Pronunciation:Â blay (rhymes with slay)
2026: Threw 36.1 innings in 13 appearances and five starts … Finished with a 4.82 ERA (25 ER/36.1 IP) and 17 strikeouts … Picked up a win in her first appearance of the season against Memphis at the Kajikawa Classic, scattering three earned runs over 4.1 innings of work (2/8) … Tossed 3.1 innings against No. 1 Texas Tech, allowing two earned runs and striking out two (2/12) … Struck out three in two scoreless innings to close out a win over SEMO (2/20) … Tossed a career-high 5.1 shutout innings in relief against Boston University, allowing just one hit across 19 batters faced (2/27) … Tossed 3.2 innings while allowing just one run and striking out one against No. 22 Washington (3/9) … Scattered two earned runs in three innings of work against No. 17 Oregon (3/27) … Earned a save with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief against Penn State (4/11).
2025: Tossed 20.1 innings in 13 appearances on the season … Made her collegiate debut against No. 5 Tennessee, picking up her first career strikeout in an inning of work (2/8) … Struck out two in 2.2 innings of work against Longwood (3/1) … Struck out one in a scoreless inning of relief against No. 19 Mississippi State (3/21) … Racked up a career-high six strikeouts in just three innings of work against Northern Illinois (3/26) … Threw three scoreless innings and struck out two against Notre Dame (4/1) … Struck out two in back-to-back scoreless innings against Loyola Chicago and Rutgers (4/16-20) … Tossed a shutout inning against Kentucky in her NCAA tournament debut (5/16).
Career HighsÂ
Innings Pitched..........................................5.1 vs. Boston University (2/27/26)
Strikeouts.......................................................6, vs. Northern Illinois (3/26/25)
Fewest Hits Allowed (min. 5 IP)..........................1, vs. Boston Univ. (2/27/26)
Fewest Runs Allowed (min. 5 IP)........................0, vs. Boston Univ. (2/27/26)
High School: Ranked No. 21 overall player in the 2024 class by Extra Innings Softball … Posted a 1.24 ERA with an 0.067 on-base percentage allowed as a sophomore … As a junior, tallied a 1.40 ERA and 0.097 on-base percentage allowed … Member of 16U USA Softball High Performance Team … 2022 and 2023 Premier Girls Fastpitch All-American Finalist … Plays club softball for Ken and Roseann Briggs on the BSC Bengals Briggs 18U team … Was runner-up at 2022 TCS 16U National Championship … Honor roll student … CJSF and CSF Award recipient … Parents are Dale and Teri Blea … Brother, John, played football at Sacramento State … Anticipated major at Northwestern is legal studies.
Drohan on Blea:Â "Emma is a hard-throwing, athletic pitcher who can dominate from the circle. Her academic accomplishments and drive will have an immediate impact on our program."
Blea on Choosing Northwestern:Â "I chose Northwestern because of the high-level academic and athletic programs that it offers. I also love the family-oriented atmosphere and integrity that the players and coaching staff provide. Evanston is the perfect fit and I feel right at home when I step on campus."
2026: Threw 36.1 innings in 13 appearances and five starts … Finished with a 4.82 ERA (25 ER/36.1 IP) and 17 strikeouts … Picked up a win in her first appearance of the season against Memphis at the Kajikawa Classic, scattering three earned runs over 4.1 innings of work (2/8) … Tossed 3.1 innings against No. 1 Texas Tech, allowing two earned runs and striking out two (2/12) … Struck out three in two scoreless innings to close out a win over SEMO (2/20) … Tossed a career-high 5.1 shutout innings in relief against Boston University, allowing just one hit across 19 batters faced (2/27) … Tossed 3.2 innings while allowing just one run and striking out one against No. 22 Washington (3/9) … Scattered two earned runs in three innings of work against No. 17 Oregon (3/27) … Earned a save with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief against Penn State (4/11).
2025: Tossed 20.1 innings in 13 appearances on the season … Made her collegiate debut against No. 5 Tennessee, picking up her first career strikeout in an inning of work (2/8) … Struck out two in 2.2 innings of work against Longwood (3/1) … Struck out one in a scoreless inning of relief against No. 19 Mississippi State (3/21) … Racked up a career-high six strikeouts in just three innings of work against Northern Illinois (3/26) … Threw three scoreless innings and struck out two against Notre Dame (4/1) … Struck out two in back-to-back scoreless innings against Loyola Chicago and Rutgers (4/16-20) … Tossed a shutout inning against Kentucky in her NCAA tournament debut (5/16).
Career HighsÂ
Innings Pitched..........................................5.1 vs. Boston University (2/27/26)
Strikeouts.......................................................6, vs. Northern Illinois (3/26/25)
Fewest Hits Allowed (min. 5 IP)..........................1, vs. Boston Univ. (2/27/26)
Fewest Runs Allowed (min. 5 IP)........................0, vs. Boston Univ. (2/27/26)
High School: Ranked No. 21 overall player in the 2024 class by Extra Innings Softball … Posted a 1.24 ERA with an 0.067 on-base percentage allowed as a sophomore … As a junior, tallied a 1.40 ERA and 0.097 on-base percentage allowed … Member of 16U USA Softball High Performance Team … 2022 and 2023 Premier Girls Fastpitch All-American Finalist … Plays club softball for Ken and Roseann Briggs on the BSC Bengals Briggs 18U team … Was runner-up at 2022 TCS 16U National Championship … Honor roll student … CJSF and CSF Award recipient … Parents are Dale and Teri Blea … Brother, John, played football at Sacramento State … Anticipated major at Northwestern is legal studies.
Drohan on Blea:Â "Emma is a hard-throwing, athletic pitcher who can dominate from the circle. Her academic accomplishments and drive will have an immediate impact on our program."
Blea on Choosing Northwestern:Â "I chose Northwestern because of the high-level academic and athletic programs that it offers. I also love the family-oriented atmosphere and integrity that the players and coaching staff provide. Evanston is the perfect fit and I feel right at home when I step on campus."