University of Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee Softball Adds Standout Two-Way Player Maddi Rutan
May 27, 2025 | Softball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee softball head coach Karen Weekly announced Tuesday the addition of standout two-way player Maddi Rutan, who transfers to Rocky Top after two seasons at Eastern Kentucky.
"We are excited to welcome Maddi to the Lady Vol Softball family," Weekly said. "She is incredibly versatile and has had success on both sides of the ball at the college level. Maddi brings toughness and a competitive fire to the field every day. She is a great fit for our culture."
A native of Columbus, Indiana, Rutan brings a proven track record in the circle and at the plate. The rising junior boasts a career 43–15 record with a 2.50 ERA and 385 strikeouts over 356.2 innings. Offensively, she is a career .351 hitter with 21 home runs and 100 RBIs.
Rutan was named the 2024 Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year and followed up with NFCA All-Region recognition in both 2024 and 2025.
This past season, she posted an 18–10 record with two saves and a 2.91 ERA in 33 appearances. Her 227 strikeouts over 176 innings ranked tied for 11th in the NCAA, marking the first 200-strikeout season by a Colonel pitcher since 2016. She held opponents to a .192 batting average and set career highs with 11.0 innings pitched (March 14 vs. Central Arkansas) and 15 strikeouts (April 18 vs. Austin Peay).
At the plate, Rutan turned in a monster year, slashing .413/.790/.559. She matched the program's single-season RBI record with 61 and tallied 13 home runs, nine doubles, and three triples on 59 hits. Defensively, she posted a .986 fielding percentage, making 25 appearances at first base when not pitching.
She reached base in 43 consecutive games from Feb. 14 to May 2—the second-longest streak in the NCAA this season and third-longest dating back to 2024. She also set single-game school records for RBIs (9 vs. Bryant on Feb. 14) and home runs (3 vs. Morehead State on April 2).
"We are excited to welcome Maddi to the Lady Vol Softball family," Weekly said. "She is incredibly versatile and has had success on both sides of the ball at the college level. Maddi brings toughness and a competitive fire to the field every day. She is a great fit for our culture."
A native of Columbus, Indiana, Rutan brings a proven track record in the circle and at the plate. The rising junior boasts a career 43–15 record with a 2.50 ERA and 385 strikeouts over 356.2 innings. Offensively, she is a career .351 hitter with 21 home runs and 100 RBIs.
Rutan was named the 2024 Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year and followed up with NFCA All-Region recognition in both 2024 and 2025.
This past season, she posted an 18–10 record with two saves and a 2.91 ERA in 33 appearances. Her 227 strikeouts over 176 innings ranked tied for 11th in the NCAA, marking the first 200-strikeout season by a Colonel pitcher since 2016. She held opponents to a .192 batting average and set career highs with 11.0 innings pitched (March 14 vs. Central Arkansas) and 15 strikeouts (April 18 vs. Austin Peay).
At the plate, Rutan turned in a monster year, slashing .413/.790/.559. She matched the program's single-season RBI record with 61 and tallied 13 home runs, nine doubles, and three triples on 59 hits. Defensively, she posted a .986 fielding percentage, making 25 appearances at first base when not pitching.
She reached base in 43 consecutive games from Feb. 14 to May 2—the second-longest streak in the NCAA this season and third-longest dating back to 2024. She also set single-game school records for RBIs (9 vs. Bryant on Feb. 14) and home runs (3 vs. Morehead State on April 2).
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.25.25)
Sunday, May 25
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.24.25)
Saturday, May 24
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Nebraska (5.23.25)
Friday, May 23
SB | Tennessee Postgame vs. Ohio State (5.18.25)
Sunday, May 18
