Sierra Romero selected for Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023

JP Raineri Sports Editor

DETROIT, Mich. – Sierra

Romero grew up in Murrieta and is a legend in the softball world. Forged from a family dynamic that produces stellar athletes, brother Michael was a first-round draft pick by the Boston Red Sox last year, and younger sister Sydney went on to Oklahoma to win multiple national championships and play for Team Mexico. Sophia, the younger of the four, is a recent graduate from Vista Murrieta and is on her way to play at Boise State, where she hopes to match the successes of all three of her older siblings.

From her time on the softball fields at Vista Murrieta, to competing with the University of Michigan, Sierra has gone on to play for Team USA, and played professionally in the NPF, and currently with Athletes Unlimited.

Recently, the University of Michigan announced that Sierra, who played from 2013-16 is among the 10-person Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023, slated for induction on Thursday, Sept. 14 at the Motor City Casino’s Sound Board.

Romero is the second straight Michigan softball alumnae inducted into the MSHOF, joining Class of 2022 honoree Jennie Ritter, while their head coach, Carol Hutchins, was a Class of 2011 inductee. Overall, Romero becomes the sixth softball player to join the exclusive club.

Named the 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, NFCA Division 1 Player of the Year and the Honda Award recipient for softball, Romero completed the 2016 campaign with a .451 batting average, 76 runs, 73 hits, 19 home runs and 79 runs batted in. She ranked third nationally with 1.29 runs per game and 1.32 RBI per game and sixth with a .577 on-base percentage and .883 slugging percentage. She boasted 18 multi-hit games and 21 multi-RBI games and tallied a career-best 18-game hitting streak through the early-season tournament slate.

Romero also became the first four-time NFCA All-American in Michigan program history, earning first-team honors each of the last three seasons, and was twice a topthree finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year (2014 and 2015) before winning the top honor in 2016. She was the inaugural winner of the ESPNW Softball Player of the Year in 2015 and a three-time Big Ten Player of the Year (2013, 2014 and 2016) and four-time unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten first team.

Romero completed her collegiate career as the NCAA record holder in career runs (302) and grand slams (11). With her 300th run, scored in NCAA Super Regional play, she became the first player to ever record 300 runs, 300 hits and 300 RBI. She ranks fourth all-time in career RBI (305) and slugging percentage (.882) and eighth in home runs (82) and walks (225).

A two-year Michigan team captain, Romero contributed to a senior class that posted a 210-43 record, won four Big Ten titles and a Big Ten Tournament title and made three WCWS appearances