Seven months ago, the Bruins were four outs away from advancing to the Women’s College World Series Finals.
After losing to the eventual champion Florida State in the semifinals, UCLA softball is now back and set to start the new season atop the ESPN.com rankings.
“This team has great athleticism, great energy and a fire in their gut,” said coach Kelly Inouye-Perez. “We’re at that point in January, one of the longest months of the year, where we are learning a lot about ourselves in terms of spending time with each other and looking over different options on the field. We’re excited to get out there and get after UCLA softball.”
The Bruins are returning all but five players from last year’s 58-win team. Redshirt junior pitcher and first baseman Rachel Garcia is fresh off a season where she won a plethora of awards.
The right-hander is the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year as well as the 2018 USA Softball, National Fastpitch Coaches Association and ESPNW National Player of the Year. She is coming off a year in which she went 29-4 in the circle with a 1.31 ERA, striking out 315 batters in 208 innings.
Garcia led the Pac-12 in wins, strikeouts and opponent batting average. At the plate, she hit .339 with 11 home runs and 54 RBIs and led the team with 17 multi-RBI and 19 multi-hit games.
Redshirt sophomore outfielder Aaliyah Jordan claimed the conference batting title last year and won Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.
However, the Chula Vista, California, native had Tommy John surgery in the summer to treat an elbow injury that was bothering her toward the end of last season.
“I probably have a few more months until I’m fully recovered,” Jordan said. “I am allowed to hit, though, so I’ll be able to hit during the season and hopefully in the end be able to play on the field.”
Jordan added her success last season came from having fun and not getting caught up in statistics. She said she realizes teams now know who she is and that she is ready to work on her weaknesses from last year.
“I’m a sucker for rise balls,” Jordan said.
Garcia, Jordan and junior utility player Bubba Nickles were named to the USA Softball Player Of The Year watchlist Wednesday.
UCLA will also welcome a freshman class that boasts the 2018 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year – pitcher Megan Faraimo.
Catcher and first baseman Colleen Sullivan, catcher and infielder Shea Moreno, outfielder Kelly Flynn, and utility players Kelli Godin and Anna Vines round out the rest of the class, which ranks No. 16 in the country.
“We have speed that’s been added with (Flynn, Godin and Vines) and we have some power with (Sullivan and Morena) who can swing the stick,” Inouye-Perez said. “The big impact that we’re really going to see is in the circle with (Faraimo). She’s going to do some great things and she’s a game changer and competitor.”
The Bruins have 33 matchups against teams that made the NCAA tournament and five against College World Series squads from last year – Arizona State, Florida, Oklahoma, Oregon and the championship runner-up Washington.
The Bruins start their season in Hawaii on Thursday at the Hawaii Paradise Classic. Five games are booked, against UT Arlington, Fresno State, Hawai’i, Georgia State and Saint Mary’s.
Senior infielder Brianna Tautalafua said she is excited to start the season in Hawaii and see if the Bruins can improve off last year’s result.
“Even though it is a paradise, we are going there strictly for business,” Tautalafua said.