Friday, May 19
Los Angeles, CA
5:00 PM
UCLA
vs
Grand Canyon
2023 Pac-12 Player of the Year Maya Brady
Photo by: Marie Goldfarb
No. 2 Seed Bruins Begin Road Back to OKC
May 17, 2023 | Softball
LOS ANGELES – The No. 2 seed UCLA softball will host its ninth consecutive NCAA Regional when it welcomes Liberty, San Diego State and Grand Canyon to Easton Stadium this weekend. The Bruins' (52-5, 21-3) first matchup is on Friday, May 19 at 5 p.m. (PT) against Grand Canyon on ESPN+.
The winner between UCLA-Grand Canyon will advance to play the winner of Liberty-San Diego State on Saturday at 2 p.m. (PT). Clay Matvick (PxP) and UCLA legend Natasha Watley (analyst) will be on the call for each game of the Regional.
UCLA is led in the circle by Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year Megan Faraimo who leads all Power 5 pitchers with 29 victories this season. At the plate, Pac-12 Player of the Year Maya Brady leads the team with a .458 average, 59 runs batted in and 18 home runs.
NCAA Los Angeles Regional Schedule
Friday, May 19
Game 1: UCLA vs. Grand Canyon at 5 p.m. (PT) – ESPN+
Game 2: Liberty vs. San Diego State at 8 p.m. (PT) – ESPNU
Saturday, May 20
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 at 2 p.m. (PT)
Game 4: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 at 4:30 p.m. (PT)
Game 5: Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 3 at 7 p.m. (PT)
Sunday, May 21
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5 at 3 p.m. (PT)
Game 7: Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6 (if necessary) at 5:30 p.m. (PT)
Key Notes About the Bruins
· UCLA enters the NCAA Tournament with 52 total wins, the highest total in the country.
· UCLA's 52 regular-season wins are its most since 2001 and fourth-most in the history of the program.
· UCLA captured its 17th regular-season conference title and its 12th as a member of the Pac-10/12 Conference in 2023.
· UCLA's 25-game winning streak ended Saturday in the Pac-12 Tournament title game (lost to Utah, 7-4).
· The Bruins closed the conference regular-season slate on a 17-game winning streak.
· UCLA's 21 Pac-12 wins are its most in a season since 1999.
· The Bruins are on of just three teams to not drop a conference series this year (Oklahoma and Florida State are the others).
· For just the second time in the last 20 years, UCLA has taken the season series against every Pac-12 opponent (2021).
· UCLA's 17-game conference winning streak was its longest in a single season since 2002.
· UCLA enters the week ranking top 15 nationally in both batting average (2nd - .338) and earned run average 11th - 1.66). Oklahoma is the only other Power 5 team in the top 15 statistically for both categories.
· The Bruins' bats lead the Pac-12 in average (.338) and slugging percentage (.528).
· And the Bruins' arms lead the Pac-12 in shutouts (21), strikeouts (398) and opposing batting average (.191).
UCLA Postseason History
· The Bruins have now made 38 total NCAA Tournament appearances, including 24 straight since 1999.
· UCLA has appeared in seven consecutive Women's College World Series which is the longest active streak in the NCAA.
· The Bruins' 31 total WCWS berths are also an NCAA record.
· UCLA has won an NCAA-leading 12 NCAA titles, most recently having won in 2019.
· Four of UCLA's upperclassmen competed in the 2019 NCAA Championship run: Jordan, Godin, Faraimo and Vines.
· The Bruins hold the distinction as the only program to win a championship in every decade, including their 1978 AIAW title.
· The Bruins also hold the distinction as the only program to ever three-peat NCAA Championships (1988-90).
· UCLA was also the first to repeat NCAA titles in 1984 and 1985.
· The Bruins won the first-ever title under the umbrella of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 1982.
· UCLA owns an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 233-64 (.785).
Pac-12 Player of the Year
Junior utility Maya Brady (.458 AVG, 18 HR, 59 RBI) has become the ninth UCLA player to earn the conference's player of the year award (18th total award). She is the first Bruin recipient since Rachel Garcia who won the award three years in a row from 2018-21. One of 10 candidates for this season's USA Softball Player of the Year Award, Brady has secured All-Pac-12 honors for the third straight season (she was a first-team selection in 2021 and 2023 and third-team in 2022).
Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year
Senior pitcher Megan Faraimo (29-2, 1.33 ERA, 226 SO) has been honored as the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year for back-to-back seasons, accomplishing that feat for the first time in program history. She is the fourth UCLA player to earn Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year and the first since Rachel Garcia in 2019. Also one of 10 finalists for this season's USA Softball Player of the Year Award, Faraimo is just the 10th player in UCLA history to earn All-Pac-12 First Team plaudits four times in a career.
Year-End Pac-12 Awards
In addition to Brady and Faraimo's major awards, Bruins' infielder Jordan Woolery (.399 AVG, 10 HR, 46 RBI) was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. Kelly Inouye-Perez secured her third Pac-12 Coach of the Year Award (2023, 2021 and 2010), tying fellow UCLA Athletic Hall of Famer Sue Enquist's total. UCLA had a total of 10 players listed to the All-Pac-12 Teams (four First-Team selections, two Second Team, two Third Team, one All-Defensive Team and four All-Freshman Team).
Woolery: Woolery is the ninth UCLA player to win Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. UCLA's roster now totes four Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honorees in Woolery, Faraimo (2019), Janelle Meoño (2021) and Aaliyah Jordan (2018).
First Team: Joining Brady, Faraimo and Woolery on the All-Pac-12 First Team is the other half to UCLA's impressive freshman tandem, Megan Grant. The utility has played 3B, 1B, RF and LF this season and ranks second among all NCAA freshmen with 55 RBI and second on the UCLA squad with 13 home runs.
Defensive Captain: Sharlize Palacios was named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team for the second consecutive season. Palacios was the Bruins' everyday starting catcher before going down on April 22 with a left hand injury. The All-Pac-12 Second Team member owns a .311 average with 10 home runs over her 45 games played.
Second Team: With Palacios on the All-Pac-12 Second Team is Bruins' left-hander Brooke Yanez who owns a 16-2 record and 2.02 ERA this season. This marks Yanez's second All-Pac-12 accolade (First-Team selection in 2021).
Third Team: Earning her first-ever All-Pac-12 accolade in her final season is senior second baseman Anna Vines who made the Third Team. Vines was one of for Bruins to hit for a .400+ average in conference games this season, recording a .408 clip. Also on the Third Team for her second straight season is utility Savannah Pola.
All-Freshman Team: UCLA led the conference with four All-Freshman Team recognitions: Woolery, Grant, pitcher Taylor Tinsley and utility Kennedy Powell. No other school had more than two freshmen on the list.
Two Top 10 Finalists for Player of the Year
Brady and Faraimo were named top 10 finalists for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. Faraimo has made the cut for the top 10 for the second time in her career (2021). This is Brady's first acknowledgement of her career. Brady has been the anchor of the Bruins' lineup in the No. 2 spot this season. She leads the team in batting average, home runs, runs batted in and slugging percentage (.892) all while undertaking a new position defensively at shortstop. Two Bruins have been honored as USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year a total of three times (Rachel Garcia in 2019 and 2018; and Stacey Nuveman in 2002).
Two Top 10 Finalists for Freshman of the Year
The Bruins also boast two of the top freshmen in the country in utility Megan Grant and first baseman Jordan Woolery. UCLA is one of just two teams (Duke) to have two players listed as Top 10 Finalists for TUCCI/NFCA Freshman of the Year. 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 101 RBI 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).
Brady Wins Pac-12 Batting Crown
Brady won the 2023 Pac-12 batting title with a .456 average following the conclusion of all conference regular-season games. In total, 33 of Brady's 76 hits have gone for extra bases, including 18 home runs, three triples and 12 doubles. She boasts an .892 slugging percentage and 1.418 OPS. Brady is the 13th Bruin to be crowned as the Pac-12 Batting Champion and the first since Kelli Godin in 2019. UCLA players have combined to win the batting title a total of 16 times. Yvonne Gutierrez won the title twice in 1990 and 1991 and Stacey Nuveman won the title three times in 1999, 2001 and 2002. The Bruins' roster now touts four Pac-12 Batting Champions in Godin (2019), Aaliyah Jordan (2018) and Janelle Meoño (2021), who earned the honor at Arizona her redshirt freshman season.
Megantron
Faraimo, who has hauled in four Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week awards this season, had her streak of 16 straight appearances with a win snapped last week in the Pac-12 Tournament Championship game versus Utah. Earlier this season, she set a career-long scoreless inning streak of 35.2 innings that was snapped in game three against Arizona on April 16. The two-time NFCA All-American boasts a miniscule WHIP of 0.83 this season. She is on pace to become first Bruin hurler since Ally Carda in 2015 to win 30 games in a season. There has been a total of 10 30-win campaigns by seven UCLA pitchers in program history. The Oceanside, Calif. native picked up her 20th win of the season at Arizona on April 14, achieving the feat a full month earlier than she did in her 2022 campaign. Faraimo now has back-to-back 20-win, 200-strikeout seasons.
Megantron Milestones
Faraimo became the fourth pitcher in UCLA history to record 100 wins in a career after picking up her second win of the day against San Diego State on May 5. She joins Keira Goerl (130 W), Anjelica Selden (110) and Ally Carda (100 W) in the 100 Dub Club. The Bruin ace is six strikeouts away from becoming just the third player in UCLA history to record 1,000 strikeouts in a career. In the 1,000 K club are Anjelica Selden (1,441 SO; 2005-08) and Keira Goerl (1,095 SO; 2001-04).
Brady Bombs are Twice as Nice
After her two homers against Arizona in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals, Brady now has four multi-homer games this season which ranks tied for second all-time by a Bruin in a single season. The last UCLA player to record four multi-homer games in a single season was B.B. Bates in 2013. Also tied at that mark are Megan Langenfeld and Andrea Harrison who each record four multi-homer games in the Bruins' 2010 NCAA Championship season. Current San Diego State head coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz holds the single-season record for multi-homer games with in 1999. Brady joins a pantheon of five other Bruin sluggers to record at least six multi-homer games in a career. Nuveman Deniz also holds that record (12).
Brady in the Hunt for the Triple Crown
Brady, who leads the Pac-12 in batting average with a .458 clip, is one off the conference lead in home runs with 18 and five off the conference lead in runs batted in with 59. She trails Arizona State's Jordyn VanHook in HR (19) and Arizona's Allie Skaggs in RBI (64). It is worth noting that both Arizona State and Arizona's seasons have come to a conclusion as they were not selected for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. There have been only three triple crown winners in conference history: Baylee Klingler (2022), Jenny Dalton (1995) and Stacey Nuveman (1999). The Pac-12 triple crown takes into account stats from the entire season.
A Hall-of-Fame Bruin Reunion
There will be five total UCLA Athletic Hall of Famers either coaching on the field and working in the Easton Stadium press box at the Los Angeles Regional this weekend. The legendary group of Bruins includes Liberty head coach Dot Richardson, San Diego State head coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz, UCLA head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez, UCLA associate head coach Lisa Fernandez and ESPN broadcaster Natasha Watley.
Richardson (HOF Class of 1996): Considered one of the greatest softball players ever, Richardson played for the Bruins from 1981-83 and helped UCLA to the first-ever NCAA Softball Championship in 1982.
Nuveman Deniz (HOF Class of 2012): Nuveman will go down as one of the most powerful hitters in the history of the sport. At one time the NCAA-record holder for career home runs, Nuveman ranks atop UCLA's record books in batting average (.466), runs batted in (299) and homers (90). Nuveman played at UCLA in 1997, 1999 and from 2001-02. She helped the Bruins win their eighth NCAA title in 1999.
Watley (HOF Class of 2014): When one speaks about the greatest players in UCLA history, Watley's name is one of the first that comes to mind. Watley owns arguably the Bruins' most unbreakable record with 158 career stolen bases. She also ranks atop UCLA's record books in career hits with 395. Next closest is Briana Perez with 328. Watley won back-to-back NCAA titles with the Bruins in 2003 and 2004. Watley is now getting her start in broadcasting, appearing on her first-ever NCAA postseason call this weekend.
History Against the Los Angeles Regional Field
UCLA played both Liberty and San Diego State in tight, one-run games earlier this season. On Feb. 14, the Bruins and the Flames were knotted at 2-2 going into the fifth inning when an RBI single by Kennedy Powell put UCLA ahead to edge Liberty, 3-2. On May 5 against the Aztecs, a late three-run homer by San Diego State's Cali Decker tied the game, 3-3. A solo home run by Aaliyah Jordan in the bottom of the seventh in her final regular-season at-bat walked it off for the Bruins.
Liberty Series History: UCLA owns a 6-0 record all-time against Liberty. Three of those wins have been decided by one run. The Bruins and Flames' first-ever meeting came in their one previous postseason matchup in the 2007 NCAA Columbia Regional which UCLA defeated Liberty by a score of 3-0.
San Diego State Series History: UCLA owns a 69-2 record all-time against San Diego State, including a 5-0 mark in the NCAA Tournament. All five postseason meetings have been since 2001, most recently in 2015 when the Bruins defeated the Aztecs, 8-0, in mercy-rule fashion. UCLA owns a +29 run differential against San Diego State in the NCAA Tournament.
Grand Canyon Series History: UCLA has taken both of its only two meetings with Grand Canyon. The Lopes came to the Los Angeles Regional last season for their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. UCLA mercy-ruled Grand Canyon in its Regional opener, 12-1, behind Delanie Wisz's 3-for-3 performance with a grand slam. Wisz, who is now the volunteer assistant coach at San Diego State, tied the program record for most RBI in a single postseason game with six against Grand Canyon.
Fresh Faces in the Heart of the Lineup
Grant and Woolery have been mainstays in the top half of UCLA's lineup since the beginning of conference play. They have each recorded a grand slam and multi-homer game this season. In 24 conference games, Woolery and Grant ranked first and fifth in the Pac-12 in hits with 32 and 29, respectively. Woolery announced her arrival with her first career home run in grand slam fashion off Alabama's Montana Fouts at the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational on Feb. 17. Overall, Woolery's .399 batting average currently ranks fourth in UCLA freshman history, trailing Stacey Nuveman, Natasha Watley and her two teammates Aaliyah Jordan and Kelli Godin. Woolery, Grant and Brady are the only Bruins this season to record a multi-homer game. Grant is tied with Brady with two 5-RBI performances. Most notably, Grant homered twice, including her first-career grand slam against Arizona on April 16.
Ooh, That's a Fresh Note
Grant's 55 runs batted in and Woolery's 46 runs batted in have made UCLA freshman class history. They are the only true freshmen in UCLA history to each record at least 37 RBI in a single season. Their 101 RBI are second behind Indiana's Taryn Kern and Avery Parker for the most by a freshman duo this season (104). Grant's 55 RBI rank second among freshmen in the nation, trailing only Kern (67).
Chef Serving Appetizers
In game three at Utah on April 30, Megan Grant belted her second lead-off home run of the season. The freshman phenom took over lead-off duties on April 2 versus No. 6 Stanford and has stayed in that role ever since (22 games). In that span, Grant leads UCLA with 14 extra-base hits and ranks second with 20 RBI and a .761 slugging percentage.
Some Love for the Bottom of the Lineup
One of the biggest reasons for Megan Grant and Maya Brady's production is that the bottom of the lineup has been consistently getting on base. Over UCLA's last 21 games, the Bruins' 7-8-9 batters are hitting a collective .308 batting average (53-for-172) and .407 on-base percentage (17 walks). They have scored 34 runs and knocked in 22 RBI.
Anna Vines and Janelle Meoño, two mainstays at the bottom of the lineup, have been on fire as of late. Meoño has hit for a .391 average (18-for-46) over UCLA's last 19 games. Against San Diego State on May 5, Meoño recorded her first two extra-base hits of the season with a double and triple. Meoño and Brady were the Bruins' only two players to hit safely in all three games at the Pac-12 Tournament. In conference games, Anna Vines ranked third on the team with a .408 batting average (20-for-49).
Brady Joins LaRosa
Brady homered in each of UCLA's three games against Arizona to stretch her streak to four straight games with a dinger. She is the first Bruin to accomplish that feat since Stephany LaRosa who tied the school record with a homer in five straight games (2015). Also accomplishing that feat are B.B. Bates (2013), Samantha Camuso (2010) and Stacey Nuveman (1997).
Big Cat Hunter
Brady has dominated in her 11 career games against UCLA rival Arizona. She homered in all four games against the Wildcats this season. Most recently in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals, Brady recorded her second two-homer game off Arizona. Lifetime against the Wildcats, Brady is batting for a .515 average (17-for-33) and 1.394 slugging percentage with eight home runs, five doubles and 15 RBI.
Another Year of Pac-12 Pitching Domination
UCLA's pitching staff is dominating the conference once again, finishing the regular season ranked first in several pitching statistical categories: wins (52), strikeouts (226), shutouts (21), opposing batting average (.191) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.10). UCLA has led the Pac-12 in ERA and wins in each of the last four seasons. In 2022, the Bruins' pitching staff led the Pac-12 in ERA (1.72), strikeouts (486), wins (51), opposing batting average (.180) and saves (12).
200 Career Hits for Brady
Brady became the 35th player in UCLA history to record 200 hits in a career. She reached the milestone with a double to the right-center field wall in her first at-bat at BYU on May 1.
Continuing on the Note of Conference Domination
· Four UCLA players hit above .400 in its 24 conference games this season (Brady, Woolery, Vines and Grant).
· Megan Grant and Maya Brady led the Pac-12 with nine home runs in conference play.
· Megan Grant and Maya Brady ranked first and second in extra-base hits during conf. play with 16 and 12, respectively.
· Megan Grant and Maya Brady ranked first and second in slugging percentage in conf. play at .889 and .840, respectively.
· Megan Grant and Maya Brady led the Pac-12 with 26 RBI during conf. play.
Single-Season Records Watch for Brady
Maya Brady (.892 SLG) is on pace to have the best single-season slugging percentage by a Bruin since Megan Langenfeld when she set the UCLA record with a 1.085 mark in 2010. No Bruin has slugged over .900 since that season. Brady is two homers away from recording the first 20-homer season by a Bruin since Stephany LaRosa and Delaney Spaulding in 2015. Her .458 batting average currently ranks ninth best in a single season in UCLA history.
More Feathers in the Helmet for Brady
Maya Brady is one of just two players in the country hitting for a .450-plus batting average with at least 50 runs batted in and 15 home runs (Florida's Skylar Wallace and Clemson's Valerie Cagle are the others). Brady has four multi-homer games this season (San Diego - Feb. 12; Fresno State - March 3; Washington - March 19; Arizona - May 11), stretching her career total to six.
Both Sides of the Ball
UCLA is one of just two Power 5 teams to rank top 15 in the country in batting average (2nd - .338) and earned run average (11th - 1.66). Oklahoma is the only other team, and it leads the nation in both categories.
The Queen is Back
Aaliyah Jordan has not skipped a beat since making her return following a year-long recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Jordan was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week for the second time in her career following her first home games in over a year against Stanford last week. She helped the Bruins to a top 10 sweep with a team-leading .571 batting average, two home runs, 1.429 slugging percentage, 10 total bases and three RBI.
Jordan is a two-time NFCA First Team All-American, three-time All-Pac-12 First Team selection and is one of four remaining members from UCLA's 2019 NCAA Championship squad.
Storybook Ending
Seventh Year Aaliyah Jordan hit a walk-off home run against San Diego State last week on May 5 in her final regular-season at-bat at Easton Stadium. It was the Bruins' first second walk-off homer this season.
200 Career RBI
With her two-run homer in game two against Stanford on April 1, Aaliyah Jordan became the sixth player in UCLA history to record 200 runs batted in for a career. Jordan, who has 213 career RBI, trails Tairia Mims Flowers and Stephany LaRosa for third on the all-time list. Jordan is also three doubles away from tying GiOnna DiSalvatore's program record of 65 career two-baggers.
Coach I vs. the Pac-12
Head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez owns a winning record against all eight Pac-12 opponents. Including postseason games, Inouye-Perez owns a record of 281-109-1 (.719) versus Pac-12 opponents. She has dominated in meetings with Arizona (43-13 record), Oregon State (40-7), Stanford (38-12) and Utah (30-7).
Just Get on the Board
UCLA is 28-1 when scoring in the first inning and is 43-1 when it scores first in games this season. The lone loss came against Utah in the Pac-12 Tournament Championship game.
Back to Her Roots
Maya Brady has undertaken a new position this season as the Bruins' everyday shortstop following a left shoulder injury sustained by utility Seneca Curo. Brady grew up playing the position with her travel ball team OC Batbusters Stith.
Brady Shatters 24-Year-Old Record
Maya Brady broke a 24-year-old record during UCLA's Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament. Brady recorded 11 consecutive base hits across four games, breaking the mark of 10 consecutive hits formerly held by UCLA legends Lisa Fernandez (March 1993) and Stacey Nuveman (Feb. 1999). In total, Brady opened the first week of 2023 going 13-for-16 with 13 RBI and four home runs to earn her NFCA Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career.
Leading the Way
· UCLA has finished 1st or 2nd in the Pac-12 in each of the last eight seasons under Bruins' head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez.
· Inouye-Perez has led UCLA to the WCWS seven seasons in a row for the longest active streak in the nation.
· Inouye-Perez has earned at least 19 conference wins in each of the last four seasons, the most by any Pac-12 coach.
· Inouye-Perez has picked up at least 40 wins in each of the last nine seasons dating back to 2013 (excludes 2020).
· Inouye-Perez has led UCLA to eight 50-win seasons in her 17 years as head coach.
More on the UCLA Freshmen
Megan Grant saw her 24-game reached base streak come to an end on May 1 at BYU. Grant also had a 14-game hitting streak going earlier this season. Both marks are the longest by a Bruin this season.
Faraimo's No-Hitters and Perfect Games
Faraimo has thrown two no-hitters this season, improving her career total to seven solo no-hitters. Most recently, Faraimo no-hit No. 3 Florida on Feb. 23, marking the first time a Bruin pitcher no-hit a top 3 opponent since March 28, 2003 when Keira Goerl kept No. 2 Stanford out of the hit column. It was Faraimo's first no-no against a ranked opponent. In her career, Faraimo has thrown seven solo no-hitters and three solo perfect games. 2022 USA Softball Hall of Fame inductee Debbie Doom holds the UCLA record with six solo perfect games. DeeDee Weiman holds the UCLA record for solo no-hitters with 16 from 1990-94.
Solid Outings from Yanez
Left-handed pitcher Brooke Yanez has gone at least 4.0 innings in each of her last five starts. The spinning lefty has thrown 6.0 innings and allowed just one earned run in each of her last three starts against Pac-12 opponents. Most recently against No. 7 Stanford in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals, Yanez threw her first complete-game shutout of the season against a top-10 opponent. It was the third such outing of her career, including shutouts against No. 2 UCLA and No. 7 Arizona in 2021 when she was a member of the Oregon pitching staff.
Fours Up, Baby
UCLA's roster totes four of the last five Pac-12 Batting Champions in Aaliyah Jordan (2018), Kelli Godin (2019), Janelle Meoño (2021), and now, Maya Brady (.456). Jordan won the title with a .444 batting average (72 hits), Godin with a .426 average (46 hits) and Meoño with a .442 average (61 hits).
One of One: Coach I
Inouye-Perez is the only person in the history of the sport to win an NCAA Championship as both a player and coach. As a player at UCLA, Inouye-Perez was part of the first and only three-peat, winning NCAA titles in 1988, 1989 and 1990. She has won two NCAA Championships as a head coach in 2010 and 2019 and three as an assistant in 1999, 2003 and 2004.
Postseason Success
UCLA advanced to the WCWS for the seventh year in a row in 2022, extending its longest active streak in the nation. The Bruins have appeared in the NCAA Tournament a record 38 total times, including 24 straight, and have missed out on just three occasions (last in 1998). UCLA is the winningest team in NCAA postseason history with a 233-64 (.785) record. Head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez has made an NCAA Regional appearance in each of her 16 seasons at the helm of the program.
Bruin Trio Named to WBSC Roster
UCLA's Maya Brady, Megan Faraimo and Ally Carda will represent Team USA at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Cup in Dublin, Ireland from July 11-15, the U.S. Women's National Team, it was announced last week.
Faraimo, Yanez Selected in Women's Pro Fast Pitch Draft
Faraimo and Yanez were selected in Monday's 2023 Women's Professional Fast Pitch Draft in Oklahoma City. Both pitchers were selected by the USSSA Pride with Faraimo being was chosen fourth overall in the first round and Yanez 12th overall in the third round. Faraimo and Yanez have the opportunity to join UCLA alumni Delanie Wisz (2020-22) and Delaney Spaulding (2014-17) on the squad. The two selections bring the Bruins' total number of WPF draftees to 35.
Faraimo Selected in Athletes Unlimited Draft
Faraimo was selected No. 2 overall in Monday's 2023 Athletes Unlimited Draft. She is the third UCLA player to be drafted to play in the newly-created sports league, including Rachel Garcia and Bubba Nickles.
Five All-Americans
UCLA returns three former NFCA All-Americans from last year's squad in Maya Brady, Aaliyah Jordan and Megan Faraimo and added two more through the transfer portal this offseason in Janelle Meoño and Brooke Yanez.
Brady: Brady was an NFCA First Team All-American in 2021 and is a two-time All-Pac-12 honoree. The redshirt sophomore utility was the Bruins' everyday center fielder a season ago and recorded 13 multi-RBI games.
Jordan: Jordan is a two-time NFCA First Team All-American (2021, 2018) and is one of four members still remaining from the Bruins' 2019 NCAA Championship squad. Jordan missed the majority of last season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered at the St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational. She is back in Westwood for her seventh year in 2023. She owns a career batting average of .389 and ranks third on UCLA's career doubles list with 60.
Faraimo: Faraimo is a two-time NFCA All-American after earning second team honors in 2022. She was the Bruins' ace last season with a 24-5 record and averaging a monstrous 10.32 K/7.
Meoño: Meoño was honored as an NFCA Third Team All-American in 2021 after claiming the Pac-12 Batting Champion title with a .442 batting average.
Yanez: Yanez was an NFCA Third Team All-American in her last season of action in 2021. That year, she was a 22-game winner with 268 strikeouts over 182.1 innings pitched as the ace of the Oregon Ducks' staff.
Offseason Promotions
UCLA coaching greats Lisa Fernandez and Kirk Walker each received promotions to associate head coach roles this past offseason. Fernandez, now the Mark Kalmansohn UCLA Associate Head Softball Coach as of August 10, 2022, begins her 25th season on the Bruins' staff in 2023 (1997-99, 2007-Pres.). With Fernandez on the staff, UCLA has posted a 1,117-240-2 (.822) record and won five NCAA Championships. Fernandez has also been honored as a member of the NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year three times and NFCA Regional CSOY seven times. Arguably the greatest pitcher in softball history, Fernandez has coached nine Bruin hurlers to 20 NFCA All-American awards. Fernandez has led the Bruins to a top five nationally-ranked earned run average in every season since taking over as UCLA's pitching coach in 2019. In the Bruins' 2019 NCAA title season, Fernandez's staff dominated with a 1.43 ERA, ranking second in the country.
Walker, who has helped lead UCLA to seven NCAA Championships, was promoted on Aug. 12. Walker has accumulated a coaching record of 780-144-1 (.843) over 21 years in Westwood, separated by two stints from 1984-94 and 2012-Pres. Walker has been a fixture in the third base coaches' box since his return to UCLA in 2012, contributing to the 2019 National Coaching Staff of the Year award and five NFCA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year awards. Walker, who helped establish UCLA softball's early dynasty, was hired as the program's first-ever undergraduate assistant coach in 1985.
Welcome to the Hall, Coach I!
Head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez became the 20th member of the UCLA softball program to be inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame last fall. She joins her associate head coach and lifelong Lisa Fernandez. The only person ever to win a NCAA Softball Championship as both a player and coach, Inouye-Perez has been affiliated with eight of UCLA softball's 12 NCAA championships – two as head coach (2010, 2019), three as an assistant coach (1999, 2003, 2004) and three as a player (1989, 1990, 1992). The Bruins are the all-time winningest program at the Women's College World Series with 107 wins in the tournament's 40-year history, and UCLA has journeyed to Oklahoma City in seven straight postseasons for the longest active streak in softball. Inouye-Perez leads all active Pac-12 softball coaches with 723 overall victories and 238 conference victories, securing three regular season Pac-12 titles in her tenure as head coach.
The winner between UCLA-Grand Canyon will advance to play the winner of Liberty-San Diego State on Saturday at 2 p.m. (PT). Clay Matvick (PxP) and UCLA legend Natasha Watley (analyst) will be on the call for each game of the Regional.
UCLA is led in the circle by Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year Megan Faraimo who leads all Power 5 pitchers with 29 victories this season. At the plate, Pac-12 Player of the Year Maya Brady leads the team with a .458 average, 59 runs batted in and 18 home runs.
NCAA Los Angeles Regional Schedule
Friday, May 19
Game 1: UCLA vs. Grand Canyon at 5 p.m. (PT) – ESPN+
Game 2: Liberty vs. San Diego State at 8 p.m. (PT) – ESPNU
Saturday, May 20
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 at 2 p.m. (PT)
Game 4: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 at 4:30 p.m. (PT)
Game 5: Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 3 at 7 p.m. (PT)
Sunday, May 21
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5 at 3 p.m. (PT)
Game 7: Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 6 (if necessary) at 5:30 p.m. (PT)
Key Notes About the Bruins
· UCLA enters the NCAA Tournament with 52 total wins, the highest total in the country.
· UCLA's 52 regular-season wins are its most since 2001 and fourth-most in the history of the program.
· UCLA captured its 17th regular-season conference title and its 12th as a member of the Pac-10/12 Conference in 2023.
· UCLA's 25-game winning streak ended Saturday in the Pac-12 Tournament title game (lost to Utah, 7-4).
· The Bruins closed the conference regular-season slate on a 17-game winning streak.
· UCLA's 21 Pac-12 wins are its most in a season since 1999.
· The Bruins are on of just three teams to not drop a conference series this year (Oklahoma and Florida State are the others).
· For just the second time in the last 20 years, UCLA has taken the season series against every Pac-12 opponent (2021).
· UCLA's 17-game conference winning streak was its longest in a single season since 2002.
· UCLA enters the week ranking top 15 nationally in both batting average (2nd - .338) and earned run average 11th - 1.66). Oklahoma is the only other Power 5 team in the top 15 statistically for both categories.
· The Bruins' bats lead the Pac-12 in average (.338) and slugging percentage (.528).
· And the Bruins' arms lead the Pac-12 in shutouts (21), strikeouts (398) and opposing batting average (.191).
UCLA Postseason History
· The Bruins have now made 38 total NCAA Tournament appearances, including 24 straight since 1999.
· UCLA has appeared in seven consecutive Women's College World Series which is the longest active streak in the NCAA.
· The Bruins' 31 total WCWS berths are also an NCAA record.
· UCLA has won an NCAA-leading 12 NCAA titles, most recently having won in 2019.
· Four of UCLA's upperclassmen competed in the 2019 NCAA Championship run: Jordan, Godin, Faraimo and Vines.
· The Bruins hold the distinction as the only program to win a championship in every decade, including their 1978 AIAW title.
· The Bruins also hold the distinction as the only program to ever three-peat NCAA Championships (1988-90).
· UCLA was also the first to repeat NCAA titles in 1984 and 1985.
· The Bruins won the first-ever title under the umbrella of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 1982.
· UCLA owns an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 233-64 (.785).
Pac-12 Player of the Year
Junior utility Maya Brady (.458 AVG, 18 HR, 59 RBI) has become the ninth UCLA player to earn the conference's player of the year award (18th total award). She is the first Bruin recipient since Rachel Garcia who won the award three years in a row from 2018-21. One of 10 candidates for this season's USA Softball Player of the Year Award, Brady has secured All-Pac-12 honors for the third straight season (she was a first-team selection in 2021 and 2023 and third-team in 2022).
Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year
Senior pitcher Megan Faraimo (29-2, 1.33 ERA, 226 SO) has been honored as the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year for back-to-back seasons, accomplishing that feat for the first time in program history. She is the fourth UCLA player to earn Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year and the first since Rachel Garcia in 2019. Also one of 10 finalists for this season's USA Softball Player of the Year Award, Faraimo is just the 10th player in UCLA history to earn All-Pac-12 First Team plaudits four times in a career.
Year-End Pac-12 Awards
In addition to Brady and Faraimo's major awards, Bruins' infielder Jordan Woolery (.399 AVG, 10 HR, 46 RBI) was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. Kelly Inouye-Perez secured her third Pac-12 Coach of the Year Award (2023, 2021 and 2010), tying fellow UCLA Athletic Hall of Famer Sue Enquist's total. UCLA had a total of 10 players listed to the All-Pac-12 Teams (four First-Team selections, two Second Team, two Third Team, one All-Defensive Team and four All-Freshman Team).
Woolery: Woolery is the ninth UCLA player to win Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. UCLA's roster now totes four Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honorees in Woolery, Faraimo (2019), Janelle Meoño (2021) and Aaliyah Jordan (2018).
First Team: Joining Brady, Faraimo and Woolery on the All-Pac-12 First Team is the other half to UCLA's impressive freshman tandem, Megan Grant. The utility has played 3B, 1B, RF and LF this season and ranks second among all NCAA freshmen with 55 RBI and second on the UCLA squad with 13 home runs.
Defensive Captain: Sharlize Palacios was named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team for the second consecutive season. Palacios was the Bruins' everyday starting catcher before going down on April 22 with a left hand injury. The All-Pac-12 Second Team member owns a .311 average with 10 home runs over her 45 games played.
Second Team: With Palacios on the All-Pac-12 Second Team is Bruins' left-hander Brooke Yanez who owns a 16-2 record and 2.02 ERA this season. This marks Yanez's second All-Pac-12 accolade (First-Team selection in 2021).
Third Team: Earning her first-ever All-Pac-12 accolade in her final season is senior second baseman Anna Vines who made the Third Team. Vines was one of for Bruins to hit for a .400+ average in conference games this season, recording a .408 clip. Also on the Third Team for her second straight season is utility Savannah Pola.
All-Freshman Team: UCLA led the conference with four All-Freshman Team recognitions: Woolery, Grant, pitcher Taylor Tinsley and utility Kennedy Powell. No other school had more than two freshmen on the list.
Two Top 10 Finalists for Player of the Year
Brady and Faraimo were named top 10 finalists for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. Faraimo has made the cut for the top 10 for the second time in her career (2021). This is Brady's first acknowledgement of her career. Brady has been the anchor of the Bruins' lineup in the No. 2 spot this season. She leads the team in batting average, home runs, runs batted in and slugging percentage (.892) all while undertaking a new position defensively at shortstop. Two Bruins have been honored as USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year a total of three times (Rachel Garcia in 2019 and 2018; and Stacey Nuveman in 2002).
Two Top 10 Finalists for Freshman of the Year
The Bruins also boast two of the top freshmen in the country in utility Megan Grant and first baseman Jordan Woolery. UCLA is one of just two teams (Duke) to have two players listed as Top 10 Finalists for TUCCI/NFCA Freshman of the Year. 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 101 RBI 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).
Brady Wins Pac-12 Batting Crown
Brady won the 2023 Pac-12 batting title with a .456 average following the conclusion of all conference regular-season games. In total, 33 of Brady's 76 hits have gone for extra bases, including 18 home runs, three triples and 12 doubles. She boasts an .892 slugging percentage and 1.418 OPS. Brady is the 13th Bruin to be crowned as the Pac-12 Batting Champion and the first since Kelli Godin in 2019. UCLA players have combined to win the batting title a total of 16 times. Yvonne Gutierrez won the title twice in 1990 and 1991 and Stacey Nuveman won the title three times in 1999, 2001 and 2002. The Bruins' roster now touts four Pac-12 Batting Champions in Godin (2019), Aaliyah Jordan (2018) and Janelle Meoño (2021), who earned the honor at Arizona her redshirt freshman season.
Megantron
Faraimo, who has hauled in four Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week awards this season, had her streak of 16 straight appearances with a win snapped last week in the Pac-12 Tournament Championship game versus Utah. Earlier this season, she set a career-long scoreless inning streak of 35.2 innings that was snapped in game three against Arizona on April 16. The two-time NFCA All-American boasts a miniscule WHIP of 0.83 this season. She is on pace to become first Bruin hurler since Ally Carda in 2015 to win 30 games in a season. There has been a total of 10 30-win campaigns by seven UCLA pitchers in program history. The Oceanside, Calif. native picked up her 20th win of the season at Arizona on April 14, achieving the feat a full month earlier than she did in her 2022 campaign. Faraimo now has back-to-back 20-win, 200-strikeout seasons.
Megantron Milestones
Faraimo became the fourth pitcher in UCLA history to record 100 wins in a career after picking up her second win of the day against San Diego State on May 5. She joins Keira Goerl (130 W), Anjelica Selden (110) and Ally Carda (100 W) in the 100 Dub Club. The Bruin ace is six strikeouts away from becoming just the third player in UCLA history to record 1,000 strikeouts in a career. In the 1,000 K club are Anjelica Selden (1,441 SO; 2005-08) and Keira Goerl (1,095 SO; 2001-04).
Brady Bombs are Twice as Nice
After her two homers against Arizona in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals, Brady now has four multi-homer games this season which ranks tied for second all-time by a Bruin in a single season. The last UCLA player to record four multi-homer games in a single season was B.B. Bates in 2013. Also tied at that mark are Megan Langenfeld and Andrea Harrison who each record four multi-homer games in the Bruins' 2010 NCAA Championship season. Current San Diego State head coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz holds the single-season record for multi-homer games with in 1999. Brady joins a pantheon of five other Bruin sluggers to record at least six multi-homer games in a career. Nuveman Deniz also holds that record (12).
Brady in the Hunt for the Triple Crown
Brady, who leads the Pac-12 in batting average with a .458 clip, is one off the conference lead in home runs with 18 and five off the conference lead in runs batted in with 59. She trails Arizona State's Jordyn VanHook in HR (19) and Arizona's Allie Skaggs in RBI (64). It is worth noting that both Arizona State and Arizona's seasons have come to a conclusion as they were not selected for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. There have been only three triple crown winners in conference history: Baylee Klingler (2022), Jenny Dalton (1995) and Stacey Nuveman (1999). The Pac-12 triple crown takes into account stats from the entire season.
A Hall-of-Fame Bruin Reunion
There will be five total UCLA Athletic Hall of Famers either coaching on the field and working in the Easton Stadium press box at the Los Angeles Regional this weekend. The legendary group of Bruins includes Liberty head coach Dot Richardson, San Diego State head coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz, UCLA head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez, UCLA associate head coach Lisa Fernandez and ESPN broadcaster Natasha Watley.
Richardson (HOF Class of 1996): Considered one of the greatest softball players ever, Richardson played for the Bruins from 1981-83 and helped UCLA to the first-ever NCAA Softball Championship in 1982.
Nuveman Deniz (HOF Class of 2012): Nuveman will go down as one of the most powerful hitters in the history of the sport. At one time the NCAA-record holder for career home runs, Nuveman ranks atop UCLA's record books in batting average (.466), runs batted in (299) and homers (90). Nuveman played at UCLA in 1997, 1999 and from 2001-02. She helped the Bruins win their eighth NCAA title in 1999.
Watley (HOF Class of 2014): When one speaks about the greatest players in UCLA history, Watley's name is one of the first that comes to mind. Watley owns arguably the Bruins' most unbreakable record with 158 career stolen bases. She also ranks atop UCLA's record books in career hits with 395. Next closest is Briana Perez with 328. Watley won back-to-back NCAA titles with the Bruins in 2003 and 2004. Watley is now getting her start in broadcasting, appearing on her first-ever NCAA postseason call this weekend.
History Against the Los Angeles Regional Field
UCLA played both Liberty and San Diego State in tight, one-run games earlier this season. On Feb. 14, the Bruins and the Flames were knotted at 2-2 going into the fifth inning when an RBI single by Kennedy Powell put UCLA ahead to edge Liberty, 3-2. On May 5 against the Aztecs, a late three-run homer by San Diego State's Cali Decker tied the game, 3-3. A solo home run by Aaliyah Jordan in the bottom of the seventh in her final regular-season at-bat walked it off for the Bruins.
Liberty Series History: UCLA owns a 6-0 record all-time against Liberty. Three of those wins have been decided by one run. The Bruins and Flames' first-ever meeting came in their one previous postseason matchup in the 2007 NCAA Columbia Regional which UCLA defeated Liberty by a score of 3-0.
San Diego State Series History: UCLA owns a 69-2 record all-time against San Diego State, including a 5-0 mark in the NCAA Tournament. All five postseason meetings have been since 2001, most recently in 2015 when the Bruins defeated the Aztecs, 8-0, in mercy-rule fashion. UCLA owns a +29 run differential against San Diego State in the NCAA Tournament.
Grand Canyon Series History: UCLA has taken both of its only two meetings with Grand Canyon. The Lopes came to the Los Angeles Regional last season for their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. UCLA mercy-ruled Grand Canyon in its Regional opener, 12-1, behind Delanie Wisz's 3-for-3 performance with a grand slam. Wisz, who is now the volunteer assistant coach at San Diego State, tied the program record for most RBI in a single postseason game with six against Grand Canyon.
Fresh Faces in the Heart of the Lineup
Grant and Woolery have been mainstays in the top half of UCLA's lineup since the beginning of conference play. They have each recorded a grand slam and multi-homer game this season. In 24 conference games, Woolery and Grant ranked first and fifth in the Pac-12 in hits with 32 and 29, respectively. Woolery announced her arrival with her first career home run in grand slam fashion off Alabama's Montana Fouts at the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational on Feb. 17. Overall, Woolery's .399 batting average currently ranks fourth in UCLA freshman history, trailing Stacey Nuveman, Natasha Watley and her two teammates Aaliyah Jordan and Kelli Godin. Woolery, Grant and Brady are the only Bruins this season to record a multi-homer game. Grant is tied with Brady with two 5-RBI performances. Most notably, Grant homered twice, including her first-career grand slam against Arizona on April 16.
Ooh, That's a Fresh Note
Grant's 55 runs batted in and Woolery's 46 runs batted in have made UCLA freshman class history. They are the only true freshmen in UCLA history to each record at least 37 RBI in a single season. Their 101 RBI are second behind Indiana's Taryn Kern and Avery Parker for the most by a freshman duo this season (104). Grant's 55 RBI rank second among freshmen in the nation, trailing only Kern (67).
Chef Serving Appetizers
In game three at Utah on April 30, Megan Grant belted her second lead-off home run of the season. The freshman phenom took over lead-off duties on April 2 versus No. 6 Stanford and has stayed in that role ever since (22 games). In that span, Grant leads UCLA with 14 extra-base hits and ranks second with 20 RBI and a .761 slugging percentage.
Some Love for the Bottom of the Lineup
One of the biggest reasons for Megan Grant and Maya Brady's production is that the bottom of the lineup has been consistently getting on base. Over UCLA's last 21 games, the Bruins' 7-8-9 batters are hitting a collective .308 batting average (53-for-172) and .407 on-base percentage (17 walks). They have scored 34 runs and knocked in 22 RBI.
Anna Vines and Janelle Meoño, two mainstays at the bottom of the lineup, have been on fire as of late. Meoño has hit for a .391 average (18-for-46) over UCLA's last 19 games. Against San Diego State on May 5, Meoño recorded her first two extra-base hits of the season with a double and triple. Meoño and Brady were the Bruins' only two players to hit safely in all three games at the Pac-12 Tournament. In conference games, Anna Vines ranked third on the team with a .408 batting average (20-for-49).
Brady Joins LaRosa
Brady homered in each of UCLA's three games against Arizona to stretch her streak to four straight games with a dinger. She is the first Bruin to accomplish that feat since Stephany LaRosa who tied the school record with a homer in five straight games (2015). Also accomplishing that feat are B.B. Bates (2013), Samantha Camuso (2010) and Stacey Nuveman (1997).
Big Cat Hunter
Brady has dominated in her 11 career games against UCLA rival Arizona. She homered in all four games against the Wildcats this season. Most recently in the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals, Brady recorded her second two-homer game off Arizona. Lifetime against the Wildcats, Brady is batting for a .515 average (17-for-33) and 1.394 slugging percentage with eight home runs, five doubles and 15 RBI.
Another Year of Pac-12 Pitching Domination
UCLA's pitching staff is dominating the conference once again, finishing the regular season ranked first in several pitching statistical categories: wins (52), strikeouts (226), shutouts (21), opposing batting average (.191) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.10). UCLA has led the Pac-12 in ERA and wins in each of the last four seasons. In 2022, the Bruins' pitching staff led the Pac-12 in ERA (1.72), strikeouts (486), wins (51), opposing batting average (.180) and saves (12).
200 Career Hits for Brady
Brady became the 35th player in UCLA history to record 200 hits in a career. She reached the milestone with a double to the right-center field wall in her first at-bat at BYU on May 1.
Continuing on the Note of Conference Domination
· Four UCLA players hit above .400 in its 24 conference games this season (Brady, Woolery, Vines and Grant).
· Megan Grant and Maya Brady led the Pac-12 with nine home runs in conference play.
· Megan Grant and Maya Brady ranked first and second in extra-base hits during conf. play with 16 and 12, respectively.
· Megan Grant and Maya Brady ranked first and second in slugging percentage in conf. play at .889 and .840, respectively.
· Megan Grant and Maya Brady led the Pac-12 with 26 RBI during conf. play.
Single-Season Records Watch for Brady
Maya Brady (.892 SLG) is on pace to have the best single-season slugging percentage by a Bruin since Megan Langenfeld when she set the UCLA record with a 1.085 mark in 2010. No Bruin has slugged over .900 since that season. Brady is two homers away from recording the first 20-homer season by a Bruin since Stephany LaRosa and Delaney Spaulding in 2015. Her .458 batting average currently ranks ninth best in a single season in UCLA history.
More Feathers in the Helmet for Brady
Maya Brady is one of just two players in the country hitting for a .450-plus batting average with at least 50 runs batted in and 15 home runs (Florida's Skylar Wallace and Clemson's Valerie Cagle are the others). Brady has four multi-homer games this season (San Diego - Feb. 12; Fresno State - March 3; Washington - March 19; Arizona - May 11), stretching her career total to six.
Both Sides of the Ball
UCLA is one of just two Power 5 teams to rank top 15 in the country in batting average (2nd - .338) and earned run average (11th - 1.66). Oklahoma is the only other team, and it leads the nation in both categories.
The Queen is Back
Aaliyah Jordan has not skipped a beat since making her return following a year-long recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Jordan was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week for the second time in her career following her first home games in over a year against Stanford last week. She helped the Bruins to a top 10 sweep with a team-leading .571 batting average, two home runs, 1.429 slugging percentage, 10 total bases and three RBI.
Jordan is a two-time NFCA First Team All-American, three-time All-Pac-12 First Team selection and is one of four remaining members from UCLA's 2019 NCAA Championship squad.
Storybook Ending
Seventh Year Aaliyah Jordan hit a walk-off home run against San Diego State last week on May 5 in her final regular-season at-bat at Easton Stadium. It was the Bruins' first second walk-off homer this season.
200 Career RBI
With her two-run homer in game two against Stanford on April 1, Aaliyah Jordan became the sixth player in UCLA history to record 200 runs batted in for a career. Jordan, who has 213 career RBI, trails Tairia Mims Flowers and Stephany LaRosa for third on the all-time list. Jordan is also three doubles away from tying GiOnna DiSalvatore's program record of 65 career two-baggers.
Coach I vs. the Pac-12
Head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez owns a winning record against all eight Pac-12 opponents. Including postseason games, Inouye-Perez owns a record of 281-109-1 (.719) versus Pac-12 opponents. She has dominated in meetings with Arizona (43-13 record), Oregon State (40-7), Stanford (38-12) and Utah (30-7).
Just Get on the Board
UCLA is 28-1 when scoring in the first inning and is 43-1 when it scores first in games this season. The lone loss came against Utah in the Pac-12 Tournament Championship game.
Back to Her Roots
Maya Brady has undertaken a new position this season as the Bruins' everyday shortstop following a left shoulder injury sustained by utility Seneca Curo. Brady grew up playing the position with her travel ball team OC Batbusters Stith.
Brady Shatters 24-Year-Old Record
Maya Brady broke a 24-year-old record during UCLA's Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament. Brady recorded 11 consecutive base hits across four games, breaking the mark of 10 consecutive hits formerly held by UCLA legends Lisa Fernandez (March 1993) and Stacey Nuveman (Feb. 1999). In total, Brady opened the first week of 2023 going 13-for-16 with 13 RBI and four home runs to earn her NFCA Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career.
Leading the Way
· UCLA has finished 1st or 2nd in the Pac-12 in each of the last eight seasons under Bruins' head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez.
· Inouye-Perez has led UCLA to the WCWS seven seasons in a row for the longest active streak in the nation.
· Inouye-Perez has earned at least 19 conference wins in each of the last four seasons, the most by any Pac-12 coach.
· Inouye-Perez has picked up at least 40 wins in each of the last nine seasons dating back to 2013 (excludes 2020).
· Inouye-Perez has led UCLA to eight 50-win seasons in her 17 years as head coach.
More on the UCLA Freshmen
Megan Grant saw her 24-game reached base streak come to an end on May 1 at BYU. Grant also had a 14-game hitting streak going earlier this season. Both marks are the longest by a Bruin this season.
Faraimo's No-Hitters and Perfect Games
Faraimo has thrown two no-hitters this season, improving her career total to seven solo no-hitters. Most recently, Faraimo no-hit No. 3 Florida on Feb. 23, marking the first time a Bruin pitcher no-hit a top 3 opponent since March 28, 2003 when Keira Goerl kept No. 2 Stanford out of the hit column. It was Faraimo's first no-no against a ranked opponent. In her career, Faraimo has thrown seven solo no-hitters and three solo perfect games. 2022 USA Softball Hall of Fame inductee Debbie Doom holds the UCLA record with six solo perfect games. DeeDee Weiman holds the UCLA record for solo no-hitters with 16 from 1990-94.
Solid Outings from Yanez
Left-handed pitcher Brooke Yanez has gone at least 4.0 innings in each of her last five starts. The spinning lefty has thrown 6.0 innings and allowed just one earned run in each of her last three starts against Pac-12 opponents. Most recently against No. 7 Stanford in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals, Yanez threw her first complete-game shutout of the season against a top-10 opponent. It was the third such outing of her career, including shutouts against No. 2 UCLA and No. 7 Arizona in 2021 when she was a member of the Oregon pitching staff.
Fours Up, Baby
UCLA's roster totes four of the last five Pac-12 Batting Champions in Aaliyah Jordan (2018), Kelli Godin (2019), Janelle Meoño (2021), and now, Maya Brady (.456). Jordan won the title with a .444 batting average (72 hits), Godin with a .426 average (46 hits) and Meoño with a .442 average (61 hits).
One of One: Coach I
Inouye-Perez is the only person in the history of the sport to win an NCAA Championship as both a player and coach. As a player at UCLA, Inouye-Perez was part of the first and only three-peat, winning NCAA titles in 1988, 1989 and 1990. She has won two NCAA Championships as a head coach in 2010 and 2019 and three as an assistant in 1999, 2003 and 2004.
Postseason Success
UCLA advanced to the WCWS for the seventh year in a row in 2022, extending its longest active streak in the nation. The Bruins have appeared in the NCAA Tournament a record 38 total times, including 24 straight, and have missed out on just three occasions (last in 1998). UCLA is the winningest team in NCAA postseason history with a 233-64 (.785) record. Head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez has made an NCAA Regional appearance in each of her 16 seasons at the helm of the program.
Bruin Trio Named to WBSC Roster
UCLA's Maya Brady, Megan Faraimo and Ally Carda will represent Team USA at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Cup in Dublin, Ireland from July 11-15, the U.S. Women's National Team, it was announced last week.
Faraimo, Yanez Selected in Women's Pro Fast Pitch Draft
Faraimo and Yanez were selected in Monday's 2023 Women's Professional Fast Pitch Draft in Oklahoma City. Both pitchers were selected by the USSSA Pride with Faraimo being was chosen fourth overall in the first round and Yanez 12th overall in the third round. Faraimo and Yanez have the opportunity to join UCLA alumni Delanie Wisz (2020-22) and Delaney Spaulding (2014-17) on the squad. The two selections bring the Bruins' total number of WPF draftees to 35.
Faraimo Selected in Athletes Unlimited Draft
Faraimo was selected No. 2 overall in Monday's 2023 Athletes Unlimited Draft. She is the third UCLA player to be drafted to play in the newly-created sports league, including Rachel Garcia and Bubba Nickles.
Five All-Americans
UCLA returns three former NFCA All-Americans from last year's squad in Maya Brady, Aaliyah Jordan and Megan Faraimo and added two more through the transfer portal this offseason in Janelle Meoño and Brooke Yanez.
Brady: Brady was an NFCA First Team All-American in 2021 and is a two-time All-Pac-12 honoree. The redshirt sophomore utility was the Bruins' everyday center fielder a season ago and recorded 13 multi-RBI games.
Jordan: Jordan is a two-time NFCA First Team All-American (2021, 2018) and is one of four members still remaining from the Bruins' 2019 NCAA Championship squad. Jordan missed the majority of last season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered at the St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational. She is back in Westwood for her seventh year in 2023. She owns a career batting average of .389 and ranks third on UCLA's career doubles list with 60.
Faraimo: Faraimo is a two-time NFCA All-American after earning second team honors in 2022. She was the Bruins' ace last season with a 24-5 record and averaging a monstrous 10.32 K/7.
Meoño: Meoño was honored as an NFCA Third Team All-American in 2021 after claiming the Pac-12 Batting Champion title with a .442 batting average.
Yanez: Yanez was an NFCA Third Team All-American in her last season of action in 2021. That year, she was a 22-game winner with 268 strikeouts over 182.1 innings pitched as the ace of the Oregon Ducks' staff.
Offseason Promotions
UCLA coaching greats Lisa Fernandez and Kirk Walker each received promotions to associate head coach roles this past offseason. Fernandez, now the Mark Kalmansohn UCLA Associate Head Softball Coach as of August 10, 2022, begins her 25th season on the Bruins' staff in 2023 (1997-99, 2007-Pres.). With Fernandez on the staff, UCLA has posted a 1,117-240-2 (.822) record and won five NCAA Championships. Fernandez has also been honored as a member of the NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year three times and NFCA Regional CSOY seven times. Arguably the greatest pitcher in softball history, Fernandez has coached nine Bruin hurlers to 20 NFCA All-American awards. Fernandez has led the Bruins to a top five nationally-ranked earned run average in every season since taking over as UCLA's pitching coach in 2019. In the Bruins' 2019 NCAA title season, Fernandez's staff dominated with a 1.43 ERA, ranking second in the country.
Walker, who has helped lead UCLA to seven NCAA Championships, was promoted on Aug. 12. Walker has accumulated a coaching record of 780-144-1 (.843) over 21 years in Westwood, separated by two stints from 1984-94 and 2012-Pres. Walker has been a fixture in the third base coaches' box since his return to UCLA in 2012, contributing to the 2019 National Coaching Staff of the Year award and five NFCA Regional Coaching Staff of the Year awards. Walker, who helped establish UCLA softball's early dynasty, was hired as the program's first-ever undergraduate assistant coach in 1985.
Welcome to the Hall, Coach I!
Head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez became the 20th member of the UCLA softball program to be inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame last fall. She joins her associate head coach and lifelong Lisa Fernandez. The only person ever to win a NCAA Softball Championship as both a player and coach, Inouye-Perez has been affiliated with eight of UCLA softball's 12 NCAA championships – two as head coach (2010, 2019), three as an assistant coach (1999, 2003, 2004) and three as a player (1989, 1990, 1992). The Bruins are the all-time winningest program at the Women's College World Series with 107 wins in the tournament's 40-year history, and UCLA has journeyed to Oklahoma City in seven straight postseasons for the longest active streak in softball. Inouye-Perez leads all active Pac-12 softball coaches with 723 overall victories and 238 conference victories, securing three regular season Pac-12 titles in her tenure as head coach.
Players Mentioned
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/ Softball
P/1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
P/INF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballUCLA Softball Postgame - Coach Inouye-Perez & Players, vs. Tennessee (June 1, 2025)
Sunday, June 01
UCLA Softball Postgame - Coach Inouye-Perez & Players, vs. Texas Tech (May 31, 2025)
Saturday, May 31
Highlights - UCLA Softball vs. Oregon (May 29, 2025)
Thursday, May 29
UCLA Softball Postgame - Coach Inouye-Perez & Players, vs. Oregon (May 29, 2025)
Thursday, May 29