Brittany Cervantes

American softball player and coach
Brittany Cervantes
Personal information
Born (1990-07-03) July 3, 1990 (age 33)
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Sport
CountryMexico
SportSoftball
PositionCatcher

Brittany Marya Cervantes (born July 3, 1990) is an American softball catcher and coach of Mexican descent, and is currently the director of softball operations for Kentucky. She represented Mexico at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[1]

Early life

Cervantes attended high school at Chaminade College Preparatory School in Chatsworth, Los Angeles. She helped lead her school to two consecutive C.I.F championships.[2]

College career

Cervantes played college softball at Kentucky. In 2011, she hit 15 home runs, the second most homers in a season at Kentucky and scored 55 runs, the most in single-season history. The Wildcats reached the Super Regionals in the 2011 NCAA Division I softball tournament for the first time in program history. In 2012, she batted a team best .357 with 11 home runs and 23 RBI. She ranked among the top in the SEC with batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, RBI, home runs and walks, and led the league in total bases. Following the season she was named to the All-SEC First Team and SEC All-Defensive Team. During her college career at Kentucky, she was the only player in program history to hit 10 or more homers in each of her four seasons. She also set single-season school records with 55 runs scored and 48 walks in 2011.[2]

Professional career

On June 2, 2012, Cervantes signed with the Chicago Bandits following open tryouts. She played with the Bandits for five seasons, and won two consecutive the Cowles Cup championships with the team in 2015 and 2016. She was named the NPF Offensive Player of the Year in 2015, where she hit .358 on the season and led the league in both slugging and on base percentage. In addition, she recorded 26 runs, nine home runs, 71 total bases, 30 walks and 23 RBI.[3][4] During the 2016 NPF Championship, she batted over .500 in the playoffs with three homers and six RBI, and recorded a hit in all six games of the playoffs. She was subsequently named tournament MVP.[5]

On January 27, 2016, she signed a one-year contract extension with the Bandits.[6] On January 27, 2017, Cervantes was traded to the Scrap Yard Dawgs.[7] She helped the Scrap Yard Dawgs win their first Cowles Cup in franchise history, and her third consecutive championship.[8] In 2019 she played for USSSA Pride where she won her fourth NPF championship.[9]

Coaching career

In 2013, she served as volunteer assistant coach at Kentucky. She then served as assistant coach for Loyola University Chicago.[10] In 2019 she was named director of softball operations at Kentucky.[11][12]

International career

She participated at the 2018 Women's Softball World Championship. She represented Mexico at the 2020 Summer Olympics and placed fourth in the tournament.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Mexican Softball Federation | Team Mexico". softbolmx.com. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "AL - Alumni Hall of Fame, Cervantes - Chaminade College Preparatory". nc.chaminade.org. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  3. ^ "NPF Kicks Off Championship Series With Annual Awards Banquet". profastpitch.com. August 13, 2015. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ "Brittany Cervantes - Softball Coach". ukathletics.com. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  5. ^ "Bandits win second straight Cowles Cup; Cervantes named MVP". NFCA.org. August 24, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  6. ^ "Brittany Cervantes Re-Signs With Chicago Bandits". ukathletics.com. January 27, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  7. ^ Sievers, Chez (January 28, 2017). "Scrap Yard Dawgs Trade For Bandits Taylor Edwards & Brittany Cervantes". flosoftball.com. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  8. ^ "Scrap Yard Dawgs Claim First Cowles Cup". profastpitch.com. August 20, 2017. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ Schultz, Scott (August 18, 2019). "USSSA Pride Sweep Chicago Bandits To Win The Cowles Cup". flosoftball.com. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  10. ^ "Brittany Cervantes - Softball Coach". Loyola University Chicago Athletics. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Steinmetz, Phillip. "Brittany Cervantes, UK's director of softball, ready to represent Mexico in Tokyo Olympics". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  12. ^ "Brittany Cervantes - Softball Coach". ukathletics.com. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  • v
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  • e
Chicago Bandits 2015 National Pro Fastpitch Champions
2 Tammy Williams
4 Tatum Edwards
7 Danielle Zymkowitz
8 Kailee Cuico
9 Sara Moulton
10 Sammy Marshall
12 Amber Patton
13 Lacey Waldrop
14 Monica Abbott
16 Natalie Hernandez
17 Branndi Melero
18 Kirsten Verdun
20 AJ Andrews
21 Megan Blank
22 Brittany Cervantes
23 RT Cantillo
24 Emily Allard
25 Taylor Edwards
32 Michelle Gascoigne
33 Kelsi Jones
44 Vicky Galasso
55 Brenna Moss
Alex Booker
Head Coach Mike Steuerwald
Assistant Coaches Roman Foore
Regular season
  • v
  • t
  • e
Chicago Bandits 2016 National Pro Fastpitch Champions
00 Andrea Filler
1 Shelby Turnier
4 Tatum Edwards
7 Danielle Zymkowitz
8 Angel Bunner
9 Sara Moulton
10 Sammy Marshall
11 Allie Bauch
13 Lacey Waldrop
15 Emily Carosone
16 Natalie Hernandez
17 Jill Barrett
20 Morgan Foley
21 Megan Blank
22 Brittany Cervantes
23 Kelsey Dotson
25 Taylor Edwards
32 Michelle Gascoigne
33 Alaynie Page
44 Kristen Brown
47 Amanda Kamekona
55 Brenna Moss
77 Kellsi Kloss
11 Samantha McClosky
24 Emily Allard
Head Coach Mike Steuerwald
Assistant Coach Roman Foore
Regular season
  • v
  • t
  • e
Scrap Yard Dawgs 2017 National Pro Fastpitch Champions
1 Hannah Flippen
4 Olivia Watkins
6 Kiki Stokes
8 Rachel Fox
9 Kayla Winkfield
11 Ali Aguilar
13 Meagan May-Whitley
14 Monica Abbott
15 Nerissa Myers
17 Anissa Urtez
18 Britt Vonk
20 Morgan Foley
21 Morgan Melloh
22 Brittany Cervantes
23 Christian Stokes
25 Taylor Edwards
28 Morgan Zerkle
31 Kasey Cooper
34 Katiyana Mauga
36 Emilee Koerner
43 Allexis Bennett
44 Brianna Cherry
47 Amanda Kamekona
49 Miranda Kramer
77 Cheridan Hawkins
99 MJ Knighten
2 Amanda Fama
11 Sara Plourde
12 Christi Orgeron
35 Alisa Goler
53 Jade Rhodes
Head Coach Gerry Glasco
Assistant Coaches Jimmy Kolaitis, Joe Guthrie
Regular season
  • v
  • t
  • e
USSSA Pride 2019 National Pro Fastpitch Champions
2 Shelby Pendley
4 Keeli Milligan
6 Raegan Rogers
10 Keilani Ricketts
11 Alex Powers
12 Kelly Kretschman
13 Megan Good
14 Alexa Peterson
15 Emily Carosone
16 Jessica Burroughs
17 Shay Knighten
18 Jailyn Ford
22 Sydney Romero
23 Nicole DeWitt
24 Kirsti Merritt
25 Megan Wiggins
27 Bianka Bell
28 Amanda Lorenz
30 Jessie Warren
32 Sierra Romero
36 Brittany Cervantes
40 Taran Alvelo
48 Allexis Bennett
54 Jolene Henderson
77 Chelsea Goodacre
Head Coach Gerry Glasco
Assistant Coaches Kelsi Dunne, Stephanie Cee
Regular season