WAMEGO (KSNT) – A former Wamego Red Raider is making her mark right away at the next level.

Ashten Pierson, a 2023 Wamego graduate, won Big East Defensive Player of the Year in softball. Pierson is nearing the end of her true freshman campaign with Creighton. She becomes the first freshman to ever win this award since it was introduced to the league’s softball awards in 2018.

Pierson helped Wamego win two state titles in her run, in 2021 and 2023. As a freshman with the Bluejays, she delivered a perfect fielding percentage en route to 38 putouts, 48 assists and five double plays in conference games.

She started 30 games in year one with Creighton. Offensively, the Wamego native contributed with 13 hits, 11 runs, nine walks and five runs batted in.

Creighton is 33-20 overall and plays Butler on Wednesday, May 8 to open its conference tournament.