Check out a breakdown of the UCLA sports stories you might have missed this week.
USA Softball teams loaded with Bruins
UCLA softball capped off its season in the Women’s College World Series, but many current and former players will compete with USA Softball this summer.
Recent graduates Mysha Sataraka and Allexis Bennett will play with the Women’s Elite Team under the tutelage of two former Bruins – coach Tairia Flowers and assistant coach Gina Vecchione.
Rising junior catcher Madeline Jelenicki and incoming freshman Madilyn Nickles also made the roster and will participate in the training camp in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, from June 12-16.
Teammates Delaney Spaulding and Paige Halstead will both be in Oklahoma City but as members of the USA Women’s National Team. Joining the senior infielder and the sophomore catcher/outfielder will be alum and former Pac-12 Player of the Year, pitcher Ally Carda.
After training camp, the national team will face Japan in an All-Star Series before heading to Canada for the World Baseball Softball Confederation Women’s World Championship from July 15-24.
UCLA volleyball alum qualifies for Olympics
Women’s volleyball alum Lauren Fendrick will compete in the 2016 Olympics as part of the U.S. Olympic beach volleyball contingency as announced Sunday by USA Volleyball.
Fendrick and partner Brooke Sweat are the No.15-seed in Rio and the second-ranked American team behind 2012 Olympic silver medalist April Ross and three-time defending gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings.
As a member of the Bruins’ indoor volleyball team, Fendrick registered over 1,100 kills and digs from 1999 to 2002. The outside hitter finished her career 18th in kills, 13th in aces and 12th in digs in UCLA’s program history. She was an All-American in 2002 and a three-time All-Pac-10 Honorable mention selection before turning professional in 2003.
Fendrick, who was an alternate in the 2012 London Olympics, becomes UCLA’s nation-leading 15th beach volleyball Olympian alongside current coaches Stein Metzger and Jenny Johnson Jordan.
UCLA golfers wrap up Curtis Cup play
Teammates teed off against each other in the 2016 Curtis Cup, an international women’s amateur golf competition where eight U.S. players team up and face eight players representing Great Britain and Ireland over a three-day event .”
Rising sophomore Bethany Wu and incoming freshman Mariel Galdiano represented the U.S. while teammate and PING WGCA Player of the year Bronte Law played for Great Britain and Ireland.
Law went 5-0 over the event, the first player to go perfect in Curtis Cup play since 2008. The ANNIKA Award winner clinched the 11.5-8.5 win for her team after coming back from a two-down deficit on the 17th and 18th holes.
Wu went 1-3 in Curtis Cup play but secured the U.S. a point Saturday afternoon teaming with Hannah O’Sullivan to record a one-up win over Great Britain and Ireland.
In her first Curtis Cup, Galdiano finished 2-2 with wins Friday and Sunday.
All-American joins UCLA women’s basketball team
Coming off a Sweet-16 finish and their best season since 1998, UCLA women’s basketball adds All-American guard Lindsey Corsaro to a talent-loaded roster.
“Lindsey Corsaro is a phenomenal student-athlete, a versatile guard and a high-impact level player,” Close said in a press release. “She comes from a tremendous family, and we’re excited to have her join our Bruin family.”
Corsaro, who averaged 25.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.8 steals per game as a high school senior, initially committed to Kentucky before decommitting from the Wildcats in April.
The five-star recruit and No. 8 guard in the country chose the Bruins over perennial powerhouses Baylor and Tennessee. With the graduation of All-Pac-12 player Nirra Fields, Corsaro has an opportunity to challenge for a spot in the starting line-up.
“She has great vision as a guard and has a great attack mentality.” Close added. “She is long and can shoot the three but attack the basket and is a good passer. The bottom line is, she is a tremendous get for our program and the UCLA community.”
Email Dam at tdam@dailybruin.com or tweet @tueydam.