Being a Bruin has been nothing short of a dream come true.

Ever since I was four years old, I dreamt of playing at Easton Stadium, competing for a national championship and representing this program with everything in me.

It has truly been a privilege and an honor to represent the four letters over the past four years. All my life, I’ve had big ambitions, constantly chasing greatness and giving my all in every challenge I’ve faced.

Softball, for as long as I can remember, has been my passion. Through hard work and discipline, this yellow ball has shaped me into the woman I’ve always hoped to become – one who knows her worth beyond her sport.

My collegiate career was marked by a series of unfortunate injuries. I tore my left labrum twice, once during the second game of my sophomore season – my first start of the year – and again in my junior year, right before the opening game of my final Pac-12 tournament.

Both injuries were season-ending and required surgery just for me to even consider playing again. Prior to this, I had never experienced heartbreak and disappointment so deeply.

I hit an all time low – not just as an athlete, but as a child of God whose life is rooted in His word.

I couldn’t make sense of any of it. My circumstances caused me to question His plan and wonder why He would allow something so painful to happen not once, but twice. For so long, softball was everything to me: My passion, my purpose and in many ways, my identity.

But when that was taken away for the second time, I was left face-to-face with a deeper truth. It wasn’t until I sat in isolation to reflect that I began to see what God was doing beneath the surface.

Sometimes, God strips away the very thing you’ve built your identity around – not to punish you, but to realign you. God was showing me that my worth was never meant to be anchored in my performance or my jersey, but in Him alone.

When the game was no longer mine to play, I met the version of myself that God had been calling forth all along. He removed the noise so I could hear His voice more clearly.

Although the injuries felt like the end, they were really the beginning – a divine reset that allowed me to see that being His daughter is the most unshakable identity I could ever have.

Of course, there were moments of pain, frustration and doubt – times when I questioned my purpose and what I had to offer when I couldn’t contribute on the field.

But through those hard days, I discovered strength I didn’t know I had.

I found resilience in every rehab session. I found purpose beyond performance. I learned how to be a teammate in ways that don’t show up on the stat sheet – how to support, how to lead and how to love this game even when it didn’t love me back in the way I had hoped.

To say I’m grateful for my time at UCLA would be an understatement.

This experience has not only prepared me for life beyond my education and sport, but it has also given me memories that will last a lifetime. There are so many unforgettable moments.

As crazy as this may sound, I might actually miss all of those 6 a.m. lifts in Acosta. As intense as they were, there was something special about showing up in the dark, sore, half asleep and eating a Rice Krispie Treat before a workout.

I’ll miss it all.

The adrenaline of game days, rushing from class to practice and late nights walking through campus with my best friends knowing I was part of something bigger than myself.

Westwood truly is an amazing place filled with amazing people. I’m deeply thankful for every person I’ve met along the way and am forever indebted to the special ones who have left a lasting impact on my life.

From teammates who became sisters, to coaches who believed in me even when I struggled to believe in myself and to mentors who poured into me both on and off the field – thank you.

Each of you helped shape me into the woman I am today. I will forever carry the lessons, the laughter, the tears and the triumphs with me.

As I step into the next chapter of my life, I do so with fuSenior signoff: Softball’s Taylor Stephens reflects on injuries overcome, personal growthll confidence in who I am. Not just because of what I’ve accomplished, but because of the challenges I’ve overcome and the person I’ve become along the way.

UCLA was never just a school, and softball was never just a sport.

Together, they were a sacred space where purpose was formed, faith was tested, and identity was revealed. I am proud to say I am forever a Bruin, but even more proud to say, I am forever a child of God. “You may not know now, but later you’ll understand” – John 13:7.

Taylor Stephens played for UCLA softball from 2022 to 2025.