Being a champion has its perks.
The 2003 NCAA champion UCLA softball team was honored at the
White House by President George W. Bush on Monday.
The ceremony was part of the White House’s 2003 NCAA
Spring Sports Championship Day.
“We’ve got the UCLA softball team here with
us,” Bush said in a speech given Monday. “I can
remember when I was the governor of Texas, I used to work out in
the weight room. And I can remember the Texas girls telling me,
“˜Don’t worry, Governor, we’ll be the national
champs.’ They forgot about coach Enquist’s
team.”
Shortstop Natasha Watley presented Bush with a UCLA softball
jersey during the ceremony.
“It was really cool to meet him,” the
Honda-Broderick Cup winner for the collegiate woman athlete of the
year said. “He was so nice. He was very genuine.”
Enquist selected Watley to present Bush with the jersey because
“Natasha is a wonderful representative of the
university.”
The softball team was given a tour of the White House and also
got to meet the champions of other spring sports who were in
attendance: the Rice baseball team, the Illinois men’s tennis
team, the Stanford women’s tennis team, the Virginia
men’s lacrosse team, the Princeton women’s lacrosse
team, the Clemson men’s golf team and the USC women’s
golf team.
Before the ceremony, Bush met with each team and shook the
players’ and coaches’ hands.
“Whether you’re very political or not at all, all of
us are proud to be Americans,” Enquist said. “It was an
honor to meet the president and be so close to the government
here.”
The Bruins won the Women’s College World Series on May 26,
when pitcher Keira Goerl threw a nine-inning no-hitter to lead UCLA
to a 1-0 win. UCLA advanced to the title game in dramatic fashion,
losing its first game of the Women’s College World Series
before winning elimination games over Louisiana-Lafayette,
Washington and two semifinal wins over Texas.
“The UCLA Bruins are a great ladies softball team,”
Bush said. “It’s a tough field, and they had great
pitching ““Â a very competitive team. And I want to
congratulate you all for being here. I asked if there are any that
are going to be on the Olympic team. I think three or four hands
went up who will be representing the United States in Olympic
softball. I pity the teams they play.”