{{short description|American softball player (born 2001)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name = Maya Brady |image = |image_size = |caption = |team = Oklahoma City Spark |number = |position = Utility |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2001|06|1}}<ref name="k694">{{cite web |url=https://www.essentiallysports.com/nfl-news-who-is-tom-bradys-beloved-niece-maya-brady-how-did-she-hit-the-headlines-recently/ |title=Who Is Tom Brady?s Beloved Niece Maya Brady? How Did She Hit the Headlines Recently? | last=Ansari | first=Mohammad Asif | website=EssentiallySports.com |date=May 2, 2023 |access-date=November 1, 2024}}</ref> |birth_place = San Mateo, California, U.S. |bats = Left |throws = Right |teams = * UCLA (2020–2024) * Talons (2025) * Oklahoma City Spark (2026–present) |highlights = * AUSL champion (2025) *2× Pac-12 Player of the Year (2023, 2024) *WCWS All-Tournament Team (2022) *Softball America Freshman of the Year (2020) *3× First team All-American (2021, 2023, 2024) *3× First team All-Pac 12 (2021, 2023, 2024) *Pac-12 All-Freshman team (2021) |medaltemplates= {{MedalSport |Women's softball}} {{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }} {{MedalCompetition | World Cup}} {{MedalSilver | 2024 Castions di Strada | Team }} {{MedalCompetition | World Games }} {{MedalGold | 2025 Chengdu | Team }} }} '''Maya Ann Brady-Timmons''' (born June 1, 2001) is an American professional softball player for the Oklahoma City Spark of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL). She played college softball for the UCLA Bruins. As a freshman in 2020, she was named Softball America Freshman of the Year.
==High school career== Brady attended Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, California where she was a middle infielder and led the team to three Marmonte League titles and was a two-time league MVP. During her senior year, she had a .558 batting average with 12 home runs and 32 runs batted in (RBI).<ref name="Bio" /> Following an outstanding season, she was named Marmonte League Most Valuable Player and All-CIF Southern section, as well as the Ventura County Star 2019 All-County Softball Player of the Year and Los Angeles Daily News Player of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vcstar.com/story/sports/high-school/softball/2019/06/14/maya-brady-stars-all-county-softball-player-year/1198209001/ |title=Maya Brady is The Star's All-County Softball Player of the Year |newspaper=Ventura County Star |first=Joe |last=Curly |date=June 14, 2019 |access-date=July 2, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2019/06/05/oaks-christians-maya-brady-anchors-2019-daily-news-softball-all-area-team/ |title=Oaks Christian's Maya Brady anchors 2019 Daily News softball all-area team |newspaper=Los Angeles Daily News |first=Tony |last=Ciniglio |date=June 5, 2019 |access-date=July 2, 2021}}</ref> She was ranked the No. 2 recruit in the nation by FloSoftball and Softball America.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flosoftball.com/articles/6270142-signing-day-spotlight-maya-brady-signs-with-ucla |title=Signing Day Spotlight: Maya Brady Signs With UCLA |website=flosoftball.com |first=Chez |last=Sievers |date=November 17, 2018 |access-date=July 2, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.softballamerica.com/rankings/top-2019-high-school-softball-recruits/ |title=Top 2019 High School Softball Recruits |website=softballamerica.com |date=July 3, 2019 |access-date=July 2, 2021}}</ref>
==College career== Brady made her collegiate debut for UCLA Bruins in 2020. During the opening week of the season at the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament, Brady was 9-for-18, with four home runs, nine RBI, and nine runs scored. She was subsequently named Pac-12 Freshman and Player of the Week for the week ending February 11, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2020/2/11/softball-bruins-sweep-week-one-pac-12-awards.aspx |title=Bruins Sweep Week One Pac-12 Awards |website=uclabruins.com |date=February 11, 2020 |access-date=June 21, 2021}}</ref> During her Freshman year she finished with a .356 batting average, .699 slugging percentage and led the team with seven home runs and tying for first with 28 RBI, tied for second with seven multiple-RBI games and tied for third with seven multi-hit games, and ranked third with 22 runs scored and 11 walks. Following the season that was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she was named Softball America Freshman of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.softballamerica.com/stories/2020-ncaa-freshman-player-of-the-year-maya-brady/ |title=2020 NCAA Freshman Player of the Year: Maya Brady |website=softballamerica.com |date=April 15, 2020 |access-date=June 21, 2021}}</ref>
During her redshirt freshman year in 2021, she had a .333 batting average, six stolen bases, and nine multiple-RBI games. She tied for second with 13 home runs, third with 36 runs batted in, 31 runs scored and 19 walks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pac-12.com/article/2021/06/02/five-bruins-earn-nfca-all-american-awards |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210617235652/https://pac-12.com/article/2021/06/02/five-bruins-earn-nfca-all-american-awards |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 17, 2021 |title=Five Bruins Earn NFCA All-American Awards |website=pac-12.com |date=June 2, 2021 |access-date=July 2, 2021}}</ref> Following an outstanding season, she was named to the first team All-Pac-12, Pac-12 All-Freshman team and NFCA first team All-American.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/softball/2021/06/04/ucla-softball-maya-brady-wcws-alabama-tom-brady-kevin-youkillis/7545455002/ |title=Five things to know about UCLA softball's Maya Brady: Yes, she's related to the Super Bowl guy |newspaper=USA Today |first=Nick |last=Kelly |date=June 4, 2021 |access-date=July 2, 2021}}</ref>
To begin the 2023 season, Brady recorded 11 consecutive hits, setting a new UCLA program record, surpassing the previous record of 10 held by Stacey Nuveman (1999) and Lisa Fernandez (1993).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2023/2/12/softball-brady-faraimo-make-history-in-double-header-sweep-of-san-diego.aspx |title=Brady, Faraimo Make History in Double-Header Sweep of San Diego |website=uclabruins.com |date=February 12, 2023 |access-date=February 12, 2023}}</ref> She was subsequently named the NFCA National Player of the Week for the week ending February 14, 2023, after she went 13-for-16 with 14 RBI and four home runs in UCLA's season-opening Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2023/2/14/softball-maya-brady-honored-as-national-player-of-the-week.aspx |title=Maya Brady Honored as National Player of the Week |website=uclabruins.com |date=February 14, 2023 |access-date=February 14, 2023}}</ref> She finished the 2023 regular season with a .456 batting average, 16 home runs and 56 RBIs. She led the conference in batting average, hits (72), total bases (138), extra-base hits (31), on base percentage (.519) and slugging percentage (.873). Following the season she was named first-team all-Pac-12, Pac-12 Conference Softball Player of the Year and the Pac-12 batting champion.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pac-12.com/news/2023/5/10/pac-12-announces-2023-softball-all-conference-honors.aspx |title=Pac-12 announces 2023 softball all-conference honors |website=pac-12.com |date=May 10, 2023 |access-date=May 10, 2023}}</ref>
During her senior year in 2024, she led UCLA with 71 hits, 68 RBI, 59 runs scored, 31 extra-base hits, 137 total bases, a .418 batting average and .500 on-base percentage, and ranked second on the team with 17 home runs and an .806 slugging percentage. She led the Pac-12 Conference for a second straight season in extra-base hits (31), RBI (68) and total bases (137). Following the season she was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year, a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year top-ten finalist and an NFCA First Team All-American for the second consecutive season. She finished her collegiate career ranked second in UCLA program history in home runs (71), RBI (246), total bases (550) and slugging percentage (.757), fourth in runs scored (229), and sixth in career games played (249).<ref name="Bio" />
==Professional career== On January 29, 2025, Brady was drafted in the fifth round, 19th overall, by the Talons in the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Softball League draft.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2025/1/29/softball-six-bruins-selected-in-inaugural-ausl-draft |title=Six Bruins Selected in Inaugural AUSL Draft |website=uclabruins.com |date=January 29, 2025 |access-date=January 30, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Passan |first1=Jeff |title=Sources: Maya Brady to join Athletes Unlimited |url=https://www.espn.in/olympics/story/_/id/43599786/sources-maya-brady-join-athletes-unlimited-softball-league |access-date=March 13, 2025 |work=ESPN |date=January 28, 2025}}</ref> During the 2025 AUSL season, she appeared in six games and hit .647 with one double, one home run and five RBI, and helped the Talons win the inaugural AUSL championship.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://theausl.com/talons/news/talons-claim-inaugural-ausl-championship-title |title=Talons claim Inaugural AUSL Championship Title |website=theausl.com |first=Cayla |last=Sweazie |date=July 27, 2025 |access-date=July 27, 2025}}</ref>
Brady also plays for the Toyota Red Terriers of the Japan Diamond Softball League.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Foster |first1=Jason |title=12 Athletes Unlimited Softball League players you need to know |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/athletes-unlimited-softball-league-players-to-know |website=MLB.com |publisher=Major League Baseball |access-date=June 2, 2025 |date=May 28, 2025}}</ref> As a rookie in 2025, she helped the Red Terriers win their third consecutive league championship (Diamond Series).<ref name="jd three-peat">{{cite web |title=Toyota Red Terriers three-peat as JD.League champions |url=https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/toyota-red-terriers-three-peat-as-jdleague-champions-nearly-100-000-fans-attend-japans-professional-softball-league-in-2025 |website=wbsc.org |publisher=WBSC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251118225954/https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/toyota-red-terriers-three-peat-as-jdleague-champions-nearly-100-000-fans-attend-japans-professional-softball-league-in-2025 |archive-date=November 18, 2025 |date=November 17, 2025}}</ref>
During the 2025 AUSL season, Brady missed the first month of action due to a hamstring injury. She reached base in her first 10 plate appearances, going 7-for-7 with three walks. She finished the season with a .500 batting average in 22 at-bats. On December 1, 2025, she was drafted first overall by the Oklahoma City Spark in the AUSL expansion draft.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/maya-brady-no-1-overall-pick-in-2025-ausl-expansion-draft |title=Maya Brady chosen No. 1 by OKC Spark in AUSL Expansion Draft |website=MLB.com |first=Manny |last=Randhawa |date=December 1, 2025 |access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref>
==International career== Brady represented the United States at the 2024 Women's Softball World Cup and won a silver medal.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wbsc.org/en/events/2024-womens-softball-world-cup-finals/news/2024-women-softball-world-cup-final-usa-japan |title=Japan outscore USA in the final to become Women's Softball World Champions |website=wbsc.org |date=July 20, 2024 |access-date=July 20, 2024}}</ref> She represented the United States at the 2025 World Games and won a gold medal.<ref name="world games 2025">{{cite web |title=U.S. Women’s National Team clinches Gold at 2025 World Games |url=https://www.usasoftball.com/news/2025/08/17/u-s-womens-national-team-clinches-gold-at-2025-world-games-with-back-to-back-wins-over-japan-and-chinese-taipei/ |website=usasoftball.com |publisher=USA Softball |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250824041358/https://www.usasoftball.com/news/2025/08/17/u-s-womens-national-team-clinches-gold-at-2025-world-games-with-back-to-back-wins-over-japan-and-chinese-taipei/ |archive-date=August 24, 2025}}</ref>
==Personal life== Brady's parents are Maureen Brady and Brian Timmons. Her mother was an All-American pitcher at Fresno State. She is the niece of former American football player Tom Brady and former Major League Baseball player Kevin Youkilis.<ref name=Bio>{{cite web|url=https://uclabruins.com/sports/softball/roster/maya-brady/9855 |title=Maya Brady |website=uclabruins.com |access-date=July 2, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/story/2021-04-28/maya-brady-tom-brady-ucla-softball |title= Maya Brady is Tom Brady's niece; that isn't why the UCLA star has riveted college sports |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |first=Thuc Nhi |last=Nguyen |date=April 28, 2021 |access-date=July 2, 2021}}</ref> Her younger sister Hannah plays college volleyball at Michigan.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stemme |first1=Conor |title=Virtue Announces Two for 2025 Incoming Class |url=https://mgoblue.com/news/2024/11/13/volleyball-virtue-announces-two-for-2025-incoming-class |website=mgoblue.com |publisher=University of Michigan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250109113806/https://mgoblue.com/news/2024/11/13/volleyball-virtue-announces-two-for-2025-incoming-class |archive-date=January 9, 2025 |date=November 13, 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
{{Softball America Freshman of the Year}} {{Pac-12 Conference Softball Player of the Year navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brady, Maya}} Category:2001 births Category:Living people Category:UCLA Bruins softball players Category:Sportspeople from San Mateo, California Category:Softball players from California Category:Tom Brady Category:Oaks Christian School alumni Category:Medalists at the 2025 World Games Category:World Games gold medalists for the United States Category:World Games medalists in softball Category:21st-century African-American sportswomen Category:21st-century American sportswomen Category:Athletes Unlimited softball players