Mara Rudolph, Assistant Athletic Communications Director – Athletic Communications
BERKELEY – With the softball season just a few weeks away, the California softball program has finalized three additions to its 2014 roster, head coach Diane Ninemire announced Wednesday. Taylor Garcia (San Pedro, Calif.), Marissa Iwanylo (Henderson, Nev.) and Stephanie Trzcinski (Adelaide, South Australia) round out Cal’s latest squad.
Trzcinski joins the Bears from down under as the second international student on the Cal roster (joining Britt Vonk). The Aussie pitcher has played with the U19 Australian National Squad since 2009, as well as club ball for the Glenelg Rebels. She received the Australian Best Pitcher Award in 2012 with her U17 team and 2013 with her U19 team, and was also Women’s League Rookie of the Year in 2010 and a Women’s League Team of the Year utility player selection in 2013.
A third baseman and shortstop for her high school squad, Iwanylo claimed the Green Valley Female Athlete of the Year and Las Vegas Athletic Club Athlete of the Year honors as a senior. She spent several years playing club ball for the Las Vegas Blast, competing in 12U and 14U All-Star competition. Iwanylo was also a three-year varsity basketball player and won a state championship with her varsity golf team. Outside of athletics, she also participated in Green Valley’s International Baccalaureate Honor Society and Spanish Honors Club, plus volunteered with organizations such as Special Olympics and the Ironman Triathlon.
Garcia hails from San Pedro High School, where she helped lead the Pirates to the Marine League title in 2009, 2010 and 2011. She was named to the All-Marine-League second team as a junior and was also a Rotary Club and National Society of High School Scholars Member. Garcia attended 12U, 14U and 16U Nationals with her California Cruisers club team, claiming third at 16U Nationals in 2010.
The three additions bring Ninemire’s roster total to 21 as the Bears seek to fill gaps left by last year’s departing seniors and standouts Jolene Henderson and Lindsey Ziegenhirt, as well as Khala
Taylor and Taylor Lee. Also joining Cal in the offseason were freshmen Alleah Laxamana, Kylie Reed, Taylor Cotton and Katie Sutherland-Finch.
The 2014 California softball squad debuts against New Mexico on Friday, Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. Click here for a complete look at Cal’s 2014 schedule.
