Cal Softball Adds All-Big West Slugger Maalia Cherry

Cal's softball program was ravaged by transfer departures after the 2025 season, but the Bears pulled in a key transfer for the coming season.

Maalia Cherry, a two-time, first-team all-Big West selection, has committed to play for Cal in 2027, according to Brady Vernon of Softball America.

As a sophomore at UC San Diego in 2026, Cherry led the Big West in home runs with 15, which was a school record and three more than anyone else in the conference. She was also third in the conference in OPS with a mark of 1,202, and third in both on-base percentage (.482) and slugging (.720).

As a freshman at Cal State Bakersfield in 2025. Cherry was second in the Big West in home runs with 13 and was first in OPS at 1.129.

She was a first-team all-Big West selection in both 2025 and 2026.

Cal lands slugger Maalia Cherry https://t.co/Ku7eshLETQ https://t.co/RPwUFOjw1t
— Brady (@BradyVernon) June 20, 2026

Transferring to Cal represents a return to the Bay Area for Cherry, who is from Hayward, California. She attended Vanden High School, which is located in Fairfield, California.

Cherry is the daughter of Jamaal Cherry, who played football at Cal from 1998 to 2002 as a defensive lineman.

Cal also received a commitment from Mila Reddy, who transferred from Washington after playing her freshman season with the Huskies in 2026.

Cal's renovated softball stadium is scheduled to be ready for the 2027 season. The Bears played their 2026 home games in Sacramento and Saratoga, California, while the renovation was taking place. The Golden Bears finished with a 15-37 record, including 5-19 in ACC action.

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