In Garcia’s 15 years of playing softball, there have been plenty of tear-jerking moments. Like when Garcia won the 2015 Gatorade softball player of the year award in high school. Or when she planted her left knee into the ground and suffered a major injury. Or when, after 18 months of uncertainty, she put on a UCLA uniform for the first time.
But Tuesday, the tears were perhaps the most meaningful. Garcia, UCLA’s ace and cleanup hitter, was named the USA Softball collegiate player of the year. She became the second Bruins player to do so, following Stacey Nuveman in 2002.