UCLA Softball Olympians

The UCLA softball program has been represented in each of the five Olympic Games sponsoring softball in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2020. Eighteen UCLA softball alumnae have competed at the Olympics for three different countries: United States (15), Australia (3) and Puerto Rico (1). UCLA's 19 Olympians and 10 different gold medal winners rank as the most across all softball programs. The 19 Olympians have totaled 32 medals (16 gold, nine silver and seven bronze).

Gold Medal Winners
Ten of UCLA's 19 Olympic athletes have captured the gold medal at least once for Team USA: Christie Ambrosi, Jennifer Brundage, Sheila Cornell-Douty, Lisa Fernandez, Tairia (Mims) Flowers, Amanda Freed, Stacey Nuveman, Dot Richardson, Natasha Watley and Christa Williams. In the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Fernandez solidified her status as one of the sport's all-time greats by becoming the one of just four softball players ever to win three gold medals. Nuveman, Cornell-Douty, Williams and Richardson have each won two medals.

Lisa Fernandez, Three-Time Olympic Gold Medalist
One of the greatest female Olympians is UCLA softball great Lisa Fernandez. The U.S. Olympic Hall of Famer led Team USA to three consecutive gold medals in 1996, 2000 and 2004, compiling a 7-1 record with a 0.36 ERA as a pitcher while posting a .302 batting average with 15 RBI as a hitter. Fernandez set Olympic records for most strikeouts by a pitcher in a single game (25, at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games) and highest batting average for an Olympic Games (.545, at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games). She recorded the final out in all three Olympic gold medal games in the circle for Team USA. Fernandez posted a 1-1 record with a 0.33 ERA in softball's inaugural Olympics appearance in Atlanta in 1996. In the 2000 Sydney Games, Fernandez pitched the U.S. to victory in both the semifinal win over Australia and the gold medal game against Japan. She established the Olympic single-game strikeout record with 25 in a round-robin game against Australia and totaled a 0.47 ERA and 52 strikeouts in the 2000 Olympics. In 2004, Fernandez was Team USA's top hitter and pitcher, posting a .545 batting average (12-for-22), which set a new record for an Olympic tournament. She was in the circle for the final out of the gold medal contest in a 5-1 victory over Australia. 

UCLA Softball Olympians
Olympian Years at UCLA Country Year Medal Site
Jennifer Brundage 1992-95 United States 1996 Gold Atlanta, Ga.
Sheila Cornell-Douty 1981-84 United States 1996 Gold Atlanta, Ga.
Lisa Fernandez 1990-93 United States 1996 Gold Atlanta, Ga.
Dot Richardson 1981-83 United States 1996 Gold Atlanta, Ga.
Christa Williams 1997 United States 1996 Gold Atlanta, Ga.
Joanne Alchin 1992-93 Australia 1996 Bronze Atlanta, Ga.
Kerry Dienelt 1988-91 Australia 1996 Bronze Atlanta, Ga.
Tanya Harding 1995 Australia 1996 Bronze Atlanta, Ga.
Janice Parks 1986-89 Puerto Rico 1996 N/A Atlanta, Ga.
Christie Ambrosi 1996-97, 1999 United States 2000 Gold Sydney, Au.
Jennifer Brundage 1992-95 United States 2000 Gold Sydney, Au.
Sheila Cornell-Douty 1981-84 United States 2000 Gold Sydney, Au.
Lisa Fernandez 1990-93 United States 2000 Gold Sydney, Au.
Stacey Nuveman 1997, 1999, 2001-02 United States 2000 Gold Sydney, Au.
Christa Williams 1997 United States 2000 Gold Sydney, Au.
Joanne Alchin 1992-93 Australia 2000 Bronze Sydney, Au.
Kerry Dienelt 1988-91 Australia 2000 Bronze Sydney, Au.
Tanya Harding 1995 Australia 2000 Bronze Sydney, Au.
Lisa Fernandez 1990-93 United States 2004 Gold Athens, Gr.
Tairia (Mims) Flowers 2000-03 United States 2004 Gold Athens, Gr.
Amanda Freed 1999-02 United States 2004 Gold Athens, Gr.
Stacey Nuveman 1997, 1999, 2001-02 United States 2004 Gold Athens, Gr.
Natasha Watley 2000-03 United States 2004 Gold Athens, Gr.
Tanya Harding 1995 Australia 2004 Silver Athens, Gr.
Andrea Duran 2003-06 United States 2008 Silver Beijing, Cn.
Tairia (Mims) Flowers 2000-03 United States 2008 Silver Beijing, Cn.
Stacey Nuveman 1997, 1999, 2001-02 United States 2008 Silver Beijing, Cn.
Natasha Watley 2000-03 United States 2008 Silver Beijing, Cn.
Tanya Harding 1995 Australia 2008 Bronze Beijing, Cn.
Ally Carda 2012-15 United States 2020 Silver Tokyo, Jp.
Rachel Garcia 2016-19, 2021 United States 2020 Silver Tokyo, Jp.
Bubba Nickles 2017-19, 2021 United States 2020 Silver Tokyo, Jp.
Delaney Spaulding 2014-17 United States 2020 Silver Tokyo, Jp.