Senior (2015): Padilla concluded her Aggie career by having the best season of her four-year stint in Las Cruces. She marked career highs in every offensive category, including slamming 10 home runs after only accumulating 11 total long balls in her first three years combined. Three of those home runs came with the bases loaded, giving her four career grand slams. Padilla also scored 41 runs, more than twice than in any other year, had 67 total hits, had double-digit doubles for the first time in her career (10) and hit her first three triples of her NM State career. She had career-bests with a .354 batting average, a .598 slugging percentage and a .376 on-base percentage. Padilla finished her Aggie career with a .313 batting average with 178 hits, 31 doubles, 21 home runs and 116 RBIs.
During the season Padilla picked up her first-ever WAC Hitter of the Week award to add to her WAC All-Tournament nod in 2014 and her All-WAC second team honor in 2013.
Junior (2014): Padilla played leftfield for the Aggies in 2014, appearing in in 44 games and starting in 36. Padilla had a .283 batting average in 106 at bats, recording 30 hits and 27 RBI and 19 runs scored. With eight doubles and five homeruns, Padilla had 53 total bases for an even .500 slugging percentage. Two of Padilla’s homeruns came against No. 10 Arizona (4/23). In WAC play only Padilla hit a .290 average in 31 at bats, recording nine hits and seven RBI. Her best game of the season came against Seattle U during the 2014 WAC Tournament when she smashed her first career grand slam, helping the Aggies to a 5-4. In the tournament, Padilla had three hits and five RBI in 10 at bats. Padilla had seven multi-RBI games and nine multi-hit games. Her longest hitting streak of the season was six games and she reached base eight consecutive times on the year.
Sophomore (2013): Padilla started 49 games in 53 appearances while playing in the outfield for the Aggies. She had 18 hits and four home runs in her sophomore season, one coming in the season opener against Nebraska. She finished the season with a slugging percentage of 413 and a batting average of .280. She also had 17 RBI with a .325 on-base percentage. Her biggest game came against Seattle U, when she 2-for-4 with three RBI, a double and a run of her own. In her 150 at bats, Padilla walked just 10 times and finished the season with three stolen bases. Off the field, Padilla earned WAC All-Academic honors.
Freshman (2012): Padilla played in 47 games in her freshman season and started 38 of those games. She hit .315 on the season that included two home runs and 19 RBI. Malena set a career-high for hits in a game with four in her first game as an Aggie against Santa Clara on Feb. 11. Padilla also set a career-high for RBI in a game with three against Santa Clara. Padilla also showed her ability on defense as she had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in her freshman season.
High School: Padilla was four-time letter winner in the senior outfield for Freedom High School in Oakley, Calif. As a senior, she was awarded conference MVP honors. She started in center field all four years for the Falcons. Padilla took home First Team All-Bay Valley Athletic League in each of her first three seasons at Freedom. She also earned local player of the week honors during the year. Padilla and the Falcons won the BVAL title and finished as runner-up in the CIF North Coast Section. As a sophomore, the Falcons won the conference title and were runners-up in the CIF North Coast Section. During her freshman campaign, Padilla and her teammates won their first BVAL title together and also claimed the CIF North Coast Section championship. In the off-season,
Personal: Padilla was born in Walnut Creek, Calif., to Jesse and Sandra Padilla.
