Thursday, May 30
Oklahoma City, OK
11:30 AM
UCLA
vs
Minnesota
Through the first two weekends of the NCAA Championship, the Bruins are first in runs per game (7.00) and second in batting average (.324).
Photo by: Andy Bao
No. 2 Bruins Open WCWS on Thursday Against No. 7 Minnesota
May 28, 2019 | Softball
UCLA Softball Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
NCAA Women's College World Series • May 30 - June 5 • Oklahoma City • USA SB HOF Stadium
All Times Central (Subtract Two Hours for Pacific Time)
Thursday, May 30
Game 1 - No. 6 Arizona vs. No. 3 Washington - 11 a.m. - ESPN
Game 2 - No. 7 Minnesota vs. No. 2 UCLA - 1:30 p.m. - ESPN
Game 3 - No. 13 Oklahoma State vs. No. 5 Florida - 6 p.m. - ESPN2
Game 4 - No. 8 Alabama vs. No. 1 Oklahoma - 8:30 p.m. - ESPN2
Friday, May 31
Game 5 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 - 6 p.m. - ESPN
Game 6 - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 - 8:30 p.m. - ESPN
Saturday, June 1
Game 7 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 - 11 a.m. - ESPN
Game 8 - Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 - 1:30 p.m. - ESPN
Game 9 - Loser Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7 - 6 p.m. - ESPN
Game 10 - Loser Game 5 vs. Winner Game 8 - 8:30 p.m. - ESPN
Sunday, June 2
Game 11 - Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 9 - 12 p.m. - ESPN
Game 12 - Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 10 - 2:30 p.m. - ESPN
*Game 13 - Winner Game 11 vs. Loser Game 11 - 6 p.m. - ESPN2
*Game 14 - Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 12 - 8:30 p.m. - ESPN2
Monday, June 3
Championship Finals Game 1 - 6:30 p.m. - ESPN
Tuesday, June 4
Championship Finals Game 2 - 7:30 p.m. - ESPN
Wednesday, June 5
*Championship Finals Game 3 - 7:30 p.m. - ESPN
*If Necessary
Live Stats for All Games
SECOND-SEEDED BRUINS CLASH WITH NO. 7 MINNESOTA IN THURSDAY WCWS OPENER
The second-seeded Bruins open the 2019 NCAA Women's College World Series on Thursday, facing No. 7 Minnesota at 11:30 a.m. PT/1:30 p.m. CT in Oklahoma City. The game will be televised on ESPN.
BRUINS IN NCAA WOMEN'S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
The Bruins are making their record 29th appearance in the Women's College World Series and their fifth trip in a row. UCLA, which is making its tournament-record 35th overall appearance in the NCAA Championship, is 214-59 (.784) following last weekend's Super Regional sweep of James Madison. The Bruins are 100-16 (.862) in Regionals, 20-6 (.769) in Super Regionals and 94-37 (.718) in the WCWS. UCLA has won 11 NCAA Championships ('82, '84, '85, '88, '89, '90, '92, '99, '03, '04, '10) and 12 National Championships (AIAW title in 1978). The Bruins have advanced to the championship game or series in 18 of their 28 WCWS appearances. With their victory over JMU, UCLA has swept the Super Regional round for the seventh time in 11 tries. The entire UCLA NCAA postseason history is available on page 24 of this release.
RACHEL GARCIA NAMED A TOP THREE FINALIST FOR USA SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
For the second season in a row, redshirt junior Rachel Garcia has been named a Top Three finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, as announced on May 23.
Joining Garcia, the winner of last year's award, as finalists are Megan Good (James Madison) and Sydney Romero (Oklahoma). The 2019 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced Tuesday in Oklahoma City.
The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, which is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I women's collegiate softball, recognizes the outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female players across the country. Previous recipients of the award include UCLA alum Stacey Nuveman (2002) and Garcia.
SEVEN BRUINS NAMED TO NFCA ALL-WEST REGION TEAMS
Seven Bruins were named to the NFCA All-West Region teams, as announced on May 15, as senior Taylor Pack (utility), redshirt junior Rachel Garcia (utility/pitcher), junior Bubba Nickles (outfield) and freshman Megan Faraimo (pitcher) all earned First Team honors, while redshirt sophomore Aaliyah Jordan (utility), sophomore Briana Perez (shortstop) and freshman Kelli Godin (outfield) picked up Second Team accolades.
Garcia earned NFCA All-Region honors for the third year in a row, receiving her second-straight, First Team award. Nickles was named to the First Team for the second year in a row, Jordan picked up her second-straight, All-Region honor (First Team in '18) and Perez earned Second Team plaudits for the second year in a row. Faraimo, Godin and Pack all received their first All-Region awards.
The seven All-Region awards tied a school record, matching the 2015 and 2018 teams.
GARCIA NAMED PAC-12 PLAYER AND PITCHER OF THE YEAR, FARAIMO FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR, EIGHT HONORED
Redshirt junior Rachel Garcia made history on May 8, as she became the first Pac-12 player ever to be named Conference Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year in the same season, while Megan Faraimo recorded Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors to become the third UCLA player in a row to pick up the award. A total of eight were recognized on the All-Pac-12 Conference teams.
With the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year award first being handed out in 1999, Garcia is just the third hurler in UCLA history to win the honor, joining Keira Goerl (2003) and Courtney Dale (1999). For Garcia, it is the second year in a row she has been named Pac-12 Player of the Year. She was also named First Team All-Pac-12 for the third straight season. Garcia's conference Player of the Year award is the 16th in Bruin history, joining Ally Carda (2014 and 2015), Megan Langenfeld (2010), Andrea Duran (2006), Natasha Watley (2003), Stacey Nuveman (1999, 2001, 2002), Lisa Fernandez (1991, 1992, 1993) and Lisa Longaker (1987, 1988, 1990).
Faraimo follows in the footsteps of Garcia (2017) and redshirt sophomore Aaliyah Jordan (2018) in terms of winning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. She is the eighth Bruin to earn Pac-10/12 Newcomer or Freshman of the Year honors, joining Tanya Harding (1995), Julie Adams (1996), Nuveman (1997), Anjelica Selden (2005) and Stephany LaRosa (2012).
Joining Garcia and Faraimo on the All-Pac-12 First Team were Jordan, senior Taylor Pack, junior Bubba Nickles, sophomore Briana Perez and freshman Kelli Godin. Nickles recorded her third All-Pac-12 award and her first First Team honor, Jordan and Perez were named First Team for the second year in a row and Pack notched her initial Pac-12 First Team accolade. Godin and Perez were also named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team, while Faraimo, Godin and Colleen Sullivan were recognized on the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team.
BRUINS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS (THROUGH MAY 26)
Team Rankings - Batting Average (2nd, .342); Earned Run Average (2nd, 1.39); Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio (2nd, 5.78); Runs Per Game (4th, 7.00); On Base Percentage (5th, .419); Slugging (8th, .544); Shutouts (T-11th, 19); Home Runs (T-22nd, 66); Fielding Percentage (24th, .973); Doubles (T-27th, 85); Triples (T-36th, 13).
Rachel Garcia - ERA (3rd, 1.01); Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio (4th, 7.67); Hits Allowed Per 7 (7th, 3.80); Strikeouts (15th, 253); Wins (T-22nd, 24); Saves (T-29th, 4); Sacrifice Flies (T-42nd, 4); Shutouts (T-47th, 4); Walks Allowed Per 7 (48th, 1.39).
Bubba Nickles - RBI (T-5th, 69); Total Bases (T-20th, 136); Runs Scored (T-22nd, 59); Hits (T-25th, 75); Homers (T-39th, 16).
Megan Faraimo - ERA (20th, 1.42); K-to-BB Ratio (20th, 5.50); Hits Allowed Per 7 (20th, 4.27); Shutouts (T-47th, 4).
Briana Perez - Runs Scored (T-10th, 65); Hits (T-25th, 75).
Kelli Godin - Batting Average (9th, .446); On Base Percentage (T-39th, .500).
Aaliyah Jordan - Doubles (T-16th, 19).
NEWS AND NOTES
--Through the first two weekends of the NCAA Championship, the Bruins are first in runs per game (7.00), second in batting average (.324) and triples (2), fourth in on base percentage (.413) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.80), fifth in slugging (.520), tied for fifth in home runs (6) and tied for sixth in doubles (7).
--Individually, junior Bubba Nickles, despite not having one during Super Regionals, is first among postseason players in RBI with 11, while also ranking tied for first with four doubles and tied for fourth with 17 total bases. Redshirt junior Rachel Garcia is first with 46 strikeouts and tied for second with four wins, sophomore Briana Perez is tied for first with eight runs scored and tied for ninth with nine hits, sophomore Kinsley Washington is tied for third with seven runs and freshman Kelli Godin is fifth with a .615 average.
--UCLA has 14 comeback victories this season, recording its most recent one in game one of the L.A. Super Regional versus JMU.
--Bruin opponents have scored runs in just 58 innings this season, and on 26 occasions, UCLA has scored in its next at-bat (on five occasions, opponents as the home team scored in the last at-bat of the game, not allowing the Bruins to answer).
--The Bruins have reached double figures in hits 26 times and double digits in runs 13 times.
--Garcia retired all 18 batters she faced in the L.A. Regional opener against Weber State (May 17), combining with sophomore Holly Azevedo on the third no-hitter of the season for UCLA, the 112th in program history and the 16th in Bruin postseason history. She had 13 strikeouts in that game, and coupled with 12 in the L.A. Super Regional opener versus James Madison, has 12 double-figure strikeout contests this season (season-high 15 against Arizona, Oklahoma and Hawaii). Garcia's 780 career strikeouts are sixth in UCLA history, with Lisa Fernandez (5th, 784) and Ally Carda (4th, 825) next up on the list. Garcia, who is also eighth all-time with 76 victories and third with nine saves, has earned a win (24) or a save (4) in 28 of her 31 appearances this season.
--After going hitless in her first three postseason games, Garcia has four hits in her last nine at-bats, driving in seven runs, including four in last Friday's game versus JMU on a three-run homer and an RBI single. All six of her RBI in the Super Regionals were with two outs, as she added a two-run single on Saturday.
--Nickles drove in 11 runs in the L.A. Regional, going 7-for-15 (.467) with six runs, four doubles and two homers, including 3-for-4 with nine RBI with the bases loaded. Despite going 0-for-6 in the L.A. Super Regional, she is still the national leader in RBI this postseason. Nickles had a pair of five-RBI games against Missouri (May 18-19), posting her third two-homer game on May 18 on a solo homer and her first career grand slam. During her 21-game hitting streak, which was snapped on May 19, she batted .507 (36-for-71) with seven homers, 29 RBI, 24 runs and 12 multi-hit games. Nickles is one of only two Bruins to post a pair of 20-plus game hitting streaks along with Natasha Watley (32 in 2001 and 29 in 2002). Nickles compiled a 24-game streak, dating back to last season, before it came to an end versus Colorado State on Feb. 24. During that streak, she hit .466 (34-for-73) with 10 homers, 30 RBI and 27 runs. While she can't catch Stacey Nuveman for the most RBI in one season for a Bruin (91), Nickles' 69 is just five away from tying B.B. Bates' second-place total of 74 (2013).
--Perez has nine hits in 17 at-bats (.529) this postseason, scoring eight runs, including at least one in every game. She tied a career high with three runs scored in Game 7 of the L.A. Regional. Perez has hits in 15 of her last 17, batting .404 (21-for-52) with two homers, eight RBI and 15 runs. Perez recorded a pair of three-hit contests during Regionals to give her a team-best six on the season. Her 65 runs are tied for third on UCLA's single-season list and 10 away from Watley's 75 in 2001.
--For the second time this season, senior Taylor Pack hit two home runs in one game, leaving the yard twice last Saturday against James Madison on a two-run bomb and a solo shot. She has hits in 17 of her last 23 games, batting .382 (26-for-68) during the stretch with seven homers, 22 RBI and 15 runs. Eight of the 23 contests have been for multiple hits, six have been multi-RBI affairs and 12 of her 26 hits have gone for extra bases.
--Redshirt sophomore Aaliyah Jordan has hits in 19 of her last 25 games, batting .356 (26-for-73) with six homers, 27 RBI and 20 runs. She posted the first two-homer contest of her career on April 6 at Arizona State. The team leader in doubles with 19 had three versus Liberty on March 9 to become the sixth Bruin ever to post three two-baggers in the same contest. Jordan is tied for third on UCLA's single-season list in doubles and two shy of the record set by Lyndsey Klein (21) in 1999.
--Godin has hits in five of six postseason games, batting .615 (8-for-13) with five runs scored. She tied a season high with her third three-hit game of the season in the Super Regional clincher on Saturday against James Madison, scoring twice and stealing a base. The freshman stole her first 18 bases before getting caught on March 26 against Cal State Fullerton. It was the most successful stolen bases to start a UCLA career. Godin stole three bases against Saint Mary's on Feb. 9 to tie a school record, and then did it again versus the Gaels on March 24.
--Washington has hits in eight of her last 11 games, batting .400 (12-for-30) with nine runs and four RBI. Three of those contests have been multiple-hit games, including her first three-hit affair against Weber State on May 17. Washington tied a career high with two runs and two RBI in the second game versus Missouri on May 19, and again scored twice in game one against James Madison.
--Freshman Megan Faraimo drew the start last Saturday against James Madison and came up big time, striking out eight in 5 1/3 innings to earn the win in the Super Regional clincher. Faraimo, who had a scoreless innings streak of 26 1/3 from March 26-April 12, tossed her second no-hitter on Feb. 24 against Colorado State. It marked the first time a Bruin had two no-hitters in the same season since 2015 (Ally Carda) and the first UCLA freshman to do so since 2005 (Anjelica Selden). She has nine games with at least eight strikeouts, fanning a career-best 12 against Robert Morris. Faraimo also had 11 strikeouts against Cal State Fullerton on March 26 and 10 in her first no-hitter versus Fresno State (Feb. 16).
--Azevedo, who has not allowed a run in a scant 1 1/3 innings and 30 pitches thrown this postseason, had a stretch of 19 2/3 consecutive shutout innings from April 12-May 3, striking out 14 and giving up only 10 hits and three walks in those six outings. She had back-to-back, complete-game shutouts at OSU (April 20) and versus Utah (April 28). Azevedo has allowed zero or one run in 13 of her last 16 appearances. Her best game of the year came against Florida on Feb. 27 when she struck out eight in five innings.
--Senior Paige Halstead has just one error in 267 chances for a .996 fielding percentage. She has also thrown out four of 13 would-be stealers this season.
--Freshman Colleen Sullivan had 13 walks during Pac-12 play, which ranked second on the team. She drew four walks in the April 6 game at ASU, just the seventh time a Bruin had accomplished that feat in one contest. She was 2-for-4 with two walks in six plate appearances at the Los Angeles Regional, but did not appear last weekend.
--Kelly Inouye-Perez is five wins away from 600 for her head coaching career.
--Perez led off the March 8 game against Robert Morris with an inside-the-park home run. It marked the first inside-the-park homer for the Bruins since Andrea Duran on June 3, 2006 versus Texas ... UCLA shattered a school record for most runs in one inning in a Feb. 17 victory over UC Riverside. The Bruins scored 16 runs in the first inning, including 13 before making an out. The 16-run outburst broke the previous school record of 13 runs scored on April 21, 1992 against Cal Poly Pomona. As far as national rankings go, the 16 runs are tied for the 11th-most runs in one inning, while the 16 first-inning runs are tied for the second-most, first-inning runs ever ... UCLA softball recorded its 1,900th victory in program history on March 8 against Robert Morris.
BRUINS VERSUS THE WCWS FIELD
--UCLA is 6-0 all-time against Minnesota, as the two teams ended a 19-year hiatus in the series last season in San Diego, with the Bruins posting a 12-4, six-inning victory. Aaliyah Jordan, Taylor Pack and Briana Perez each had three-hit contests, Brianna Tautalafua hit a two-run homer and Rachel Garcia struck out four in five innings. UCLA has played the Golden Gophers once in the NCAA Championship, picking up a 5-0 victory at the 1999 Regional at Easton Stadium. The four runs scored by Minnesota in last season's matchup were the first in the series, as UCLA has a 32-4 run differential in the six wins.
--The Bruins opened up Pac-12 play with a sweep at Washington (March 15-17) to improve to 61-35 all-time in the series, recording 3-0, 4-2 (8 innings) and 15-6 (5) victories. UCLA has swept the Huskies in each of the last two seasons, getting partial revenge for UW ending the Bruins' season in Oklahoma City in 2017 (1-0). All seven postseason matchups between the two teams have occurred in OKC with UCLA holding a 5-2 edge (2003 - UCLA, 2-1; 2000 - UCLA, 3-2; 1999 Title Game - UCLA, 3-2; 1997 - UCLA, 4-3 and 1-0; 1996 - UW, 8-2).
--UCLA concluded the regular season with a series loss to Arizona (May 9-11) at Easton Stadium (Arizona, 5-3; UCLA, 5-4; Arizona, 3-1). The Bruins lead the all-time series, 91-59, having won 18 of the last 22. The teams have split 16 matchups in the NCAA Championship, with the only games not taking place at the WCWS occurring last season in the Super Regional at Easton Stadium (UCLA, 7-1 and 3-2). Arizona is 8-6 versus UCLA at the WCWS (2010 Championship Series - UCLA, 6-5 (8) and 15-9; 2008 - UCLA, 1-0; 2001 Title Game - UA, 1-0; 1997 Title Game - UA, 10-2 (5); 1997 - UA, 2-0 (14); 1996 - UA, 4-0; 1994 Title Game - UA, 5-2; 1993 Title Game - UA, 1-0; 1992 Title Game - UCLA, 2-0; 1991 Title Game - UA, 5-1; 1991 - UA, 1-0 (9); 1989 - UCLA, 3-0; 1988 - UCLA, 5-0). UCLA season stats and boxes versus Washington and Arizona are available on pages 25-32 of this release.
--The Bruins improved to 10-4 all-time against Oklahoma following a 7-1 victory on Feb. 22 in Cathedral City, Calif. Garcia had 15 strikeouts in a four-hit complete game. At the plate, Jordan drove in three runs, Perez had two hits and two RBI, Bubba Nickles homered and Kinsley Washington added two hits. A box score is available on page 33 of this release. UCLA and OU have met twice in the postseason, both in Oklahoma City (2002 - UCLA, 2-0; 2000 Title Game - OU, 3-1).
--UCLA is a perfect 9-0 against Alabama, with the last matchup taking place in Cathedral City in 2009. The Bruins are 5-0 in the NCAA Championship versus the Crimson Tide and 2-0 at the WCWS (2006 WCWS - 4-1; 2004 Regionals at UCLA - 5-2 (9) and 7-0; 2000 WCWS - 4-1; 1999 Regionals at UCLA - 7-0).
--The Bruins knocked off Florida twice in a three-day span in Fullerton this season by scores of 7-1 (Feb. 27) and 4-0 (March 1) to improve to 7-6 in the all-time series. Box scores are available on pages 34-35 of this release. The two teams have split six postseason meetings (2018 WCWS - UCLA, 6-5; 2011 Gainesville Regional - UF - 4-2; UCLA - 3-2; UF - 11-3 (5); 2010 WCWS - UCLA, 16-3 (6); 2008 - UF, 2-0).
--The Bruins hold a 12-5 edge over Oklahoma State, having won the last three matchups, including 7-2 and 7-0 wins last April at Easton Stadium. Garcia set a career-high with 18 strikeouts in the one-hit shutout victory, and added a home run in the other win. The teams have met five times in the postseason, all at the WCWS, with UCLA holding a 4-1 advantage (1993 - UCLA, 5-0; 1993 - OSU, 1-0 (13); 1990 - UCLA, 2-1; 1989 - UCLA, 2-1; 1982 - UCLA, 2-1).
BRIANA PEREZ NAMED COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Sophomore Briana Perez was named to the Google Cloud Academic All-District Softball First Team on May 9, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
The Academic All-District Team recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The Google Cloud Academic All-America program separately recognizes honorees in four collegiate divisions.
First team honorees advance to the Google Cloud Academic All-America ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in June.
Perez, a human biology major, is the first Bruin to be named CoSIDA Academic All-District since 2010 (Samantha Camuso).
FOUR BRUINS EARN PAC-12 ALL-ACADEMIC HONORS
A quartet of Bruins were named to the Pac-12 Conference All-Academic Team on May 23, as sophomore Briana Perez picked up Second Team accolades and senior Taylor Pack and juniors Bubba Nickles and Jacqui Prober were named to the Honorable Mention squad. It is the first Pac-12 All-Academic honor for all four players.
To be eligible for selection to the All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 overall grade-point average, appear in at least 50 percent of their team's games and be at least a sophomore academically.
NCAA Women's College World Series • May 30 - June 5 • Oklahoma City • USA SB HOF Stadium
All Times Central (Subtract Two Hours for Pacific Time)
Thursday, May 30
Game 1 - No. 6 Arizona vs. No. 3 Washington - 11 a.m. - ESPN
Game 2 - No. 7 Minnesota vs. No. 2 UCLA - 1:30 p.m. - ESPN
Game 3 - No. 13 Oklahoma State vs. No. 5 Florida - 6 p.m. - ESPN2
Game 4 - No. 8 Alabama vs. No. 1 Oklahoma - 8:30 p.m. - ESPN2
Friday, May 31
Game 5 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 - 6 p.m. - ESPN
Game 6 - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 - 8:30 p.m. - ESPN
Saturday, June 1
Game 7 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 - 11 a.m. - ESPN
Game 8 - Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 - 1:30 p.m. - ESPN
Game 9 - Loser Game 6 vs. Winner Game 7 - 6 p.m. - ESPN
Game 10 - Loser Game 5 vs. Winner Game 8 - 8:30 p.m. - ESPN
Sunday, June 2
Game 11 - Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 9 - 12 p.m. - ESPN
Game 12 - Winner Game 6 vs. Winner Game 10 - 2:30 p.m. - ESPN
*Game 13 - Winner Game 11 vs. Loser Game 11 - 6 p.m. - ESPN2
*Game 14 - Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 12 - 8:30 p.m. - ESPN2
Monday, June 3
Championship Finals Game 1 - 6:30 p.m. - ESPN
Tuesday, June 4
Championship Finals Game 2 - 7:30 p.m. - ESPN
Wednesday, June 5
*Championship Finals Game 3 - 7:30 p.m. - ESPN
*If Necessary
Live Stats for All Games
SECOND-SEEDED BRUINS CLASH WITH NO. 7 MINNESOTA IN THURSDAY WCWS OPENER
The second-seeded Bruins open the 2019 NCAA Women's College World Series on Thursday, facing No. 7 Minnesota at 11:30 a.m. PT/1:30 p.m. CT in Oklahoma City. The game will be televised on ESPN.
BRUINS IN NCAA WOMEN'S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
The Bruins are making their record 29th appearance in the Women's College World Series and their fifth trip in a row. UCLA, which is making its tournament-record 35th overall appearance in the NCAA Championship, is 214-59 (.784) following last weekend's Super Regional sweep of James Madison. The Bruins are 100-16 (.862) in Regionals, 20-6 (.769) in Super Regionals and 94-37 (.718) in the WCWS. UCLA has won 11 NCAA Championships ('82, '84, '85, '88, '89, '90, '92, '99, '03, '04, '10) and 12 National Championships (AIAW title in 1978). The Bruins have advanced to the championship game or series in 18 of their 28 WCWS appearances. With their victory over JMU, UCLA has swept the Super Regional round for the seventh time in 11 tries. The entire UCLA NCAA postseason history is available on page 24 of this release.
RACHEL GARCIA NAMED A TOP THREE FINALIST FOR USA SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
For the second season in a row, redshirt junior Rachel Garcia has been named a Top Three finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, as announced on May 23.
Joining Garcia, the winner of last year's award, as finalists are Megan Good (James Madison) and Sydney Romero (Oklahoma). The 2019 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced Tuesday in Oklahoma City.
The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, which is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I women's collegiate softball, recognizes the outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female players across the country. Previous recipients of the award include UCLA alum Stacey Nuveman (2002) and Garcia.
SEVEN BRUINS NAMED TO NFCA ALL-WEST REGION TEAMS
Seven Bruins were named to the NFCA All-West Region teams, as announced on May 15, as senior Taylor Pack (utility), redshirt junior Rachel Garcia (utility/pitcher), junior Bubba Nickles (outfield) and freshman Megan Faraimo (pitcher) all earned First Team honors, while redshirt sophomore Aaliyah Jordan (utility), sophomore Briana Perez (shortstop) and freshman Kelli Godin (outfield) picked up Second Team accolades.
Garcia earned NFCA All-Region honors for the third year in a row, receiving her second-straight, First Team award. Nickles was named to the First Team for the second year in a row, Jordan picked up her second-straight, All-Region honor (First Team in '18) and Perez earned Second Team plaudits for the second year in a row. Faraimo, Godin and Pack all received their first All-Region awards.
The seven All-Region awards tied a school record, matching the 2015 and 2018 teams.
GARCIA NAMED PAC-12 PLAYER AND PITCHER OF THE YEAR, FARAIMO FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR, EIGHT HONORED
Redshirt junior Rachel Garcia made history on May 8, as she became the first Pac-12 player ever to be named Conference Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year in the same season, while Megan Faraimo recorded Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors to become the third UCLA player in a row to pick up the award. A total of eight were recognized on the All-Pac-12 Conference teams.
With the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year award first being handed out in 1999, Garcia is just the third hurler in UCLA history to win the honor, joining Keira Goerl (2003) and Courtney Dale (1999). For Garcia, it is the second year in a row she has been named Pac-12 Player of the Year. She was also named First Team All-Pac-12 for the third straight season. Garcia's conference Player of the Year award is the 16th in Bruin history, joining Ally Carda (2014 and 2015), Megan Langenfeld (2010), Andrea Duran (2006), Natasha Watley (2003), Stacey Nuveman (1999, 2001, 2002), Lisa Fernandez (1991, 1992, 1993) and Lisa Longaker (1987, 1988, 1990).
Faraimo follows in the footsteps of Garcia (2017) and redshirt sophomore Aaliyah Jordan (2018) in terms of winning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. She is the eighth Bruin to earn Pac-10/12 Newcomer or Freshman of the Year honors, joining Tanya Harding (1995), Julie Adams (1996), Nuveman (1997), Anjelica Selden (2005) and Stephany LaRosa (2012).
Joining Garcia and Faraimo on the All-Pac-12 First Team were Jordan, senior Taylor Pack, junior Bubba Nickles, sophomore Briana Perez and freshman Kelli Godin. Nickles recorded her third All-Pac-12 award and her first First Team honor, Jordan and Perez were named First Team for the second year in a row and Pack notched her initial Pac-12 First Team accolade. Godin and Perez were also named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team, while Faraimo, Godin and Colleen Sullivan were recognized on the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team.
BRUINS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS (THROUGH MAY 26)
Team Rankings - Batting Average (2nd, .342); Earned Run Average (2nd, 1.39); Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio (2nd, 5.78); Runs Per Game (4th, 7.00); On Base Percentage (5th, .419); Slugging (8th, .544); Shutouts (T-11th, 19); Home Runs (T-22nd, 66); Fielding Percentage (24th, .973); Doubles (T-27th, 85); Triples (T-36th, 13).
Rachel Garcia - ERA (3rd, 1.01); Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio (4th, 7.67); Hits Allowed Per 7 (7th, 3.80); Strikeouts (15th, 253); Wins (T-22nd, 24); Saves (T-29th, 4); Sacrifice Flies (T-42nd, 4); Shutouts (T-47th, 4); Walks Allowed Per 7 (48th, 1.39).
Bubba Nickles - RBI (T-5th, 69); Total Bases (T-20th, 136); Runs Scored (T-22nd, 59); Hits (T-25th, 75); Homers (T-39th, 16).
Megan Faraimo - ERA (20th, 1.42); K-to-BB Ratio (20th, 5.50); Hits Allowed Per 7 (20th, 4.27); Shutouts (T-47th, 4).
Briana Perez - Runs Scored (T-10th, 65); Hits (T-25th, 75).
Kelli Godin - Batting Average (9th, .446); On Base Percentage (T-39th, .500).
Aaliyah Jordan - Doubles (T-16th, 19).
NEWS AND NOTES
--Through the first two weekends of the NCAA Championship, the Bruins are first in runs per game (7.00), second in batting average (.324) and triples (2), fourth in on base percentage (.413) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.80), fifth in slugging (.520), tied for fifth in home runs (6) and tied for sixth in doubles (7).
--Individually, junior Bubba Nickles, despite not having one during Super Regionals, is first among postseason players in RBI with 11, while also ranking tied for first with four doubles and tied for fourth with 17 total bases. Redshirt junior Rachel Garcia is first with 46 strikeouts and tied for second with four wins, sophomore Briana Perez is tied for first with eight runs scored and tied for ninth with nine hits, sophomore Kinsley Washington is tied for third with seven runs and freshman Kelli Godin is fifth with a .615 average.
--UCLA has 14 comeback victories this season, recording its most recent one in game one of the L.A. Super Regional versus JMU.
--Bruin opponents have scored runs in just 58 innings this season, and on 26 occasions, UCLA has scored in its next at-bat (on five occasions, opponents as the home team scored in the last at-bat of the game, not allowing the Bruins to answer).
--The Bruins have reached double figures in hits 26 times and double digits in runs 13 times.
--Garcia retired all 18 batters she faced in the L.A. Regional opener against Weber State (May 17), combining with sophomore Holly Azevedo on the third no-hitter of the season for UCLA, the 112th in program history and the 16th in Bruin postseason history. She had 13 strikeouts in that game, and coupled with 12 in the L.A. Super Regional opener versus James Madison, has 12 double-figure strikeout contests this season (season-high 15 against Arizona, Oklahoma and Hawaii). Garcia's 780 career strikeouts are sixth in UCLA history, with Lisa Fernandez (5th, 784) and Ally Carda (4th, 825) next up on the list. Garcia, who is also eighth all-time with 76 victories and third with nine saves, has earned a win (24) or a save (4) in 28 of her 31 appearances this season.
--After going hitless in her first three postseason games, Garcia has four hits in her last nine at-bats, driving in seven runs, including four in last Friday's game versus JMU on a three-run homer and an RBI single. All six of her RBI in the Super Regionals were with two outs, as she added a two-run single on Saturday.
--Nickles drove in 11 runs in the L.A. Regional, going 7-for-15 (.467) with six runs, four doubles and two homers, including 3-for-4 with nine RBI with the bases loaded. Despite going 0-for-6 in the L.A. Super Regional, she is still the national leader in RBI this postseason. Nickles had a pair of five-RBI games against Missouri (May 18-19), posting her third two-homer game on May 18 on a solo homer and her first career grand slam. During her 21-game hitting streak, which was snapped on May 19, she batted .507 (36-for-71) with seven homers, 29 RBI, 24 runs and 12 multi-hit games. Nickles is one of only two Bruins to post a pair of 20-plus game hitting streaks along with Natasha Watley (32 in 2001 and 29 in 2002). Nickles compiled a 24-game streak, dating back to last season, before it came to an end versus Colorado State on Feb. 24. During that streak, she hit .466 (34-for-73) with 10 homers, 30 RBI and 27 runs. While she can't catch Stacey Nuveman for the most RBI in one season for a Bruin (91), Nickles' 69 is just five away from tying B.B. Bates' second-place total of 74 (2013).
--Perez has nine hits in 17 at-bats (.529) this postseason, scoring eight runs, including at least one in every game. She tied a career high with three runs scored in Game 7 of the L.A. Regional. Perez has hits in 15 of her last 17, batting .404 (21-for-52) with two homers, eight RBI and 15 runs. Perez recorded a pair of three-hit contests during Regionals to give her a team-best six on the season. Her 65 runs are tied for third on UCLA's single-season list and 10 away from Watley's 75 in 2001.
--For the second time this season, senior Taylor Pack hit two home runs in one game, leaving the yard twice last Saturday against James Madison on a two-run bomb and a solo shot. She has hits in 17 of her last 23 games, batting .382 (26-for-68) during the stretch with seven homers, 22 RBI and 15 runs. Eight of the 23 contests have been for multiple hits, six have been multi-RBI affairs and 12 of her 26 hits have gone for extra bases.
--Redshirt sophomore Aaliyah Jordan has hits in 19 of her last 25 games, batting .356 (26-for-73) with six homers, 27 RBI and 20 runs. She posted the first two-homer contest of her career on April 6 at Arizona State. The team leader in doubles with 19 had three versus Liberty on March 9 to become the sixth Bruin ever to post three two-baggers in the same contest. Jordan is tied for third on UCLA's single-season list in doubles and two shy of the record set by Lyndsey Klein (21) in 1999.
--Godin has hits in five of six postseason games, batting .615 (8-for-13) with five runs scored. She tied a season high with her third three-hit game of the season in the Super Regional clincher on Saturday against James Madison, scoring twice and stealing a base. The freshman stole her first 18 bases before getting caught on March 26 against Cal State Fullerton. It was the most successful stolen bases to start a UCLA career. Godin stole three bases against Saint Mary's on Feb. 9 to tie a school record, and then did it again versus the Gaels on March 24.
--Washington has hits in eight of her last 11 games, batting .400 (12-for-30) with nine runs and four RBI. Three of those contests have been multiple-hit games, including her first three-hit affair against Weber State on May 17. Washington tied a career high with two runs and two RBI in the second game versus Missouri on May 19, and again scored twice in game one against James Madison.
--Freshman Megan Faraimo drew the start last Saturday against James Madison and came up big time, striking out eight in 5 1/3 innings to earn the win in the Super Regional clincher. Faraimo, who had a scoreless innings streak of 26 1/3 from March 26-April 12, tossed her second no-hitter on Feb. 24 against Colorado State. It marked the first time a Bruin had two no-hitters in the same season since 2015 (Ally Carda) and the first UCLA freshman to do so since 2005 (Anjelica Selden). She has nine games with at least eight strikeouts, fanning a career-best 12 against Robert Morris. Faraimo also had 11 strikeouts against Cal State Fullerton on March 26 and 10 in her first no-hitter versus Fresno State (Feb. 16).
--Azevedo, who has not allowed a run in a scant 1 1/3 innings and 30 pitches thrown this postseason, had a stretch of 19 2/3 consecutive shutout innings from April 12-May 3, striking out 14 and giving up only 10 hits and three walks in those six outings. She had back-to-back, complete-game shutouts at OSU (April 20) and versus Utah (April 28). Azevedo has allowed zero or one run in 13 of her last 16 appearances. Her best game of the year came against Florida on Feb. 27 when she struck out eight in five innings.
--Senior Paige Halstead has just one error in 267 chances for a .996 fielding percentage. She has also thrown out four of 13 would-be stealers this season.
--Freshman Colleen Sullivan had 13 walks during Pac-12 play, which ranked second on the team. She drew four walks in the April 6 game at ASU, just the seventh time a Bruin had accomplished that feat in one contest. She was 2-for-4 with two walks in six plate appearances at the Los Angeles Regional, but did not appear last weekend.
--Kelly Inouye-Perez is five wins away from 600 for her head coaching career.
--Perez led off the March 8 game against Robert Morris with an inside-the-park home run. It marked the first inside-the-park homer for the Bruins since Andrea Duran on June 3, 2006 versus Texas ... UCLA shattered a school record for most runs in one inning in a Feb. 17 victory over UC Riverside. The Bruins scored 16 runs in the first inning, including 13 before making an out. The 16-run outburst broke the previous school record of 13 runs scored on April 21, 1992 against Cal Poly Pomona. As far as national rankings go, the 16 runs are tied for the 11th-most runs in one inning, while the 16 first-inning runs are tied for the second-most, first-inning runs ever ... UCLA softball recorded its 1,900th victory in program history on March 8 against Robert Morris.
BRUINS VERSUS THE WCWS FIELD
--UCLA is 6-0 all-time against Minnesota, as the two teams ended a 19-year hiatus in the series last season in San Diego, with the Bruins posting a 12-4, six-inning victory. Aaliyah Jordan, Taylor Pack and Briana Perez each had three-hit contests, Brianna Tautalafua hit a two-run homer and Rachel Garcia struck out four in five innings. UCLA has played the Golden Gophers once in the NCAA Championship, picking up a 5-0 victory at the 1999 Regional at Easton Stadium. The four runs scored by Minnesota in last season's matchup were the first in the series, as UCLA has a 32-4 run differential in the six wins.
--The Bruins opened up Pac-12 play with a sweep at Washington (March 15-17) to improve to 61-35 all-time in the series, recording 3-0, 4-2 (8 innings) and 15-6 (5) victories. UCLA has swept the Huskies in each of the last two seasons, getting partial revenge for UW ending the Bruins' season in Oklahoma City in 2017 (1-0). All seven postseason matchups between the two teams have occurred in OKC with UCLA holding a 5-2 edge (2003 - UCLA, 2-1; 2000 - UCLA, 3-2; 1999 Title Game - UCLA, 3-2; 1997 - UCLA, 4-3 and 1-0; 1996 - UW, 8-2).
--UCLA concluded the regular season with a series loss to Arizona (May 9-11) at Easton Stadium (Arizona, 5-3; UCLA, 5-4; Arizona, 3-1). The Bruins lead the all-time series, 91-59, having won 18 of the last 22. The teams have split 16 matchups in the NCAA Championship, with the only games not taking place at the WCWS occurring last season in the Super Regional at Easton Stadium (UCLA, 7-1 and 3-2). Arizona is 8-6 versus UCLA at the WCWS (2010 Championship Series - UCLA, 6-5 (8) and 15-9; 2008 - UCLA, 1-0; 2001 Title Game - UA, 1-0; 1997 Title Game - UA, 10-2 (5); 1997 - UA, 2-0 (14); 1996 - UA, 4-0; 1994 Title Game - UA, 5-2; 1993 Title Game - UA, 1-0; 1992 Title Game - UCLA, 2-0; 1991 Title Game - UA, 5-1; 1991 - UA, 1-0 (9); 1989 - UCLA, 3-0; 1988 - UCLA, 5-0). UCLA season stats and boxes versus Washington and Arizona are available on pages 25-32 of this release.
--The Bruins improved to 10-4 all-time against Oklahoma following a 7-1 victory on Feb. 22 in Cathedral City, Calif. Garcia had 15 strikeouts in a four-hit complete game. At the plate, Jordan drove in three runs, Perez had two hits and two RBI, Bubba Nickles homered and Kinsley Washington added two hits. A box score is available on page 33 of this release. UCLA and OU have met twice in the postseason, both in Oklahoma City (2002 - UCLA, 2-0; 2000 Title Game - OU, 3-1).
--UCLA is a perfect 9-0 against Alabama, with the last matchup taking place in Cathedral City in 2009. The Bruins are 5-0 in the NCAA Championship versus the Crimson Tide and 2-0 at the WCWS (2006 WCWS - 4-1; 2004 Regionals at UCLA - 5-2 (9) and 7-0; 2000 WCWS - 4-1; 1999 Regionals at UCLA - 7-0).
--The Bruins knocked off Florida twice in a three-day span in Fullerton this season by scores of 7-1 (Feb. 27) and 4-0 (March 1) to improve to 7-6 in the all-time series. Box scores are available on pages 34-35 of this release. The two teams have split six postseason meetings (2018 WCWS - UCLA, 6-5; 2011 Gainesville Regional - UF - 4-2; UCLA - 3-2; UF - 11-3 (5); 2010 WCWS - UCLA, 16-3 (6); 2008 - UF, 2-0).
--The Bruins hold a 12-5 edge over Oklahoma State, having won the last three matchups, including 7-2 and 7-0 wins last April at Easton Stadium. Garcia set a career-high with 18 strikeouts in the one-hit shutout victory, and added a home run in the other win. The teams have met five times in the postseason, all at the WCWS, with UCLA holding a 4-1 advantage (1993 - UCLA, 5-0; 1993 - OSU, 1-0 (13); 1990 - UCLA, 2-1; 1989 - UCLA, 2-1; 1982 - UCLA, 2-1).
BRIANA PEREZ NAMED COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Sophomore Briana Perez was named to the Google Cloud Academic All-District Softball First Team on May 9, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
The Academic All-District Team recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The Google Cloud Academic All-America program separately recognizes honorees in four collegiate divisions.
First team honorees advance to the Google Cloud Academic All-America ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in June.
Perez, a human biology major, is the first Bruin to be named CoSIDA Academic All-District since 2010 (Samantha Camuso).
FOUR BRUINS EARN PAC-12 ALL-ACADEMIC HONORS
A quartet of Bruins were named to the Pac-12 Conference All-Academic Team on May 23, as sophomore Briana Perez picked up Second Team accolades and senior Taylor Pack and juniors Bubba Nickles and Jacqui Prober were named to the Honorable Mention squad. It is the first Pac-12 All-Academic honor for all four players.
To be eligible for selection to the All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 overall grade-point average, appear in at least 50 percent of their team's games and be at least a sophomore academically.
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P/1B
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
C/OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/1B
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ SoftballUCLA Softball Postgame - Coach Inouye-Perez & Players, vs. Tennessee (June 1, 2025)
Sunday, June 01
UCLA Softball Postgame - Coach Inouye-Perez & Players, vs. Texas Tech (May 31, 2025)
Saturday, May 31
Highlights - UCLA Softball vs. Oregon (May 29, 2025)
Thursday, May 29
UCLA Softball Postgame - Coach Inouye-Perez & Players, vs. Oregon (May 29, 2025)
Thursday, May 29