NEWTOWN, PA (June 12, 2025) -- A historic moment for King's College was announced on Thursday morning as a King's College softball great Maria Zangardi has been inducted into the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2025. This marks the first time in the MAC's 14 induction classes that multiple Monarchs were inducted in the same year.

Zangardi joins nine other honorees with this current class in the MAC Hall of Fame's 14^th induction class. She also becomes the 13^th individual in King's history to join the MAC record books since its inception in 2012. She joins Mary Beth Bowler-Chambers (2012), women's basketball; Larry Danko (2013), wrestling; Corey Dickerson (2014), men's basketball; Steven Wilson (2015), football; Jess Harvey (2016) softball; Joanne Polakoski (2017), women's basketball; Ned McGinley (2017), wrestling; Lindsay Sabo-Gonzalez (2018), field hockey & lacrosse; Mari Valonis (2021), softball; Mitch Marcks (2022), wrestling; Damon Saxon (2024), football; and Jeff Thomas (2024); men's basketball.

The 2004 graduate was a three-time All-MAC First Team honoree, three-time NFCA Regional All-American with one First-Team nod in 2004 and two Second-Team recognitions in 2001 and 2003, and capped off her career as a 2004 Division III All-American. Zangardi went down in the King's record books as the all-time leader in hits with 217, which still stands today, second in at bats (547), doubles (42), total bases (341), putouts (928), and games played (169), fourth in runs scored (137), sixth in RBIs (135), seventh in batting average (.396), and ninth in home runs (16).

As part of the historic success of the Monarchs softball program, she helped lead King's to four conference championships and four consecutive berths to the NCAA Division III National Tournament. In addition, she was a member of the 2003 team that holds the most wins in a season in program history with 39 and the 2004 team that ranks third in best winning percentage in a season at 79.59%.

She was also recognized as the 2003-24 MAC Senior Scholar-Athlete, an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American in 2004, two-time member of the ESPN The Magazine All-Academic Team in 2002 and 2004, and three-time MAC Academic Honor Roll recipient for her extraordinary efforts in the classroom.

"Maria Zangardi is a great representation of what an elite student-athlete can accomplish," said Head Softball Coach Lisa Gigliello. "Her contributions made it possible for us to win four straight MAC Softball Championships. She brought intensity and a strong work ethic every day to the field whether it was for practice or a game. She gave it her all every play. When she stepped on the field, she had an immediate impact and everyone knew it."

King's will plan an in-person presentation of the MAC Hall of Fame award to Maria at a later date.