University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Redshirt junior Rachel Garcia is the lone Pac-12 representative on the list.
Photo by: Don Liebig/ASUCLA
Rachel Garcia Named a Top 10 Finalist for USA Softball Player of the Year
May 08, 2019 | Softball
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OKLAHOMA CITY - On the same day she was recognized as Pac-12 Conference Player and Pitcher of the Year, redshirt junior Rachel Garcia was named a Top 10 finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award on Wednesday.
Joining Garcia, the winner of last year's award, as finalists are Abbey Cheek (Kentucky), Mia Davidson (Mississippi State), Alyssa DiCarlo (Georgia), Megan Good (James Madison), G Juarez (Oklahoma), Kayla Konwent (Wisconsin), Amanda Lorenz (Florida), Nicole Newman (Drake) and Sydney Romero (Oklahoma).
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.
The Top 3 finalists will be announced on May 22, while the 2019 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced on May 28 in Oklahoma City.
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. 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.
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.
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OKLAHOMA CITY - On the same day she was recognized as Pac-12 Conference Player and Pitcher of the Year, redshirt junior Rachel Garcia was named a Top 10 finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award on Wednesday.
Joining Garcia, the winner of last year's award, as finalists are Abbey Cheek (Kentucky), Mia Davidson (Mississippi State), Alyssa DiCarlo (Georgia), Megan Good (James Madison), G Juarez (Oklahoma), Kayla Konwent (Wisconsin), Amanda Lorenz (Florida), Nicole Newman (Drake) and Sydney Romero (Oklahoma).
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.
The Top 3 finalists will be announced on May 22, while the 2019 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced on May 28 in Oklahoma City.
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. 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.
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.
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