Junior college transfer Kay Kay Fronda came to Utah knowing what it’s like to be a champion. Fronda and her JUCO team, the Palomar Comets, won the 2014 California Junior College Championship, a moment she’ll never forget.
“It was amazing,” Fronda said of winning the title. “It was a goal that we wanted to win state, and so every practice was hard. We practiced in the rain, and we didn’t take any days off.”
At Palomar College, Fronda excelled, batting .445 with 73 RBIs and 13 home runs in her career, earning a sport on the junior college softball All-American team. Before Palomar, however, Fronda was a two-sport athlete at Rancho Cotate High School in Rohert Park, Calif. Fonda played on the basketball team at Rancho Cotate, earning an all-league selection, but her true love was softball.
“Softball was always year-round for me,” Fronda said. “Basketball I knew was always for fun and softball was always my main goal to keep going.”
In high school, Fronda dreamed about playing in the Pac-12, so when Utah offered her a spot after her successful JUCO season, it was a no-brainer for her.
“I really loved the coaching staff and all the benefits [at the U],” Fronda said. “I loved how they run their program — I think it’s really important to have a good relationship with your coach.”
Utah head coach Amy Hogue had high praise for the JUCO transfer from the Golden State.
“[Fronda] has been our most improved player from the start of the season until now, and we’re still learning what her ceiling is,” Hogue said. “She’s midseason form, and we are just three weekends in. She’s one of the most exciting players on our team right now.”
Hogue has reason to be excited, as Fronda has improved greatly from the start of the season. In the first game of the season against then-no. 24 Notre Dame, Fronda was placed in left field in the sixth inning, and in her first Division-I at bat she grounded out to the pitcher.
“I was nervous,” Fronda said of her first at-bat. “I think I swung at the first pitch and got out. I think that whole [first] tournament I was super nervous, but after that I settled in and realized what to do, what’s expected of me and what I’m capable of.”
Fronda recorded her first Division I hit against in Utah’s 8-0 win over Portland State on Feb. 13, pinch-hitting in the fourth inning for Kristen Stewart.
“I’m pretty sure I was laughing, because it was a dinker hit,” Fronda said. “I ran to first, [Portland State] overthrew it, and then I got to second and I was just laughing. It was kind of embarrassing, but I was just grateful to be on base.”
It was clear that the play of junior college softball compared to Division-I was something Fronda had to adjust to.
“I think definitely the speed of the game is a lot quicker,” Fronda said.
But Fronda has adjusted quickly. She hit a home run in Utah’s 11-0 drubbing of San Jose State on Feb. 20, a solo shot to center field for her first RBI and home run at the D-I level. Fronda would end the tournament with four RBIs.
This last weekend, Fronda exploded offensively, hitting two home runs (including one grand slam), seven RBIs and scored five times on six hits.
“I think during the first tournament, I was thinking too much,” Fronda said. “The coaches just wanted us to be aggressive [this past weekend], and I think that just kind of clicked in my mind to say to myself, ‘You see it, then swing at it.’ It just freed me up to swing.”
With a lot of softball still left to play this season, Fronda has high hopes for the remainder of the schedule.
“I’m hoping to gain more experience and keep finding ways to get better and never stay stagnant, because I feel like there is still a lot to learn,” she said.
Coaches absolutely love when a player says that they want to get better and that they have a lot to learn. Hogue is no exception.
“[Fronda] shows a lot of enthusiasm and has so much upside. She’s got speed and power, and is one of our top three defensive outfielders,” Hogue said. “I’m excited to see how much better she gets.”
Already a key player for the Utes, the future is bright for the Utes and Fronda.
@JoeColesChrony