OKLAHOMA CITY – The easy thing to do is look at
Dejah Mulipola's offensive numbers and think that's what defines her as a softball player.
After all, the junior from Garden Grove, California enters Thursday's Women's College World Series with a .316 batting average, 22 home runs – sixth most in the nation – and 53 RBI. She's fifth in the conference in on-base percentage, fifth in slugging percentage, second in home runs and seventh in total bases.
She's a nightmare for opposing coaches to game plan against and can change a game in the short time it takes her to launch a ball over the fence for a home run.
But get this—her defense might even be better and even more of a game-changer than her bat.
"I like defense better," Mulipola said Wednesday. "I consider myself a defensive player. Defense is easier to control than offense, and I take a lot of pride in being as good as I can possibly be defensively."
On Wednesday afternoon, that effort was rewarded. Mulipola was named Catcher of the Year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. She became the first Arizona catcher to earn the award since Leah Bratz in 1998. It was a deserving honor for Mulipola, who allowed just nine stolen bases in 54 regular season games and 13 stolen bases all season. The 13 stolen bases allowed are the fewest by an Arizona team since 1995.
Mulipola was told she won the prestigious honor Wednesday afternoon, and called her dad, Ed, to share the good news.
"I loved sharing that news with him," the junior catcher said. "It just reinforces all the work I've put into my game. It was very special to share that moment with him, and something I'll always remember."
So what makes Mulipola such a force? ArizonaWildcats.com chatted with a few of her teammates to find out.
Jessie Harper, junior shortstop:
"What makes Dejah the awesome competitor that she is, is her ability to understand the game. When the pitcher calls off a pitch she knows exactly what they want called and can immediately change it. She has a great relationship with her pitchers and all of us befit because of that.
"Dejah's maturity is something that I believe has helped her tremendously these past few years. She is not afraid to call someone out when she believes they could be better. That energy is something that makes our team rise to the occasion. She expects the best from everyone and she will give that in return. She knows the game and is calm and reassuring in pressure situations."
Alyssa Denham, junior right-handed pitcher:
"What makes Dejah such a great catcher (by far the best in the country) is how calm, quick and athletic she is. She is the best catcher that I have ever had. My favorite part about her being my catcher is how much confidence she has in me. When I throw a good pitch she lets me know by chanting and pointing at me. I also am so thankful she knows how to calm me down and give me a breather if I begin to struggle.
"Something that is actually amazing is that I haven't ever seen a ball get past her, that is why we say "THE GREAT WALL OF MULIPOLA". She throws runners out like nothing. It looks so effortless to her. I really can't recall the last time someone truly stole a base off her. She is such a hard worker. But I believe the best thing about Dejah is that she is such a great leader, teammate and friend. I can go to her about anything and she always gives me good advice and has my back on and off the field. I am actually lucky that I can say my catcher is THE best catcher in the country."
Taylor McQuillin, senior left-handed pitcher:
"I think the greatest thing about Dejah is she's a team player. She'll do anything she has to do to make sure the team has the best possible outcome. Her heart, her drive, her work ethic, her want to compete to win; it's inspiring. I love throwing to Dejah. I've been throwing to her for six years now. She's awesome. To me, I think she is the best catcher out there. She really works with the pitchers. She knows them really well. There's rarely a time I shake a pitch off and she doesn't already know what I'm thinking.
"She's a great partner to have in the battery pack. One of the best things about Dejah this year is she's a little more vocal. I think in the past she's really tried to embrace the follower role. This year, she has branched out to being a leader. In pressurized situations, you can really count on her to be the number one cheerleader and your best friend on the field. She's always there to reassure you that you're here for a reason and she's got your back.
