UCLA’s Megan Grant Matches NCAA Softball Home Run Record as Bruins Advance to Title Game
Megan Grant Ties NCAA Home Run Record in Bruins’ Victory
UCLA senior Megan Grant made headlines by hitting her 37th home run of the season, tying the NCAA single-season record during a commanding 19-5 victory over Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament semifinal on Friday in College Park, Maryland.
The previous record of 37 home runs was established by Arizona’s Lauren Espinoza in 1995. Grant has been in a fierce competition with Oklahoma freshman Kendall Wells, who has also enjoyed a stellar season with 36 home runs. However, Wells’ team was eliminated from the Southeastern Conference tournament on Friday, leaving her awaiting the opportunity to extend her total in the upcoming NCAA tournament.
Following her record-tying blast, Grant reflected on her success. “I was just focusing as much as I can, just competing within that at-bat,” she told reporters on the Big Ten Network. “… A one-on-one battle is all I think about. It kind of had a good payout.”
In Friday’s semifinal, the Bruins showcased their power at the plate, hitting four home runs and setting a new NCAA record for single-season team home runs with 181, further underlining their offensive dominance.
Grant will be back in action on Saturday when UCLA faces regular-season Big Ten champion Nebraska for the league tournament title at 10 a.m. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network, with the start time adjusted to avoid forecasted storms in the area.
In recognition of her impressive performance this season, UCLA senior Jordan Woolery was named Big Ten Player of the Year by the league’s head coaches earlier on Friday. Woolery leads the nation in RBIs with 107 and becomes only the fifth player in NCAA Division I history to surpass 100 RBIs in a single season.
Joining Woolery on the All-Big Ten first team are Bri Alejandre, Aleena Garcia, Rylee Slimp, and Grant, while Kaniya Bragg, Alexis Ramirez, and Taylor Tinsley were honored with second-team selections. The Bruins are now setting their sights on bringing home a national title, adding further excitement to their already historic season.
