This post was updated May 26 at 11:15 p.m.
UCLA is the most storied softball program by most metrics – but especially when it comes to Oklahoma City.
After defeating No. 8 seed South Carolina two games to one in the Columbia Super Regional, No. 9 seed UCLA softball will make its record-breaking 33rd trip to the Women’s College World Series – although every time it adds another trip, it breaks its own record.
“We set out from the start, as every team in the country does, but to be able to be a final eight is something that is a goal. And the ability to overcome day one is because they were so committed to the process, and it allowed them to be able to take a trip back to OKC. So I’m super excited for that,” said coach Kelly Inouye-Perez.
For many teams, making it to the WCWS is the dream and the experience of a lifetime.
But with 12 championships – the most of any NCAA program – across 32 prior trips, UCLA’s expectations are often higher than most.
Last year’s WCWS campaign ended with then-No. 6 seed UCLA’s third game in Oklahoma City, in which it fell to then-No. 8 seed Stanford following a defeat by then-No. 2 seed Oklahoma.
Oklahoma has dominated in recent years, currently sitting on a streak of four consecutive national championships – and it’s often had a hand in eliminating UCLA.
The Bruins’ last championship appearance marks the most recent non-Sooners win, during which the former took the latter down in two games in the best-of-three final in 2019.
This year might just be the one that ends Oklahoma’s streak.
It’s been a historic year for the NCAA softball tournament. Women’s sports as a whole continue to break attendance and viewership records left and right. This year’s tournament has had more upsets than maybe any other year in collegiate softball history.
No. 1 seed Texas A&M lost in its regional – the first time in the current format that a one-seed has lost that early. Multiple lower seeds emerged from their respective super regionals. In fact, UCLA’s side of the bracket doesn’t contain a single top-eight-seed – instead, the No. 9 seed Bruins are joined by a 12-seed, a 16-seed and an unseeded team.
But for Inouye-Perez, it hasn’t mattered who they play all postseason.
“I don’t care who we play from now all the way to the end, because we’re going to play teams that have made it to postseason,” Inouye-Perez said during the Los Angeles regional. “Everybody can win at any point. They’ve done something to win, so we’ve got to respect the game. But for us, I want us to just play our game, and I believe that’s enough for us to be able to compete with anyone in the country.”
The sport has stars – and the Bruins are certainly included in that list.
Junior utility Megan Grant is poised to take sole second place for home runs in a single UCLA season from B.B. Bates if she records one at the WCWS. Meanwhile, junior infielder Jordan Woolery is only five RBIs away from tying UCLA’s all-time single-season leader, Stacey Nuveman, who has 91.
“Every year is different, and I think that the bottom line is that we had so many people step up,” Inouye-Perez said. “What’s different this year is that (Woolery and Grant) are the leadership group this year. They’ve done a great job of taking care of the program and leading by example on the field and off of the field.”
The “Bruin Bombers” already have the most RBIs by a Bruin duo in history, currently sitting at 165.
“My leaders up here were freshmen just a little bit ago, and now they’re doing their best to take care of UCLA softball,” Inouye-Perez said. “To me, that’s why this group is so successful – they have a lot of pride in the program and taking care of it.”
UCLA now turns to Oklahoma City to see if it can write even more history.
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