The Cal 100: No. 99 — Veronica Nelson

The Oakland native is the Bears' career home run leader and helped Cal win a softball national title.

We count down the top 100 individuals associated with Cal athletics, based on their impact in sports or in the world at large – a wide-open category. See if you agree.

No. 99: Veronica Nelson

Cal Sports Connection: First baseman for Cal softball from 2000-03 and became the Bears’ career home run leader.

Claim to Fame: Helped Cal win its only Women’s College World Series title in 2002 and now is a criminal court judge in the Houston area.

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Veronica Nelson was such a feared power hitter for the Cal softball team that she was walked a program-record 108 times in 2002, when the Golden Bears won their only national championship. It was well-earned respect because the Oakland native led Cal in home runs all four seasons and still owns the school record with 55 for her career.

Veronica Nelson / Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics

Nelson led the Bears with a .329 batting average as a junior in 2002 when coach Diane Ninemire’s squad assembled a 56-19 record, winning its final 11 games of the season and sweeping through the Women’s College World Series.

Nelson was a two-time All-American and was named to the World Series all-tournament team in 2002 and again in ’03 when the Bears were national runners-up. She played on Cal teams that compiled a four-year record of 208-82.

Nelson’s achievements off the field are just as impressive. Last November she was elected as a criminal court judge for the 482nd district court in Harris County, Texas, after earning an endorsement from the Houston Chronicle.

During her campaign, Nelson talked about her credentials as a prosecutor in Harris Country and prior to that as an intern in the Tuscaloosa, Ala., public defender’s office. She also cited her strong family roots in the East Bay and her experience at Cal, where she completed a double-major in Legal Studies and African American Studies and earned a place on the Dean’s List on multiple occasions.

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-- No. 100: Rower-turned-Academy Award winner Gregory Peck 

Cover photo of Veronica Nelson courtesy of Cal Athletics

Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo