BERKELEY - After an incredible senior season in which she finished as the Pac-12's leader in ERA and earned a National Player of the Week award from espnW, Cal softball pitcher Nisa Ontiveros is set this week to head to the postseason one final time as a Golden Bear. CalBears.com sat down with the senior from Bakersfield, Calif. for a round of 20 questions before the Bears head to Alabama for NCAA Regional action that begins Friday in Tuscaloosa.

1. When you first got here four years ago as a freshman, what was your first impression of Cal?
It was really big. Really diverse. Definitely different than Bakersfield.

2. What was your favorite class at Cal?
Way too many. I have to say Sociology of the Family. It helped me understand a lot about people and personalities.

3. If you had any advice for someone coming to Cal to be a student-athlete, what would it be?
It's going to be difficult. Time management (is key). Being a student and an athlete here is really hard but it's definitely worth it.

4. What was your senior season like?
Unbelievable. It couldn't have gone any better. I'm so thankful I got to play the whole season and to have the season I had on top of it has been great.

5. Describe this team.
Resillient. That's the word coach uses all the time.

6. Favorite food.
Ice cream.

7. Favorite book you read at Cal.
Mind Gym (by Gary Mack). I had a sports DeCal class and we had to read that. I still read it to this day.

8. Favorite pro sports team.
Philadelphia Eagles. My dad watched them when I was little and growing up that's who I watched with him so I've been an Eagles fan since then.

9. What do people need to know about Bakersfield, Calif.?
It's not as bad as people think. Everybody drives by it and never really stops and enjoys Bakersfield. It's really not as bad as people think.

10. After a few weeks have passed, what do you remember about the Stanford series?
The team energy. Having my team behind me really pushing me forward. They pushed me forward no matter what.

11. Favorite TV show
Grey's Anatomy.

12. Best memory of college softball?
The 16-strikeout game against Stanford.

13. What has it been like to have your parents at nearly every game this year?
It's amazing. It's great knowing that I can look in the stands and have them there. I'm living my dream but they're there living it with me. They've made tons of sacrifices to get me where I am and I just hope I make them proud.

14. What were the last three years like?
Difficult. There's been lots of adversity and ups and downs but I can't complain because it got me to my senior season and prepared me for the worst. I've been able to come out of it, so it's helped me.

15. Favorite hobby?
Hunting and fishing. That's my family pastime. We hunt for different things.

16. What's your go-to restaurant in Berkeley?
Pappy's. Every time my parents come here too, we go to Pappy's. I get the BLT.

17. What's your favorite sport other than softball?
To watch: football. To play: I liked powder puff so I'll say football.

18. Describe your fellow senior Jasmin Mejia.
Adventurous, spontaneous, there when I need her. She's in good spirits all the time. I can always count on seeing a smile on her face.

19. What are you most looking forward to about this weekend's regional.
The competition. We're playing in Alabama with their crowd. There will be lots of emotions for them but we're going in looking for the upset.

20. Post-graduate plans?
Still in the making. I'm going to go home and coach my little sister's summer team, go to nursing school and maybe play overseas.