University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Rachel Garcia is the second UCLA softball player to be named LA Sportswoman of the Year.
Photo by: Jazmine Sosa
Rachel Garcia Named LA Sports Awards Sportswoman of the Year
January 15, 2020 | Softball
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LOS ANGELES - Rachel Garcia has been named the 2019 LA Sports Awards Sportswoman of the Year, as announced by the Los Angeles Sports Council.
The 15th annual LA Sports Awards will take place on Thursday, Feb. 20 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. A broadcast of the ceremony will air on Fox Sports West/Prime Ticket at a later date.
Garcia, who will redshirt with UCLA this season and play with the 2020 USA Softball Olympic Team, earned numerous awards in 2019, helping the Bruins win the National Championship. She was named the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year (Honda Cup), USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, NFCA National Pitcher of the Year and Pac-12 Conference Player and Pitcher of the Year. Garcia was recognized as a First Team All-American by the NFCA and Softball America, also receiving NFCA All-West Region First Team, All-Pac-12 First Team, Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week four times and NFCA National Player, USA Softball National Player and Pac-12 Player of the Week once each in 2019.
Garcia, the Most Outstanding Player of the Women's College World Series, went 5-0 in the circle in Oklahoma City with a 1.75 earned run average and 33 strikeouts in 36 innings. She went the distance four times in Oklahoma City, including a 10-inning, 16-strikeout performance against Washington (June 2), capping the game off on the offensive end with a walk-off, three-run homer to propel the Bruins into the WCWS Championship Series. She hit another home run versus Oklahoma in game one of the WCWS Championship Series (June 3), as she batted .333 (5-for-15) with two homers, eight RBI and five walks. Garcia led all WCWS pitchers in wins and was second in strikeouts, and was also first in RBI.
In the entire NCAA Tournament, Garcia was 9-0 in the circle with a 1.49 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings, while also batting .300 (9-for-30) with three homers, 16 RBI and eight walks. Garcia led all postseason players in wins and RBI. On the season, the redshirt junior went 29-1 with a 1.14 ERA and 286 strikeouts in 202 innings. In 36 appearances and 25 starts, she went the distance 19 times with seven solo shutouts, adding four saves and a .162 opponents' batting average. At the plate, Garcia hit .343 with 11 homers, 57 RBI and a team-best 35 walks and five sacrifice flies.
Garcia is the second UCLA softball player to be named Sportswoman of the Year, joining Megan Langenfeld (2010).
LOS ANGELES - Rachel Garcia has been named the 2019 LA Sports Awards Sportswoman of the Year, as announced by the Los Angeles Sports Council.
The 15th annual LA Sports Awards will take place on Thursday, Feb. 20 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. A broadcast of the ceremony will air on Fox Sports West/Prime Ticket at a later date.
Garcia, who will redshirt with UCLA this season and play with the 2020 USA Softball Olympic Team, earned numerous awards in 2019, helping the Bruins win the National Championship. She was named the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year (Honda Cup), USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, NFCA National Pitcher of the Year and Pac-12 Conference Player and Pitcher of the Year. Garcia was recognized as a First Team All-American by the NFCA and Softball America, also receiving NFCA All-West Region First Team, All-Pac-12 First Team, Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week four times and NFCA National Player, USA Softball National Player and Pac-12 Player of the Week once each in 2019.
Garcia, the Most Outstanding Player of the Women's College World Series, went 5-0 in the circle in Oklahoma City with a 1.75 earned run average and 33 strikeouts in 36 innings. She went the distance four times in Oklahoma City, including a 10-inning, 16-strikeout performance against Washington (June 2), capping the game off on the offensive end with a walk-off, three-run homer to propel the Bruins into the WCWS Championship Series. She hit another home run versus Oklahoma in game one of the WCWS Championship Series (June 3), as she batted .333 (5-for-15) with two homers, eight RBI and five walks. Garcia led all WCWS pitchers in wins and was second in strikeouts, and was also first in RBI.
In the entire NCAA Tournament, Garcia was 9-0 in the circle with a 1.49 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings, while also batting .300 (9-for-30) with three homers, 16 RBI and eight walks. Garcia led all postseason players in wins and RBI. On the season, the redshirt junior went 29-1 with a 1.14 ERA and 286 strikeouts in 202 innings. In 36 appearances and 25 starts, she went the distance 19 times with seven solo shutouts, adding four saves and a .162 opponents' batting average. At the plate, Garcia hit .343 with 11 homers, 57 RBI and a team-best 35 walks and five sacrifice flies.
Garcia is the second UCLA softball player to be named Sportswoman of the Year, joining Megan Langenfeld (2010).
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