Walk-ons have a special place in a fan's heart and now, notes Sue Favor over at FullCourt, there's one in California.

UCLA season ticket holders arriving for the Bruins’ exhibition home opener November 9 saw the two freshmen they’d heard about in Markel Walker and Mariah Williams. But there was another new player on the bench with the team.

“Who’s that?” many fans asked each other.

They didn’t truly find out until 10 days later when, as the Bruins were in the process of crushing Hawaii, Coach Nikki Caldwell sent in Jackie Shepard late the game. Fans may not have known quite who she was yet, but they cheered wildly when she successfully put up a floater.

Shepard had made her debut. As such, she’s the first walk-on to the team that anyone can remember, spokesman Steve Rourke said.