Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
Familiar Foe Awaits Ducks at WCWS
05/27/25 | Softball
THIS WEEK
#16 Oregon returns to the WCWS for the first time since 2018. It is the Ducks' seventh WCWS appearance all-time. Oregon will open the WCWS against a familiar foe in #9 UCLA Thursday at 6:30 p.m. PT (ESPN2). Oregon and UCLA are paired with #12 Texas Tech and Ole Miss. The two winners will play May 31, while the losing teams square off May 30. The WCWS continues June 1-6.
DUCKS VS. UCLA
This will be the 131st meeting between current Big Ten teams - and former Pac-12 rivals - Oregon and UCLA. The Bruins lead the all-time series 97-33. The Ducks took the 2025 Big Ten season series from the Bruins, 2-1. The two squads have met once previously at the WCWS - 2015. UCLA won that game, 7-1. Oregon has never faced Ole Miss or Texas Tech in the postseason.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
8 - Oregon won 8 Big Ten titles in 2024-25: Softball, Football, Baseball, Women's Golf, and four in Track & Field / Cross Country.
42 - Oregon is 42-0 when it hits a home run in a game, and 11-8 when it doesn't.
1 - Kai Luschar need one steal to break the Big Ten season record (60).
10 - Oregon is the only team in the NCAA ranked in the top 10 in scoring, ERA and fielding.
327 - Oregon is +327 in run differential (482-155). That leads the NCAA.
1x3 - Kai Luschar now holds UO records for steals in a game (4), season (59) and career (107).
4 - Oregon has set 4 season records: Runs (482), RBI (431), SB (172) and SF (25).
DUCKS PACE BIG TEN IN PITCHING
Oregon leads the Big Ten in earned run average (2.40) and is eighth nationally.
SINICKI SHORTSTOP STARTS
Paige Sinicki has started 190 consecutive games at shortstop for the Ducks.
ELITE LEVEL DEFENSE
Defense has been a hallmark of coach Melyssa Lombardi's program since day one. The Ducks lead the Big Ten and are third nationally in fielding at .981, which would be a program record. Last season, the Ducks were again one of the best defensive teams in the nation. The Ducks were 24th nationally and fourth in the Pac-12 and in fielding percentage (.974). In 2022, Oregon led the Pac-12 and ranked 10th nationally with a .977 fielding percentage. That mark tied the program record set the year before (2021).
SIMPLY THE BEST IN ALL THREE PHASES OF THE GAME
The Ducks are the only team in the nation ranked in the national top 10 in scoring, ERA and fielding. Oregon is fourth in scoring (7.90 runs per game), eighth in ERA (2.40) and third in fielding percentage (.981).
KAI SPEEDING TO 60, 65
If she steals one more base, which would give her 60 on the season, Kai Luschar would join a couple of exclusive clubs. She'd become the single-season steals record holder in the Big Ten, passing Angie Marzetta of Washington (59, 1993). She would also become just the 15th player in NCAA Division I history to steal 60 bases in a season. She's also second on the UO season runs list with 63. With two more, she'll pass Courtney Ceo for the UO record.
McCOY BECOMES THIRD DUCK NAMED A FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR FINALIST
Rylee McCoy entered exclusive territory when she was named the third NFCA Freshman of the Year finalist in program history. She joins Jenna Lilley (2015) and Maggie Balint (2017) as Oregon's three top three finalists. McCoy's school-record tying 19 home runs have helped lead Oregon to the Women's College World Series for the first time since 2018. Nationally among all freshmen, McCoy is first in slugging pct. (.850), sixth in home runs, sixth in RBI (58) and seventh in batting average (.399). She leads the team in home runs and slugging percentage. She's also tied the school record with 31 extra base hits (19 homers, 12 doubles). The Agoura Hills, Calif., native was an all-Big Ten first team selection and a Big Ten all-freshman selection. She was also named to the league's all-defensive team at first base with a .996 fielding percentage, committing just one error in 234 chances. McCoy was named the Most Valuable Player of the Mary Nutter Classic as well as the national freshman of the week by D1 Softball. She hit four home runs to lead Oregon to a 5-0 record at the Mary Nutter tournament. McCoy went 7-of-16 (.438) for the tournament with seven RBI and slugged 1.313. She was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice this season.
SISTER ACT
Starting outfielders Kai Luschar (LF) and Kedre Luschar (CF) have combined for 162 hits and 122 runs. As a team, the Luschar sisters would rank 28th in the NCAA (and third in the Big Ten) in stolen bases with 88 combined. Kedre leads the team in doubles (17) and batting average (.444). Kai leads the NCAA with a program and Big Ten record 59 steals. Both are seniors, though Kai, a fifth-year senior, is a year older.
KEDRE AMONG NATIONAL ELITE
Kedre Luschar is having a senior season for the ages. A USA Softball Player of the Year Top 25 finalist, Luschar is fourth in the Big Ten and 14th nationally with a .444 average. She's also ranked among the Big Ten's top five in hits (third), stolen bases (fourth) and doubles (fourth).
TWO STOLEN BASE RECORDS FALL
Two program season stolen base records have fallen this season. The Ducks now have 172 steals as a team (previous record: 126, 2007). Kai Luschar now has 59 stolen bases (previous record: 41 by Suzie Barnes, 2007). As a team, the Ducks are second on the Big Ten list. Luschar also owns UO's career steals record with 107.
#16 Oregon returns to the WCWS for the first time since 2018. It is the Ducks' seventh WCWS appearance all-time. Oregon will open the WCWS against a familiar foe in #9 UCLA Thursday at 6:30 p.m. PT (ESPN2). Oregon and UCLA are paired with #12 Texas Tech and Ole Miss. The two winners will play May 31, while the losing teams square off May 30. The WCWS continues June 1-6.
DUCKS VS. UCLA
This will be the 131st meeting between current Big Ten teams - and former Pac-12 rivals - Oregon and UCLA. The Bruins lead the all-time series 97-33. The Ducks took the 2025 Big Ten season series from the Bruins, 2-1. The two squads have met once previously at the WCWS - 2015. UCLA won that game, 7-1. Oregon has never faced Ole Miss or Texas Tech in the postseason.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
8 - Oregon won 8 Big Ten titles in 2024-25: Softball, Football, Baseball, Women's Golf, and four in Track & Field / Cross Country.
42 - Oregon is 42-0 when it hits a home run in a game, and 11-8 when it doesn't.
1 - Kai Luschar need one steal to break the Big Ten season record (60).
10 - Oregon is the only team in the NCAA ranked in the top 10 in scoring, ERA and fielding.
327 - Oregon is +327 in run differential (482-155). That leads the NCAA.
1x3 - Kai Luschar now holds UO records for steals in a game (4), season (59) and career (107).
4 - Oregon has set 4 season records: Runs (482), RBI (431), SB (172) and SF (25).
DUCKS PACE BIG TEN IN PITCHING
Oregon leads the Big Ten in earned run average (2.40) and is eighth nationally.
SINICKI SHORTSTOP STARTS
Paige Sinicki has started 190 consecutive games at shortstop for the Ducks.
ELITE LEVEL DEFENSE
Defense has been a hallmark of coach Melyssa Lombardi's program since day one. The Ducks lead the Big Ten and are third nationally in fielding at .981, which would be a program record. Last season, the Ducks were again one of the best defensive teams in the nation. The Ducks were 24th nationally and fourth in the Pac-12 and in fielding percentage (.974). In 2022, Oregon led the Pac-12 and ranked 10th nationally with a .977 fielding percentage. That mark tied the program record set the year before (2021).
SIMPLY THE BEST IN ALL THREE PHASES OF THE GAME
The Ducks are the only team in the nation ranked in the national top 10 in scoring, ERA and fielding. Oregon is fourth in scoring (7.90 runs per game), eighth in ERA (2.40) and third in fielding percentage (.981).
KAI SPEEDING TO 60, 65
If she steals one more base, which would give her 60 on the season, Kai Luschar would join a couple of exclusive clubs. She'd become the single-season steals record holder in the Big Ten, passing Angie Marzetta of Washington (59, 1993). She would also become just the 15th player in NCAA Division I history to steal 60 bases in a season. She's also second on the UO season runs list with 63. With two more, she'll pass Courtney Ceo for the UO record.
McCOY BECOMES THIRD DUCK NAMED A FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR FINALIST
Rylee McCoy entered exclusive territory when she was named the third NFCA Freshman of the Year finalist in program history. She joins Jenna Lilley (2015) and Maggie Balint (2017) as Oregon's three top three finalists. McCoy's school-record tying 19 home runs have helped lead Oregon to the Women's College World Series for the first time since 2018. Nationally among all freshmen, McCoy is first in slugging pct. (.850), sixth in home runs, sixth in RBI (58) and seventh in batting average (.399). She leads the team in home runs and slugging percentage. She's also tied the school record with 31 extra base hits (19 homers, 12 doubles). The Agoura Hills, Calif., native was an all-Big Ten first team selection and a Big Ten all-freshman selection. She was also named to the league's all-defensive team at first base with a .996 fielding percentage, committing just one error in 234 chances. McCoy was named the Most Valuable Player of the Mary Nutter Classic as well as the national freshman of the week by D1 Softball. She hit four home runs to lead Oregon to a 5-0 record at the Mary Nutter tournament. McCoy went 7-of-16 (.438) for the tournament with seven RBI and slugged 1.313. She was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice this season.
SISTER ACT
Starting outfielders Kai Luschar (LF) and Kedre Luschar (CF) have combined for 162 hits and 122 runs. As a team, the Luschar sisters would rank 28th in the NCAA (and third in the Big Ten) in stolen bases with 88 combined. Kedre leads the team in doubles (17) and batting average (.444). Kai leads the NCAA with a program and Big Ten record 59 steals. Both are seniors, though Kai, a fifth-year senior, is a year older.
KEDRE AMONG NATIONAL ELITE
Kedre Luschar is having a senior season for the ages. A USA Softball Player of the Year Top 25 finalist, Luschar is fourth in the Big Ten and 14th nationally with a .444 average. She's also ranked among the Big Ten's top five in hits (third), stolen bases (fourth) and doubles (fourth).
TWO STOLEN BASE RECORDS FALL
Two program season stolen base records have fallen this season. The Ducks now have 172 steals as a team (previous record: 126, 2007). Kai Luschar now has 59 stolen bases (previous record: 41 by Suzie Barnes, 2007). As a team, the Ducks are second on the Big Ten list. Luschar also owns UO's career steals record with 107.
Players Mentioned
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