Emma Lee concluded a historic four-year career as an outfielder at Trine University, helping power the Thunder to an extraordinary 176-24 overall record from 2023–2026. Lee, a native of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, graduated from Trine in Angola, Indiana with a degree in Elementary and Special Education and a minor in Coaching while pursuing her Master's in Education.
Lee made an immediate and lasting impact at Trine, helping lead the program to NCAA Division III National Championships in 2023 and 2025, as well as a National Runner-Up finish in 2026. Her defining postseason moment came on the national stage in 2025, when she hit a game-winning, three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to seal a 3-1 victory for the national title.
Across 183 career games played and 167 starts, Lee compiled a .364 career batting average, registering 183 hits, 156 runs scored, 35 doubles, seven triples, 29 home runs, and 159 RBIs. A dynamic combination of power, plate discipline, and speed, Lee recorded a .634 slugging percentage and a .439 on-base percentage while drawing 53 walks, being hit by a pitch 21 times, and converting 65-of-70 stolen base attempts (92.9% success rate). Defensively in center field, she posted a career .991 fielding percentage with 222 putouts and eight assists with only two errors.
Her individual achievements left a major mark on the Thunder record books:
- 1st in single-season stolen base percentage (1.000, 33-for-33)
- 1st in single-season fielding percentage (1.000 in both 2024 and 2025)
- 2nd in single-season stolen bases (33)
- 3rd in career runs scored (156), stolen bases (65), and times hit by pitch (21)
- 4th in career games played (183) and sacrifice flies (8)
- 5th in career RBIs (159), home runs (29), and stolen base percentage (.929)
- 8th in career total bases (316) and fielding percentage (.991)
- 10th in career slugging percentage (.634)
Lee capped off her senior season in 2026 with a massive haul of postseason awards. She was named the MIAA Most Valuable Player, a First Team All-MIAA selection, the NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player, an NFCA First Team All-Region honoree, and an NFCA First Team All-American. In addition to her athletic dominance, Lee excelled at the highest level academically, earning the prestigious 2026 NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award and being named a CSC First Team Academic All-American after earning CSC Second Team Academic All-American honors in 2025.
Throughout her collegiate career, Lee earned two Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Hitter of the Week awards (April 2025 and April 2026), three MIAA Position Player of the Week selections, and an NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team honor during the 2023 national championship run.
Prior to her time at Trine University, Lee attended Monona Grove High School in Wisconsin.
