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University of Minnesota Athletics
Leilani Valencia Signs NLI with Gopher Softball
7/28/2021 1:25:00 PM | Softball
MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota softball and head coach Piper Ritter have announced the addition of Leilani 'Nani' Valencia on Monday. Valencia signed her National Letter of Intent and is set to join the Gophers during the 2021-22 season.
"I loved absolutely everything about [Minnesota]," Valencia said. "From the moment I started to chat with the coaches they made me feel like family. Then once I stepped foot on such a beautiful campus, I knew this was home. I also love the competitive spirit within all the sports played at Minnesota, especially with the softball program."
Known as 'Nani', a name with Hawaiian origin, Valencia adds another valuable talent to the Gophers' impressive roster. Valencia enters the program as a utility player and has played third base as a youth. Hailing from Georgetown, Ky., Valencia was named a high school All-American by Extra Innings Softball by holding a batting average of .526 with 31 home runs and 124 RBI during her prep career. She also threw a no-hitter during her sophomore campaign and was an All-State selection in 2019 and 2021. She helped her high school team win two state championships and was a finalist for the prestigious Ms. Softball award in the state of Kentucky last year. In her final season in high school she was a member of the All-Region Tournament Team, an East/West All-Star and won the East/West All-Star Mark O'Brien Spirit of Competition Award.
Academically Valencia was a member of her high school's honor roll all four years and graduated Magna Cum Laude. She was a First Team All-State Academic Team member and was a United Nations Activist for the Kentucky United Nations Assembly (KUNA).
Valencia ended her final club season, playing with the 18U Sluggers Huecker, with a .457 average with nine home runs and 36 RBI. She was a participant at the Colorado 18U Future Stars while also making a SEFL Fall Championship All-Tournament Team and the SEFL All-Star Team.
The daughter of Melissa and Ruben Valencia, Nani has two siblings in Princess and Luke. Her older sister Princess currently plays softball at Western Kentucky University where she is a redshirt sophomore and has made 33 starts while making the Dean's list twice and the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll. Valencia plans to major in Kinesiology or Biology at the University of Minnesota.Â
Make sure to follow the Gophers on Twitter and Instagram (@GopherSoftball) and on Facebook so you do not miss any content during the offseason.
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"I loved absolutely everything about [Minnesota]," Valencia said. "From the moment I started to chat with the coaches they made me feel like family. Then once I stepped foot on such a beautiful campus, I knew this was home. I also love the competitive spirit within all the sports played at Minnesota, especially with the softball program."
Known as 'Nani', a name with Hawaiian origin, Valencia adds another valuable talent to the Gophers' impressive roster. Valencia enters the program as a utility player and has played third base as a youth. Hailing from Georgetown, Ky., Valencia was named a high school All-American by Extra Innings Softball by holding a batting average of .526 with 31 home runs and 124 RBI during her prep career. She also threw a no-hitter during her sophomore campaign and was an All-State selection in 2019 and 2021. She helped her high school team win two state championships and was a finalist for the prestigious Ms. Softball award in the state of Kentucky last year. In her final season in high school she was a member of the All-Region Tournament Team, an East/West All-Star and won the East/West All-Star Mark O'Brien Spirit of Competition Award.
Academically Valencia was a member of her high school's honor roll all four years and graduated Magna Cum Laude. She was a First Team All-State Academic Team member and was a United Nations Activist for the Kentucky United Nations Assembly (KUNA).
Valencia ended her final club season, playing with the 18U Sluggers Huecker, with a .457 average with nine home runs and 36 RBI. She was a participant at the Colorado 18U Future Stars while also making a SEFL Fall Championship All-Tournament Team and the SEFL All-Star Team.
The daughter of Melissa and Ruben Valencia, Nani has two siblings in Princess and Luke. Her older sister Princess currently plays softball at Western Kentucky University where she is a redshirt sophomore and has made 33 starts while making the Dean's list twice and the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll. Valencia plans to major in Kinesiology or Biology at the University of Minnesota.Â
Make sure to follow the Gophers on Twitter and Instagram (@GopherSoftball) and on Facebook so you do not miss any content during the offseason.
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