Oklahoma's Jocelyn Alo Up for Amateur Athlete Award

The James E. Sullivan Award, presented each year by the AAU, goes to the nation's top amateur athlete, and fans can can their vote as weell.

University of Oklahoma senior Jocelyn Alo has been named a finalist for the 91st Amateur Athletic Union James E. Sullivan Award, the AAU announced earlier this week.

The award honors the nation's best amateur athlete based on the qualities of leadership, character and sportsmanship. Alo is one of 38 athletes selected as finalists for the award. Other finalists include Olympians Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee and Sydney McLaughlin, along with NCAA student-athletes Paige Bueckers, Luka Garza and Sam Howell, among others. Alo is the only softball player among the finalists.

Voting is open to the public now and runs through Monday, Sept. 27 at 10:59 p.m. CT. Fans can vote once per day until voting closes.

Alo was awarded the Oklahoma AAU District's Jim Thorpe Oklahoma Athlete of the Year earlier this year.

The 2021 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, NFCA First Team All-American and member of the Women's College World Series All-Tournament Team, paced the explosive Oklahoma offense in 2021. Also the Big 12 Player of the Year, Alo led the nation in home runs (34) and slugging percentage (1.109) and ranked second in RBIs (89) and third in batting average (.475).

The Hauula, Hawaii, native tied or set numerous records in 2021, including program records for home runs (34), batting average (.475) and total bases (203). Her four home runs in the WCWS tied a World Series record, previously only been done four times. She helped lead OU to the single-season NCAA record for home runs as the Sooners blasted 161 on the year. Alo hit the record-breaking home run No. 159 vs. Florida State in Game Two of the WCWS Championship Series.

The AAU James E. Sullivan Award presentation will be held Friday, Oct. 22 at the Rosen Centre in Orlando, FL.