Five Oklahoma Players Named Finalists For National Player of the Year Award
By OU Media Relations
Five Oklahoma softball student-athletes were named top 25 finalists for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, the organization announced the list Wednesday.
Redshirt senior Alex Storako, juniors Jayda Coleman, Tiare Jennings and Nicole May and sophomore Jordy Bahl combined for the most representatives from one school. Oklahoma leads the way with five finalists while five schools are second with two athletes each.
OU's five finalists rank as a program high for the USA Softball Top 25 list, while the Sooners have had at least two representatives on the list for six straight seasons.
It marks Bahl, Coleman, Jennings and Storako’s second time being a Top 25 finalist and first for May.
A Sooner has won the award four times in the last 10 seasons, including the past two seasons with Jocelyn Alo going back-to-back in 2021 and 2022. Keilani Ricketts claimed OU’s other two, also winning in consecutive seasons in 2012 and 2013.
The Top 25 Finalists will be narrowed down to 10 athletes on May 3, followed by the Top 3 Finalists set to be released on May 17. The 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed prior to the Women’s College World Series, which is scheduled to take place June 1-9 at the Softball Capital of the World.