Anissa Urtez

Last updated
Anissa Urtez
Biographical details
Born (1995-01-18) January 18, 1995 (age 29)
Long Beach, California
Playing career
2014–2017 Utah
2017–2018 Scrap Yard Dawgs
2019 Cleveland Comets
2020–2021 Athletes Unlimited
2022 Toda Medics
Position(s) Infielder
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2019 Utah Valley (Asst.)

Anissa Urtez (born January 18, 1995) is an American professional softball player of Mexican descent. She played college softball for Utah. She represented Mexico at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Contents

Early life

Urtezz attended high school at Downey High School in Downey, California. During her junior year, she hit .577 with 36 runs scored, 44 RBIs, 10 home runs, 18 extra-base hits and a .990 slugging percentage. She was subsequently named San Gabriel Valley League (SGVL) MVP, first-team All San Gabriel Valley League, and Press-Telegram Player of the Year. During her senior year in 2012, she broke every Downey High School record. [1] [2]

College career

Urtez played college softball at Utah. During her freshman year in 2014, she batted for a .353 average and was second on the team with 18 extra-base hits, 10 doubles, three triples and six home runs. She finished second in the league with 149 assists at shortstop, and was named All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention, and Pac-12 All-Freshman Team. [3] During her sophomore year in 2015, she started all 55 games for the Utes at shortstop, where she led the Pac-12 with 12 sacrifice bunts, and ranked in the top ten in the Pac-12 with 106 assists. After the season she was named Honorable Mention Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. [4]

During her junior year in 2016, she posted a .380 average with 70 hits, 16 doubles, four home runs, 46 RBI. She led the conference in doubles, and assists (142), and ranked sixth in hits, and RBI. Following the season she was named First Team All Pac-12. [5] During her senior year in 2017, she posted a .410 average with eight doubles, two triples, two home runs, 52 RBI and 138 assists. She ranked fourth in the Pac-12 in batting average and RBI. Following the season she was named Second Team All Pac-12. [6] She finished her career ranking in the top-five in both doubles (42) and RBIs (161) in Utah history. [1]

Professional career

On July 9, 2017, Urtez signed with the Scrap Yard Dawgs. [7] [8] During her first season in 2017, she batted .231, while posting a .333 on-base percentage, a .308 slugging percentage, and .941 fielding percentage. [9] She helped the Scrap Yard Dawgs win their first Cowles Cup in franchise history. [10] During the 2019 season, she played for the Cleveland Comets where she hit .301 in 73 at-bats. [11]

Coaching career

Urtez served as assistant coach for Utah Valley softball team during the 2018–19 season. [9]

International career

Urtez represented Team Mexico at the 2017 World Cup of Softball, where she led the team in singles and runs scored. She represented Team Mexico at the 2018 International Cup, where she hit .313, and led the team in hits. She also posted a .500 slugging percentage, .899 OPS and did not commit an error among 25 chances. She represented Team Mexico at the 2020 Summer Olympics, where she hit the first home run in Mexican Olympic softball history in their second game against Japan. [12] [13]

Personal life

Urtez is openly lesbian and is engaged to American softball player Amanda Chidester. [14] [15]

Related Research Articles

Stacey "Nuvey" Nuveman-Deniz is an American, former professional softball player and current head coach at San Diego State. She played for the UCLA Bruins at the catcher position on-and-off from 1997 to 2002, winning a National Championship in 1999. She also won two Olympic gold medals and one silver medal for Team USA.

Jenny Louise Topping is an American, former collegiate four-time first team All-American, medal winning Olympian, retired professional All-Star softball player. Topping played college softball at Washington and Cal State Fullerton primarily as a catcher. She is best known for being a member of the United States women's national softball team at the 2004 Summer Olympics that won a gold medal. She also played professionally in the National Pro Fastpitch for the Akron Racers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natasha Watley</span> American softball player

Natasha Renee Watley is an American, former collegiate four-time first-team All-American, two-time medal winning Olympian, retired seven-time pro-All-Star softball player. Watley played college softball at UCLA, and helped the Bruins win a national championship. She represented the United States women's national softball team at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She won a gold medal, and again at the 2008 Summer Olympics, and won a silver medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caitlin Lowe</span> Softball player

Caitlin Faith Lowe-Nagy is the head coach of the Arizona Wildcats softball team. Lowe is a former collegiate four-time first team All-American and medal winning Olympian. She played college softball for Arizona and led her team in back-to-back Women's College World Series championships in 2006 and 2007. She won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Lowe played with National Pro Fastpitch's USSSA Pride for six seasons, winning three titles and being named 2012 Player of the Year, before officially retiring in 2015.

Kaitlin Elizabeth Cochran is an American, former collegiate four-time first team All-American, retired softball player. She attended Rosary High School and Arizona State University from 2006 to 2009, where she won the 2008 Women's College World Series title. Also with United States women's national softball team, she won four World Cup of Softball crowns. She holds various records for the Sun Devils in the Pac-12 Conference. She was drafted first overall in the National Pro Fastpitch but elected not to play. She is also one of nine NCAA Division I players to bat .400 with 200 RBIs, 50 home runs and an .800 slugging percentage for a career.

Amanda Marie Chidester is an American former professional softball player and current assistant coach for Michigan. She was named National Pro Fastpitch Player of the Year for the Chicago Bandits in 2019. She has been a member of the USA Softball Women's National Team on-and-off since 2012. She played college softball at Michigan from 2009 to 2012 and was named First Team All-Big Ten three of her seasons. She was twice selected as the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year and National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-American. Chidester represented Team USA at the 2020 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal. In 2021, Chidester played her second season in the Athletes Unlimited Softball league and placed second in individual points earned.

Janette Miiko "Janie" Takeda-Reed is an American, former collegiate All-American, medal-winning Olympian, professional softball outfielder. She played college softball at Oregon, where she earned three First Team All-Pac-12 honors. She also was named a First Team and Second Team All-American three of her four years. She is a member of the elite 300 hits, 200 runs, 100 stolen base club. Takeda-Reed since graduating competes for the Team USA softball team and competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Softball at the 2020 Summer Olympics</span> Olympic softball tournament

Softball made its debut at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, marking its return after being absent since the 2008 Summer Olympics. The tournament consisted of six teams. Baseball/softball was one of five sports added to the program of the 2020 Summer Olympics only. The first six opening round games were played at Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium in an effort to highlight Fukushima's recovery from the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, while the remaining games were played at Yokohama Stadium. Softball will not return in 2024.

Rachel Lauren Garcia is an American former softball pitcher. She most recently served as the pitching coach for UC San Diego. She played college softball for the UCLA Bruins and led the Bruins to the 2019 Women's College World Series championship, where she was named the Most Outstanding Player.

Dejah Monique Mulipola is an American professional softball catcher for the Oklahoma City Spark of Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF). She played college softball at Arizona from 2017 to 2021 where she was twice named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association First Team All-American. She has been a member of the United States women's national softball team since 2019 and helped them win a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics. She played in Athletes Unlimited Softball where she won the 2022 championship as the top individual points leader.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danielle O'Toole</span> American softball player

Danielle Denise O'Toole-Trejo is a former collegiate All-American, Olympian, professional softball pitcher. She played college softball for San Diego State and Arizona. She graduated and was selected eighth overall in the National Pro Fastpitch draft by the Chicago Bandits, which she has played with on and off for three seasons.

Jessica "Jessie" Ireland Harper is an American, former collegiate All-American, softball player. Harper played college softball for Arizona from 2017 to 2021 at the shortstop position and co-holds the career home runs record for the school and conference with former teammate Katiyana Mauga. Harper is a four-time first-team all-conference honoree and also ranks second all-time for homers in the NCAA Division I. Harper redshirted her senior year in 2020 after the college season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and returned to play in 2021. Harper was selected No. 6 in the Athletes Unlimited Softball draft.

Maya Ann Brady-Timmons is an American college softball player for the UCLA Bruins. As a freshman in 2020, she was named Softball America Freshman of the Year.

Jayda Coleman is an American college softball player for the Oklahoma Sooners. She also represented the United States at the 2019 U-19 Women's Softball World Cup and USA Softball International Cup.

Sashel Aitiana Palacios Barajas is an American softball catcher of Mexican descent. After playing college softball for Arizona State, she embarked on a professional career in 2018. She also helped the Mexico national team qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics, which finished the tournament in fourth place.

Brittany Marya Cervantes is an American softball catcher and coach of Mexican descent, and is currently the director of softball operations for Kentucky. She represented Mexico at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Amanda Sánchez is an American softball player of Mexican descent and member of the Mexico women's national softball team. She represented Team Mexico at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Chelsea Gonzales is an American professional softball player of Mexican descent for the Smash It Sports Vipers of the Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF). She played college softball for Arizona State. She represented Mexico at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Suzannah Lillian Brookshire-González is an American professional softball player for the Smash It Sports Vipers of the Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF). She played for college softball for three universities from 2017 to 2021, the San Jose State Spartans, Sacramento State Hornets and the Long Beach State 49ers. Brookeshire was a power hitter joining an elite NCAA Division I club with her career 62 home runs and 201 RBIs. She represented Team Mexico at the 2020 Summer Olympics where they placed fourth in their first appearance.

Baylee Klingler is an American professional softball player for the Texas Smoke of the Women's Professional Fastpitch and member of the United States women's national softball team. She played college softball at Washington. As a senior in 2022, she won the Pac-12 Conference Triple Crown.

References

  1. 1 2 "Anissa Urtez". utahutes.com. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  2. ↑ Werstine, Dave (June 24, 2012). "2012 Softball Dream Team: Wilson's Loren Stavrou and Downey's Anissa Urtez take top honors". Press-Telegram . Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Pac-12 announces softball all-Conference honors". pac-12.com. May 14, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Pac-12 announces 2015 softball all-Conference honors". pac-12.com. May 13, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Pac-12 announces 2016 softball all-Conference honors". pac-12.com. May 19, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Pac-12 announces 2017 Softball All-Conference honors". pac-12.com. May 15, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Anissa Urtez Signs Professional Contract". utahutes.com. July 9, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  8. ↑ Fetter, Mark (October 25, 2017). "Downey's Anissa Urtez signs professional softball contract". The Downey Patriot. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  9. 1 2 "Anissa Urtez - Softball Coach". gouvu.com. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Scrap Yard Dawgs Claim First Cowles Cup". profastpitch.com. August 20, 2017. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. ↑ "From Team Mexico to Athletes Unlimited, Anissa Urtez Is Excited to Keep Playing the Game She Loves". auprosports.com. July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Urtez Leads Mexico to Historic Olympic Bid". utahutes.com. September 3, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Urtez Shines for Team Mexico in Opening Rounds of Olympic Play". pac-12.com. July 22, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  14. ↑ "AU Softball players Anissa Urtez and Amanda Chidester are engaged". auprosports.com. November 12, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  15. ↑ Kortemeier, Todd (November 12, 2020). "U.S. Softball Player Amanda Chidester Engaged To Mexico's Anissa Urtez". teamusa.org. Archived from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.