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Arizona Softball announces transfer addition of Big East POY Grace Jenkins

Arizona announced the addition of Big East Player of the Year Grace Jenkins through the transfer portal on Friday.
ByAlan Rubenstein|
May 10, 2024; Providence, RI, USA; UConn Huskies catcher Grace Jenkins (17) runs back to second base during the BIG EAST Softball Tournament against the Villanova Wildcats at Glay Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
May 10, 2024; Providence, RI, USA; UConn Huskies catcher Grace Jenkins (17) runs back to second base during the BIG EAST Softball Tournament against the Villanova Wildcats at Glay Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Arizona announced the addition of 2025 Big East Player of the Year Grace Jenkins as a transfer from Connecticut on Friday. Jenkins is the sixth transfer addition to the 2026 Arizona roster and was announced as a utility player.

Jenkins started all 153 games in each of the past three seasons for UConn. In winning the Big East Player of the Year Award in 2025, Jenkins was a catcher. Jenkins has the best season of her career with a .432 batting average, 16 home runs, 55 runs batted in, a .550 on-base percentage and .892 slugging percentage.

In three seasons at UConn, Jenkins hit .384, with 45 doubles, 27 HRs, a .696 slugging percentage, a .484 on-base percentage and 129 RBIs. Arizona announcing Jenkins as a utility player and the return of star Sydney Stewart means the former UConn slugger will play a different position with the Wildcats.

Ten players from Arizona left via the 2025 transfer portal. Other key players returning for Arizona in 2025 in addition to Stewart are shortstop Tayler Biehl, infielder Regan Shockey and utility player Jenna Sniffen. Arizona has had to rebuild nearly the entire pitching staff.

The addition of Jenkins provides Arizona with another experienced player entering their final season of collegiate eligibility. Arizona has six players entering their redshirt senior or senior season in 2026. Biehl and Stewart are the two biggest key returnees for Arizona, who will be seniors in 2026.

Jenkins has been a consistent performer throughout her career. As a freshman and sophomore in 2022 and 2023, Jenkins earned second-team All-Big East. Stewart returns for Arizona as a first-team All-Big 12 in 2024 and Shockey and Sniffen were second-team, while the latter was named to the conference All-Freshman team.

Jenkins and the other five incoming Arizona transfers join infielders Kezi Lucas and Sina Talataina, outfielder Molli Daley from Salpointe and pitcher Rylie Holder in the 2025 freshman class. The 2026 Arizona roster will have a very different look entering the fifth season under Caitlin Lowe.

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