Late last month, Pioneer High School junior shortstop Marisa Bryson verbally committed to continue her athletic career at Stanford University.

“I’m super excited,” Byrson said. “It was very stressful before finding my home at Stanford. It wasn’t that long of a recruiting process since you can’t start talking to colleges until your junior year but Standford was my dream school. I’m going to be able to expand and thrive as a freshman there in a few years. The resources for academics are one of a kind, and there isn’t anywhere else to get an education like that.

“They also have the best combination of competing at the highest level of softball while also having the highest academics,” she continued. “Academics have been really important to my family, so going to an academic school was one of my biggest factors, and it led me to pick Stanford. They also did well last year and have been a top-10 team for the past few years, so I want to be a part of it. I want to compete for a national championship, and Stanford is a place I can do that.”

After two amazing seasons for the Patriots, it’s hard to see how much more the star shortstop can improve before heading off to Stanford, but she still does have two more seasons to permanently etch her name into the school’s softball record books. While she will undoubtedly catch herself looking forward into the not-too-distant future, she mentions that she is as locked in as she can be to the present.

“I’m so excited, but I still do have two more years at Pioneer High School, so I have to focus on that first,” she said.

As a sophomore this past season, Bryson was instrumental in the Patriots’ earning back-to-back Golden Empire League championships. The Patriots finished 21-6 overall, including 11-1 against league opponents, and shared the league title with Dixon after splitting the season series.

Unfortunately, their season ended in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Divison III quarterfinals against Manteca.

At the plate, Byrson posted a 0.554 batting average, smashed 13 home runs, sported a 1.145 slugging percentage, recorded 45 RBI, scored 47 runs, posted a 0.641 on-base percentage, stole 13 stolen bases, and, for good measure, provided great defense at shortstop with a 0.980 fielding percentage.

The impressive showing earned Bryson a GEL-All League award alongside fellow Patriots Briana Parker, Abril Parker and Sofia Hernandez.

Before electing Stanford, Bryson visited other top D1 programs, including Boise State, Michigan State, Minnesota and Purdue. Along with wanting to compete for national championships, Bryson mentioned the close proximity to her home in Woodland played a key role late in her recruiting process.

“When I first started looking into colleges, I didn’t want to stay so close to home, but then I realized those long plane rides would make it hard to get back home to my family if something ever happened,” Byrson said. “Stanford is such a short ride from Woodland, and it’s so great it’s so close to home. It was hard to turn down an opportunity like that. Being close to home allows my family and parents to come watch me play in person. They don’t have to just watch me on TV.”

Bryson mentioned that her interactions with the coaching staff during her visit was another major reason for her verbal commitment.

“The support from the coaches was another main reason I chose to go there,” she said. “They saw where they could see me play in the future and had a spot and plan for me. Them showing that they believed in me was another big part of me choosing to go there.”

If a verbal commitment to Stanford wasn’t proof enough, Bryson also smashes it academically, boasting an impressive 4.4 grade point average.

Keeping it in the family, her older sister, Lauren, is set for her senior year as a first baseman for the Santa Clara University softball team.

“It’s been both of our dreams (to play at that level), but it was hers first,” Marisa said. “Growing up together, I always looked up to her, and when she committed, it was so crazy at our house. The recruiting process was really hard, but she did it, and we were all so excited.

“Her main advice for me was to get to know the coaches. If you don’t ask the hard questions, you might get stuck somewhere you don’t want to be for the next four years. I tried to do that on every visit to get to know them for real. It was pretty cool that we both went to live it out, even if it was at different times.”

Bryson mentions that a verbal commitment would not have been possible without the help of her family members and support team.

“I am super grateful for my support at home,” Bryson graciously said. “I’m grateful for my parents going the extra mile and my dad taking me out for batting practice or getting ground balls. I’m grateful to my sister for being there for me and supporting me through my process and my grandpa, who also helped coach me. I’m so thankful for the support system that I have at home. I could not have done it without them.”