UCLA Softball: Rachel Garcia Wins Senior CLASS Award
Given to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in Division I softball, Garcia will be bringing the honor to Westwood.
It was announced today that UCLA senior Rachel Garcia has been named the winner of the 2021 Senior CLASS Award for softball. Additionally, teammate and fellow Olympian Bubba Nickles was named a 2021 Senior CLASS Award Softball First Team All-American.
The award is given annually and chosen by division I coaches, national media, and fans. CLASS stands for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, and focuses on the impact student-athletes have in their community. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: classroom, community, character, and competition.
Upon receiving the award, according to the CLASS press release, Garcia stated,
I am so honored and humbled to receive this prestigious award and to be recognized amongst all of the senior student-athletes representing softball. Being a student-athlete at UCLA has prepared me to be the best that I can be beyond the diamond. I knew it was going to be challenging both academically and athletically from the moment I stepped on campus. But I also knew that if I could be successful here, then I could be successful anywhere. At times, it was very tough and I had to find my way through it, but the support system here is amazing. The alumni, the coaches and my teammates have been incredible and they have really helped me to grow into a person that I am truly proud of. I feel so lucky to have been given the opportunity to be a Bruin and it has been the most rewarding experience of my life.”
Garcia’s career at UCLA clearly puts her at the top of the softball world. She started off her time as a Bruin with an injury and came back as a redshirt freshman to be named the 2017 NFCA National Freshman of the Year and a second team All-American. She didn’t stop there, taking the NFCA, ESPNW, and USA Softball National Player of the Year awards as a sophomore, then went on to lift her team to the 2019 NCAA National Championship title as a junior. That year, she was once again honored as the National Player of the Year by ESPNW, Softball America, and USA Softball. She was also a consensus first team All-American and both the PAC-12 and NFCA National Pitcher of the Year after going 29-1 with an incredible 1.14 ERA and 286 strikeouts in 202 innings.
In addition to her achievements at UCLA, Garcia has spent the last three years playing with USA Softball and will be on the Olympic team in Tokyo. When the Olympics were postponed, she participated in the ‘Stand Beside Her’ tour, which was aimed to inspire communities to stand beside the future generation of female athletes.
While in high school in Palmdale, Garcia started ‘Golden League Gives Back’, aimed at raising money for local charities. She regularly goes back to her alma mater, Highland High School, to speak to the student body on all aspects of college and student-athlete life. She has continued her service to the community at UCLA, passing out turkeys to families every November with her team.
Congratulations, Rachel!
Go Bruins!!!
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