Tiare Jennings’ parents, Maria and Ignacio Jennings, have remained deeply involved in supporting her softball career.
Tiare Jennings is a standout softball player who made a name for herself with the Oklahoma Sooners.
She was a four-time Women’s College World Series champion and All-American.
Jennings announced her retirement from softball after an X-ray evaluation revealed an underlying injury that would prevent her from continuing her career.
This news shocked the college softball community, as she was considered one of the best hitters in the game.
Before her retirement, she had signed with the Oklahoma City Spark for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Recently, she has transitioned into a student coaching role for the Sooners for the 2025 season.
Despite stepping away from playing, Jennings remains active in professional softball, having signed with the OKC Spark, and is a candidate for the 2028 Team USA Olympic team, coached by Gasso.
Moreover, she continues her involvement with the team while preparing for the inaugural season of Athletes Unlimited.
Tiare Jennings’ Parents Are Mexican Immigrants!
Tiare Jennings was born on June 5, 2002, in Torrance, California, to parents Maria and Ignacio Jennings, and grew up in San Pedro.
She is of Samoan, Filipino, and Mexican descent. Her parents are Mexican immigrants who moved to California and raised Tiare with her two siblings, Elai and Fa’atele.
They are deeply supportive of her career, frequently celebrating her achievements on social media.
Ignacio is described as a god-loving family man, while Maria is a busy mom who dedicates much of her time to supporting her children.
From an early age, her parents encouraged her passion for softball, taking her to local parks to practice when she was just four years old.
Their support helped her become one of the most dominant players in college softball.
Recently, they continued a long-standing Women’s College World Series tradition where parents receive their daughters’ home run balls.
With Tiare’s success at Oklahoma, her family has built quite a collection over the years.
Maria has expressed how meaningful it is to witness other families experience this tradition for the first time, saying:
The first time, I do remember because it was her freshman year, and it was an unbelievable moment.
Moreover, Nacio also expressed his overwhelming joy and pride, saying:
We’ve seen it in the past on TV, and then when it happens in person, you’re trying to watch everything that’s going on on the field. You’re trying to take in every single moment, and when the ball comes to you and everyone’s cheering, it’s just truly one of the best feelings at the World Series.
Tiare Jennings Experienced A Heartbreaking Loss At A Young Age!
As mentioned in the report, Tiare had an older brother, Kalaea Christopher Jennings.
Tragically, he passed away on September 8, 2007, at just 4 ½ months old due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Though Tiare was very young then, his memory has remained a deep part of her life and family’s journey.
She deeply honors Tele Jennings’ memory, and she has spoken about how his presence motivates her on the field.
Moreover, she referred to her late brother as an “angel on the field.” She has spoken about how his memory, saying:
There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t think of him, I was very young when he passed but I remember a lot about him.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Her cousin Keilani Jennings also played college softball in New Mexico.
- Jennings attended St. Anthony High School in Long Beach, California, where she was named the 2017 Southern Section Division 6 Player of the Year.
