2026 • FRESHMAN SEASON
Awards: Named to the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic All-Tournament Team following a breakout weekend of performances in her first five collegiate appearances… Earned a spot on the Softball America Big Ten Freshman to Watch List in the preseason.
Season: Appeared in 20 games while earning a start in each contest during an outstanding freshman campaign before her season was cut short due to injury… Finished the year with a .306 batting average after collecting 19 hits in 62 at-bats… Added three doubles and five home runs while driving in 18 runs and scoring 21 times… Posted a .597 slugging percentage and .427 on-base percentage while drawing nine walks and being hit by four pitches… Registered four multi-hit performances and three multi-RBI games during her abbreviated debut season… Emerged as an immediate offensive contributor at first base, providing power and run production while helping Penn State get off to a strong start offensively… Added 126 putouts and one assist defensively while fielding to the tune of a .992 percentage.
vs. Missouri (2/6): Enjoyed a memorable collegiate debut, going 3-for-5 with a double, three runs scored and an RBI. vs. Boston College (2/6): Followed up with another strong performance, finishing 2-for-4 with her first collegiate home run, two runs scored and an RBI on her solo shot. at Houston (2/13): Powered the offense with a home run, two RBI, two runs scored and a walk. vs. Lafayette (2/14): Delivered one of her top performances of the season, launching three-run homer while finishing the game with four RBI, two runs scored and a walk. vs. Charleston Southern (2/20): Reached base four times behind a hit, two walks and a hit-by-pitch while driving in a run and scoring once. vs. Ohio (2/21): Authored one of the best games of her freshman season, going 3-for-4 with a home run, four RBI and two runs scored. vs. App State (2/28): Connected on her fifth home run of the season. vs. NC Central (3/1): Closed her truncated freshman campaign with a productive effort, finishing with a double, RBI, three runs scored and a walk.
HIGH SCHOOL
Kirsten Finarelli arrived in Happy Valley as a nationally ranked catcher prospect, picking up the No. 41 ranking in the 2025 signing class paired with the No. 21 ranking among catchers… Hailing from Lehman, Pennsylvania, Finarelli is a multi-sport athlete at Lake Lehman High School, anchoring her softball team while boasting experience with both volleyball and field hockey over the course of her high school athletic career… She owned PIAA All-State accolades in multiple seasons, as well as Pennsylvania 3A Player of the Year accolades from the 2024 campaign… She was named a Wyoming Valley Conference All-Conference selection in every year of her high school career… Finarelli handled her travel ball commitments through the Newtown ROCK Gold program under the direction of head coach Joe Garvey and assistant coach Dan Santelli… She played at the 18U level for four years, picking up the No. 19 ranking from Line Drive Fastpitch as well as High School All-America accolades from Extra Inning Softball.
PERSONAL
Born in the spring of 2007, Kirsten Finarelli is the youngest child and only daughter of Cindy and Mark Finarelli… She has one older brother named Graedon… She will be the third member of her family to attend the Pennsylvania State University, joining her mother, Cindy and uncle, Fred Maier… Her older brother, Graedon, is currently a baseball student-athlete at Monmouth… During her high school career at Lake Lehman, Finarelli was involved in the National Honor Society, and was an active member of the Future Business Leaders of America, Interact Club and Mission Academy… As a student at Penn State, Finarelli plans on studying biobehavioral health, with the goal of going into the medical field as either a physician’s assistant or physical therapist upon her graduation in the spring of 2029… Away from the diamond, Finarelli enjoys playing and watching field hockey, as well as participating in the arts.