Virginia Wesleyan softball star Hanna Hull ends legendary career by helping Marlins become dynasty
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (BVM) — In the NCAA Division III softball record books, one name repeatedly comes up when thumbing through the pages, especially in the pitching categories: Virginia Wesleyan University’s Hanna Hull. Division III softball’s all-time wins leader has been the most dominant player on the country’s most dominant team since she joined the Marlins out of Clover Hill High School in 2017. After helping the Marlins win back-to-back titles in both 2017 and 2018, Hull returned to VWU this summer as a graduate student following the cancellation of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 and the star pitcher would once again put the Marlins in the spotlight.
Hull would dazzle during her time in the circle, going 23-3 with three saves for a VWU team that would finish the year 46-6-1. The biggest win would come in Game 3 of the NCAA Division III Championship where the Marlins would take the best of three series thanks in part to Hull’s five inning performance, one run performance in the decisive 9-1 victory. Hull would be recognized as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Pitcher, her third time winning the honor.
“It feels incredible,” Hull said. “I have been reflecting on the past five years and I’m so proud of my teammates. This program has grown so much and I just couldn’t be more fortunate to be a part of something so awesome honestly. It was a great experience.”
The 2021 @NCAADIII Softball Champions! The @VWUSOFTBALL MARLINS!!! #WeTheBEACH #CatchTHISWave #FearTheFISH pic.twitter.com/NUCLkEAFEw
— Virginia Wesleyan Athletics (@vwu_marlins) June 1, 2021
The performance capped another dominant season for Hull as she would finish the year with a 1.31 ERA over 154.2 innings pitched with 200 strikeouts, 97 walks, three home runs surrendered, seven doubles surrendered and zero triples surrendered. With her incredible season, the five-year star would earn the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s National Pitcher of the Year honors, the third time she earned the award in her career.
“Deciding whether or not to play a fifth year there’s a lot of questioning yourself, but in that moment [of winning the championship] it all came together and it all felt right and I was just so happy to be able to play another year to be with this team,” Hull said. “Winning it all at the end, I can’t even begin to describe how great that felt. I feel like I finished my career on such a high note.”
Congratulations to Hanna Hull on being named the 2021 @NFCAorg Division III National Pitcher of the Year! What a way to cap off what was truly an amazing season where the @VWUSOFTBALL won the @NCAADIII National Championship! #WeTheBeach | #FearTheFish | #CatchTheWave pic.twitter.com/K82Fs6SsyI
— Virginia Wesleyan Athletics (@vwu_marlins) June 3, 2021
The game itself seemed like a final bow for a player that has arguably been the most impactful individual in NCAA softball regardless of level. With over 100 accolades and awards to her credit, it would take quite a bit of time and space to list out all that Hull has done for the Marlins in her five seasons on the team, but here are a few of the highlights:
- NCAA Division III All-Time Leader for wins in a career with 132
- Tied for NCAA Division III All-Time Leader for wins in a season with 40 (2018)
- Three-time NFCA National Pitcher of the Year
- NFCA National Freshman of the Year (2017)
- Two-time NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player
- Four-time NFCA First Team All-American
- Four-time Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Pitcher of the Year (only player in conference history to do so)
While she has numerous accomplishments as an individual star, Hull enjoys the team accolades a bit more as she knows without the girls behind her she doesn’t have as much.
“I think winning the national championships, that to me is obviously the most important and it goes to show it’s a team effort,” Hull said. “You can’t do it with one player, you can’t do it with five players, you’ve got to have a solid team up and down and to do that three times in my career I never would’ve thought [that was possible].”
Also, as a student-athlete, she holds her individual academic honors like being the ODAC Farm Bureau Insurance Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2020 and being a CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-America in 2019, in high regard as well.
“I think the academic awards I received are most meaningful to me because a lot of people can go on and have a great career, but it’s important to note the student-athlete side of things,” Hull said. “I’m really proud of myself to be able to keep up with academics on top of athletics.”
Though she admitted to some hardships during the season, including being secluded in a two-week quarantine after her fiancé tested positive with the virus, the year was unlike any other she had gone through before, but to be able to go out on top was just what she had hoped for.
“It was definitely tough with the COVID protocols especially with only being able to play softball and not do the outside stuff with teammates,” Hull said. “Things like that, wearing masks and things, were tough, but it was definitely worth it. We were able to make it work and obviously winning it all at the end made it worth it for sure.”
With her collegiate career now over, many are putting Hull in the “Greatest of All-Time” debate. While she may not go as far as to declare herself the GOAT of Division III softball, she is humbled to even be discussed among the many greats the sport has to offer.
“It’s such an honor,” Hull said. “I look back on my five years and never in a million years would I have expected coming out of high school having this career…To be able to have it all come together all at the right time and have a great athletic career means so much to me. I appreciate all the people that helped along the way because without them I wouldn’t be anywhere close to that.”
Now with her playing career wrapping up, Hull is close to entering the real world. She will finish her master’s degree in business administration in August and will enter the workforce as a data analyst. Though her softball career may be on the back burner, Hull admitted she may stay close to the sport by offering pitching lessons, helping continue her legacy to the next generation of pitching protégés.
“I’m taking it one day at a time, but definitely focusing on my career,” Hull said. “Maybe doing pitching lessons on the side, I’m not sure. … I would love to be a coach, I’m not sure I’m cut out for it. I do really enjoy giving pitching lessons, it’s very fun to me. I enjoy helping people so that’s definitely something I will continue to do.”
