USA TODAY Network invites vote for North Jersey's best high school softball player

The USA TODAY Network has initiated a public vote to identify the most significant high school softball player in North Jersey history. The campaign is part of a wider USA TODAY Sports project marking the United States' 250th anniversary, which aims to spotlight the high school athletes and figures who have shaped local sports culture across the country.

The network has curated a shortlist of standout players who excelled at the high school level before progressing to collegiate and professional careers. Readers are invited to select their preferred candidate from the provided list or submit a write-in nomination for individuals they believe may have been overlooked.

The shortlist includes several players with notable statistical achievements. Baiunco was named Player of the Decade in 2010 after becoming the first pitcher to win three Bergen County titles. Kaminski, who was featured in the New York Times in 1986, set an all-time high school record at the time with 1,020 strikeouts and recorded 29 career no-hitters.

Other notable candidates include Reese, who holds the record for the most career hits in North Jersey with 216, and Knief, who ranks second with 195 hits. Pasquale, inducted into the Temple Hall of Fame in 2024, left school records in total bases, runs, doubles, RBIs, and batting average.

The list also features Rodriguez, a member of UCLA’s 2019 national championship team, and Victoria, who won a Group 2 state title with her sisters. Pitchers Thomas and Wilson are also recognised for their dominance; Thomas set the all-time record for victories in New Jersey with 113 wins, while Wilson graduated with 99 wins, the most for any pitcher in state history at that time.

The network has also included the first female MLB umpire in the voting options. An All-State catcher for the Highlanders, she batted .538 with 153 RBIs in her high school career and remains the all-time leader in hits in Passaic County with 165.

Voting remains open for readers to determine the region's best player of all time, with the final selection intended to reflect the enduring impact of these athletes on North Jersey's sporting landscape.