was about ten. My older sisters did it and then I just wanted to do it too I guess but 1 really fell in love with it and I just love pitching and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Last season as a sophomore, Johnson secured pitcher of the week three times in a row for the Sun Belt Conference but this wasn’t her first time being recognized for her work, in 2019 Johnson won the freshman of the year award.

“It was very honoring,” says Johnson. “Just like rewarding, going out there working hard with your team and then just having that reward at the end of the year, it was just something to be really proud of. All of your work that you put in paid off to get such a big reward like that but it was just really fun.”

Johnson said that winning the freshman of the year award only a few short years ago set the standard for her pitching career here at Troy University and it pushed her to better herself every season.

“I always try to get better at something,” says Johnson. “Softball’s a hard game and just to get better at even the little things can make a big difference. So I think I just used that as motivation and just tried to capitalize each year and just get even better.”

For the full story watch Claudia’s report.