How they got here: UCLA was the first team to clinch their berth in the Women’s College World Series after sweeping Arizona in the Super Regionals.
The Bruins started the regular season on a 25-game winning streak, sweeping through the entirety of the pre-conference part of the season. The streak included undefeated showings in both weeks of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, as well as victories over LSU, Minnesota, and Long Beach State.
In PAC-12 play, the Bruins turned in a 20-4 conference showing. After dropping the first series of PAC-12 play to the Oregon Ducks, the squad dropped a single game each to Stanford and Arizona State, finishing second in the conference’s regular-season standings.
Earning the #3 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, the Bruins were beaten by Cal State Fullerton in the first winner’s bracket game of the regional before storming back through the loser’s bracket and taking two from the Titans in the regional final to advance to the Super regionals.
Awards and accolades: Rachel Garcia was named the PAC-12 Player of the Year and is a top four finalist for National Player of the Year. Aaliyah Jordan was named the conference’s Freshman of the Year, while both she and Garcia earned first-team all-conference honors. Seniors Kylee Perez and Madeline Jelenicki; sophomore Bubba Nickles; and freshman Briana Perez joined Garcia and Jordan in earning all-conference honors.
Team strengths: The Bruins are well-rounded and have a propensity for striking quickly and often. The team recorded fifteen run-rule victories, including a 14-1 win over Texas State in the regional round… the lineup is a deep one, and any hitter from 1-9 in the batting order could be breakout at any given time when her team needs it… additionally, playing in the PAC-12, the Bruin hitters have already seen several of the nation’s best pitchers, including Kleist; Elish; Juarez; and Alvelo, all of whom will be in Oklahoma City.
Team weaknesses: Four PAC-12 teams are in the Women’s College World Series; as much as that could be of benefit to the Bruin hitters to have already seen those same pitchers, it could just as easily be a hindrance. The pitching staffs of Oregon, Washington, and Arizona State are among the nation’s best and will bring their A-game to OKC. Similarly, Garcia will see top-of-the-line hitters, some for the tenth or more time.
Players to Watch:
Bubba Nickles — A sophomore who plays like an upperclassman, Nickles has swung a red-hot bat during the postseason. She’s collected at least one base hit in each of the Bruins’ seven NCAA tournament games and has two home runs and eight RBI in the tournament. She’s been one of the most consistent players in the postseason, and the Bruins will look for her to continue that consistency into Hall of Fame Stadium as they seek their first championship since 2010.
Maddy Jelenicki — Despite missing the first half of the season after not being cleared to play, Jelenicki played well enough in the second part of the year that she earned third-team all-conference honors in the final season of her career. Despite appearing in just twenty-eight games thus far this year, Jelenicki has hit eight home runs and holds a slugging percentage of .605; two of those home runs came against Arizona in the first game of the Super regional. She has also yet to make an error in the field.
X-Factor: Rachel Garcia — Both in the circle and with the bat, Garcia is a huge part of this Bruins’ team and will be a catalyst to any success they might have in Oklahoma City.
