Jessica Mendoza

For the British equestrian, see Jessica Mendoza (equestrian).
Jessica Mendoza
Personal information
Full name Jessica Ofelia Mendoza
Nationality American
Born (1980-11-11) November 11, 1980
Camarillo, California, United States
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Spouse(s) Adam Burks
Sport
Country USA
Sport Softball
Position Outfielder
College team Stanford University
Medal record
Women's softball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
2004 Athens Team competition
2008 Beijing Team competition

Jessica Ofelia Mendoza (born November 11, 1980) is an American former softball player and current broadcaster. At Stanford University, Mendoza was a four-time First Team All-American for the Stanford Cardinal from 1999 to 2002, as well as a member of the United States women's national softball team from 2004 to 2010. She played professionally in National Pro Fastpitch. Mendoza owns numerous Cardinal records.[1][2][3] She is currently a member of the broadcast team for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball.[4]

High school

Mendoza, a graduate of Adolfo Camarillo High School, was named the Los Angeles Times "Player of the Year" in 1998. During her junior and senior years, she was named Camarillo High School "Female Athlete of the Year." Mendoza was also a member of the high school basketball team and was the team MVP in both her junior and senior years.[5]

Stanford Cardinal

Mendoza began her career as a 1999 First Team All-American and All-Pac-10 honoree. Included with her recognition, she was named conference "Newcomer of The Year." She broke the Cardinal records for season batting average and RBI totals while ranking top-10 for her hits.[5]

On March 6, 1999 in defeating Illinois State, Mendoza hit a single game career high 4 hits off pitchers Corey Harris, Tammy Millian and Jamie Bagnall.[6] Later that month, for the week of March 8, she was named National Fastpitch Coaches Association "Player of The Week" after hitting .631 (12/19) with 11 RBIs, 4 home runs, a triple and two doubles for a slugging percentage of 1.473.[7]

The sophomore's season saw her again earn First Team citations for the NCAA Division I and the Pac-10.[8] She added conference "Player of The Year" to her collection and broke her own record for batting average with a then school and career best .474 statistic, which also led the NCAA.[9] She also claimed new records for hits, home runs, doubles, slugging and stolen bases, which all still rank top-10 for a season at Stanford.[10]

From February 29 through March 22, 2000, Mendoza went on a school record 19 consecutive game hit streak. She batted .561 (32/57) to accompany 15 RBIs, 4 home runs, doubles and base on balls, striking out just once with a slugging of .842.

Mendoza continued her success for the Cardinals with her third All-American and All-Pac-10 citations.[11] She posted top-10 season records in virtually every category, still currently ranking second in home runs and stolen bases.[10]

For the March 14 week, she earned NFCA "Player of The Week" recognition for her performance of .461 (12/26) with 4 RBIs, three home runs, a double, three walks and a .846 slugging.[5]

Mendoza helped lead Stanford to their first ever Women's College World Series appearance. The Cardinals were ousted on May 27 by the Arizona Wildcats despite wins over California Golden Bears and LSU Tigers.[12] The outfielder, however, was named to the All-Tournament Team for hitting .250 with an RBI and a double to her credit. It was her only appearance at the series.

For a final season, Mendoza earned First Team citations for both conference and the NCAA.[13] With her fourth straight honor from the NCAA, Mendoza joined elite company as only the fifth player to accomplish the feat then. That year she also tied her home run record and ranked top-10 in almost every other category.[10]

The week of March 4, she was named NFCA's "Player of The Week" for a third time. She had hit .647 (11/17) with a home run, 5 doubles and 1.117 slugging. Later that season on May 8 with a 10–2 victory over the San Jose State Spartans, Mendoza drove in a career best 6 RBIs, 4 coming off her 50th career home run swing with Carol Forbes pitching.[14]

In her four years Mendoza currently holds the career records in average, hits, home runs, slugging, runs and stolen bases. Her career doubles (ranked 5th in the NCAA all-time), triples, RBIs and walks are still top-10 records.[15] She was named the Stanford Athlete of the Year three times.[16] She was also named Pac-10 Player of the Week three times, a top 25 finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, and the Speedline Invitational Tournament MVP.[10] Mendoza graduated from Stanford with a Master’s Degree in Social Sciences and Education.[17]

Team USA

In 2004, Mendoza was a starting outfielder for Team USA at 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Prior to the tournament, Mendoza hit .380 on the "Aiming For Athens" tour with 42 RBIs and 10 home runs.[18] On August 14, Mendoza had two hits and two RBIs with a triple vs. Italy.[19] She repeated her performance on August 19 against host Greece, with a double in that game.[20] Team USA won the gold medal on August 23, though Mendoza was shut out by Australia.[21] Overall she went 5/20 (.250) scoring five times herself and hitting in 5 RBIs with a .400 slugging.

In 2008, Mendoza was again an outfielder for Team USA and led in almost every category on the "Bound 4 Beijing" Tour. She hit .495 with 107 RBIs and a .971 slugging.[22] At the Beijing Olympic Games, she drove in 4 RBIs vs. Chinese Taipei on August 14.[23] In the finale, Mendoza was again shut out and her team won the silver medal, losing to Japan on August 21.[24]

In addition, straight out of college, Mendoza went directly onto the US team. In 2003 and 2007, she was a gold medalist at the Pan American Games. She also won the silver medal at both the World Cup and Japan Cup. In 2006, Jessica was named the USA Softball "Female Athlete of the Year." She played for Team USA in the World Cup again in 2007, this time bringing home that gold medal. She went 11/18 with a double, three home runs, and 16 RBIs. Mendoza won the ISF Women's World Championship, hitting .500 with 5 home runs and 16 RBIs. In 2008, she was named to the Canada Cup All-Star Team. Mendoza declined an invitation to play for the US in 2011 to focus on National Pro Fastpitch.[25]

National Pro Fastpitch

Mendoza joined the National Pro Fastpitch in 2005 with the Arizona Heat. She hit a league best (though in limited playing time) .491 her rookie year.[26] After returning from maternity leave and a role with Team USA, Mendoza signed with the USSSA Pride.[27] In her two seasons with the Pride, Mendoza hit .284 and .377 respectively. The same two years her teams made the Cowles Cup Championship, winning the title in 2010. Mendoza was shut out vs. the Chicago Bandits's trio of Kristina Thorson, Nikki Nemitz, and Jessica Sallinger.[28] In the other finale, Mendoza was 2/4 with a double off Monica Abbott in a rematch with the Bandits who ultimately won 10–3 on August 21.[29][30] Once again Mendoza and the Pride made the Cowles Cup Championship but lost to the Chicago Bandits. Mendoza was shut out but walked twice.[31]

Broadcasting career

Mendoza works for ESPN and is currently a member of ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team.[4] She also is a color analyst during the Women's College World Series and is a sideline reporter for ESPNU.

On June 30, 2014, Mendoza began working as an analyst on ESPN's Baseball Tonight. She appears on the Monday editions of the show.[32]

On June 16, 2015, Mendoza became the first female broadcaster in the booth for ESPN's College World Series coverage with Karl Ravech and Kyle Peterson.[33] On August 24, Mendoza was the first female analyst for a Major League Baseball game in the history of ESPN, during a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Arizona Diamondbacks.[34] Six days later, Mendoza filled in for suspended color commentator Curt Schilling for the Cubs-Dodgers game on Sunday Night Baseball. Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta pitched a no-hitter in the game. John Kruk, Dan Shulman and Mendoza called the 2015 American League Wild Card Game on October 6, and Mendoza became the first female analyst in MLB postseason history.[35][36] On January 13, 2016, ESPN announced that Mendoza would join the Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team full-time.[4]

Personal

A daughter of Karen and Gil Mendoza, Jessica has one brother, Walt, and two sisters, Elena and Alana. Her father played football for 4 years for Fresno State University. Mendoza is married to Adam Burks and they have two sons named Caleb Ashton and Caden Adam.

Mendoza is the Women's Sports Foundation President. She is an athletic ambassador for Team Darfur and board member of the National Education Association.[37]

Statistics

Stanford Cardinal

YEAR G AB R H BA RBI HR 3B 2B TB SLG BB SO SB SBA
1999 62 195 38 81 .415 57 9 2 13 125 .641 12 22 6 8
2000 63 198 57 94 .474 41 13 1 20 155 .783 15 13 20 25
2001 71 205 70 83 .405 46 14 3 20 151 .736 32 23 31 35
2002 63 188 65 69 .367 44 14 3 17 134 .713 31 22 29 31
TOTALS 259 786 230 327 .416 188 50 9 70 565 .719 90 80 86 99

Team USA

YEAR AB R H BA RBI HR 3B 2B TB SLG BB SO SB SBA
2004 149 49 54 .362 47 10 7 8 106 .711 11 25 5 6
2008 230 99 110 .478 116 25 5 27 222 .965 26 26 8 10
TOTALS 379 148 164 .432 163 35 12 35 328 .865 37 51 13 16

NPF Arizona Heat & USSSA Pride

YEAR AB R H BA RBI HR 3B 2B TB SLG BB SO SB
2005 59 23 29 .491 28 8 0 5 58 .983 11 4 10
2010 130 22 37 .284 28 7 1 8 68 .523 14 38 4
2011 130 39 49 .377 35 10 1 5 86 .661 17 26 11
2012 95 30 32 .337 39 9 2 2 65 .684 15 27 9
TOTALS 414 114 147 .355 130 34 4 20 277 .669 57 95 34

See also

References

  1. ↑ Melissa Hoppert (August 3, 2008). "Athlete Bio – Jessica Mendoza". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
  2. ↑ Nike Media
  3. ↑ Philly Archived June 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  4. 1 2 3 "Jessica Mendoza, Aaron Boone join 'Sunday Night Baseball' broadcast". ESPN.com news services. January 13, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 "Jessica Mendoza". Stanford Athletics. Archived from the original on June 9, 2003. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Stanford vs Illinois State: March 6, 1999 Box Score". Stanford University. Archived from the original on March 6, 2001. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Jessica Mendoza Named National Player of the Week". Stanford University. Archived from the original on February 26, 2000. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  8. ↑ "News – National Fastpitch Coaches Association". nfca.org. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  9. ↑ http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/Softball%20Archived%20Stats/2000/D1.txt
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Stanford Softball Player Career Records". Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  11. ↑ "News – National Fastpitch Coaches Association". nfca.org. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  12. ↑ http://web1.ncaa.org/ncaa/event.do?championship=400026&division=400026400012&event=401043
  13. ↑ "News – National Fastpitch Coaches Association". nfca.org. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  14. ↑ "No. 8 Softball Earns Doubleheader Split Against San Jose State". Stanford Athletics. May 8, 2002. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  15. ↑ http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/SB_Records/2012/DivI.pdf
  16. ↑ "USA Softball – Features, Events, Results – Team USA". Team USA. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  17. ↑ "USA Softball – Features, Events, Results – Team USA". Team USA. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  18. ↑ "USA Softball – Features, Events, Results – Team USA". Team USA. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  19. ↑ "USA Softball – Features, Events, Results – Team USA". Team USA. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  20. ↑ "USA Softball – Features, Events, Results – Team USA". Team USA. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  21. ↑ "USA Softball – Features, Events, Results – Team USA". Team USA. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  22. ↑ "USA Softball – Features, Events, Results – Team USA" (PDF). Team USA. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  23. ↑ "USA Softball – Features, Events, Results – Team USA". Team USA. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  24. ↑ "USA Softball – Features, Events, Results – Team USA". Team USA. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Softball stars not playing for US team". Archived from the original on January 17, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  26. ↑ "National Pro Fastpitch: Season Archives". profastpitch.com. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  27. ↑ "National Pro Fastpitch: NPF News". profastpitch.com. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  28. ↑ "profastpitch.com: Statistics". pointstreak.com. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  29. ↑ "profastpitch.com: Statistics". pointstreak.com. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  30. ↑ "championship.profastpitch.com: News". profastpitch.com. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  31. ↑ "profastpitch.com: Statistics". pointstreak.com. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  32. ↑ "MLB Media Notes: ESPN's Jessica Mendoza Expanding Role To "Baseball Tonight"". Street & Smith's Sports Business Daily. April 1, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Louisville Slugger on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Jessica Mendoza becomes first woman to fill analyst role for MLB game on ESPN". Yahoo Sports. August 25, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  35. ↑ Miller, Doug (October 6, 2015). "Mendoza makes TV history in AL Wild Card". MLB.com. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  36. ↑ "ESPN's Jessica Mendoza On Being The First Woman To Call A MLB Playoff Game". NPR.org. 15 October 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-16.
  37. ↑ "404 – Women's Sports Foundation". Women's Sports Foundation. Archived from the original on December 23, 2010. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
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