LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Following UCLA’s run to its 12thNCAA Division I national championship, head coach Kelly Inouye-Perez and her staff have been voted by their peers as the NFCA Division I National Coaching Staff of the Year, the Association announced Thursday afternoon.
Inouye-Perez, along with assistant coaches Lisa Fernandez and Kirk Walker, Volunteer Assistant Kylee Perez and Director of Operations Claire Donyanavard, guided the Bruins to 56-6 overall and 20-4 Pac-12 records, a Pac-12 co-regular season title and the second Women’s College World Series (WCWS) championship during Inouye-Perez’s tenure. UCLA enjoyed a 10-1 postseason mark and won its final eight contests, including five straight at the WCWS.
The undefeated WCWS run culminated with a Championship Series sweep of No. 1 overall seed Oklahoma. The Bruins defeated No. 7 Minnesota, No. 6 Arizona and No. 3 Washington before topping the Sooners by the scores of 16-3 and 5-4 with the title-clinching victory capped off by Kinsley Washington’s walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh. Washington’s single not only gave the Bruins their 12thchampionship, but Inouye-Perez her 600thcareer victory.
The 13-year head coaching veteran and 2019 Pac-12 Coaching of the Year has directed the UCLA program to a 600-172-1 record, five straight WCWS appearances, seven overall, two Pac-12 titles and a 66-25 postseason mark.
The Bruins were named the West Region Coaching Staff of the Year and were joined by the other regional honorees – – Oklahoma (Central), Minnesota (Great Lakes), Virginia Tech (Mid-Atlantic), Louisiana Tech (Mideast), Southeast Missouri State (Mideast), Oklahoma State (Midwest), James Madison (Northeast), Washington (Pacific), Alabama (South) and Florida (Southeast).
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