History of Monica Abbott in Timeline
Monica Abbott is a retired American softball player known for her dominant pitching career. She achieved All-American status at the University of Tennessee, setting NCAA Division I records for wins, strikeouts, shutouts, and innings pitched. Abbott also played professionally in the NPF and Japan Softball League. Representing Team USA, she won silver medals at the 2008 and 2020 Olympic Games. Her extensive accomplishments solidify her place as a prominent figure in softball history.
1984: Birth of Sister Jessica
Monica Abbott's sister, Jessica, was born in 1984.
July 28, 1985: Birth of Monica Abbott
Monica Abbott was born on July 28, 1985.
1988: Birth of Brother Jared
Monica Abbott's brother, Jared, was born in 1988.
1991: Birth of Twin Sisters Bina and Gina
Monica Abbott's twin sisters, Bina and Gina, were born in 1991.
1999: High School Start
Monica Abbott began attending North Salinas High School in 1999.
2003: High School Graduation
Monica Abbott graduated from North Salinas High School in 2003.
2004: College Career Begins
Monica Abbott started playing softball for the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers in 2004.
2005: Start of International Softball Career
Monica Abbott began playing for Team USA in 2005.
2005: International Success Begins
Monica Abbott started her streak of international wins with Team USA in 2005.
2006: World Championship Gold Medals
Monica Abbott helped Team USA win gold medals at the 2006 ISF Women's World Championship.
August 2, 2007: NPF Debut and Championship Win
Monica Abbott debuted in the NPF on August 2, 2007, with a career-best 18 strikeouts, and led her team to the NPF championship with a no-hitter in the final game.
2007: College Graduation
Monica Abbott graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2007 with a degree in communications.
2007: Pan Am Games Gold Medal
Monica Abbott led Team USA to a gold medal at the 2007 Pan Am Games.
2007: Record-Breaking Season and Awards
In 2007, Monica Abbott set an NCAA single-season record with 724 strikeouts. She also received the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and the Women's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year awards.
August 11, 2008: Olympic Debut and Perfect Game
On August 11, 2008, Monica Abbott made her Olympic debut, pitching a perfect game against the Netherlands. This was the first perfect game in Olympic softball history.
2008: Selected for Olympic Squad
Monica Abbott was selected for the Olympic squad in 2008, marking softball's return to the Olympics.
2008: Olympic Silver Medal
Monica Abbott won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics as part of Team USA.
2009: NPF Runner-Up
Monica Abbott and her team were runners-up in the NPF championship in 2009.
2009: Plays for USSSA Pride
Monica Abbott played for the USSSA Pride in the NPF in 2009.
2010: Joins Tennessee Diamonds
Monica Abbott was traded to the Tennessee Diamonds in 2010.
2010: Joins Japan Softball League
Monica Abbott began playing in the Japan Softball League (JSL) in 2010, winning the league MVP and leading her team to the championship title.
2010: Steps Down from National Team
Monica Abbott stepped down from the US Softball National Team in 2010.
2011: Signs with Chicago Bandits
Monica Abbott signed with the Chicago Bandits in 2011.
2011: Back-to-Back JSL Titles and MVP Award
In 2011, Monica Abbott led her team to a second consecutive JSL title and won her second MVP award.
June 16, 2012: World Record Pitch
On June 16, 2012, Monica Abbott set a Guinness World Record for the fastest softball pitch at 77 mph.
2012: JSL Three-Peat and Third MVP Award
Monica Abbott's team achieved a three-peat in the JSL in 2012, and she won her third MVP award.
2013: Second NPF Runner-Up
Monica Abbott and her team finished as runners-up in the NPF again in 2013.
2014: Fourth JSL Title
Monica Abbott's team won their fourth JSL title in 2014.
July 23, 2015: Second Perfect Game
On July 23, 2015, Monica Abbott pitched her second perfect game in the NPF.
May 2016: Million-Dollar Contract
In May 2016, Monica Abbott signed a historic $1 million contract with the Scrap Yard Dawgs, making her the highest-paid female athlete in professional team sports in the United States.
2016: Fifth JSL Title and Fourth MVP Award
Monica Abbott's team won their fifth JSL title in 2016, and she won her fourth MVP award.
2018: Return to National Team and World Championship Gold
Monica Abbott returned to the US Softball National Team and helped them win another World Championship gold medal in 2018.
2018: Sixth JSL Title and Fifth MVP Award
Monica Abbott's team secured their sixth JSL title in 2018, and she won her fifth MVP award.
2019: More International Wins
Monica Abbott continued her winning streak with Team USA, contributing to victories at the USA Softball International Cup, Japan Cup, and Pan Am Games in 2019.
2020: Eleventh Season in JSL
As of 2020, Monica Abbott was playing in her eleventh season in the JSL.
2020: 2020 Olympic Performance and Silver Medal
During the 2020 Summer Olympics, Monica Abbott started in three games and served as a relief pitcher in others, achieving a 0.00 ERA. Team USA won silver.
2020: Second Olympic Silver Medal
Monica Abbott won her second silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics, again with Team USA.
2021: Olympics Postponed
The 2020 Olympics were postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.