Jessica Mendoza

Commentator

Analyst, Reporter

JessMendoza

U.S. Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist Jessica Mendoza joined ESPN as a college softball analyst in 2007. She also works as an ESPN sideline reporter for MLB and college football games. 2012 marks her first year covering the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. Mendoza is also an online contributor for espnW.com and serves on the advisory board for the website.

Prior to her work with ESPN, Mendoza was a field reporter for Yahoo! Sports at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and also the lead college softball analyst on FOX Sports. She currently plays in the National Pro Fastpitch for the USSSA Florida Pride, and was named the Most Valuable Player in 2011.

One of the most notable softball players in the last decade, her on-field experience has easily translated to the television booth. Mendoza was a member of the U.S. Women’s National team from 2001-10. Her team took home the Gold in Athens, Greece (2004) and the Silver in Beijing, China (2008). She is a both a three-time World Champion ( 2002, 2006, 2010) and World Cup Champion  (2006, 2007, 2010), in addition to being a two-time Pan American Gold Medalist (2003, 2007). In 2006, she was named the USA Softball Athlete of the Year and was also recognized in 2008 as the Women’s Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year.

Mendoza was a four-time first team All-American while playing outfield at Stanford University. She led the Cardinals to their first ever Women’s College World Series Appearance and finished her college career with school records that are still held today in: batting average (.475), hits (.94), stolen bases (31), runs (71) and career home runs (50). She was a three-time Stanford Female Athlete of the Year and a First team Academic All-American in 2002.

Mendoza graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies in 2002 and a Masters in Social Sciences in Education in 2003. Originally from Camarillo, Calif., Mendoza currently resides in Moorpark.