UCLA softball star Megan Grant kept 'smile on my face' by playing basketball

As she and the eighth-seeded UCLA softball team prepare for the Women’s College World Series, Bruins star Megan Grant has been hearing from former teammates who know what it takes to win a national championship.

Players from the UCLA women’s basketball team who won the national title in March.

While Grant is best known as one of softball’s most dangerous power hitters, she spent part of her senior year as a two-sport talent, taking the court with Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice and the rest of the Bruins.

Five of those players were first-round draft picks in the WNBA Draft last month, and now, Grant is trying to follow in their title-winning footsteps.

“When they got to the WNBA, I was like, ‘OK, you guys are good, off on your own adventures,'” Grant said Wednesday, a day ahead of UCLA’s opener at the WCWS against top-seeded Alabama at 6 p.m. Thursday at Devon Park.

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“They always FaceTime me and everything. And I’m just so grateful for them, and they’re always keeping in touch. Some girls still go to the games and everything. It’s a really tight-knit family.”

Rice was in the stands at UCLA last weekend when Grant hit her 39th home run of the season two weeks ago. Last week, Grant became the first college softball player to hit 40 in a season, and with one more this week, she’ll become just the 10th to hit 90 in a career.

That would tie her with UCLA slugger Stacey Nuveman, who is the only person in the 90-plus club to achieve that mark before 2015.

Of course, Arizona star Laura Espinoza’s single-season record of 37 had stood for 31 years before Grant and OU freshman Kendall Wells each topped it this season.

Grant was listed as a 5-foot-10 guard/forward on the UCLA basketball roster, which made her one of the shortest players on the team, despite her massive stature on the diamond.

She appeared in 14 games between Nov. 3 and Feb. 4. She hit her first home run of the season two days after her final basketball game.

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For a player who had 49 home runs through the first three years of her career, it’s possible that the side quest to the basketball court unlocked something inside her.

“I learned so much from that group,” Grant said. “Also, there was a lot of similarity between Coach Cori (basketball coach Cori Close) and Coach I (softball coach Kelly Inouye-Perez). I feel like the coaches at UCLA all talk the same language, which is awesome for me. They really brought out my joy and my competitive spirit, just balancing those two.”

Grant’s teammates have seen that joy emanate from her.

“I feel like I get the best seat in the house,” UCLA pitcher Taylor Tinsley said. “Just seeing what Megan has been doing all year long and just seeing her development from our freshman year to now, it’s just crazy how much we both have grown up and both have grown up in this program as well, just leading the younger Bruins on and just seeing the way Megan takes the field just so calm and confident all the time.”

Grant’s college basketball career concluded with six points and four rebounds over 33 total minutes, but her 2026 softball season will live on as one of the greatest the sport has seen.

One of the keys to her softball success has been the player batting behind her in the lineup, senior Jordan Woolery.

The first baseman has put up the type of numbers that are nearly as remarkable as Grant, posting a .500 batting average with 34 home runs and 112 RBIs. And she’s been the ultimate lineup protection.

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If pitchers want to avoid Grant, they’ll have to deal with Woolery.

“There’s a lot of players that can hit, but to be able to hit under pressure and to be able to hit in critical situations to help your team win, Jordan has had an outstanding year hitting behind Megan because there’s a lot of people that won’t throw her a pitch,” Inouye-Perez said. “As a result, then it gets put on Jordan to find a way to be able to score, and she’s done an outstanding job.”

UCLA has thrived because of its offense this season, averaging 10.9 runs per game with a team batting average of .385 — both the best in Division I — with Grant and Woolery as the focal pieces of that offense.

And now, a remarkable season is nearly over.

“It’s been insane, I must say,” Grant said. “I never expected any of this. I think my goal at the beginning of this year was just to have an amazing senior year, finish strong with this team. God has blessed me with so many opportunities that I can only thank Him for. This whole year has just been an amazing ride.

“It’s coming to an end soon, but like we say, I’m enjoying it, that final destination with a smile on my face.”

Scott Wright covers Oklahoma State athletics for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Scott? He can be reached at swright@oklahoman.com or on X at @ScottWrightOK. Support Scott’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com or by using the link at the top of this page.