Well, that didn’t take long. A day after tying the Division I single-season home run record, UCLA Bruins star Megan Grant now stands alone after connecting for her 38th home run of the season in the Big Ten tournament championship game on Saturday.
Grant’s home run on Saturday was no cheapy either, as she set the record with an absolute bomb. The historic season just keeps chugging along for Grant, whose 2026 power season now stands alone. The historic home run was a bright spot for an otherwise disappointing showing for UCLA, falling to 7-2 Nebraska with the conference title on the line.
Saturday’s loss won’t define the amazing season for Grant, who’s now batting .475 on the season. Grant has been a star for her entire UCLA career but this gives her a significant record to put on her resume, surpassing Arizona star Laura Espinoza who slugged 37 home runs in 1995.
It’s even more impressive while considering how many fewer at bats Grant needed to pass Espinoza, with Espinoza playing in 72 games back in 1995, while Grant surpassed her record in just her first 55 games of the season.
Now the question is, how far can Grant set the new record? With the NCAA tournament looming, the senior slugger has a chance to create some separation from Espinoza’s mark.
Grant has transcended from softball star to just a flat out star for UCLA, with Grant appearing on SportsCenter following her record-tying home run on Friday. In addition to her softball heroics, Grant was a fan favorite while playing for the Bruins women’s basketball team, with the team going onto win the program’s first-ever NCAA championship.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Megan Grant stands alone: UCLA star set news single-season HR record
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
