Brain, Erica Tukiainen
Women’s basketball – Senior forward
Tukiainen served as one of the Bruins’ most experienced players throughout the season, which paid off huge in several big games. Coach Nikki Caldwell looked to Tukiainen during the season to be an on-court leader for the Bruins, and the senior forward did not disappoint.
Tukiainen became a master at spotting up and knocking down huge three-pointers for the Bruins in the midst of their NCAA Tournament run. Her ability to pick and choose her spots on the court, as well as come through in the clutch for the Bruins, proved just how mentally strong the senior forward was, displaying her ability to understand the game better than anyone on this year’s young squad.
Eyes, Katie Schroeder
Softball – Junior center fielder
In hindsight, this year has been a letdown for Katie Schroeder. After a nagging left calf injury forced her to sit out the season, the center fielder has no choice but to look to next season and return to form. But there is no doubt that once she does return, the outfield will be in good hands.
Whether it be beating out the sun for fly balls or chasing down line drives, Schroeder has her eyes locked on the ball at all times, always a source of comfort for the softball team’s pitching staff.
Shoulders, Megan Langenfeld
Softball – Senior pitcher
These days, Megan Langenfeld has quite the weight to carry on her shoulders. With her team vying for a berth in the Women’s College World Series, she has been busy crushing balls over the outfield walls and shutting down the opposing team with her vaunted pitching. Her mastery of the softball diamond is in no small part thanks to her peak-conditioned shoulders.
Given her rigorous off-season focus on building upper-body strength, it’s no surprise that the Pac-10 Player of the Year has so far posted a 1.29 ERA in 87 innings. After a long outing, Langenfeld said that she ices her shoulders for 30 minutes to cool off and get ready for the next start.
Heart, Laura Winn
Diving – Junior
Her leadership on the small diving team is unquestioned, but her heart is defined by her recovery from a traumatic injury at the 2008 Pac-10 Championships.
Winn, then a freshman who had walked on to the team just one year earlier, hit her face on the platform diving board and required facial surgery. Undeterred, Winn has evolved into one of the best platform divers in the conference, with two straight top-three finishes at Pac-10 Championships in 2009 and 2010.
Left arm, Andrea Harrison
Softball – Sophomore outfielder
It’s a cannon that makes runners in scoring position think twice about making a dash for home.
Sophomore left fielder Andrea Harrison’s left arm has come through time and time again on a team that stresses defense. With a stellar .942 fielding percentage, Harrison has made her mark patrolling left field, while also showing off some power at the plate with 13 home runs. It also doesn’t hurt that her throwing target is more often than not her own sister, junior shortstop Monica Harrison.
Right arm, Yasmin Schnack
Women’s tennis – Senior
The senior from Sacramento has been a staple in the Bruins lineup at the No. 1 singles position for the past two years. Why? Possibly because of her silky smooth right forehand, which Schnack essentially perfected. Although Schnack may not have had the most force behind her forehand, her ability to place the ball at any spot on the court has helped the 2010 Pac-10 Player of the Year remain a top 10 singles player in the nation for her entire senior campaign. Schnack recently won the Pac-10 singles and doubles titles, thanks in large part to her ball placement and ability to place her forehand drop shots wherever she liked, whenever she liked.
Lungs, Brittany Beauchan
Swimming – Junior
The Bruins had nothing to worry about in the pool when the breaststroke events rolled around. Beauchan, easily the most consistent swimmer of the year, finished first or second in every dual-meet breaststoke race of the year. The breakout year for Beauchan earned her a berth at the NCAA Championships for first time in her career.
Abs, Karina Silva
Diving – Junior
The Spaniard joined UCLA’s diving team as a transfer this year and has already made a very small splash … on her dives, that is.
Diving is often regarded as an art form ““ one that requires a tremendous amount of core strength ““ and Silva is easily the finest practitioner of the art to pass through Westwood in years.
Watch her dive off the 5- or 10-meter platform at Spieker Aquatics Center and you’ll see all the core muscle groups in perfect harmony as she contorts her body through the air.
Silva went on to set the Pac-10 record for points on tower this year, and won’t be done any time soon. Keep an eye on her as a potential 2012 Olympian for Spain’s national team.
Legs, Sydney Leroux
Women’s soccer – Sophomore forward
Leroux is no stranger to scoring.
The second-team All-Pac-10 player scores a lot and in bunches. She even shared the many ways she can score with her legs
“You can score with the outside of your foot, inside of your foot, laces, your heel, but that’s asking a little much,” Leroux said.
Leading the team with 23 goals and also picking up two assists this season, Leroux found the back of the net four times in the Bruins’ first round victory over Boise State in her NCAA Tournament debut. The sophomore forward also earned Golden Ball and Golden Shoe honors as the top player and top scorer in the 2008 U-20 FIFA World Championships in Chile, where her five goals helped Team USA to the title.
Feet, Vanessa Zamarripa
Gymnastics – Sophomore
Before each meet, Zamarripa puts her feet in a hot whirlpool. She also loads them up with plenty of tape for stability and injury prevention, which has paid off for the O’Fallon, Ill. native, who hasn’t had any major ankle or foot injuries.
Zamarripa’s feet have made her one of the Bruins’ top gymnasts, as she holds the Bruins best vault score and second best beam score this year. Despite having unusually flat feet, the sophomore gymnast says she relies on her feet for everything.
“They are really important especially for balance and power on beam,” Zamarripa said. “If I don’t have my feet a certain way, I could get deductions so even they have to be perfect. They’re important for every little technique we do.”