Softball Signs Transfer RHP/DP Sona Halajian from Cal

ORLANDO – The UCF softball team has secured its third transfer signing of the offseason, adding fifth-year graduate student right-handed pitcher and designated player Sona Halajian from the California Golden Bears.

Halajian represents the Knights’ second addition of the offseason from Cal, after assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Becca Mueller also joined the ranks of the UCF coaching staff this month following three seasons with the Golden Bears.

“As a fifth-year graduate student, I was looking for a home that had the right support and environment to give me an opportunity to compete and leave everything on the field in my final year,” Halajian said.

In three seasons at Cal, Halajian compiled a 4.18 ERA in 303 innings of work spanning 73 appearances, including 42 starts. She boasts 204 career strikeouts, including 119 during her redshirt sophomore 2022 campaign that saw her tabbed as a Second Team All-Pac-12 selection.

At the plate in 120 career games, including 106 starts, she brings to Orlando a .292/.387/.553 (86-for-295) line, accompanied by a .940 OPS, 11 doubles and 22 home runs. On the offensive side of the ball in 2022, she slashed .350/.429/.637 (55-for-157) in 55 games, adding 100 total bases, 13 home runs and 43 RBI.

Her 18 wins in the circle in 2022 were good for fifth-most in the Pac-12, and she ranked among team offensive leaders in home runs (T-1st), slugging (2nd), OPS (1.066, 2nd) and average (3rd).

“I chose UCF because I am confident that this coaching staff will take my game to the next level,” Halajian continued, “and I’m extremely excited and grateful to get to work under such an outstanding group and with such talented fellow athletes.”

She appeared in 34 games offensively for the Golden Bears in 2023, including 25 starts, hitting .228/.299/.494 (18-for-79) with nine extra-base hits and 14 RBI. In the circle, she collected 40 strikeouts in 65 innings of work spanning 19 appearances (five starts).

Halajian was also the lone pitcher of the four Golden Bears arms who saw action against No. 1 Oklahoma during the NCAA Normal Regional May 21 to hold the eventual-National Champion Sooners scoreless, allowing only two hits in 1.2 spotless innings of work. She also came through with a two-run single in the third inning, driving in two of Cal's three runs in the contest.

Her abilities on both sides of the ball were attractive qualities that impressed upon head coach Cindy Ball-Malone’s staff, and the Knights plan for Halajian to continue to be a contributor both in the circle and at the plate throughout the upcoming 2024 spring slate.

“In the circle, Sona brings a ton of passion to the game, and she brings velo there as well. She throws upper 60s when she’s at her best, and anyone can benefit from that,” Mueller said. “At the plate, she’s ridiculously strong; she’s hit balls harder than I have ever seen anyone hit balls. One of the biggest pulls to her was that she is a two-way player, that she’s a very big offensive threat but also that she can throw gas in the circle.”

The addition of Halajian pushes the Knights’ total of newcomers ahead of the upcoming 2024 season to 10, after left-hander Ava Justman and infielder Stormy Kotzelnick also signed with the program as transfers from Wisconsin and Louisiana, respectively. The trio will join incoming freshmen Samantha Delhoyo, Sierra Humphreys, Taylor Kittleman, Alexis Morgan, Samantha Rey, Kiley Strott and Isabella Vega on UCF’s 2024 squad.