DAVIS, Calif. — Adding to a lengthy laundry list of honors and accolades already handed out in her name, UC Davis sophomore left-hander Brooke Yanez has added yet another for the 2019 season, selected by Softball America to its midseason Pitcher of the Year watch list on Thursday.

Along with Florida's Kelly Barnhill, who was the No. 1 pick in the recent National Pro Fastpitch College Draft, and Louisiana's Summer Ellyson, Yanez has been garnering national attention all season long as the Aggies hit the midway point of their Big West Conference schedule.

Already the owner of the program's first Division I perfect game (against Sacramento State on March 12) and the fourth no-hitter in the program's Division I history (against Cal Poly on April 14), Yanez is 20-3 overall with a 0.93 ERA, striking out 201 batters in only 143 innings, going the distance in 19 of her 25 appearances and posting seven shutouts.

The communication major from Ventura, Calif., holds top 10 national rankings in ERA (No. 3), strikeouts (No. 9), and victories (No. 10), while also standing No. 11 in strikeouts per seven innings (9.8), No. 12 in shutouts, and No. 20 in fewest hits allowed per seven innings (4.11).

Last year's Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year is also making the case for full-fledged pitcher of the year honors in only her second season, leading the conference in ERA, strikeouts, wins, and batting average against (.169), heading into this weekend's three-game set against UC Riverside, heading up a pitching staff, along with teammates Katie Kibby and Sara Cadona, that ranks No. 5 in the nation in team ERA (1.49) and No. 6 in shutouts (16).

At 20-3, Yanez is the program's first 20-game winner since 2012, tying Justine Vela for the most single-season wins in the school's Division I history, while her 201 strikeouts make her only the fourth pitcher since 2008 to post at least 200 strikeouts in a season and is just 25 shy of moving into fifth on the all-time single-season list.

Yanez and the Aggies open their series against the Highlanders begins on Friday (April 19) with a single game at 3 p.m., before closing out the weekend with a doubleheader on Saturday (April 20) at 11 a.m.

ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.

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Launched in 2017-18, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.