Chasing History: The Year of Megan Grant
- Karinna Leonard
- 19 hours ago
- 4 min read
The founding member of softball’s 40-home run club, Megan Grant is helping lead the way for UCLA through both her power at the plate and her leadership on and off the field. Just months after winning a national championship on the hardwood, Grant is now chasing another title, this time on the diamond.
In her senior season, Grant reached 42 home runs in just 156 at-bats, averaging a home run every 3.71 at-bats. Despite the historic feat, Grant remained humble. "It’s incredible," Grant said. "I am just honestly blessed to be able to say the number 40."
Grant originally broke the NCAA single-season home run record on May 9 in the Bruins’ Big Ten championship game against Nebraska with her 38th home run of the season. The previous record had stood since 1995, when Lauren Espinoza hit 37 home runs.
Courtesy of B1Gsoftball/X
Now, Grant is rewriting the record books while putting together a season that will live on as one of the greatest the sport has seen. Alongside setting records, Grant has been on an absolute tear at the plate, slashing .455/.639/1.308.
The record-breaking year Grant is having becomes even more impressive when considering how often opponents avoid pitching to her altogether. This season alone, Grant has effectively lost 89 plate appearances to 76 walks and 14 HBPs, yet she has still managed to put together one of the most dominant offensive seasons in NCAA softball history. During that stretch, Grant struck out just 13 times, meaning she has been walked more than seven times as often as she has struck out.
The utility player has been a staple in UCLA’s lineup for the past four years, building a résumé that includes Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honors in 2023 and back-to-back USA Softball Player of the Year Finalist selections in 2025 and 2026. Grant has started since her freshman season and has never posted a batting average below .333 while playing multiple positions across the field.
Across 243 career games, Grant compiled 247 hits, 199 runs, 271 RBIs, and 91 home runs while batting .373 with a .864 slugging percentage and a .510 on-base percentage.
This season, Grant’s dominance on the softball field was matched by an ambitious return to basketball. In her final year at UCLA, the guard joined the Bruins’ nationally ranked women’s basketball program, appearing in 14 games and logging 29 minutes as part of the team’s championship run.
While her heart belongs to softball, Grant said, "Basketball was my first love and has always brought out a childlike spirit in me, so putting on this jersey and being a small piece in this historically great program is a dream come true. I can't thank Coach I and Coach Cori enough for allowing me to live out Little Megs' dream." Her ability to balance both sports while excelling at the highest level has made Grant one of the most unique athletes in college sports.
Teammate Jordan Woolery attributed much of Grant’s success this season to the confidence she gained from competing in both sports. "[Basketball] brought her the perspective of, she’s more than a softball player and more than a basketball player,” Woolery said. “It’s easier to be successful when you have that perspective."
Grant echoed the positive impact of playing both sports, saying, "To be able to do both in one day, it just filled my mind with all this confidence. I’m like, 'Hey, I can do anything.'"
Whether it’s on the basketball court or in the batter’s box, Grant continues to prove she can thrive on the biggest stages in college sports. With her collegiate career nearing its end, Grant now looks poised to become one of softball’s next professional stars after being selected fourth overall by the Portland Cascade of the AUSL. The selection made Grant the first non-pitcher taken off the board and the first-ever college draft pick in franchise history as the expansion team prepares for their inaugural season.
Grant's final postseason run added another chapter to an already historic career. During UCLA's journey to the Women's College World Series, she became just the 10th player in NCAA softball history to reach 90 career home runs before finishing her collegiate career with 91, setting a new UCLA program record.
The Bruins' season came to an end on May 31 with a devastating 8-7 extra-inning loss to Texas Tech in the Women's College World Series, bringing their final season record to 53-10.
Although UCLA fell short of a national championship, Grant's legacy will extend far beyond the final score. As a record-breaking slugger, national champion basketball player, and one of the most accomplished two-sport athletes in recent college sports history, she leaves UCLA as one of the defining athletes of her generation. With professional softball awaiting, the next chapter of her career is only beginning.
Edited by: Kelly Cassette