Oklahoma softball: Three Sooners named top-10 finalists for Collegiate POY
By Chip Rouse
Three Oklahoma softball players are top-10 finalists for 2022 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.
One of the three, super senior Jocelyn Alo, is the reigning national Player of the Year. The other two Sooners who are finalists for college softball’s top individual prize are true freshman Jordy Bahl and senior Grace Lyons.
Alo broke the NCAA career home run record earlier this season, hitting her 96th career home run in her home state of Hawaii. She now has 111 for her career and 23 this season along with a .479 batting average, third best in the country, and a nation-best .629 on-base percentage and 1.162 slugging percentage.
Bahl not only is a finalist for Collegiate Player of the Year in her very first college season, but she may be the best freshman in the country this season. The right-handed pitcher has a record of 20-1 and an ERA of 0.96 in 123 2/3 innings. Opponents are hitting just .137 against her, and she has yielded just three home runs and 16 extra-base hits all season. Included among her pitching superlatives are one solo perfect game and one individual no hitter. She also combined on one perfect game and two no-hitters.
Lyons has been stellar at the plate and in the field at shortstop for the Sooners this season. She’s having a career year offensively, with 17 home runs, a .425 batting average and a 1.000 slugging percentage. All three rank in the top-15 nationally. The OU shortstop has a .923 fielding percentage with 33 putouts and 29 assists, and she has assisted in eight double plays.
Alo is seeking to be the second Oklahoma softball players to be named Collegiate Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons and the second Sooner to win the awards. Pitcher Keilani Rickets won the award in consecutive seasons in 2012 and 2013.
The top-10 finalists will be narrowed to three on May 18 and the winner will be announced during the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, June 2 through June 10.