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SAN FRANCISCO - Redshirt junior Rachel Garcia made history on Wednesday, 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 Bruins 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.
Garcia leads the Bruins with a 20-0 record in the circle, a 0.71 earned run average (second in the nation) and 190 strikeouts in 127 2/3 innings. Of her 15 starts, 12 have been complete games, including six shutouts. Garcia, who also has two saves, has limited opponents to a .153 batting average. She has recorded either a win (20) or a save (2) in 22 of her 23 pitching appearances, posting nine double-figure strikeout contests. Garcia has allowed zero or one earned run in 21 of her 23 games, and has not given up a home run since March 9 (78 innings). At the plate, she has reached base in 24 of her last 25 games, and is batting .348 with eight home runs and 40 runs batted in. Garcia leads the team with 27 walks drawn and also has eight doubles. A finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, Garcia has earned five Pac-12 weekly awards this season, including four Pitcher of the Week honors and one Player of the Week accolade. She was also the NFCA and USA Softball National Player of the Week on March 19.
Faraimo is 15-3 in the circle with a 1.31 earned run average and 125 strikeouts in 101 1/3 innings. She has made 18 starts, going the distance 11 times, with six shutouts. Faraimo, who had a 26 1/3 scoreless innings streak from March 26 through April 12, has a pair of no-hitters this season against Fresno State (Feb. 16) and Colorado State (Feb. 24). She has eight games with at least eight strikeouts and three with double figures. Faraimo has earned five Pac-12 Freshman of the Week awards and is also a finalist for the NFCA Freshman of the Year honor. Faraimo ranks eighth in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.58) and tied for 17th in ERA.
Godin leads the Bruins and all Pac-12 players with a .441 batting average, ranking 13th in the nation. She is also first with 22 stolen bases and a .491 on base percentage, scoring 38 runs and driving in 12. Godin, who stole her first 18 bases before getting caught to mark the most successful stolen bases to start a UCLA career, has been named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week twice. She is also a finalist for the NFCA Freshman of the Year award.
Jordan leads the team with 17 doubles (tied for 23rd nationally), is second with 47 runs batted in and tied for second with nine home runs, adding a .386 batting average and 18 walks. She is third with 15 multiple-hit games and tied for third with 11 multi-RBI contests.
Nickles, a two-time Pac-12 Player of the Week, leads the Bruins with 13 home runs and 55 runs batted in, is second with a .403 batting average, 50 runs scored, a .476 on base percentage and a .704 slugging, third with 20 walks and tied for third with six stolen bases. She is batting .471 during Pac-12 play. The team leader in multiple-RBI games with 18 and tied for first with 19 multi-hit contests enters the final weekend of Pac-12 play on a 16-game hitting streak.
Pack leads the Bruins with a .725 slugging percentage, is second with 13 doubles, tied for second with nine home runs and third with 41 runs batted in, adding a .392 batting average. The Pac-12 Player of the Week on April 8, eight of Pack's nine home runs have come since March 8.
Perez is first on the team with 56 runs scored, second with 18 stolen bases and third with a .398 batting average and 10 doubles, adding five home runs and 39 runs batted in. She enters the final weekend of Pac-12 play with hits in eight in a row and 19 of her last 21. Perez is tied for the team lead in multiple-hit games with 19.
Sullivan is second on the team with 23 walks, adding a .265 batting average, five home runs and 12 runs batted in. Four of Sullivan's homers have come during Pac-12 play, and she has also drawn a team-best 12 free passes since the month of April began.
The Bruins close out the regular season against Arizona, starting on Thursday at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Pac-12 Networks, with free live audio on UCLABruins.com.
All-Pac-12 Conference Teams
Pac-12 Player of the Year: Rachel Garcia
Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year: Rachel Garcia
Pac-12 Freshman of the Year: Megan Faraimo
All-Pac-12 First Team: Megan Faraimo, Rachel Garcia, Kelli Godin, Aaliyah Jordan, Bubba Nickles, Taylor Pack, Briana Perez
Pac-12 All-Freshman Team: Megan Faraimo, Kelli Godin, Colleen Sullivan
Pac-12 All-Defensive Team: Kelli Godin, Briana Perez
SAN FRANCISCO - Redshirt junior Rachel Garcia made history on Wednesday, 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 Bruins 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.
Garcia leads the Bruins with a 20-0 record in the circle, a 0.71 earned run average (second in the nation) and 190 strikeouts in 127 2/3 innings. Of her 15 starts, 12 have been complete games, including six shutouts. Garcia, who also has two saves, has limited opponents to a .153 batting average. She has recorded either a win (20) or a save (2) in 22 of her 23 pitching appearances, posting nine double-figure strikeout contests. Garcia has allowed zero or one earned run in 21 of her 23 games, and has not given up a home run since March 9 (78 innings). At the plate, she has reached base in 24 of her last 25 games, and is batting .348 with eight home runs and 40 runs batted in. Garcia leads the team with 27 walks drawn and also has eight doubles. A finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, Garcia has earned five Pac-12 weekly awards this season, including four Pitcher of the Week honors and one Player of the Week accolade. She was also the NFCA and USA Softball National Player of the Week on March 19.
Faraimo is 15-3 in the circle with a 1.31 earned run average and 125 strikeouts in 101 1/3 innings. She has made 18 starts, going the distance 11 times, with six shutouts. Faraimo, who had a 26 1/3 scoreless innings streak from March 26 through April 12, has a pair of no-hitters this season against Fresno State (Feb. 16) and Colorado State (Feb. 24). She has eight games with at least eight strikeouts and three with double figures. Faraimo has earned five Pac-12 Freshman of the Week awards and is also a finalist for the NFCA Freshman of the Year honor. Faraimo ranks eighth in the nation in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.58) and tied for 17th in ERA.
Godin leads the Bruins and all Pac-12 players with a .441 batting average, ranking 13th in the nation. She is also first with 22 stolen bases and a .491 on base percentage, scoring 38 runs and driving in 12. Godin, who stole her first 18 bases before getting caught to mark the most successful stolen bases to start a UCLA career, has been named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week twice. She is also a finalist for the NFCA Freshman of the Year award.
Jordan leads the team with 17 doubles (tied for 23rd nationally), is second with 47 runs batted in and tied for second with nine home runs, adding a .386 batting average and 18 walks. She is third with 15 multiple-hit games and tied for third with 11 multi-RBI contests.
Nickles, a two-time Pac-12 Player of the Week, leads the Bruins with 13 home runs and 55 runs batted in, is second with a .403 batting average, 50 runs scored, a .476 on base percentage and a .704 slugging, third with 20 walks and tied for third with six stolen bases. She is batting .471 during Pac-12 play. The team leader in multiple-RBI games with 18 and tied for first with 19 multi-hit contests enters the final weekend of Pac-12 play on a 16-game hitting streak.
Pack leads the Bruins with a .725 slugging percentage, is second with 13 doubles, tied for second with nine home runs and third with 41 runs batted in, adding a .392 batting average. The Pac-12 Player of the Week on April 8, eight of Pack's nine home runs have come since March 8.
Perez is first on the team with 56 runs scored, second with 18 stolen bases and third with a .398 batting average and 10 doubles, adding five home runs and 39 runs batted in. She enters the final weekend of Pac-12 play with hits in eight in a row and 19 of her last 21. Perez is tied for the team lead in multiple-hit games with 19.
Sullivan is second on the team with 23 walks, adding a .265 batting average, five home runs and 12 runs batted in. Four of Sullivan's homers have come during Pac-12 play, and she has also drawn a team-best 12 free passes since the month of April began.
The Bruins close out the regular season against Arizona, starting on Thursday at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Pac-12 Networks, with free live audio on UCLABruins.com.
All-Pac-12 Conference Teams
Pac-12 Player of the Year: Rachel Garcia
Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year: Rachel Garcia
Pac-12 Freshman of the Year: Megan Faraimo
All-Pac-12 First Team: Megan Faraimo, Rachel Garcia, Kelli Godin, Aaliyah Jordan, Bubba Nickles, Taylor Pack, Briana Perez
Pac-12 All-Freshman Team: Megan Faraimo, Kelli Godin, Colleen Sullivan
Pac-12 All-Defensive Team: Kelli Godin, Briana Perez