Garcia Named Top 10 Finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
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OKLAHOMA CITY - Senior Rachel Garcia has been named one of 10 finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, as announced on Wednesday.
The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, which is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I women's collegiate softball, recognizes the outstanding athletic achievement by Division I female players across the country.
Garcia has won each of the last two POY awards handed out in 2018 and 2019. In addition, Bruin alum Stacey Nuveman was the first recipient in 2002.
Garcia is one of six seniors or graduate seniors among the Top 10 finalists. Sophomore Megan Faraimo was a Top 25 finalist for this season's award.
The list of 10 finalists will be narrowed to three on May 19. The 2021 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed prior to the Women's College World Series on June 1.
The other finalists are Jocelyn Alo (Oklahoma), Sis Bates (Washington), Braxton Burnside (Arkansas), Valerie Cagle (Clemson), Carrie Eberle (Oklahoma State), Mary Haff (Arkansas), Tiare Jennings (Oklahoma), Kayla Kowalik (Kentucky) and Gabbie Plain (Washington).
Garcia leads the Bruins with a 0.60 earned run average to go with an 8-0 record, two saves and 92 strikeouts in 58 innings. She ranks second in the nation in ERA, 13th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.67) and 15th in hits allowed per seven innings (3.62). Garcia has allowed zero or one run in all 15 of her appearances, has three double-figure strikeout games and pitched a no-hitter against Oregon State on April 16. She has been named Pac-12 Conference Pitcher of the Week three times (March 23, April 19, April 26), as well as Pac-12 Player of the Week on April 12. At the plate, Garcia has hits in 22 of her 26 games, batting .373 with eight home runs and 21 runs batted in.
The Bruins are at Long Beach State on Wednesday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader. The games will be live streamed, with links available on the softball schedule page at UCLABruins.com.