Roundup: Women's College World Series time for UO, ASU, UCLA, UW

The Women’s College World Series is here, with four Pac-12 teams in action beginning Thursday, and you should know that UCLA’s Rachel Garcia was named USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. Garcia is 27-3 in the circle with 1.02 ERA and 273 strikeouts in 185 innings, while hitting .356 at the plate with 11 bombs and 53 RBI (quite the season). The Bruins open up their Oklahoma City stay with Florida State.

Oregon opened up with a win over conference foe Arizona State Thursday morning with an 11-6 win, and this Associated Press article tells us that the Super Regional loss to Kentucky was the “gut check” the Ducks needed to get to the WCWS. Oregon dropped Game 1 to the Wildcats before righting the ship.

Meanwhile, Jeff Metcalfe discusses the Fresno State influences on Arizona State softball this year. For starters, head coach Trisha Ford was the head coach at Fresno State for four seasons and is the main reason why Giselle Juarez chose to go to ASU instead of Fresno State. Of course, Metcalfe points out that it was 10 years ago that Fresno State baseball defeated ASU in the Super Regionals en route to a College World Series title.

Writing for The Seattle Times, Michael Kinney puts together a Washington softball WCWS primer. The Dawgs begin with two-time defending national champion Oklahoma.

Former Stanford men’s basketball forward Reid Travis will transfer, he announced Wednesday (ESPN’s Jeff Goodman on the link). Travis will be able to play elsewhere immediately as a grad transfer.

Good news for the Cougs – Washington State men’s basketball forward Robert Franks has decided to return to Pullman for his senior year. Theo Lawson has the details in the link.

Cool story by Bruce Pascoe on Arizona men’s basketball incoming freshman Omar Thielemans. The 18-year-old was born in Gambia and has also lived in France and Belgium (he also speaks four languages). His dad was an A&R director for Virgin Records, so that’s tight.

Rusty Simmons looks at the roster overhaul for Cal men’s basketball under Wyking Jones. There is only one player left from the 2016-17 Golden Bears roster.

Here’s a 2018 MLB Draft highlight package of Oregon State’s Nick Madrigal, courtesy of the fine folks at Pac-12 Networks.

Brian Howell tells us about Colorado’s plans for facilities upgrades.

Aaron Hendel of Conquest Chronicles gives us an update on how former Trojans are doing in Major League Baseball.

Utah AD Chris Hill officially retires June 1, so Christopher Kamrani details what Hill’s replacement will need to do. Big shoes to fill indeed.