Megan Grant has officially become college softball’s single-season home run leader. 
In the third inning against Nebraska, the UCLA senior blasted a pitch over the center field wall, marking her 38th home run of the 2026 season. That swing broke the previous record of 37 set by former Arizona standout Laura Espinoza in 1995, a mark that had stood for 31 years.
“Records are made to be broken,” said Mike Candrea, Arizona’s legendary softball coach who led the program during Espinoza’s tenure. “It’s a pretty phenomenal record to be able to break, so tip my hat off.”
While much of the attention had focused on Oklahoma freshman catcher Kendall Wells’ chase for the record, Grant steadily climbed closer before surpassing Wells as the nation’s home run leader. She tied Espinoza’s mark on May 8 against Wisconsin in the semifinals of the Big Ten conference tournament, then moved ahead a day later. That home run, combined with another from Kaniya Bragg against the Badgers, also helped UCLA surpass Oklahoma as the all-time team leader for home runs in a single season, reaching 180 and counting.
Grant had tied Wells a day earlier in the quarterfinals, while Wells saw her longest homerless streak of the season—five games—extended in Oklahoma’s upset loss to Georgia in the SEC tournament on May 7.
During a doubleheader against in-state rival California on April 18, Grant—nicknamed “Chef Megan” by teammates for her prowess at the plate—tied UCLA’s single-season home run record with her 31st of the year, set by Stacey Nuveman. That round-tripper, the 80th of her college career, also made Grant only the second Bruin to reach that milestone. She then became UCLA’s single-season leader with her 32nd homer against Washington on April 24.
Grant and fellow senior Jordan Woolery have become the first teammates in NCAA softball history to each hit 30 or more home runs in the same season. Both players, along with teammate Taylor Tinsley, received Golden Tickets after that historic day on April 18, and they will continue their softball careers in the AUSL this summer.
As UCLA aims to return to the Women’s College World Series at the end of May, Grant leads an offense that, like Oklahoma, broke the NCAA team single-season home run record (previously 161 since 2021). The Bruins are seeking their first title since 2019, which would be the 13th in program history, and Grant could earn her second championship ring of the year after winning one as a member of UCLA’s women’s basketball team.
