Since her 2010 debut wearing a San Diego State jersey, senior first baseman Justeen Maeva has created quite a name for herself in the softball program.
As she finishes off her last season with the Aztecs, her focus doesn’t rest on earning more individual awards and honors, however. It lies on the attributes she can bring to her team in order to win more games.
Softball has been in Maeva’s blood starting from a very early age. Growing up in a family with a huge softball background, Maeva was instantly drawn to the sport.
“I started playing when I was seven. All my cousins played softball and even my dad played slow-pitch softball,” she said.
Maeva was born and raised in San Diego, where she led her travel ball team, the California Cruisers, to a seventh-place national finish in 2008. She also played for Mira Mesa High School, where she earned All-CIF San Diego Section Division I recognition and was a four-time All-Eastern League and three-time All-CIF honoree.
Maeva began her collegiate career playing for Cal State Bakersfield. She played one year for the Roadrunners until she decided to transfer home to San Diego to finish her remaining three years playing for the Aztecs.
“I was born and raised in San Diego, so I wanted to come back home to be closer to family and have better competition,” Maeva said.
Since playing for the Aztecs, Maeva was named a 2010 All-Mountain West Conference selection and has earned second-team NFCA All-West Region honors for both the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
Most recently, Maeva broke SDSU’s all-time RBI record with 103 runs batted in. This is an extraordinary feat considering the fact she broke the Aztecs’ RBI career record in only three seasons. Despite all the recognition Maeva has received, she said the real honor is playing for SDSU.
“I’m happy to be here. I don’t care about the honors and awards. The biggest reward of all is playing for SDSU,” she said.
While it is Maeva’s last year playing for the Aztecs, she plans to continue to play softball overseas once she finishes school.
Although Maeva may be modest off the field, she holds nothing back when she steps out of the dugout and onto the dirt. Owning a good glove at first base and having an aggressive hitter mentality while at the plate, Maeva is truly a player worth acknowledging.
