Catasauqua Area School District Board of Education unanimously voted to retire the softball jersey number of Hannah Edwards during the Jan. 16 school board meeting.

The honor is “in recognition of her outstanding athletic achievements, accolades and statistics,” according to the meeting agenda. Edwards, of the Catasauqua High School Class of 2016, wore number 8.

She was a record-setter, having broken six state records, including for career hits, runs scored and stolen bases. Additionally, she had single-season records for hits, runs scored and stolen bases. She was named four-time first team all-state, all area and all Colonial League and to 15 All-American teams including USA Today, Max Preps, Premier Girls Fastpitch and FloSoftball.

Edwards was named Pennsylvania High School Softball 2A Player of the Year during both her junior and senior years and was ranked the No. 7 recruit in the country in the Class of 2016 by FloSoftball. Additionally, she was chosen to play in the 2016 PGF High School All-American game televised on ESPN and was named one of the top 10 hitters in the nation when she was selected to the 2016 Louisville Slugger Hit Club.

She was a member of the Colonial League Championship team in 2013 and the District XI silver medalist teams in 2013 and 2014. She was named a Colonial League Academic All Star.

Not only excelling on the ball field, Edwards was class valedictorian when she graduated from CHS and was heavily involved in other student organizations, including National Honor Society and Student Council.

After her time at Catasauqua, Edwards went on to play softball at the University of Pittsburgh for one year. She then attended Lehigh University, where she continued playing softball. She went on earn a master’s degree in education at the University of Florida, where she stayed to work as an academic counselor for football and gymnastics student athletes.

Edwards was named to the CHS Hall of Fame in 2023.

“This is well deserved,” Thomas Moll, director of student activities and athletic director, said at the meeting. He noted they will frame a number 8 jersey and have it displayed on school grounds.