OU Softball: Three Oklahoma Players Named Finalist for Player of the Year
Per OU Media Relations, three Oklahoma softball players were named top-10 finalists for USA Softball’s Collegiate Player of the Year Award, the organization announced Wednesday.
Jayda Coleman, Tiare Jennings and Jordy Bahl were the three representatives from Patty Gasso’s top-ranked squad.. Oklahoma leads the way with three of the 10 finalists listed, while UCLA and Tennessee are close behind with two representatives.
This marks three straight years of Oklahoma notching three finalists for the award, going back-to-back a season ago. In addition, the Sooners have had at least two top-10 finalists for five straight seasons.
For both Bahl and Jennings, this marks the second time being named a top-10 finalist, while Coleman picks up her first honor.
Bahl has taken on the bulk of OU’s pitching operation and has succeeded at the highest level. She has a 1.06 ERA and 130 strikeouts, allowing opponents just .156 behind the bat. A season ago, Bahl was named the NFCA Freshman of the Year and a First Team All-American, and her overall game has continued to improve.
Coleman has taken her game to another level this season, filling the void for star power lost in Jocelyn Alo. Coleman, a two-time NFCA First Team All-American, has a team-high 13 home runs while batting with a .454 average. She has a a .862 slugging clip and .575 on-base percentage. Coleman’s batting, slugging and on-base percentages rank in the top 10 in the country, making the finalist honor a no-brainer.
Jennings has been a source of consistency throughout her time in Norman and has stepped up in a big way for the Sooners. On the season, she has recorded 12 home runs and 10 doubles with a team-high 49 runs batted in. Jennings is batting .435 with a slugging rate of .786.
Oklahoma is no stranger to the Player of the Year Award, as Alo went back-to-back a season ago. A Sooner has won the award four times in the last 10 seasons.
The Top 3 Finalists will be revealed on Wednesday, May 17, followed by the announcement of the 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year prior to the NCAA Women’s College World Series slated for June 1-9 at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex.