Southwestern College Female Athlete of the year Gabrielle Beasley has enjoyed success both in the classroom and on the field. Beasley will play next season on scholarship at CSU Fullerton, where she will study chemistry.
Photo by David McVicker

Gabrielle Beasley is a softball triple threat. She’s an intimidating pitcher, a slick shortstop and excels in the classroom.

Her numbers are huge. Averaging eight strikeouts per game, she leads the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference with a total of 181. She leads all short stops in fielding with a .945 mark. Best of all her GPA is north of 3.0.

Southwestern College head coach Yasmin Mossadeghi said when she saw Beasley dazzling opponents at Steele Canyon High School, it was softball love at first sight.

“When I first saw her play I knew I had to have her and I was pretty much willing to do anything to get her,” Mossadeghi said. “Her wanting to win comes from within and you don’t need much to motivate her because it is in her everyday nature.”

Beasley has lived up to her coach’s expectations.

She was named the Most Valuable Player of the PCAC after her freshman season, National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association All-American, and Southwestern College’s female athlete of the year for 2013.

With help from Beasley, the Lady Jags earned a spot in the Southern Super Regionals for the first time in school’s history. Her success in the sport has been the direct result of a lifetime of dedication and practice, according to her coach.

“One of the things that has helped her become the player that she is today is that she has prepared at an early age,” said Mossadeghi.

Beasley said her dad introduced her to softball when she was three and she played travel ball for the San Diego Fusion at the age of 12.

Outfielder Alex Gallegos, winner of the 2013 California Community College Academic All-American Award, said she was amazed with Beasley’s game.

“When I first played with Beasley I was impressed by her ability to play so calm and with such confidence,” said Gallegos.

Beasley said she spends her off-season developing her softball skills with Mossadeghi and working out with her dad at home. She also shows up early for practice and spends about 20 hours a week on softball-related activities outside school.
Forget about the sophomore jint, she said.

“Freshman year we competed well and we went far,” she said. “I am hoping to go farther this year because we have the talent.”

Beasley brings heat to the classroom as well. A chemistry major, she has already been recruited by CSU Fullerton’s softball team.

She plans to become a pharmacist following her softball career.

“I have always been good at math and science, so I decided to pursue a career in that,” she said.

Mossadeghi said Beasley was a rare find.

“Gabrielle is an athlete that you rarely come across at the community college level,” said Mossadeghi. “She is definitely in my top five percentile I have ever coached at the community college and division one levels.”

Mossadeghi said Beasley’s hard work was paid off.

“Because of that constant involvement and practice to get better every day, she is reaping the benefit,” she said. “Sooner or later it is going to come and for Gabrielle it has come now.”