2026 • FRESHMAN SEASON
Season: Appeared in 25 games while making five starts during an impressive freshman season on the Penn State pitching staff… Logged a 7-1 record across 55.0 innings pitched while posting a 3.95 earned run average… Finished second on the team with 73 strikeouts, averaging more than one strikeout per inning throughout the year… Limited opponents to 53 hits while issuing 27 walks and surrendering just five home runs… Recorded four outings with at least six strikeouts and authored a complete-game shutout during her rookie campaign… Provided valuable depth in both starting and relief roles, earning victories in seven different contests while helping anchor the Nittany Lion pitching staff… Also contributed five putouts and two assists defensively.
Rankings: Ranked among the Big Ten leaders in strikeouts by a freshman pitcher after recording 73 punchouts in 55.0 innings of work during her debut collegiate season… Finished second in the Big Ten Conference and 11th nationally in strikeouts per seven innings with 9.3… Ranked sixth in the B1G in strikeout-to-walk ratio with 2.7 Ks per base on balls issued.
vs. Boston College (2/6): Made an immediate impact in her collegiate debut, tossing 4.0 scoreless innings while allowing two hits and striking out six to earn her first career victory. at Houston (2/13): Turned in a strong relief appearance, allowing one run over 2.2 innings while striking out five to improve to 2-0 on the year. vs. Charleston Southern (2/20): Delivered one of her top performances of the season, firing 6.0 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out eight. vs. NC Central (2/27): Authored her best outing of the year, tossing a complete-game two-hit shutout with nine strikeouts in a 6-0 victory. vs. Appalachian State (2/28): Booked her second consecutive start, striking out four across 2.2 innings of work. at Oregon State (3/11): Came through with 2.0 scoreless innings in relief, allowing one hit while striking out three. Maryland (4/4): Picked up her fifth victory of the season after allowing just one hit across 3.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Saint Francis (4/21): Dominated in relief, striking out five batters over 2.0 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit. at Illinois (4/25): Earned her seventh win of the season after spinning 3.2 scoreless innings and surrendering only one hit with three strikeouts. at Illinois (4/26): Followed up with another effective relief appearance, striking out three over 1.2 innings of work.
HIGH SCHOOL
One of the highest-rated pitching prospects in the 2025 signing class, Mackenzie Duncan arrived in Happy Valley boasting the No. 58 overall ranking and No. 25 primary pitcher ranking according to Extra Inning Softball… A native of Winter Garden, Florida, Duncan played high school softball at Horizon High School, where she was named her team’s MVP in 2021 and 2022, picked up Florida 5A Player of the Year accolades in 2021, and was named an Orlando Sentinel Top Athlete in 2023… She was also a dual-sport athlete at her high school, serving as a part of the varsity weightlifting program at Horizon… Duncan handled her travel ball commitments through the Tampa Mustangs 18U program under the leadership of coach Rene Ciccarello, landing T-25 All-Tournament Team laurels during her stint with the organization… She additionally boasted development program experience through Atlanta Vipers Tamborra and Athletics Gold Tamborra organizations.
PERSONAL
Born in the summer of 2007, Mackenzie Duncan is the eldest child of Carianne and Brad Duncan… She has two younger siblings named Mattie and Emma… She will be the second member of her family to attend the Pennsylvania State University, joining her cousin, Jordan Caffrey, who graduated in 2017… She is the third member of her family to compete in collegiate softball, with her mother earning varsity letters at UNC Asheville and Athens State from 1990 to 1995, and her cousin Sarah Caffrey playing at Jacksonville University from 2009 to 2012… As a high school student at Horizon, she was the vice president of Paws for Cause, an organization dedicated to raising funds for animal shelters… She was also involved in the National Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Women Empowerment Club… During her time at Penn State, she plans on studying mechanical engineering and looks to utilize that degree to begin a career as an engineer specializing in prosthetics… One of her hobbies and special talents is that she knows how to surf.