Oklahoma Stars Skylar Vann and Payton Verhulst Named All-Americans, Jennie Baranczyk Coach of the Year Finalist

Two of the Sooners' stars were awarded national honors while their head coach is in the running for a national award as well.

Oklahoma's Skylar Vann (24) shoots past Indiana's Sydney Parrish (33) during second round NCAA / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY

FROM OU MEDIA RELATIONS

NORMAN — Oklahoma standouts Skylar Vann and Payton Verhulst collected WBCA All-America honorable mentions on Thursday, it was announced by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association. Additionally, head coach Jennie Baranczyk was named a finalist for National Coach of the Year.

Vann, the 2024 Big 12 Co-Player of the Year, and Verhulst, the league's Newcomer of the Year, are first-time All-America honorees. The duo are the third pair in program history to earn honors from the WBCA in the same season, joining Madi Williams and Taylor Robertson (2023) and Stacey Dales and LaNeisha Caufield (2002). Baranczyk, the Big 12 Coach of the Year, was one of 10 WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year finalists, including winner Dawn Staley, as selected by a committee of coaches.

In 2023-24, Vann became Oklahoma's first Big 12 Player of the Year since Courtney Paris in 2009 and fourth overall, joining Paris, Phylesha Whaley and Dales. The forward averaged career highs in points (15.0), rebounds (7.0) and assists (2.4) and posted 27 games of double-digit scoring. An AP All-America honoree as well, Vann earned unanimous All-Big 12 honors for her efforts that saw her guide Oklahoma to its first outright conference championship in 15 years. The Edmond, Okla., product is the first All-American Sooner from the Sooner State since Caufield in 2002.

Verhulst burst onto the scene with the Sooners in 2023-24 after transferring to Oklahoma from Louisville. The guard averaged 12.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks per game to earn Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors and a spot on the All-Big 12 First Team. A team-high four double-doubles were highlighted by five 20-point games as the De Soto, Kan., product was the only player in the country to average 12.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists in under 30 minutes per game this season. She powered OU to a Valentine's Day victory over a ranked Baylor team by tallying 16 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and five blocks.

Baranczyk has now produced five All-America honors as voted on by the nation's coaches in just three seasons, the most illustrious three-year stretch in program history in terms of WBCA All-America honors. The third-year Sooner head coach orchestrated one of the best turnarounds in college basketball, guiding OU to a 15-3 league record (23-10 overall) and its second consecutive Big 12 regular season championship after being picked fifth in the league's preseason poll. Despite replacing four starters from last year's championship team, Baranczyk led the Sooners to five top-25 wins and the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season. Her selection as a finalist for the 2024 WBCA Coach of the Year honor marks the third consecutive season that she has been a finalist for either the Naismith or WBCA Coach of the Year accolade.

Season tickets for the 2024-25 campaign, Oklahoma's first in the Southeastern Conference, are on sale now and can be purchased online or through the OU Ticket Office. Next season, the Sooners are set to return over 95% of their scoring, rebounding and assists from 2024's championship team.

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