![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/imago1000706914-1.jpg)
via Imago
February 7, 2021, Tampa, Florida, USA: Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady puts his arm around his son while celebrating as he walks towards the tunnel to leave the field after the Bucs win Super Bowl 55 beating the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. Tampa USA – ZUMAs70_ 0112466055st Copyright: xDirkxShaddx
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/imago1000706914-1.jpg)
via Imago
February 7, 2021, Tampa, Florida, USA: Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady puts his arm around his son while celebrating as he walks towards the tunnel to leave the field after the Bucs win Super Bowl 55 beating the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. Tampa USA – ZUMAs70_ 0112466055st Copyright: xDirkxShaddx
Tom Brady‘s legacy is etched in every sports fan’s mind. Throughout his 23 years long illustrious career, TB12 went on to establish his dominance as the greatest quarterback to lace on a pair of cleats. While seven Super Bowl championships sound mind-boggling, Brady made the unfathomable a reality and now that he has walked away from the game, another Brady has taken up the mantle.
Tom Brady’s niece has taken the softball world by storm, helping lead UCLA to multiple Women’s College World Series appearances. In addition to his last name, Maya Brady also displays the same winning mentality and leadership skills as her uncle, and the results are just flowing in.
Another huge win for the Bradys
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For three years, Maya Brady took a backseat, looking up at her fellow upperclassmen and national champions to lead the way. Names such as Briana Perez, Kinsley Washington, and Delanie Wisz would often take center stage at team meetings, as a bright-eyed Maya Brady watched closely. Fast forward to now, Maya Brady is the voice of the team and a leader that leads by example.
With Brady leading the offense, the No. 2-ranked UCLA (50-4) took a 23-game winning streak into the inaugural Pac-12 Conference tournament. But the best was yet to follow. Maya Brady led the entire conference with a batting average of .456 and her genius shined once again as she emerged as the 2023 Pac-12 batting title.
UCLA softball player Maya Brady (@BradyMaya) won the 2023 Pac-12 batting title with a .456 batting average following the conclusion of the conference’s regular season. pic.twitter.com/k9wYmkg7OJ
— James H. Williams covers UCLA football (@JHWreporter) May 7, 2023
But being the niece of someone as relevant in modern sports as Tom Brady comes with its own set of challenges as Maya Brady struggled the regular season, averaging a mere .317.
Speaking on her road to redemption, the niece of Tom Brady said, “I definitely got caught up in a lot of media and what people were saying about me, At one point in the season, I was so over that, that it almost did allow me to break free from my own standards.”
However, much like her uncle, Maya Brady came alive during the postseason earning the honor of being named on the U.S. national team. Maya’s fiercely competitive spirit not only reflects Tom Brady but also a lineage of elite athletes.
A legacy to uphold and nurture – Tom Brady
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Maya Brady comes from an athletic family, and we are all well aware of Tom Brady, but there seem to be some other contributors as well. Maya Brady’s mother, Maureen Brady, was proficient in the same sport as her daughter. Maureen Brady was a standout college professional while earning All-American honors as a pitcher at Fresno State in 1994.
Speaking of her mother’s contribution, Maya expressed, “She [Maureen] just really ingrained in me the love of the game. She always coached my teams when I was little. She’s just always so supportive and always assuring that the love of the game is still in there.”
But Maureen and Tom Brady aren’t the only elite athletes in the family. Maya’s other uncle is the former MLB veteran and Boston Red Sox’s first baseman and third baseman Kevin Youkilis. Just like Brady, Youkilis is also a champion, winning two MLB World Series throughout his career.
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Needless to say, the Brady family has unlocked the secrets to an elite athletic career, and Maya Brady is just carrying that weight on her shoulders with sheer grace and joy.
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