In her first season as an Aggie, Justine Vela was the epitome of dominance.
With 272 strikeouts, 15th most in the country and fifth most ever in Big West Conference history, the Bakersfield native led UC Davis to an impressive third-place league finish — just two games behind champion Long Beach State.
After holding opposing teams to a .206 batting average this year, Vela became only the third player ever to win both Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year and Big West Pitcher of the Year in the same season.
Her accomplishments have also been recognized on the national level where she was recently named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Pacific All-Region Second Team. With Vela set to lead the Aggies for years to come, UC Davis Softball’s future seems brighter than ever.
— Doug Bonham
