OU Softball: Oklahoma Star Wins NFCA National Player of the Week
Tiare Jennings had herself a weekend.
Oklahoma's star second baseman helped lead the top-ranked Sooners to a sweep over Texas in a rematch of last year’s National Championship series, and Jennings’ performances saw her earn NFCA National Player of the Week honors.
In three games against the Longhorns, Jennings went 8-for-11 at the plate, hitting three home runs and drawing one walk while driving in eight runs.
Both of Jennings’ home runs gave the Sooners the lead, as she blasted a three-run shot in the second inning of Friday’s contest at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City put OU up 4-1, and she repeated the feat in the second inning of Game 3 on Sunday, blasting another three-run shot to erase an early deficit.
After the weekend, Jennings is second on the team in batting average, hitting .457, and is tied with Jayda Coleman for the most home runs (9). Jennings also leads the Sooners with 39 RBIs.
Jennings’ outstanding weekend against Texas didn’t come as a surprise to OU coach Patty Gasso, who admires the consistency Jennings brings week-in and week-out.
“Elite hitters can't be elite every day or every week,” Gasso said after the Sooners swept Texas on Sunday. “It just doesn't work like that. Very rarely do you ever see Tiare have an off weekend. If she thinks she has, I don't know what. Because she just hits the ball so hard and so well.”
Jennings is Oklahoma's first NFCA National Player of the Week honoree this season, and it's the second time in her career she has won the award, with her last selection coming after the opening weekend of her freshman season in 2021.
The last Sooner to win the National Player of the Week was slugger Jocelyn Alo, who captured the award three times last season. Jordy Bahl was also named the National Pitcher of the Week last year following her opening weekend heroics in 2022.
After collecting the national award, it is expected that Jennings will also be named the Big 12 Player of the Week on Tuesday afternoon. She would be Oklahoma’s third straight Big 12 Player of the Week, as Grace Lyons and Coleman both won the honor the previous two weeks.
Alex Storako has also won the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week this season, as the Sooner right-hander garnered recognition for her performance at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, taking the circle in OU’s 14-0 route of UCLA.
Conference play will continue for the Sooners this weekend, as Oklahoma will host Texas Tech for a three-game set starting Thursday.
First pitch for the first contest between the Red Raiders and the Sooners is slated for 6 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Want to join the discussion? Click here to become a member of the AllSooners message board community today!
Sign up for your premium membership to AllSooners.com today, and get access to the entire Fan Nation premium network!
Follow AllSooners on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest OU news.