Softball Adds Transfer Julia Jimenez from Michigan

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Softball head coach Amy Hogue announced today the signing of transfer infielder Julia Jimenez, who spent the past two seasons at Michigan and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2021. Jimenez, from Fontana, Calif., will have three seasons of eligibility remaining to play for the Utes.
 
Jimenez started all 46 games for the Wolverines in 2021 (37 at second base, nine at third base) and batted .293 while ranking fourth on the team in most major offensive categories, including hits (41), home runs (4) and RBI (20).
 
"Today is a big day for the Utes," Hogue said. "We are announcing the signing of Julia Jimenez who is an absolute baller. Julia loves the game and plays it with a ton of enthusiasm. She is an infielder with two years of experience as a starter for Michigan. We are excited to have her here and can't wait to see her in red!"
 
In 2021 Jimenez also posted 11 multi-hit games and five multi-RBI games, and put together a season-best seven-game hit streak. She earned Big Ten Co-Player of the Week honors after boasting a .583 average (7-for-12) over the four-game series at 23rd-ranked Minnesota (May 7-9) with two home runs and six RBI. She drove in U-M's first three runs and went 3-for-4 with a career-high four RBI in the first game of a May 8 doubleheader, one day after providing a key insurance homer in the seventh inning of the series opener.
 
As a freshman at Michigan during the shortened 2020 season, Jimenez started all 23 games (14 at second base, nine at shortstop) and batted .263 with seven doubles, one home run and seven RBI. Her season highlights included her first career home run, a leadoff shot as part of a two-hit, two-RBI effort vs. No. 25 Texas Tech on Feb. 29. She also hit a pair of RBI doubles at No. 25 North Carolina on Feb. 15.
 
A 2019 graduate of Etiwanda High School (Fontana, Calif.), Jimenez was named to the 2019 All-America West Coast Team and named to the All-Academic team after earning 2016 Underclass All-American and 2015 Freshman All-American. She earned Cal-Hi Sports California All-State Team honors in 2018, as well as All-CIF Southern Section and All-Inland Empire. She was Baseline Conference MVP and a four-time first-team all-conference selection, posting a .520 career batting average with a .870 slugging percentage 42 doubles, eight triples, 33 home runs and 145 RBI. She struck out just six times in 455 plate appearances and was ranked the No. 20 prospect by FloSoftball and No. 21 by Extra Inning Softball
 
Jimenez is the daughter of Chris and Gloria Jimenez, and has two siblings, Chris and Kristina. Chris currently plays baseball at Long Beach State.