‘Her last ride’: Maya Brady leads UCLA into Women’s College World Series

Maya Brady has hit the second-most home runs in UCLA softball history. Observations and a little science can explain why:

She’s strong, athletic and has great hands, according to coach Kelly Inouye-Perez, but it’s her core that allows her to create the rotational momentum to constantly – and seemingly effortlessly – send softballs rocketing over the fence.

“She works from the ground up and that allows for her to be very, very easy,” Inouye-Perez said. “A lot of other people work backward and they try to really get the barrel going and swing as hard as they can and that doesn’t allow for the same power output.”

The redshirt senior, initially known more for being the niece of seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady, has more than made a name for herself as she embraces one last chance to take the Bruins on a deep run in the Women’s College World Series, which starts Thursday in Oklahoma City.

“Representing the four letters on that stage is just so different than anything else,” said Brady, who recently won her second consecutive Pac-12 Player of the Year award after leading the Bruins with a .431 batting average, .515 on-base percentage, 58 runs, 69 hits and 68 RBI.

“You commit to a school and you play there for four or five years, and the loyalties that you have to that specific program – I don’t know if I’ll ever put on another jersey that will mean as much to me as wearing UCLA.”

The former Oaks Christian High star arrived as an infielder in 2020 after UCLA had captured its 12th NCAA championship.

The 5-foot-10 Brady was moved to the outfield in 2022 but gradually settled back into the infield, where she’s currently at shortstop. Inouye-Perez wanted as much experience as possible around underclassman pitchers Taylor Tinsley and Kaitlyn Terry this season.

Catcher Sharlize Palacios is their emotional rock – Brady’s fellow D1 Softball All-American first-teamer has hit seven of her team-high 20 homers in the past seven games. Not lost are Brady’s motivational words and playmaking ability at shortstop, which help the young pitchers settle in.

“Knowing that she’s there right behind me is definitely a sense of comfort,” Tinsley said. “I know she’s always going to have my back and I always have hers. I’m going all out for her every single day. This is her last ride, but even if it wasn’t, I’m still there for her no matter what.”

Brady has also helped alleviate pressure as the leadoff hitter. She hit two home runs in UCLA’s Super Regional-opening win over Georgia to give her 17 on the season and 71 for her five-year career. She also ranks second in program history in runs batted in (246), trailing only Stacey Nuveman (99 HR and 299 RBI) in both categories.

What’s more, she is 11 for 16 (.688) over five NCAA Tournament games. But as Brady has moved up through the record book in her career and recognitions like USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Finalist and NFCA First Team All-American continue to pile up, a national championship continues to elude her.

“For me, the best part of the year is getting (to the WCWS),” said Brady, who turns 23 on Saturday. “Anything beyond that is icing on the cake. I truly believe to be able to win, the stars have to align. If we just go in there and play the way that we’ve played, stuff is going to take care of itself.”

UCLA (42-10) never made it to Oklahoma City last season when back-to-back losses to Grand Canyon and Liberty in the NCAA Regionals eliminated the second-seeded Bruins from WCWS contention. The shock forced UCLA to carry and eventually confront trauma but also presented Brady with an opportunity to rise and lead.

She embraced the weight of the responsibility and learned the difference between being a “cool” leader and a respected one. She made decisions for the team like when to take a day off from practice or when to wear shorts. She was in the ear of the underclassmen pitchers, carefully choosing the intensity of her words.