Jocelyn Alo, Ochai Agbaji Named Big 12 Athletes of the Year
Kansas basketball guard Ochai Agbaji and Oklahoma softball player Jocelyn Alo were named 2022 Big 12 Athletes of the Year, after each led their teams to national championships.
Agbaji is the fourth Kansas male to win the award, and first since 2017. Alo, who was a unanimous selection, is the third consecutive Sooner female to win the award, and the eighth overall.
Nominees are submitted by Big 12 institutions and selected based on athletic performance during the 2021-22 school year by a media panel. Nominees must be in good academic standing.
Agbaji was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2022 NCAA Men's Final Four as the Jayhawks captured their sixth national title. The Kansas City, MO, native was the unanimous Big 12 Player of the Year and a Consensus All-America First Team selection, leading the Conference with 18.8 points per game. He was the Most Outstanding Player at the Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament, averaging 18.7 points in three ganes.
Agbaji was selected by Cleveland with the 14th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and leaves Lawrence with the school record for consecutive games with a 3-pointer made (53). He ranks in the program's career top-10 for 3-pointers made (250), consecutive starts (98) and minutes played (3,978).
Alo was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2022 NCAA Women's College World Series, as the Sooners captured a second consecutive NCAA title, and the program's sixth. The Big 12 Player of the Year, Alo won the Honda Sport Award for Softball, the ESPY for Best College Athlete - Women's Sports and USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. She led the NCAA in home runs (34), batting average (.515) and slugging percentage (1.212).
The Hauula, HI, native set an NCAA career record with 122 home runs, breaking the record in her home state against Hawaii in March. She is currently a member of the United States national softball team and was the No. 1 overall pick in the WPF Draft, where she plays for the Smash It Sports Vipers.
Fifteen Sooners have now been named Big 12 Athlete of the Year in the 26-year history of the league, including 11 in the last 10 years. OU has also claimed at least one honor seven of the last nine years, including at least one in each of the last five.
Alo is the seventh Sooner female to win the award and fifth in the last seven years. She is the fourth OU softball player to win the award, joining Paige Parker (2015-16), Lauren Chamberlain (2014-15) and Keilani Ricketts (2012-13).
OU's other Big 12 Athletes of the Year were Webb (2020-21; gymnastics), Jalen Hurts (2019-20; football), Nichols (2019-20; gymnastics), Kyler Murray (2018-19; football), Baker Mayfield (2017-18; football), Nichols (2017-18; gymnastics), Buddy Hield (2015-16; men’s basketball), Parker (2015-16; softball), Chamberlain (2014-15; softball), Ricketts (2012-13; softball), Sam Bradford (2008-09; football), Jason White (2003-04; football), Stacey Dales (2001-02; women's basketball) and Josh Heupel (2000-01; football).
The Hauula, Hawaii, product rewrote the record books as a Sooner, closing her collegiate career as a two-time national champion, two-time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and the NCAA career record holder for home runs, slugging percentage and total bases. Alo was also a four-time NFCA All-American after garnering her third nod to the First Team in 2022.
She also became the first player in history to hit 30 home runs and bat .500 in the same season. She was also the first player to record three seasons of 30-plus home runs, accomplishing the feat in 2018, 2021 and 2022. Additionally, she departs Oklahoma as the program record holder holder in nine statistical categories and ranking in second place in an additional two.
Nominees for this year's Big 12 Athlete of the Year awards were submitted by Big 12 institutions and selected by a media panel based on athletic performance, academic achievement and citizenship. Fan voting conducted via Big12Sports.com also was a consideration in the final tallies.
Other candidates for Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year were NaLyssa Smith (Baylor basketball), Ashley Joens (Iowa State basketball), Alexandra Emilianov (Kansas track and field), Ayoka Lee (Kansas State basketball), Taylor Roe (Oklahoma State cross country and track), Lauren Kellett (TCU soccer), Peyton Stearns (Texas tennis), Ruth Usoro (Texas Tech track and field) and Ceili McCabe (West Virginia cross country and track).
Big 12 Male Athlete of the Year candidates included: Jalen Pitre (Baylor football), Breece Hall (Iowa State football), Deuce Vaughn (Kansas State football), Chris Gotterup (Oklahoma golf), Eugenio Chacarra (Oklahoma State golf), Chengetayi (Du) Mapaya (TCU track and field), Ivan Melendez (Texas baseball), Ludvig Aberg (Texas Tech golf) and Zach Fraizer (West Virginia football).