California tops list with most softball players in College World Series
While eight teams qualified for this year’s Women’s College Softball World Series, it all came down to the University of Oklahoma and Florida State for the title. Their best-of-three series started Wednesday, June 7, at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City, which is widely regarded as the mecca of softball. Oklahoma softball won its third consecutive title, taking Game 2 of the 2023 NCAA Women’s College World Series championship series against Florida State, 3-1, Friday June 9.
Although Stanford University was the sole representative from California, the Golden State dominated the tournament in terms of representation and Temecula had their own ties to the series finale as well. Quincee Lilio, a 2021 Great Oak graduate, got to ride the emotional roller coaster with Oklahoma every step of the way. Lilio, who was a redshirt freshman last year, hit .275 with eleven hits and one home run this season. Other schools with players that made the big tournament and have ties close to the Valley News coverage area included Norco and Santiago.
If you are a player, or coach, and aspire to compete for the championship, it would be wise to recruit talent from California. Each of the eight participating programs in the final tournament featured at least one former California player.
Florida State, who were hoping to end the Sooners’ three-peat chances only had one California alumna, and is coached by Loni Alameda, who played her high school softball at Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills, Calif.). Ten California high schools have two or more players who competed in this year’s tournament as Los Alamitos and O’Connor (Phoenix) each have three players.
Overall, the Women’s Softball College World Series had 50 players competing in Oklahoma City that played prep ball in California, including these players from LA, San Diego and Riverside County:
Giulia Koutsoyanopulos, Capistrano Valley (Mission Viejo) — Tennessee
SilentRain Espinoza, Christian (El Cajon) — Washington
Ella Nadeau, Citrus Valley (Redlands) — Stanford
Hannah Coor, Esperanza (Anaheim) — Oklahoma
Julia Jimenez, Etiwanda — Utah
Madison Huskey, Gahr (Cerritos) — Washington
Quincee Lilio, Great Oak (Temecula)— Oklahoma
Aly Kaneshiro, Hart (Newhall) — Stanford
Jordyn Gasper, Hart — Utah
Shelbi Ortiz, Huntington Beach — Utah
Jadelyn Allchin, Huntington Beach — Washington
Lair Beautae, JW North (Riverside) — Tennessee
Claire Timm, Kennedy (La Palma) — Oklahoma State
Hailee White, King (Riverside) — Utah
Leilani Melendez, La Mirada — Utah
Kendall Lundberg, Lakewood — Utah
Sophia Nugent, Los Alamitos — Oklahoma
Sarah Ladd, Los Alamitos — Utah
Aliya Belarde, Los Alamitos — Utah
Kinzie Hansen, Norco — Oklahoma
Abby Dayton, Norco — Utah
Allison Morikawa, Northwood (Irvine) — Stanford
Brooklyn Carter, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) — Washington
Grace Green, Oakdale — Oklahoma
Sydney Sandez, Olympian (Chula Vista) — Utah
Alyssa Brito, Pacifica (Garden Grove) — Oklahoma
Sydney Steele, Poway — Stanford
Rylie West, Roosevelt (Eastvale) — Tennessee
Cydney Sanders, San Marcos — Oklahoma
Stella Bennett, Santiago (Corona) — Utah
Kaylah Nelsen, Santiago (Corona) — Utah
McKenna Gibson, Saugus — Tennessee
Grace Keene, Saugus — Tennessee
Avery Weisbrook, South (Torrance) — Florida State
Tiare Jennings, St. Anthony (Long Beach) — Oklahoma
Zaida Puni, St. Anthony’s (Long Beach) — Tennessee
Kyra Chan, Torrey Pines (San Diego) — Stanford
Emily Capobianco, Upland — Utah
Ally Shipman, Valencia — Alabama
Kylie Chung, Westlake (Westlake Village) — Stanford
Emily Jones, Westlake — Stanford
Brooklyn Carreon, Whittier Christian (La Habra) — Utah
Kaitlyn Lim, Woodbridge (Irvine) — Stanford
Complete info from the 2023 College Softball World Series can be found online at www.ncaa.com/championships/softball/d1.
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.
