ORLANDO – As announced by D1Softball.com Wednesday morning, right-handed pitcher Yessenia Lopez and infielder Coco Jaimes were tabbed to the publication’s D100 Freshman Watch List ahead of the 2025 spring campaign.
Lopez, fresh off her contributions to the Puerto Rico national team’s silver medal-winning effort at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, garnered the No. 35 overall ranking in the national 2024-25 freshman class according to Extra Inning Softball.
The right-hander played nine years in travel and club softball with Florida Gold Lopez/Santana entering her time with UCF as well, in addition to her international exploits with team Puerto Rico.
“Yessenia is a power pitcher known for her commanding presence and infectious smile that lights up the field,” head coach Cindy Ball-Malone said of Lopez. “She has solidified her position as the ace pitcher for both her high school and club teams, and with her addition to our program, we anticipate maintaining our storied tradition of outstanding pitching.”
Jaimes, meanwhile, begins her collegiate tenure on the heels of four years spent as a varsity captain at Riverside Poly High School in Riverside, California, where she earned First Team All-League selections in three straight seasons from 2021-23, as well as two Golden Glove awards in 2021 and 2023.
With the Corona Angels, Jaimes and her team earned a top-eight finish at the Alliance National Championship in 2023, and she also played her way to three straight Ivy League Championships from 2021-23 with Riverside Poly as well.
“Coco is a true leader both on and off the field,” Ball-Malone said of Jaimes. “She’s known for her exceptional work ethic and a straightforward approach to getting things done. She has embodied our team’s core values from the moment she committed, demonstrating a strong belief in herself and her teammates, and her competitive spirit shines through in every play or practice session she’s involved in.”
UP NEXT
Lopez, Jaimes and the 2024-25 Knights are set for their annual season-opening Black & Gold Classic at the UCF Softball Complex Feb. 6-9, during which they will square off against Georgia, CSU Bakersfield, NC State, James Madison and Illinois. All games will be streamed on ESPN+.
FOLLOW THE KNIGHTS
Follow UCF softball on X (@UCF_Softball), Instagram (@UCF.Softball) and Facebook (/UCFSoftball).
GET THE APP
Never miss any UCF Knights news from your favorite teams by downloading the free UCF Knights app right to your iOS or Android devices. The app provides personalized information for men’s and women’s teams, scores, schedules, loyalty programs and breaking news. Click here to download the app now.