Draft:Danielle Liberatore

Danielle Noel Liberatore is a former collegiate softball player of Italian-American descent known for her outstanding achievements as a pitcher. Born on December 16, 1994, in Chicago, IL, Danielle excelled athletically throughout her career. Danielle Noel Liberatore is the daughter of Daniel and Sheri Liberatore. Danielle's passion for softball, coupled with her academic dedication, and collegiate coaching career, has made her a respected figure both on and off the field.

Danielle was a standout player during her high school years at Peotone High School, earning Team MVP honors as a senior. She was a three-time All-Conference and All-Area selection, receiving All-State honors and making the Illinois All-State Super 60 team. With a career record of 54-11 and 626 strikeouts, Danielle left a lasting legacy at Peotone High School.

Playing Legacy at Tennessee Tech: A standout pitcher during her collegiate years, Danielle Liberatore left an indelible mark on Tennessee Tech's softball program. A four-year All-OVC selection, Liberatore earned recognition as the team's Most Valuable Player in both 2015 and 2016. She played a pivotal role in leading the Golden Eagles to an OVC Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2015, where Tennessee Tech advanced to the Auburn Regional and secured a victory over Chattanooga. With a career that boasted 17 shutouts and nine saves, Liberatore concluded her playing days at Tennessee Tech with impressive statistics. Her contributions earned her four-time TTU softball Pitcher of the Year honors. She set the TTU record for strikeouts in a game with 17 against Morehead State in 2015.

Recognition and Achievements: Danielle Liberatore's outstanding performance on the field did not go unnoticed. In 2015, she was named the university's Female Athlete of the Year, a testament to her leadership and success in guiding Tennessee Tech to the OVC title that year. Liberatore was also named the MVP of the OVC Tournament. In 2023, Danielle was listed on the OVC 75th Anniversary Team. The 2022-23 academic year marked the 75th anniversary of the Ohio Valley Conference, which began in 1948 and currently ranks as the eighth-oldest Division I Conference. As part of the celebration of the storied accomplishments of the League, a Committee working in conjunction with current and former schools, captured the "best-of-the-best" in each sport and celebrate the top athletes in league history with 75th Anniversary Teams across all OVC sports. This list consists of the top softball student-athletes and coaches in OVC history.

Freshman Year: In her freshman year of college at Tennessee Tech University, Danielle served as the Golden Eagle ace, leading the team with 15 wins, 2.89 ERA, and 143 strikeouts. She was named to the OVC All-Newcomer Team and made a significant impact in conference play, finishing with a 10-2 record and a 1.96 ERA. Danielle's impressive debut season laid the foundation for her future success.

Sophomore Year: Danielle appeared in 40 games in her Sophomore year, starting in 34 of them for the Golden Eagle. She was named Tech’s Outstanding Female Athlete of 2015 going 20-12 with 27 complete games, six shutouts, and three saves, tossing 225 2/3 innings on the year. She became the first Golden Eagle since Holly Thomas back in 2012 to take home All-OVC First Team honors. She finished second in the OVC with 20 wins, a 2.30 ERA, 283 strikeouts, and 225 2/3 innings pitched.

Danielle finished the year with 283 strikeouts and was ranked 13th in the nation. She posted a 1.49 ERA with 134 strikeouts in 103 2/3 OVC innings. She carried Tech to an OVC championship and trip to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in eight years, being named OVC Tournament MVP as well as a spot on the All-Tournament Team. She tossed all 27 innings in the OVC Tournament, posting a perfect 4-0 record with a 2.07 ERA and 41 strikeouts.

Danielle set the single-game strikeout record with 16 against UT Martin on Mar. 22, surpassing the mark of Tech head coach Bonnie Bynum. She then reset the strikeout record with 17 punch outs in a victory over Morehead State on May 2 and also struck out 15 in a win over Eastern Illinois on Apr. 4, becoming the first pitcher in program history with at least three 15-strikeout games in a career and a season.

Statistics:

• She registered 10 double-digit strikeout games and was named adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week on Mar. 16 after tossing 11 scoreless innings in a pair of shutout wins at Tennessee State on Mar. 14 and 15
• She collected the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory since 2007 with a complete-game over win against Chattanooga on May 16
• She went the distance, yielding two runs on seven hits with nine strikeouts in the OVC Championship Game against SIUE on May 9
• She tossed a complete game victory with 10 strikeouts in the OVC Tournament Semi Finals against Murray State on May 8
• She struck out nine and gave up just one run in a complete-game win against SIUE in the OVC Tournament on May 7
• She whiffed Colonels and gave up just one earned run in a complete-game victory against Eastern Kentucky in the OVC Tournament opener on May 6
• She recorded a shutout win against Austin Peay on Apr. 18. She went a combined 10 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run, striking out 21 and giving up a combined five hits in a doubleheader at Eastern Illinois on Apr. 4
• She tossed a complete-game shutout, yielding just four hits against Belmont on Mar. 28
• She hurled a complete-game shutout, giving up five hits against Southeast Missouri on Mar. 21
• She pitched a complete game, allowing two runs and punching out 11 in a win against Radford on Mar. 8
• She struck out 12 in five innings as part of a complete-game shutout win over Northern Kentucky on Mar. 1
• She went a season-high eight innings with 10 strikeouts to lead Tech to an extra-inning victory over Georgia Southern on Feb. 14.

Junior Year: In her junior year, Danielle showcased exceptional skills as a pitcher for the Golden Eagles. She appeared in 36 games, starting in 28, and went 15-14 from the circle. Her notable achievements included ranking eighth in the OVC with 15 wins, a 2.74 ERA, 227 strikeouts, and 168.2 innings pitched. Danielle's performance earned her a spot on the All-OVC second team.

Collegiate Career Summed: Ending her career with a 2.73 earned run average, Liberatore solidified her place in Tennessee Tech's record book, ranking second all-time in wins (70), strikeouts (926), and innings pitched (833.3). Her achievements include holding the TTU record for strikeouts in a game, showcasing her dominance on the mound.

Coaching Career: After making a significant impact as a player, Danielle Liberatore transitioned into coaching, becoming an assistant softball coach at SIUE under Interim Head Coach Jessica Jones in August 2018. Her wealth of experience and expertise, particularly in pitching, added a valuable dimension to the Cougars' coaching staff.

Previous Coaching Roles: Prior to joining SIUE, Liberatore served as a graduate assistant manager under Tennessee Head Coaches Ralph and Karen Weekly. Her coaching role allowed her to further develop her skills and contribute to the success of the Tennessee softball program.

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