No. 8 Softball Hosts Wisconsin to Open Big Ten Play

Friday, March 6

Los Angeles, CA

7:00 PM (PT)

UCLA

Wisconsin

Buy Tickets

Aleena Garcia (left) and Kaniya Bragg

Photo by: Jesus Ramirez

No. 8 Softball Hosts Wisconsin to Open Big Ten Play

March 05, 2026 | Softball

Tickets UCLA's Notes (PDF)Media Center Watch (B1G+)Live Stats

LOS ANGELES – The No. 8-ranked UCLA softball team returns to Easton Stadium for its first home games in nearly a month when it hosts Wisconsin for a three-game series from Friday, March 6 through Sunday, March 8 to open Big Ten Conference play. Fans can purchase tickets HERE.

The Bruins (18-3, 0-0 Big Ten) begin their second year in the league against the Badgers (13-6, 0-0 Big Ten) on Friday at 7:02 p.m. (PT). All three games of the series are available for streaming on BigTenPlus.com (B1G+).

Wisconsin (13-6, 0-0 Big Ten) at No. 8 UCLA (18-3, 0-0 Big Ten)
Friday, March 6 – 7 p.m. (PT) – B1G+
Saturday, March 7 – 6 p.m. (PT) – B1G+
Sunday, March 8 – 12 p.m. (PT) – B1G+
Venue: Easton Stadium (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Live Stats: ucla.statbroadcast.com

UCLA'S TICKET INFORMATION (HOME GAMES)
Single-game tickets for all 17 of UCLA's remaining home games are on sale. Direct links to single-game ticket purchases can be viewed here. Fans can call (310) 206-5991 or email tickets@athletics.ucla.edu for more information. Additionally, fans with a 2025-26 Olympic Sports Card, available to purchase for $110, will gain admission to every home game.

The next opportunity to watch UCLA play at Easton Stadium after the Tournament will not be until March 6, when the Bruins' open Big Ten play for their second season in the conference.

KEY NOTES ON THE BRUINS
• UCLA enters Week 5 on a 12-game winning streak after another undefeated weekend, going 5-0 at the Judi Garman Classic.
• UCLA has recorded 10+ hits in seven consecutive games for its longest such streak since May 2017.
• Kelly Inouye-Perez became UCLA's all-time winningest head coach when she beat No. 4 Florida on Feb. 27 for win No. 889.
• Megan Grant has more home runs (16) than 66% of NCAA Division I programs (202 of 308 programs).
• Grant is the NCAA leader in home runs (16), slugging (1.667), on-base percentage (.726), OPS (2.393) and walks (30).
• Grant has reached base in 61-of-84 plate appearances (24 H, 30 BB, 7 HBP, 2 SF) with 16 of her 24 hits being home runs.
• Grant is averaging one home run per every 2.8 at-bats and one walk per every 2.8 plate appearances.
• Jordan Woolery is the NCAA leader in RBIs (41). She also ranks fourth in home runs (11) and seventh in total bases (69).
• UCLA enters Week 5 ranked second in the nation in home runs (60), slugging percentage (.809) and runs per game (11.10).
• Four Bruins are hitting above a .440 batting average: Grant (.533), Bragg (.465), Woolery (.459) and Slimp (.446)
• UCLA plays its 52nd season of softball this spring, the 20th with head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez at the helm.
• UCLA made an NCAA-record 33rd Women's College World Series appearance in 2025, and the 11th under Inouye-Perez.
• UCLA's All-America trio from last season returns with seniors Megan Grant, Taylor Tinsley and Jordan Woolery.
• Grant, Tinsley and Woolery were all named to the prestigious USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List.
• Grant and Woolery led all duos in the country in 2025 with 49 combined home runs and second with 167 combined RBIs.
• Tinsley is UCLA's lone returning pitcher after leading last year's staff with a 2.44 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 6.63 K/BB ratio in 2025.
• UCLA's roster consists of 10 returners and 11 newcomers, including six true freshmen and five incoming transfers.
• The Bruins enter their second year in the Big Ten after finishing second with a 17-5 conference record in their debut season.
• UCLA Athletic Hall of Famer Kelly Inouye-Perez has guided the Bruins to an 891-225-1 (.798) record.
• Entering 2026, Inouye-Perez ranks seventh all-time and second among active head coaches with a .796 winning percentage.

WHAT'S CHEF COOKING?
• Utility Megan Grant has opened her senior campaign by reaching base in all 21 games to start 2026. Entering Week 5, Grant is the NCAA leader in home runs (16), slugging percentage (1.667), on-base percentage (.726), OPS (2.393) and walks (30). She also ranks third in the country in RBIs (38) and 10th in runs scored (30).
• Grant has homered in three consecutive contests with four total dingers over that span of games entering the Wisconsin series. This marks the third time in her career she has homered in three straight games after doing so twice in 2025 with streaks of five and four games, respectively.
• Grant has reached base in 61-of-84 plate appearances this season (24 H, 30 BB, 7 HBP, 2 SF) with 16 of her 24 hits being home runs. Grant also leads the team with a .533 batting average (24-for-45).
• Grant is averaging one home run per every 2.8 at-bats and one walk per every 2.8 plate appearances. She is on pace to break the NCAA record for homers in a single season over UCLA's 52 scheduled games. Arizona's Laura Espinoza holds the record with 37 homers over 72 games in 1995. She is also on pace to break the NCAA slugging record (2010 Georgia Tech's Jen Yee, 1.270).
• Grant has recorded three multi-HR performances during the 2026 season, improving her career total to seven. She made UCLA history in Week 1 against UC Riverside by becoming the second player in UCLA history to hit three home runs in a single game, matching Monica Harrison's program record set in 2009 against Arizona State. Two of Grant's three blasts came in the first inning; it is unknown if that is a program record.
• Grant recorded her third career game-winning hit in the seventh inning or later against Missouri at the Clearwater Invitational (Feb. 13). Grant's second homer of the game against the Tigers was a go-ahead solo shot that lifted UCLA to a 6-5 victory. She also had game-winning singles in February 2023 versus Florida State and March 2024 versus Utah.
• Last season, Grant recorded a career-best .376 batting average (62-for-165) and set the Big Ten Conference single-season home run record with 26. Several of Grant's totals from last year are ranked in the top-10 of multiple UCLA single-season records: second in home runs (26), third in RBIs (81), fourth in slugging percentage (.933) and sixth in walks (49). In early April, she matched Stacey Nuveman as the fastest Bruins to reach 20 home runs in a season, both needing only 43 games. She received her second NFCA All-America honor last year, and was awarded First Team for the first time in her career.

PASSING THE CROWN
Kelly Inouye-Perez became UCLA softball's all-time winningest head coach after defeating No. 4 Florida on Feb. 27 for her 889th career victory. She passed her predecessor, former coach and NFCA Hall of Famer Sue Enquist who had an overall mark of 887-175-1 (.835). Sharron Backus, the inaugural coach in UCLA softball history, was the first to reach 800 wins as she retired with a record of 854-173-3 (.831). The three UCLA Athletic Hall-of-Fame head coaches are responsible for all of the Bruins' 2,231 wins and 13 national championships, which are both the most in NCAA history.

J-WOO, WHAT YOU GONNA DO?
• Infielder Jordan Woolery is the other half to the most dangerous slugging duo in the country. Entering Week 5, Woolery leads the NCAA in RBIs (41) and is fourth in homers (10). She also ranks top-15 in total bases (69) and slugging percentage (1.131).
• Woolery has hit a team-best three grand slams so far this season with one against UC Riverside (Feb. 8) and two coming at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic against Auburn (Feb. 19) and No. 11 Texas A&M (Feb. 22).
• Last season, Woolery set career bests across the board with a .424 batting average (86-for-203), .677 slugging percentage, 86 RBIs and 23 home runs while starting all 68 games. Her 86 RBIs and 180 total bases both rank second-most in UCLA single-season history. The Walnut Creek, Calif. native was tabbed a USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 10 Finalist and became a two-time NFCA All-America selection, earning First Team honors for the first time in her career.

ALEJANDRE EARNS B1G FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK HONORS
• Infielder Bri Alejandre earned her first career Big Ten Freshman of the Week award on March 2 after helping the Bruins to a perfect 5-0 weekend at the Judi Garman Classic. Alejandre ranked second on the team behind Megan Grant in slugging percentage (1.083) and RBIs (9) and matched her with nine walks. The Alhambra, Calif. native went 6-for-12 at the plate with two home runs and a double and scored nine runs.
• Alejandre ranks third among all freshmen in the NCAA and third on UCLA's team with eight home runs this season. Fourteen of Alejandre's 21 hits this season have gone for extra bases with eight homers and six doubles. In just her fourth game as a Bruin, Alejandre logged the first multi-HR performance of her career with two dingers against Utah (Feb. 7).
• Alejandre has started at third base in all 21 games and exhibited strong defensive play with a team-high 38 assists and only one error.

USA SOFTBALL COLLEGIATE PLAYER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
• UCLA seniors Megan Grant, Taylor Tinsley and Jordan Woolery were named to the prestigious 2026 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List, it was announced Jan. 21. The full list is comprised of 53 student-athletes from 24 universities. This marks the third straight year Grant and Woolery have appeared on the Watch List, and the second straight for Tinsley. Last season, Grant and Woolery were USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Finalists with Grant making the cut for the Top 25 and Woolery advancing to the Top 10.
• The Top 25 Finalists for the award will be announced April 29. While an athlete does not have to be on the Watch List to be considered for the Top 25, the eventual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will come from the Top 25 Finalists. Two Bruins have received the honor a total of three times. Rachel Garcia was a back-to-back winner of the award in 2018 and 2019 and Stacey Nuveman won the award in 2002. Six UCLA student-athletes have been a Top 3 Finalist for the award a total of nine times, most recently accomplished by Maya Brady in 2023.

WATCH THE BRUINS ON B1G+
Fans can catch all non-televised UCLA home games and road Big Ten Conference games on a high-quality streaming service, Big Ten Plus (B1G+). Annual passes ($89.99) and monthly passes ($12.99) are available for purchase here. Roughly 30 UCLA home and road games are viewable only on B1G+.