2026 • FRESHMAN SEASON
Awards: Garnered a preseason placement on the Softball America Big Ten Freshman Watch List.
Season: Appeared in 44 contests while earning 38 starts during her debut campaign in Happy Valley, serving primarily as Penn State’s first baseman… Finished the year with a .280 batting average after collecting 30 hits in 107 at-bats… Logged six doubles and four home runs while driving in 29 runs, the sixth-most RBI on the Nittany Lion roster… Posted a .449 slugging percentage and .426 on base percentage while drawing 27 walks, the third-most on the team… Tallied 20 runs scored and added a pair of stolen bases… Registered six multiple-hit games and seven multiple-RBI performances during her freshman season… Was a steady contributor defensively at first base, recording 188 putouts and six assists while helping turn nine double plays.
Rankings: Ranked 14th in the Big Ten and 129th nationally in walks per game with a 0.61 average after drawing 27 free passes in 44 appearances.
vs. Lafayette (2/14): Recorded her first collegiate hit and RBI, finishing 1-for-1 with a double in a pinch-hitting opportunity. vs. Ohio (2/21): Delivered her first collegiate home run in a breakout effort, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and four RBI. vs. NC Central (2/27): Turned in a 2-for-3 performance with a double, run scored and two RBI. vs. Boston College (3/6): Helped power the Penn State offense with a hit and two RBI. at Rutgers (3/28): Authored her first three-hit game as a Nittany Lion, finishing 3-for-4 with a home run, run scored and two RBI. at Rutgers (3/29): Followed up with another clutch showing, driving in a pair of runs while reaching base three times behind a hit and two walks. Maryland (4/3): Produced one of her top performances of the season, going 1-for-1 with a home run, two runs scored, four RBI and a pair of walks. Bucknell (4/14): Added a 2-for-3 effort with a run scored and RBI. at Illinois (4/24): Contributed a hit, RBI and stolen base in conference action. B1G Tournament First Round vs. Northwestern (5/6): Came through in postseason play with a 2-for-2 performance that featured two runs scored, two RBI, a home run, walk and hit-by-pitch.
HIGH SCHOOL
One of the most versatile two-way athletes in the 2025 signing class, Gabby Gradishar made her way to University Park ranked as the No. 54 prospect in the nation in addition to the 18th-ranked pitcher/utility in the class… She was a multi-sport athlete at Champion High School in her hometown of Champion, Ohio, splitting time between softball and basketball… Gradishar amassed a wide array of Ohio softball accolades, highlighted by First Team All-State, First Team All-District and MVAC Player of the Year honors in both 2023 and 2024… She hauled in MaxPreps Second Team All-America laurels in 2024, with additional recognition as a MaxPreps National Player of the Week, an SBLive All-Ohio First Team designee, a YSN Offensive Player of the Year and two-time District Champion during her lauded high school career… Gradishar also tied the state of Ohio’s home run record for a single season with 23… At the travel ball level, Gradishar handled her commitments with Thunder Elite Premier under the leadership of coach Jeff Steiner, as well as a prior stint with Ohio Outlaws for five years under the direction of Adam Acord.
PERSONAL
Born in the fall of 2006, Gabby Gradishar is the only daughter and middle child of Scott and Holly Gradishar… She has a pair of siblings, including an older brother named Noah and younger brother named Luke… Her great uncle, Randy, played football at Ohio State from 1971 to 1973 and became a professional with the Denver Broncos from 1974 to 1983, ultimately earning an induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024… As a high school student at Champion High School, Gradishar was a multi-time selection to the Superior Honor Roll, and was named a Scholar Athlete in every year of her career… She was also a member of the student organization SkillsUSA, an organization helping school students enroll in training programs for trade, technical and skilled service occupations… Gradishar plans on studying kinesiology at Penn State and hopes to use her undergraduate degree as the foundation of a graduate program, with the ultimate goal of becoming a physical therapist… In her spare time, she enjoys hunting, playing cornhole and spending time with her family.