DARIEN—Vivian Knott, the Stanford-bound left-handed junior pitcher for the Darien Blue Wave, was the 2026 Gatorade Connecticut Player of the Year.
While many outsiders were focused on the term “pitch-count” with Knott this season, it was the other far-more-impressive numbers she put up for the FCIAC champion Blue Wave this season made her a dominant two-way player for Darien, and also led her to be honored with a far lesser award than the state Gatorade honor.
She is also the CT Softball Blog’s Diamond Awards “Junior of the Year.”
Knott threw 120 innings this spring for Darien, striking out 281. She had a 0.29 ERA, a 0.46 WHIP (Walk/Hits per innings pitched) and held opponents to a .092 batting average this season.
At the plate, Knott also hit .524 while getting on base a .667 clip, as well.
In additon to the FCIAC title, Knott led Darien to the CIAC Class LL semifinals, where the Blue Wave fell by a 1-0 score to eventual state champion Cheshire in 12 innings.
“Vivian’s athletic and athletic excellence and academic achievement are apparent, but what’s less obvious is her selfless attitude and how she puts her teammates and team ahead of individual performance,” said Darien High School head coach Nick DeMaio. “Vivian’s primary concern is for the team to be successful and that her teammates are recognized for their contributions to our success. She does not seek the limelight and is respectful of all opponents and umpires. She never, ever questions a call or gets upset. Vivian demonstrates a maturity level that enables her to lead by example and her teammates recognize and respect that in her.”
After receiving the Gatorade Award, Knott echoed her coach’s sentiments of how these awards are more than just her’s and her’s alone.
“I couldn’t have done it without the support of my teammates, coaches, teachers, family, and friends,” Knott said. “Even though this award has my name on it, it reflects the hard work and support of so many people. I’m incredibly thankful for everyone who has helped me become the player and person I am today.”
After one more season with the Blue Wave, Knott will head to Stanford University to play and continue her education.
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