Mia Roland joins top athletes on national stage
Owen rising junior named to 2025 PGF Futures All-American Game roster
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
July 18, 2025
Owen rising junior Mia Roland is one of 44 of the nation’s top sophomore and junior high school softball players selected to compete, July 26, in the 2025 PGF Futures All-American Game. The contest will be streamed live on ESPN+. Photo by Fred McCormick
Over the past two seasons, Mia Roland has made a name for herself with her bat and glove on softball diamonds around Western N.C. When she takes the field in Deanna Manning Stadium, at 3 p.m., Saturday, July 26, in Irvine, California, the rest of the nation will catch a glimpse of a rising Swannanoa Valley star.
The back-to-back Owen High School Overall Athlete of the Year will be among 44 of the country’s top sophomore and junior players competing in the 2025 Premier Girls Fastpitch Futures All-American Game. The event, which precedes the PGF All-American Game and will be streamed live on ESPN+, is a matchup of the best sophomores in the country and their junior contemporaries.
The shortstop, who has batted .561 with 18 home runs, 40 RBI and 48 stolen bases in two seasons for the Warlassies, was among six middle infielders selected to her team’s roster for the annual showcase. While Roland has earned multiple awards and recognitions in her athletic career, the opportunity to represent her school and community on a national stage is among the highest honors so far.
“This is one of the top moments for me, personally, but it’s not just a personal achievement,” said Roland, who has led her team to a Western Highlands Conference Championship and appearances in the third round of the state playoffs each of the last two seasons. “It means a lot to me to be recognized along with the other athletes who will be there, but if it wasn’t for my family, coaches and teammates, I wouldn’t be there.”
A three-sport athlete at Owen, the rising junior began her career at the school in the fall of 2023, leading the Warlassies volleyball team in kills (280), digs (446) and blocks (17). She followed that showing by pulling down 11.2 rebounds per game in her first season of competitive basketball, before leading the Owen softball team in nearly every offensive statistical category as a freshman.
Her encore performance, which included a junior softball season in which she batted a team-high .600 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI, earned Roland the school’s top overall athlete for the second consecutive year.
Mia Roland, the back-to-back Overall Athlete of the Year for Owen High School, has batted .561 with 18 home runs, 40 RBI and 48 stolen bases in her first two seasons with the Warlassies softball team. Photo by Fred McCormick
PGF Futures and All-American players, who must be nominated by high school or travel softball coaches, are selected from a watch list generated by a national committee of representatives from Flo Softball, Line Drive Softball, Gatorade POY and USA Today High School Sports. Roland will compete for the East Futures Sophomore team, coached by Alabama University pitcher and 2022 PGF All-American Jocelyn Briski, UCLA sophomore outfielder and 2025 Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection Rylee Slimp and 2009 NCAA Champion and Women’s College World Series MVP Danielle Lawrie.
Roland is embracing the challenges that come with competing among the nation’s top high school players, while eager to receive instruction from a talented coaching staff.
“I think it will be challenging, playing against people who are so well-rounded and passionate about the game, but that helps push you to elevate your game,” she said. “Also, it’s an opportunity to see how other athletes train, communicate and perform, so it gives you a whole new perspective and understanding of what it takes to be able to play and succeed at the next level.”
The experience will be an incredibly valuable one, she added.
“I hope to learn more about myself, and how I respond to the challenges I face,” Roland said. “This is a new environment, so I want to see how I can adapt to that, and how I can grow as a teammate. Also, there are a lot of insights and techniques from the coaches and players that I can bring back with me and build upon.”
Mia Roland will travel to Irvine, California to compete, July 26, in the 2025 PGF Futures All-American Game, which features 44 of the top high school softball prospects in the nation. Photo by Fred McCormick
As she prepares to make her debut among the top softball prospects in the country, Roland is “proud” to represent the Swannanoa Valley.
“My top goal is to compete with confidence and represent myself, my hometown and the other girls who play this sport with pride,” she said. “I want to make the most of every moment and leave the field knowing I gave it everything i had. And, of course, I want to have fun and make memories that will last.”