Urbana softball ace Gaby McAnaw commits to Washington
Urbana rising junior Gaby McAnaw, the Frederick News-Post Player of the Year, has verbally committed to play Division I softball at the University of Washington.
HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW
Gaby McAnaw is a rising junior at Urbana. She verbally committed to the University of Washington on Sept. 5. Washington first saw her pitch at the 2026 Top Gun Invitational. She led Urbana to the Class 4A state championship game. She posted a 0.82 ERA. She won 17 games. She struck out 214 batters. She earned Frederick News-Post Player of the Year honors. Her fastball typically sits around 66 mph and can reach 67 to 68 mph. Her older sister Lo plays softball at Georgetown.
One of Frederick County’s top softball players has made her college decision.
Urbana rising junior Gaby McAnaw has verbally committed to play Division I softball at the University of Washington, continuing a rapid rise that has already established her as one of the area’s most dominant pitchers.
Washington first saw McAnaw while recruiting another player during the 2026 Top Gun Invitational in Kansas City, Missouri.
McAnaw was pitching for 18U Virginia Glory National Willemsen when Washington coaches came to watch one of their existing commits. According to McAnaw, the Huskies’ staff liked what they saw and contacted her on Sept. 1.
She visited the following weekend and verbally committed on Sept. 5.
The connection felt natural in part because McAnaw has family in the Seattle area.
Her commitment also makes her the second member of her family to earn a Division I softball opportunity. Her older sister Lo McAnaw, a 2026 Urbana graduate, is now a freshman softball player at Georgetown.
The sisters took different paths.
Lo was recruited as a middle infielder. Gaby’s future is in the pitcher’s circle, where she consistently throws in the mid-60s and can reach 67 to 68 mph. Boston College also showed interest.
McAnaw’s sophomore season made her profile hard to ignore.
She helped Urbana reach the Class 4A state championship game and earned Frederick News-Post Player of the Year honors after leading county pitchers with a 0.82 ERA, 17 wins and 214 strikeouts. Her strikeout total was 118 more than the county’s runner-up.
Urbana coach Frank Husson credited McAnaw’s work ethic and composure, particularly in difficult situations.
He pointed to postseason games in which she recovered from a rough first inning or challenging field conditions and continued pitching effectively.
Away from games, McAnaw works on balance, drive mechanics and conditioning, and she lifts at least three times per week to maintain her velocity.
She said she began realizing around sixth grade that she might have the ability to play softball at a higher level.
Her impact at Urbana was immediate.
As a freshman, McAnaw earned All-County first-team honors, establishing herself as one of Frederick County’s top pitchers before producing an even stronger sophomore season.
Now, before beginning her junior season, she already knows where the next stage of her softball career is headed.
WHAT IT MEANS
McAnaw’s commitment is another major milestone for an Urbana pitcher who has already dominated at the county level.
With two high school seasons still ahead of her, she now enters the rest of her Urbana career with her college destination settled and the opportunity to continue developing against high-level competition.
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