LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Utility Megan Grant and infielder Jordan Woolery on the No. 2 UCLA softball team were both named to the TUCCI/NFCA Division I Freshman of the Year Top 25 List, it was announced by the association Friday morning.
On May 11, the list will be trimmed to the top 10 and the three finalists will be released on May 25. The 2023 TUCCI/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year will be announced on May 30 prior to the start of the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City. Grant and Woolery brought the Bruins' total student-athletes making the list to nine, matching Oklahoma for the leading programs.
Rachel Garcia (2017) is the only Bruin to win the award in its nine-year history.
Grant and Woolery are each having two of the most productive seasons ever by a UCLA freshman. They have combined for 96 runs batted in this season which is the most by a freshman duo in UCLA history, passing the previous mark of 90 RBI set in 1997 by Stacey Nuveman (71) and Courtney Dale (19).
The two sluggers rank top-10 in the Pac-12 in several categories, anchoring the heart of the UCLA lineup.
Grant is currently tied with Maya Brady for the team-lead in RBI with 53. Since 1982, only four freshmen have led UCLA in RBI for a single season: Stephany LaRosa (2012, 61 RBI), Stacey Nuveman in (1997, 71 RBI), Janice Parks (1986, 19 RBI) and Chris Olivie (1985, 12 RBI).
Grant's 53 RBI also rank second among all freshmen in the nation, trailing only Indiana's Taryn Kern with 57. The San Bruno, Calif. native owns 14 multi-RBI performances this season. She belted the first grand slam and first two-homer game of her career at Arizona on April 16.
Grant has been terrorizing opposing pitchers during Pac-12 play. In UCLA's 21 games, her .429 batting average, 25 runs batted in, .921 slugging percentage and eight home runs are all tops in the conference.
On the season, Grant is hitting for a .343 batting average with 11 home runs and 11 doubles.
Woolery ranks second on the UCLA squad and seventh in the Pac-12 with a .396 batting average this season. Her 43 RBI are fifth among NCAA freshmen and seventh in the Pac-12. She is one of just three Bruins to play in all 48 games this year, including 47 starts at first base.
Woolery, who has homered 10 times this year, recorded her first career dinger off Alabama's Montana Fouts in grand slam fashion on Feb. 17 at the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational. The Walnut Creek, Calif. product's first two-homer game came against Oregon State on April 6. Grant and Woolery are currently riding 21-game and 13-game reached base streaks, respectively. They have been named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week a total of three times this season.
2023 TUCCI/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Top 25
Sydney Berzon, LSU
Kenleigh Cahalan, Alabama
NiJaree Canady, Stanford
Cassidy Curd, Duke
Mihyia Davis, Louisiana
Olivia DiNardo, Arizona
AB Garcia*, Houston Christian
Leighann Goode, Texas
Sarah Gordon, Louisville
Megan Grant, UCLA
Jade Hylton, Virginia
D'Auna Jennings, Duke
Maya Johnson, Belmont
Reagan Johnson, Arkansas
Izzy Kemp, Dayton
Taryn Kern, Indiana
Jackie Lis, Southern Illinois
KK Mathis, James Madison
Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee
Alexis Pupillo, Northern Iowa
Makenna Reid, Florida State
Kasey Ricard, Boston University
Tanya Windle, Utah Tech
Jordan Woolery, UCLA
Kailey Wyckoff, Texas Tech
* denotes red-shirt freshman
On May 11, the list will be trimmed to the top 10 and the three finalists will be released on May 25. The 2023 TUCCI/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year will be announced on May 30 prior to the start of the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City. Grant and Woolery brought the Bruins' total student-athletes making the list to nine, matching Oklahoma for the leading programs.
Rachel Garcia (2017) is the only Bruin to win the award in its nine-year history.
Grant and Woolery are each having two of the most productive seasons ever by a UCLA freshman. They have combined for 96 runs batted in this season which is the most by a freshman duo in UCLA history, passing the previous mark of 90 RBI set in 1997 by Stacey Nuveman (71) and Courtney Dale (19).
The two sluggers rank top-10 in the Pac-12 in several categories, anchoring the heart of the UCLA lineup.
Grant is currently tied with Maya Brady for the team-lead in RBI with 53. Since 1982, only four freshmen have led UCLA in RBI for a single season: Stephany LaRosa (2012, 61 RBI), Stacey Nuveman in (1997, 71 RBI), Janice Parks (1986, 19 RBI) and Chris Olivie (1985, 12 RBI).
Grant's 53 RBI also rank second among all freshmen in the nation, trailing only Indiana's Taryn Kern with 57. The San Bruno, Calif. native owns 14 multi-RBI performances this season. She belted the first grand slam and first two-homer game of her career at Arizona on April 16.
Grant has been terrorizing opposing pitchers during Pac-12 play. In UCLA's 21 games, her .429 batting average, 25 runs batted in, .921 slugging percentage and eight home runs are all tops in the conference.
On the season, Grant is hitting for a .343 batting average with 11 home runs and 11 doubles.
Woolery ranks second on the UCLA squad and seventh in the Pac-12 with a .396 batting average this season. Her 43 RBI are fifth among NCAA freshmen and seventh in the Pac-12. She is one of just three Bruins to play in all 48 games this year, including 47 starts at first base.
Woolery, who has homered 10 times this year, recorded her first career dinger off Alabama's Montana Fouts in grand slam fashion on Feb. 17 at the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational. The Walnut Creek, Calif. product's first two-homer game came against Oregon State on April 6. Grant and Woolery are currently riding 21-game and 13-game reached base streaks, respectively. They have been named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week a total of three times this season.
2023 TUCCI/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year Top 25
Sydney Berzon, LSU
Kenleigh Cahalan, Alabama
NiJaree Canady, Stanford
Cassidy Curd, Duke
Mihyia Davis, Louisiana
Olivia DiNardo, Arizona
AB Garcia*, Houston Christian
Leighann Goode, Texas
Sarah Gordon, Louisville
Megan Grant, UCLA
Jade Hylton, Virginia
D'Auna Jennings, Duke
Maya Johnson, Belmont
Reagan Johnson, Arkansas
Izzy Kemp, Dayton
Taryn Kern, Indiana
Jackie Lis, Southern Illinois
KK Mathis, James Madison
Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee
Alexis Pupillo, Northern Iowa
Makenna Reid, Florida State
Kasey Ricard, Boston University
Tanya Windle, Utah Tech
Jordan Woolery, UCLA
Kailey Wyckoff, Texas Tech
* denotes red-shirt freshman