UCLA Women's Basketball: Key Bruin Joins Softball Team

She's a last-minute addition.

Mar 30, 2024; Albany, NY, USA; LSU Tigers guard Mikaylah Williams shoots a jump shot against UCLA Bruins center Lauren Betts and forward Gabriela Jaquez. / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Sophomore UCLA Bruins women's basketball star forward Gabriela Jaquez is now a dual-athlete, reports Matthew Royer of The Daily Bruin.

Jaquez is joining the school's softball team, recent winners of the Pac-12 championship.

"We are excited to welcome Gabriela Jaquez into our Bruin Softball Family,” coach Kelly Inouye-Perez stated about the new addition. “Gabriela is a fierce competitor and will add to the depth and versatility of our running game this postseason. As a standout student-athlete on the UCLA women’s basketball team, Gabriela recognizes and upholds our strong Bruin values.”

Royer indicates that Jaquez suited up for softball across three of her prep school seasons while at Adolfo Camarillo High School, with a .271 hitting rate.

While playing her primary sport this past season, the 5-foot-11 Camarillo native (little sister for All-American Bruins legend Jaime, now with the Miami Heat) logged averages of 10 points on .478/.259/.713 shooting splits, 5.6 boards, 1.6 assists and 0.6 steals across 34 contests (six starts). She helped propel the team to a 27-7 record and a Sweet Sixteen berth in March Madness this year.

The softball team is in the midst of its playoffs right now, embarking on the first round of the NCAA softball tournament, when it will play Grand Canyon on Friday at the NCAA Los Angeles Regional phase of play.

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