Belmont Softball Adds Most-Decorated Athlete in School History to Coaching Staff

One of the most decorated student-athletes in Belmont and Missouri Valley Conference history is back in Nashville to share her talent with a new wave of players.

Maya Johnson is officially joining the Bruins’ softball coaching staff for 2026-27, according to head coach Laura Matthews.

Johnson joins Emlyn Knerem and Anna Shelnut in the dugout.

Excited to announce a familiar face is returning to Belmont Softball — Assistant Coach Maya Johnson!

🔗 https://t.co/bc3qxLUgdR #ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/XIxh38hpPH
— Belmont Softball (@BelmontSoftball) October 2, 2026

Johnson, credited with putting Belmont softball on the map and leading the team to an NCAA Tournament run in 2026, couldn’t be a better fit for this staff.

After a wild ride through the transfer portal and undergoing chemotherapy to manage Lupus last offseason, Johnson made a resilient return to the mound in 2026 and ranked among national leaders in almost every statistical category. The southpaw led the nation in eight categories, including strikeouts (397), strikeouts per seven innings (12.9), strikeout-to-walk ratio (11.03), earned run average (0.78), WHIP (0.68), complete games (31), and shutouts (15).

She began the season with a perfect game, added a no-hitter, grabbed her 1000th career strikeout, and had two top-ranked wins over Georgia and Mississippi State, while holding Tennessee to just one run.

MAYA👏JOHNSON👏@MayaJohnson_SJA throws a NO-HITTER in today's shutout vs UIC#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/nXqMDaM8fh
— Belmont Softball (@BelmontSoftball) March 7, 2026

After winning a Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title and falling to Alabama in the NCAA Regionals, she concluded her collegiate career with 1,186 career strikeouts, leading all active players in NCAA softball.

“Belmont was a place that supported me when no one else did,” Johnson told Softball On SI in July 2025. “I had a lot of people question a few years ago if I could even play softball, and (head) coach Matthews never had that question. I love the city of Nashville, and I am going to finish my career with my family here at Belmont.”

MAYA JOHNSON WITH 17 STRIKEOUTS TO CLOSE IT OUT😤

That’s the most strikeouts for Maya in an MVC Championship game, and ties for 2nd-most all-time in a MVC Championship game🤯#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/tvAJS5M3BY
— Belmont Softball (@BelmontSoftball) May 7, 2026

After ranking No. 1 nationally by D1Softball and Softball America for most of the season in mid-major polls and pitching power rankings, Johnson was selected No. 3 overall by the Oklahoma City Spark in the 2026 Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) College Draft. There, she collected a 3-5 overall record with 31 strikeouts across 43 innings pitched.

Maya Johnson’s Belmont Resume

2026 Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Female Amateur Athlete of the Year
2026 finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
2026 finalist for the Honda Sport Award for softball.
2026 NFCA National Pitcher of the Year
2026 NFCA First-Team All-American
2026 Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year
2025 Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year
-2025 First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference
2025 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player
2025 Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2025 NFCA First Team All-American and First Team All-Region
2025 D1 Softball Second Team All-American
2024 First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference
2024 NFCA First Team All-Region

The two-time defending MVC Champion Bruins are coming off a 41-13 overall record and will host the 2027 MVC Softball Championship in the spring.

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