UCLA softball's Megan Grant ties 31-year-old NCAA single-season home run record
The feat occurred during the Big Ten tournament semifinals against Wisconsin, surpassing the efficiency of the original record holder.
UCLA senior Megan Grant has matched the NCAA Division I single-season home run record, hitting her 37th homer of the 2026 campaign. The milestone was achieved in the bottom of the second inning against Wisconsin during the Big Ten tournament semifinals, effectively tying the mark originally set by Laura Espinoza while playing for Arizona in 1995.
While the headline statistic remains identical to the 1995 benchmark, the efficiency required to reach it has shifted significantly. Grant accomplished the tally in just 54 games, a notable improvement over the 72 games Espinoza required to accumulate the same number of home runs during her historic season.
The competition for the record was fierce throughout the 2026 campaign, with Oklahoma's Kendall Wells serving as the primary challenger. Wells finished the season with 36 home runs, falling just one short of the record and leaving the Sooners unable to surpass the mark set by Grant and Espinoza.
The achievement underscores the evolving nature of offensive production in collegiate softball over the last three decades. By matching a record that has stood for 31 years, Grant has joined a rare group of athletes to hold the distinction of the NCAA single-season home run record alongside Espinoza.
The report from Yahoo Sports confirms that the 37th home run came in a decisive moment during the tournament, highlighting the senior's consistent performance throughout the year. This statistical parity between two different eras of the sport illustrates the sustained high level of power hitting required to dominate at the Division I level.
