Lisa Maria Fernandez is a Puerto Rican-American, former collegiate 4-time First Team All-American, 3-time medal winning Olympian, right-handed hitting softball pitcher and third baseman, current softball assistant coach at UCLA, originally from Long Beach, California. She starred on both sides of the plate for the UCLA Bruins softball team from 1990-93 and won two National Championships. She continues to hold the UCLA records for career shutouts, WHIP and winning percentage. Fernandez established Olympic records in softball with 25 strikeouts in a game and the best batting average for a single tournament as a member of the United States Women's team; additionally, she is noted for having pitched in three consecutive gold medal games, getting a save in 1996, an extra-inning shutout in 2000 before concluding the run by cinching the 2004 medal in a 5-1 victory. Fernandez was named the #1 Greatest College Softball Player and is a USA Softball Hall of Fame honoree.
Early years
Fernandez was born and raised in Long Beach, California. Her father emigrated from Cuba, where he played baseball, and her mother was of Puerto Rican descent. Fernandez's mother played, with her brother stickball, a street game similar to baseball played with a broom stick and a rubber ball. Fernandez began playing softball at the age of eight. When she was twelve, she played in a local children's league. She tried out as a pitcher, however, her coach told her that she would never make it because she didn't have the right size and build. At St. Joseph High School, Fernandez joined her school's girls' softball team and together with her teammates won the CIF Championship.
College career
Upon graduating from high school, she was accepted to UCLA, where she played softball and earned a degree in psychology. Fernandez played at UCLA from 1990 to 1993. She was a four-time winner of the Honda Sports Award for softball, and became the first softball player to win the Honda-Broderick Cup in 1993, given to the outstanding collegiate female athlete in all sports. A four-time, first-team All-American, Fernandez led UCLA to two national championships and two runner-up finishes.
On April 24, 2001, the Lakewood City Council recognized Fernandez as one of the most remarkable athletes ever to come from the playgrounds and ball diamonds of Lakewood. The city council named the ball field at Mayfair Park in her honor, as the Lakewood Sports Hall of FameAthlete of the Year. Fernandez was inducted into the Baseball Reliquary's Shrine of the Eternals in 2019.
Later years
She married Michael Lujan in 2002 and gave birth to their son Antonio in 2005. Fernandez and her family reside in Long Beach, California. Fernandez is currently an assistant coach for the women's softball team at UCLA.
