Utility infielder balances academic success, collegiate athletics and mental health awareness while playing on the Aztecs’ senior softball team
Raised as a teenager in Merced, California, Jeweliana Perez loved playing softball.
“I was physically the smallest girl on the team and was never really good,” said the San Diego State University junior. “But I kept playing because I got to spend time with my childhood friends.”
As she got older, Perez and her parents became aware of the benefits that sport offers young athletes, so Perez began to seek and embrace better training and playing opportunities.
Although many local softball fans were initially unconvinced that Perez would succeed in the sport, she set out to prove them wrong.
“My passion for continuing to play softball was inspired by those who doubted my ability to play at the Division I level,” said Perez, now a utility infielder for the Aztecs.
Perez’s skill as a softball player grew to the point that she committed to play at SDSU when she was just 15 years old. However, softball wasn’t the only thing that got her into college.
“Both the softball and business programs are top notch, so I wanted to spend four years knowing my potential could be fulfilled and leave myself a more knowledgeable and better person,” said Perez, who is her third Year Management/Entrepreneurship Major at Fowler College of Business begins this fall. “I chose to study business administration because my degree gives me the flexibility to do absolutely anything I want to do with my career plans. Also, the world needs more women with power and ideas.”
A top scholarship holder in a nationally ranked team has its challenges
A star both in the classroom and on the field, Perez started or played in 31 (of 56) of the Aztecs’ nationally ranked games this year and was named one of 12 SDSU softball players on the Spring 2022 Academic All-Conference Team recorded . SDSU Softball had its second-best season in school history, winning the 2022 Mountain West Conference champion and advancing to the NCAA championship before being eliminated by the top 10 Arizona State Sun Devils in their regional finals.
As a student athlete, Perez found that the balancing act between maintaining academic success and being successful in college sports isn’t always easy.
“On the outside we all look successful because of our dedication to our sport and our studies, but the truth is that for many of us it’s a struggle every day,” she said. “I want to talk about the importance of raising mental health awareness in collegiate athletics everywhere. Personally, I’ve struggled to distinguish who I am outside of my sport. However, I know that I am passionate about my future here at SDSU for the next two years and beyond.”
Aztecs go pro
Perez Credits Danielle Kelly, who directs SDSU’s Aztecs Going Pro program, for the exoneration. Aztecs Going Pro is designed to help SDSU physical education students transition into a career and life after college through a variety of workshops, one-on-one coaching, and specially designed learning opportunities that address their specific needs.
“Danielle has truly inspired me to use every opportunity I have as an athlete to market myself and create a bright future for my career,” said Perez.
After earning her bachelor’s degree and completing her SDSU softball career, Perez plans to pursue her passion for business by pursuing her master’s degree or law school before starting a real estate agency in San Diego. She’s already laying the groundwork for starting her own business, and with Kelly’s help, Perez has reached out to several San Diego real estate professionals to help her along the way.
“I want to start a business in my own name and open up opportunities for those who work hard and want to maximize their potential,” she said.
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