2019 Big West Softball Final Weekly Release
TITANS EARN THE TITLE
The Big West regular season title is staying put in Orange County as Cal State Fullerton won its fourth-straight championship and 12th overall. This marks the third time in league history that a program has won that many consecutive titles, the previous occurence being done by the CSF program from 2000-03. The record for consecutive titles is held by Fresno State which won six in a row from 1987-92.
ELEVEN EARN NFCA HONORS
The NFCA All-Region teams were announced and 11 Big West players saw their names listed. The West Region saw the lionshare of Big West honorees as nine players saw their names placed across the teams. Hawai’i first baseman Callee Heen was the lone first teamer, improving on her second team nod from a year ago. The second team list contained Cal State Fullerton’s Dani Martinez (pitcher), UH’s Brittany Hitchcock (pitcher) and Nicole Lopez (third baseman) and CSUN’s Megan Stevens (outfielder). The third team saw CSUN’s Jillian James (pitcher), Long Beach State’s Sydney McCollum (third baseman), Cal State Fullerton’s Ari Williams (outfielder) and LBSU’s Alyssa Gonzalez (designated player) earn honors.
In the Pacific Region, the NFCA bestowed first team honors on UC Davis pitcher Brooke Yanez while UC Riverside’s Melanie Olmos earned second team accolades as a utility/pitcher.
SEEMS IMPORTANT
Cal State Fullerton’s Alexa Neil was an important cog in the Titan machine during her freshman year, batting .345 with 59 hits and 13 stolen bases. Her most important stat? 29-3. That was CSF’s record when Neil scored a run.
OFFENSIVE POWERHOUSE
CSUN’s Megan Stevens put the finishing touches on one of the finest offensive seasons in Big West history. Stevens’ .430 batting average put her just .003 shy of tying for the 10th-best average in conference single season history. She did stamp her name on two lists as her 55 RBI is tied for 6th all-time and her 20 doubles is tied for fifth.
YANEZ MOWED THEM AWAY
UC Davis pitcher Brooke Yanez recorded 273 strikeouts this season, breaking the program Division I record previously held by Justine Vela, who struck out 272 batters in 2012. Yanez’ effort is also the eighth-best single season performance in Big West history. In the program record book, her performance gives her third all-time.
300 FOR GALICINAO
UC Santa Barbara head coach Brie Galicinao reached a major milestone in the final weekend of the regular season. Galicinao got win No. 300 in her career, making her the 11th coach in Big west history to reach that number. Galicinao is already the all-time winningest coach in Gauchos history and was the first coach in program history to reach 200 wins back in 2015.
Big West All-Time Coaching Win Leaders (active in bold italic)
791 - Pete Manarino, Long Beach State
642 - Brian Kolze, Pacific
581 - Judi Garman, Cal State Fullerton
424 - Michelle Gromacki, Cal State Fullerton
424 - Kim Sowder, Long Beach State
399 - Bob Coolen, Hawai’i
388 - Jenny Condon, Cal Poly
350 - Shan McDonald, UNLV
337 - Margie Wright, Fresno State
323 - Kathy Strahan, Sac State, San Jose State
301 - Brie Galicinao, UC Santa Barbara
GREAT SUCCESS
Hawai’i and UC Davis each had successful bounceback campaigns in 2019. The ‘Bows were +10 in the win department from a year ago and their second place finish was the best for the program since 2013. The Aggies won a school DI record 39 games, the first time the program has won 30 or more contests at this level.