UCLA Softball Looks to Rebuild After Graduation
While Kelly Inouye-Perez applauded her senior players for their record-breaking season, she didn’t forget to highlight the fresh talent coming up through the ranks.
“The young Bruins are playing really well,” the head coach noted just prior to the NCAA Tournament.
With the departure of Megan Grant, Jordan Woolley, and Taylor Tinsley after their exit from the Women’s College World Series, the team is set to embrace a new phase.
It’s still a bit unclear just how much productivity they’ll need to fill. Grant and Woolley, in particular, formed one of the most formidable hitting duos in college softball history, racking up a combined 78 home runs this past season. Grant left with a school record 91 home runs, while Woolley had an impressive batting average of .497, with 36 home runs and 117 RBIs, seemingly on track for recognition as Softball America’s Player of the Year.
Tinsley was a pivotal player in the postseason, starting every game during the NCAA Tournament and pitching around 49 of the team’s 52 innings.
Inouye-Perez plans to leverage transfer options this offseason, hoping to bring in experienced pitchers who can take on the considerable workload in the upcoming season. This strategy could help ease the pressure on a single standout pitcher.
Another potential star could be Bryn Nalley, the only other pitcher besides Tinsley to make an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, showcasing her skills with a sharp performance against Cal Baptist.
The batting lineup won’t require extensive adjustments. Assuming no transfers, six starting players are set to return: Riley Slim in left field, Alina Garcia at shortstop, Bri Alejandre on third base, Kaniya Bragg at second base, Alexis Ramirez catching, and Jolina Lamar in center field.
All these players hit at least 14 home runs last season, contributing to UCLA’s remarkable achievement of setting NCAA records for home runs and RBIs in a single season. They accumulated a staggering 209 home runs, along with other impressive numbers, averaging over 10 RBIs per game.
Bolstering the team will be a seven-member freshman class currently ranked 19th by Softball America, with the standout being Aubrey McLaughlin, an outfielder and first baseman from Roosevelt High School, noted as the top high school prospect in California.
Right-handed pitcher Josephine Marsh from Orange Lutheran High School is also expected to vie for a rotation spot right away.
“Having freshmen come in and play is a significant asset in our program,” Inouye-Perez expressed.
Despite earlier concerns about their inexperience, UCLA’s freshmen played a key role in getting the team back to the Women’s College World Series for the third consecutive year.
Inouye-Perez shared her pride in reaching Oklahoma City, remarking, “I’m very proud to be back in a year when no one expected me to be here. We started the fall with 10 returners and 10 new Bruins. It was really the seniors who took care of the younger players and taught them the Bruin Way.”
The coach emphasized, “Culture is our strength. We’re a team who plays together, through wins and losses. People have seen our competitive spirit, and we won’t back down.”
This determination is set to lead into 2027, with a vibrant group that’s already on the rise.
