Who is Jordan Woolery? What to know of UCLA softball slugger ahead of WCWS
UCLA softball is back in the Women's College World Series for the second consecutive season — its first as a Big Ten member — after winning the Columbia Super Regional.
But that didn't look like it was going to be the case for the ninth-seeded Bruins at approximately 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 24 when they trailed No. 8 South Carolina, 4-1, going into the bottom of the seventh inning at Carolina Softball Stadium at Beckham Field.
That was until Bruins slugger Jordan Woolery stepped up to the plate.
The Bruins' All-Big Ten First-Team selection would hit a two-run walk-off home run with two outs in the inning to give her team another day of life in the NCAA softball tournament. UCLA would then upset South Carolina in the "if necessary" Game 3 one day later for its NCAA-leading 33rd trip to the Women's College World Series.
Can Woolery now continue that postseason magic in Oklahoma City and help lead UCLA to its first national championship since 2010? The first test for that will be at 9:30 p.m. ET on Thursday against No. 16 Oregon at Devon Park.
Here's what to know on Woolery ahead of the Bruins' opening game at the Women's College World Series:
Who is Jordan Woolery?
Jordan Woolery is a starting infielder for UCLA softball and one of the nation's top hitters.
The Walnut Creek, California, native has been a staple in the Bruins' starting lineup each of her three years in Westwood, as she has started all 177 career games in which she has appeared in.
Woolery was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2023 after leading all freshmen in the conference with a .390 batting average and 10 home runs. She finished with 20 multi-hit games her freshman season at UCLA, which ranked second on the team.
She followed up her stellar freshman campaign with a strong sophomore season that earned her All-Pac-12 First-Team honors. Things have taken off a bit for Woolery this season, as she has posted career-high numbers all around for the Bruins. She was named a Top 10 finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, one of two Bruins who made the list.
Perhaps her biggest hit of the season came in Game 2 of the Columbia Super Regional when she connected on that first-pitch fastball for a two-run walk-off home run, which ultimately extended the Bruins' season one extra day as they faced elimination.
Her home run against the Gamecocks ended a 0-for-6 stint at the plate in the Columbia Super Regional for Woolery.
"Coach always says the game comes back around," Woolery told the Los Angeles Times after Game 2's win. "I’ve had a rough two days, so it was just trusting that was eventually going to come through. I just wanted to have my teammates’ backs today."
Jordan Woolery stats
Woolery is currently posting career-high numbers in batting average (.415), slugging percentage (.896) and on-base percentage (.504). She enters the WCWS tied for first in the country with 86 RBIs recorded on the season and in a four-way tie for seventh for home runs among all Division I hitters at 23.
Here's a year-by-year breakdown of Woolery's career stats at UCLA:
- 2023: .390 batting average/.646 slugging percentage/.455 on-base percentage with 64 hits, 46 RBIs, 26 runs scored and 22 extra-base hits (10 home runs)
- 2024: .314 batting average/.560 slugging percentage/.400 on-base percentage with 50 hits, 36 RBIS, 20 runs scored and 18 extra-base hits (10 home runs)
- 2025: .415 batting average/.896 slugging percentage/.504 on-base percentage with 86 RBIs, 80 hits, 56 runs scored and 43 extra-base hits (23 home runs)
Get the latest sports news delivered conveniently to your inbox. Sign up for Paste BN Sports' daily newsletter now!