GREENSBORO, N.C. — The NCAA Division 1 collegiate softball season officially came to a close on June 6, as the Texas Longhorns defeated Texas Tech in the Women’s College World Series, two games to one.
Nevertheless, to a lesser degree, two former Catawba County prep softball greats shared the field together for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) during its 2025 campaign.
The Spartans finished the year with its seventh-straight 30-plus win season under head coach Janelle Breneman, excluding the shortened 2020 season, as it posted a 39-18 overall mark. In Southern Conference (SoCon) action, UNCG went 14-6, which was good for second place in the standings.
A sort of ‘passing of the torch’ foundation was laid as senior utility athlete Grace Loftin embraced wearing the Spartan colors for her final run while freshman infielder Macy Michael was just beginning her collegiate journey.
MICHAEL TAKES TO COLLEGIATE LEVEL IN STRIDE DURING DEBUT SEASON:
During her tenure with Maiden High School from 2021-2024, Michael was a home run machine. She garnered 37 career dingers, which tied her for 5th place with West Lincoln High School’s Kylee Leonhardt (2014-2017) in North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) history.
To finish out her prep career, she helped lead the Lady Blue Devils to its first-ever 4th round appearance in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 2A West State Playoffs. Her final hit with Maiden was a homer in the 4-1 losing effort against North Stanly on May 17, 2024.
Michael earned Catawba Valley 2A Athletic Conference (CVAC) Player of the Year in 2022 and 2023, she was selected to the 2A All-State, All-CVAC, and All-District 7 teams. She was also named District 7 2A Player of the Year in 2022, and helped Maiden to its CVAC Championship in 2023.
Oftentimes, it takes a moment to get acclimated to the collegiate level, especially with a Division 1 program.
However, for Michael, she picked up right where she left off as she knocked out a pair of homers, along with a double, in her first game as a Spartan in a 14-5 victory against North Carolina Central on Feb. 6. She was 3-for-4 at-bat.
“I felt like the transition [to the collegiate level] was very smooth,” she said about her instant success. “What helped me was talking to my teammates, and not overthinking in my at-bat. My thought process was to stay calm. In travel ball and high school, staying calm was exactly what I strived to do and even in college. It’s still the same game, there’s no reason to change your approach.”
As for Loftin, who is a Newton-Conover High School product, the contest against N.C. Central would be her last season and home opener with the team. In the win, she finished 2-for-3, with two runs scored and a RBI.
Michael described Grace Loftin as a big part of her freshman year.
“It was a big transition and having a leader like Grace to help guide me and teach me about the game made it an easy transition,” she said.
She also credited her coaching staff at UNCG with helping her succeed.
“What I have learned from our coaching staff is that everything from the game can be a lesson,” she said. “Pretty much everything correlates from softball to life and vice versa. They have been extremely helpful on both sides of the field. Learning as much about the game is your biggest asset.”
Michael had perhaps her greatest game as a Spartan thus far in her young career in a doubleheader victory over Western Carolina University in the regular-season and home finale on May 4, 2025.
During the first game of the doubleheader against the Catamounts, she went 4-for-4 at-bat with six RBI, a double, along with obtaining her second-career grand slam homer coming in the first inning. Michael finished her freshman season with nine home runs.
This led to her collecting her first career SoCon Player of the Week honors for the week of April 28-May 4. Michael hit an astounding batting average of .833 in the two wins over WCU.
Her first grand slam dinger came on Feb. 26, in a 13-1 victory over North Carolina A&T. She went 1-for-2 against the Greensboro rival.
Following her impressive debut season, Michael was named to the All-SoCon Second Team, All-Freshman Team, as well as the SoCon Freshman of the Year. Her Freshman of the Year merit made her the fourth Spartan in program history to be given this distinction. The last athlete to do so was Morgan Scott in 2021.
“These moments of recognition are huge and mean so much to me,” she said. “It shows that hard work pays off. I am ready for the fall to get back to work at the G.”
Michael, who celebrates her 19th birthday on June 19, has been on the mend following an ankle surgery she had completed on May 29.
She finished her 2025 journey with a .343 batting average in 50 starts and 134 at-bats, as well as 46 hits, nine doubles, 36 RBI, 37 runs, a stolen base, a .612 slugging percentage and a .440 on-base percentage. As an infielder, she obtained 56 putouts with 95 assists and a .904 fielding percentage.
“I knew when I saw Macy the first day at team practice that she could play. Throughout the season, I saw a lot of growth in Macy, especially in her communication and mental toughness,” said Loftin. “Since she plays in the infield, she had to step up in calling plays, working with the pitcher, and keeping the team on the same page. As the season went on, she got a lot more confident and clearer in making those calls, which really helped our defense.
“I also noticed a big shift in how she handled tough moments—early on, getting out would frustrate her, but she worked on staying composed and not letting setbacks define her. By the end of the season, she was able to shake off tough plays and focus on the next one, which made her an even stronger presence on the field.
“My advice to Macy would be to stay confident and trust in herself. I’d also remind her to enjoy every moment with her teammates, coaches, and family—these are the moments that make the game special. The wins, the challenges, the little memories along the way—those are what she’ll look back on, so I hope she keeps soaking them in.”
LOFTIN FINISHED 2025 SEASON WITH BEST OUTING OF COLLEGIATE CAREER:
Entering her senior year, Loftin had already accrued several accolades.
In her debut season with the Spartans in 2022, she was named SoCon Player of the Week (March 21), the D1 Freshman of the Week (March 22), as well as the SoCon Player of the Month for March 2022.
She made the Extra Inning Softball All-Freshman Team, the SoCon All-Freshman Team, the All-SoCon First Team in the outfield, along with the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Mideast Second Team. She would also be selected as a Top 25 finalist for the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division 1 National Freshman of the Year Award.
Loftin finished her freshman year with 45 hits in 152 at-bats, as well as 14 doubles, 11 home runs, 24 runs scored, 46 RBI, a .296 batting average and a .605 slugging percentage. The Spartans ended the year as the SoCon regular-season champions for the second year in-a-row.
As a sophomore in 2023, she corralled 37 hits, 27 runs and five homers in 154 at-bats. She finished with a career-low batting average at .234 while tying her career-high for doubles with 14. Overall, it was her worst season statistically; however, she tied her career-best fielding percentage in the outfield at .981 with 100 putouts and four assisted outs.
Loftin made the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team for the first time, along with being selected to the SoCon All-Conference First Team. The Spartans would finish as regular-season conference champions for a third-straight time, as well as giving Loftin her first and only SoCon Tournament Championship.
During her junior season in 2024, she was named to the All-SoCon Second Team and the CSC Academic All-District Team for a second time.
She finished her junior outing second in the conference with a 0.71 average in walks per game, fourth with a .481 on-base percentage and a 0.27 home runs per game average and fifth with a .620 slugging percentage and 13 dingers. In 158 at-bats, Loftin was second on the team with 40 runs, 35 RBI, along with her aforementioned 13 homers. She also finished fourth for the Spartans with a .323 batting average and third with 51 hits.
Furthermore, Loftin’s senior season would be her greatest yet. She competed at the center field position for all 57 games this season for UNCG. She made 91 catches with 81 putouts and seven assists to garner a .967 fielding percentage. She also helped the Spartans with two double plays.
She had career averages in nine offensive categories this year, including batting average, slugging percentage, at-bats, runs, hits, triples, home runs, total bases and RBI.
Her 14 homers and .718 slugging percentage were second-best in the SoCon; her 53 RBI and 46 runs were fourth; her 29 walks were good for fifth, her 13 doubles and 60 hits were sixth; finally, her .353 batting average and .448 on-base percentage were eighth in the conference.
Following up her performance in the previously acknowledged season-opener, Loftin collected her first dinger of the year in the win over the University of Connecticut on Feb. 8, 2025.
She then earned the walk-off home run victory over Iona, 5-3, on Feb. 21. This win extended the Spartans’ win streak to eight, which became the longest run since its 2023 campaign. UNCG ultimately gathered 10-straight wins during that stretch.
She competed in her final home game in the aforementioned doubleheader victory over Western Carolina on May 4. During Game 2 of that contest, Loftin went 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI.
Not only that, she would be added to the history books as she climbed to the top 5 of the program’s all-time home runs list. In the 4-0 win at Longwood on April 23, she tied Delaney Cumbie for 5th place on the all-time list with 42 dingers.
She sealed the deal and passed Cumbie with her 43rd homer in the SoCon Tournament loss against Samford on May 8.
“I honestly had no idea until I saw it on social media, but this is a great accomplishment. I feel really honored to be up there with some very talented players,” she said of making the top five.
The current Spartan all-time home runs ranking is as followed: 1. Lindsay Thomas (57); 2. Jordan Gontram (53); 3. Karyn Thompson (46); T-4. Grace Loftin (43); T-4. Marisa Sholtes (43); 6. Delaney Cumbie (42); 7. Katelyn Bedwell (40).
When it comes to her Catawba County comrade, Loftin said that she believes Michael has a shot to join her on the program’s all-time home runs list, and that she would love to see her name up there with hers someday.
“I hope by the end of my career I’m up there on that list with her,” said Michael. “It’s a huge accomplishment and I’m so proud of Grace because that is incredible.”
Entering the conference tourney as the No. 2-seed, the Spartans’ had a second-chance game against Wofford on the same day. Loftin and Salem Ward were brought home by Michael for the 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. This would be Loftin’s final career run scored as a Spartan in the 3-1 victory.
Loftin’s final contest came in a losing effort, 7-3, to 5th-seeded Mercer in the SoCon Tournament Championship on May 9. She finished with a walk in three at-bats. At center field, she had two putouts in two total chances.
“The past four years have been incredible, filled with memories I’ll always cherish with my teammates and coaches,” she said while reminiscing. “One moment that stands out is winning the conference tournament in my sophomore year—an experience I’ll never forget. Beyond the games, it’s the relationships I’ve built that mean the most. UNCG is a truly special place, and the connections I’ve made here will stay with me forever.
“Knowing it was my final season, I wanted to be the best version of myself as a player, friend, and teammate…My last home game was bittersweet but also so rewarding being able to celebrate the best four years with my friends and family…With this being my last year, I wanted to leave knowing I gave everything I had to help my team and myself succeed. I trained almost every day, pushing through the physical grind, but I also made sure to embrace the moments, have fun, and enjoy the little things.”
She would also go on to graduate the weekend of May 9 with a Bachelor of Science at the School of Health and Human Sciences.
Following the 2025 season, Loftin was awarded with her third CSC Academic All-District selection, as well as her second NFCA All-Region Second Team honors, this time in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Additionally, she was selected to the All-SoCon First Team.
“I’m still trying to figure that out myself,” she said about what’s next for her in life. “A pro career is still in the cards for me, but for right now I plan to earn my Doctor of Physical Therapy [DPT] and give some softball lessons on the side.”
