Wildcat junior Amelie Valdez earned her first FloCollege/California Collegiate Athletic Association Pitcher of the Week award after the 2025 Kickoff Classic. Photo courtesy of Chico State Athletics

CHICO, CA (MPG) - The spring keeps improving as Amelie Valdez earns the first FloCollege/California Collegiate Athletic Association Pitcher of the Week award after her spectacular three-win weekend at the 2025 Kickoff Classic.

This is the first time the junior has received this award, as her team starts the season with one of the best starts in the conference at 5-0. 

Valdez was lights out in the circle in all three starts, combining for 21 strikeouts in 20 innings pitched. Impressively, the junior from Atwater pitched two complete games and only sacrificed a single run, resulting in a 0 ERA for her first weekend of competition.

The right-handed pitcher was a consistent starter for the Wildcats last season and had a flurry of strong performances as a sophomore. However, she put in valuable and quality time in the offseason to grow her game, garnering an excellent grasp on the leadership role that inevitably fell upon her shoulders for the pitching crew this season.

Valdez was named the 2025 CUI Kickoff Classic Most Outstanding Pitcher Award alongside the conference honor.