Oregon All-American Pitcher Brooke Yanez Transfers to UCLA Softball
Just a few weeks removed from the end of their season, the Bruins have made a major addition for next year.
Oregon pitcher Brooke Yanez is transferring to UCLA softball for her super senior season, the program announced Tuesday. Extra Inning Softball was the first to report Yanez's decision, with their sources claiming she committed to the Bruins back on June 20.
"We are excited to have Brooke join our Bruin Family!" said coach Kelly Inouye-Perez in a statement released by UCLA Athletics. "We know Brooke is a fierce competitor in the circle, and with her experience, she will add to our pitching staff and help us in our goal to get back to the Women's College World Series stage."
Yanez started her collegiate career at UC Davis, where she played from 2018 to 2019 before joining the Ducks. As a sophomore, Yanez won Big West Pitcher of the Year after going 25-7 with 274 strikeouts and a 1.03 ERA – good for fourth-best in the nation. Yanez was named to the Softball America All-America Second Team for her contributions that year.
The Ventura, California, native took things to the next level when she got to Eugene, opening up the 2020 season with a 9-1 record and 1.56 ERA before the rest of the campaign was called off due to COVID-19.
Yanez strung together a 22-6 record in 2021, boasting a 2.11 ERA and 268 strikeouts in her 182.1 innings of work. That season – which also featured 14 complete games and seven shutouts – helped Yanez pick up NFCA All-America Third Team and All-Pac-12 First Team honors.
An injury derailed Yanez in 2022, causing her to miss the entire season. With the COVID year and a medical redshirt year, though, she was able to preserve enough eligibility to return to the college game for 2023.
UCLA lost Holly Azevedo to graduation at the end of 2022, but they will have reigning Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year Megan Faraimo back for her redshirt senior year. Yanez's arrival helps the Bruins preserve a veteran two-ace rotation, with super senior Lauren Shaw sticking around as the third starting pitcher as well.
Yanez and Shaw won't even be the most experienced student-athletes on the roster, however, as outfielder Aaliyah Jordan will be suiting up for her seventh season in Westwood as a result of COVID-19 plus two medical redshirt years. Not every veteran will be back for more, though, as shortstop Briana Perez, utility Delanie Wisz and first baseman Kinsley Washington will have to be replaced in the lineup by some combination of rising reserves and top-ranked freshmen.
Bruins young and old will be trying to bring UCLA back to the Women's College World Series for the eighth postseason in a row in 2023. With Yanez in house, Inouye-Perez and pitching coach Lisa Fernandez will have yet another weapon at their disposal on the road back to Oklahoma City, and the now-former Duck could play a part in winning her new team its 13th NCAA championship.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF UCLA ATHLETICS