With high expectations, Cody remains humble
In the past month, UCF softball star Jada Cody has racked up a number of preseason accolades, including being named the No. 1 utility player in the country by D1Softball.com and earning a spot on USA Softball’s Player of the Year Award watchlist.
For Cody, that’s all just outside noise.
“It’s a great thing and I’m blessed to have that but I’m excited to actually put it to show this season, continue to grow and be there for my team when they need me,” she recently told the Sentinel.
Although Cody earned firstteam All-AAC in 2021, it was during last season that she began to garner national attention.
The junior from California finished fourth in the country and second in the conference with 75 RBI, which broke a nearly 20-year-old school record.
Cody was a big reason why the Knights captured their first AAC regular-season title since 2015, won the conference tournament championship for the second time in program history and hosted an NCAA regional for the first time ever.
Then-No. 16 UCF won three straight games over Villanova and then-No. 24 Michigan, twice, to advance to the school’s first NCAA Super Regional. That’s where they ran into the No. 1 team in the country and eventual national champion, Oklahoma, which swept visiting UCF in the Super Regionals.
Cody’s solo home run in Game 2 against the Sooners was the first run scored by UCF in a Super Regional. Combining that run and her work in the Orlando regional, Cody already owns UCF’s NCAA tournament career record for runs scored with 6.
In the offseason, she spent time with the USA National Team, including being called up for the Japan All-Star Series in August when she won the home run derby for Team USA.
Despite all of the success and the continued recognition entering her junior season, Cody doesn’t let the spotlight shine only on herself.
“My success is going to come with the team being successful,” she said. “Relying on my teammates and being there for them is going to allow me to stay humble and keep me calm during those moments when I feel like the game might get too big.”
Although she lead the team in RBI, batting average (.361), hits (70), doubles (15), triples (3), home runs (15) and walks (27) last season, Cody aims to be more productive.
Keeping Cody focused isn’t a problem UCF coach Cindy BallMalone.
“My biggest job is to remind her that we’re going to accomplish one thing at a time because she’s never satisfied,” Ball-Maone told the Sentinel. “She wants those accolades and awards but her ultimate goal is that she wants to win.”
This will be Ball-Malone’s fourth coaching Cody.
“The biggest thing that I’m learning about her this year is that she wants our entire team to be focused and dialed in,” the UCF coach said.
Cody’s teammates, including co-captain Shannon Doherty, have noticed that, too.
“She drives me to be a better person every single day,” Doherty told the Sentinel. “She’s super competitive. We work well together.”
Doherty and Cody have served as co-captains for two years and they consider each other close friends. Although Cody is the one receiving most of the preseason recognition, Doherty is supportive of her teammate.
“I probably wouldn’t have all of the great moments that I’ve had without her and she’d probably say the same thing,” Doherty said. “It’s amazing to be able to have someone like Jada push me to be better every day.”
Doherty finished last season second on the team with 7 home runs and tied for second with 36 RBI.
“They throw to Jada because Shannon is behind her [in the lineup,]” Ball-Malone said. “Any time Jada is rewarded or gets those accolades, Shannon is her biggest cheerleader.
“That’s what makes us so special. We’re not telling our teammates how good we are. We’re telling our teammates of good they are. We celebrate each other.”
Last year’s success didn’t change Cody’s mentality in the offseason. She focused on eating healthier and putting in work in the weight room.
“I have the same mindset of being calm and poised on the field,” she said. “Knowing that I’m in the best shape that I’ve ever been in is definitely like, ‘OK, I’m in a good spot for myself this season.’ ”
Of course, she couldn’t do it without her teammates.
“They keep me grounded,” Cody said. “Sometimes I might take the game too seriously. They’re there to make me smile.”