Lisa Fernandez
Encyclopedia
For the politician, see Liza Fernandez Rodriguez
Lisa Fernandez (born February 22, 1971, in New York City
) is a right-handed softball
pitcher of Cuban
-Puerto Rican
descent. She established an Olympic record in softball with 25 strikeouts in a game as a member of the United States Women's team.
, where he played baseball
. In New York, he met Lisa's mother, who had migrated from Puerto Rico
and whom he married. Lisa's mother played stickball
, a street game similar to baseball played with a broom stick and a rubber ball, with her brother in the streets. Lisa began playing at the age of eight. At twelve, she played in a local children's league; when she tried out as a pitcher, her coach told her that she would never make it because she didn't have the right size and build. In 1986, Lisa and her family moved to Lakewood, California
, where she attended St. Joseph High School. She joined her school's girls' softball team and she and her teammates won the CIF Championship.
(UCLA), where she played softball and earned a degree in psychology
. Fernandez played at UCLA from 1990-93. A three-time winner of the sport's Honda Award, Fernandez 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 (1990 & 1992) and two runner-up finishes (1991 & 1993).
.
Lisa Fernandez (born February 22, 1971, in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) is a right-handed softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
pitcher of Cuban
Cubans
Cubans or Cuban people are the inhabitants or citizens of Cuba. Cuba is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
-Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
descent. She established an Olympic record in softball with 25 strikeouts in a game as a member of the United States Women's team.
Early years
Lisa's father immigrated from CubaCuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, where he played baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. In New York, he met Lisa's mother, who had migrated from Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and whom he married. Lisa's mother played stickball
Stickball
Stickball is a street game related to baseball, usually formed as a pick-up game, played in large cities in the Northeastern United States, especially New York City. The equipment consists of a broom handle and a rubber ball, typically a spaldeen, pensie pinkie, high bouncer or tennis ball. The...
, a street game similar to baseball played with a broom stick and a rubber ball, with her brother in the streets. Lisa began playing at the age of eight. At twelve, she played in a local children's league; when she tried out as a pitcher, her coach told her that she would never make it because she didn't have the right size and build. In 1986, Lisa and her family moved to Lakewood, California
Lakewood, California
Lakewood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 80,048 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Long Beach on the west and south, Bellflower on the north, Cerritos on the northeast, Cypress on the east, and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast. Major thoroughfares...
, where she attended St. Joseph High School. She joined her school's girls' softball team and she and her teammates won the CIF Championship.
College career
Upon graduating from high school, she was accepted to the University of California, Los AngelesUniversity of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
(UCLA), where she played softball and earned a degree in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
. Fernandez played at UCLA from 1990-93. A three-time winner of the sport's Honda Award, Fernandez 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 (1990 & 1992) and two runner-up finishes (1991 & 1993).
U.S. Women's Olympic Softball Team
In 1990, Lisa won a gold medal at the ISF (International Softball Federation) World Championship. Among her accomplishments are:- 1991, gold medal at the Pan American GamesPan American GamesThe Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
- 1994, gold medals at ISF World Championships and Pan Am Qualifier
- 1991 and 1992, Sportswoman of the Year Award
- Led UCLA to two NCAANational Collegiate Athletic AssociationThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Women's College World Series Titles - Four-time NFCA First Team All-American
- NCAA Top VI Award presented to the top six senior student athletes in all divisions
- 1993, Honda-Broderick Cup winner, country's most outstanding collegiate female athlete
- 1991-93, Three-time Honda Award winner for softball presented to the nation's best softball player
- 1996, Olympic gold medal in the 1996 Olympics celebrated in Columbus, GeorgiaColumbus, GeorgiaColumbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
- 1998, gold medal at Pan American Games;
- 2000, Olympic gold medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics celebrated in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where she established a 25 strikeout record in women's softball - 2002, gold medal at the ISF World Championships
- 2003, gold medal at the Pan American Games
- 2004, Olympic gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics celebrated in GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Honors
On April 24, 2001, the Lakewood City Council recognized Lisa 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 Fame Athlete of the Year.Later years
Lisa is currently an assistant coach for the women's softball team at UCLA. She married Michael Lujan in 2002 and gave birth to their son Antonio in 2005. Fernandez and her family reside in Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans - Sports
- Lakewood, CaliforniaLakewood, CaliforniaLakewood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 80,048 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Long Beach on the west and south, Bellflower on the north, Cerritos on the northeast, Cypress on the east, and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast. Major thoroughfares...
- List of people from Long Beach, California