Front Page  »  

Former Cal Poly softball star heading to Olympics with Team Mexico

June 30, 2021

Sierra Hyland with Team Mexico

BY JOSH FRIEDMAN

Former All-American Cal Poly softball pitcher Sierra Hyland will compete in the Tokyo Olympics this summer with Team Mexico.

Hyland, who is from Visalia but has a grandfather who was born in Mexico, is set to become the first former Cal Poly softball player to appear in the Olympics. In Aug. 2019, Hyland pitched the final one-third of an inning to earn a save during Mexico’s 2-0 victory against Puerto Rico in the semifinal of the Softball Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

“This summer has been a very humbling experience,” Hyland said following the Olympic qualifier. “We’re ready to show the world what we are made of next summer.”

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Olympic Games were delayed a year. As a sport, softball is a returning to the Olympics this year following a more than decade-long absence from the games.

Hyland earned All-American honors in 2017, her final season at Cal Poly. The former Cal Poly pitcher is the Big West Conference’s all-time strikeout leader.

In 2014 and 2017, Hyland was named both Big West pitcher of the year and Cal Poly female athlete of the year. Following her collegiate playing career, Hyland joined the Cal Poly softball staff as an assistant coach.

Hyland has considerable international softball experience, including being a gold medalist in the Central American Games.


Loading...
Related:


12 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Why are you woorying about dual citizenship at least she is a citizen and is here legally not like the thousands of others who will probably get more free assistance from government than she has. Good for her showing hard work and doing things legally will take you far


10

Exactly, plus ( and no offense intended) the choice was likely- – Don’t get to play in the Olympics vs play for another squad, and it will hopefully be a great experience creating new friendships + lifelong memories for her.


4

I’m not “worried” about anyone’s citizenship. I’m merely pointing out that as a nation, the USA does not recognize “dual citizenship.” Some do, the USA does not. In fact, those becoming naturalized citizens must renounce their citizenship of whatever nation they were born in.


Again, as I asked earlier, given that FACT, how exactly does this work? People can live lies — that’s up to them, but if they publicly claim American citizenship, how are they then able to compete in the Olympics for another nation? Is there a specific dispensation I’m not aware of for this type of situation?


-3

Um, I think you’re wrong. There are plenty of dual nationals in the U.S,, as I believe the case to be for Ms. Hyland. Good luck to her. Go Mexico!


https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/Advice-about-Possible-Loss-of-US-Nationality-Dual-Nationality/Dual-Nationality.html


-3

You clearly don’t know what you are talking about. The fact the US doesn’t “recognize” dual citizenship only means that to the US, you are a US citizen only and it will not treat you any differently no matter what other citizenship you happen to hold. There is NO US law that says you must renounce your citizenship. If you did even an ounce of research you would find that the US State Department says exactly that on their website:


“U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one nationality or another. A U.S. citizen may naturalize in a foreign state without any risk to his or her U.S. citizenship.”


See US State Department Resources on Dual Nationality


So much for your “FACT”… The real question is why does Sierra’s dual nationality get your panties in such a twist? Why is “how it works” anything to you anyway?


3

Settle down… Your psychological projection, while amusing is misplaced. You’re also factually wrong about the notion of “dual citizenship.” Pick up a book.


-3

Nice try at gaslighting but your misguided hysterical outrage at someone’s citizenship is pathetic and has been called out. And now you are claiming you actually know what dual citizenship is and the State Department is factually wrong? Please put down your crack pipe and grow up.


1

Hats off to any athlete that is able to keep playing at the next level. Congrats and best of luck to her –


10

Congrats, but how does this work? The USA does not recognize “dual citizenship” for any of its citizens. In fact, if one becomes a naturalized citizen, part of the process is renouncing their former citizenship.


-11

Many US citizens have dual citizenship what are you talking about? Naturalized citizens perhaps cannot keep their prior citizenship?


3

Naturalized citizen doesn’t need to renounce their former citizenship, they only need to vow to be loyal to the US. It is legal to hold dual citizenships. The US government simply ignores your foreign citizenship for governmental issues. They only ask you to renounce foreign citizenship when your job requires high level federal security clearance


5

Quite an achievement, for both she and CalPoly athletics.


She must have dual citizenship being born in Visalia?


-1