Aztec’s Star Softball Infielder Shines on the Field and in the Classroom

Jillian Celis has established herself as a high-achieving student, as well as an outstanding infielder and hitter for the Aztecs’ softball team. 

By Suzanne Finch

One of the reasons for the team’s success is infielder, Jillian Celis, who contributed with both her excellent hitting (.323 batting average) and her outstanding defense (.982 fielding percentage) as the Aztecs’ shortstop/second baseman. 

But it’s not just Celis’ stats on the field that deserve special recognition: She is also an exceptional student who has been named to SDSU’s dean’s list, is a three-time Academic All-Mountain West Team honoree and has been consistently recognized as an SDSU scholar-athlete. 

Celis, a general business senior in SDSU’s Fowler College of Business, chose to enroll at the university because she “loved everything about the campus, the academics and the athletics.” 

Though Celis started her freshman year without declaring a major, she eventually elected to pursue a business degree because it would give her numerous career options. 

“I decided to become a business major because it was a well-rounded and flexible degree program,” said Celis, a Southern California native. “A business degree will open doors to many career paths.”  

Celis noted that the key to her success in the classroom and on the field was developing an effective time management routine. 

But rest is getting a little harder to come by these days. Celis, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Mexico, began playing softball for the Mexican national team during the summer of 2022. In mid-November, she was studying for her fall semester final exams while playing infield for Team Mexico at the Pan American championship in Guatemala. The team ultimately finished in sixth place, but her participation keeps Celis’s softball skills sharp during SDSU’s offseason.  

When the Aztec softball season wraps up this May, Celis will also be wrapping up her bachelor’s degree program at the same time. However, she won’t be saying good-bye to SDSU for a while. 

“Because the NCAA gave student-athletes another year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 restrictions, I am planning to play at SDSU for a fifth year,” she said. “I will also begin a one- or two-year master’s degree program at SDSU starting this fall.”

For her fellow SDSU student-athletes, Celis offers this advice: 

“Take advantage of the resources offered by the university. Whether it is mental health, academic assistance or help with athletics, SDSU has many people available to lend a hand.”