Three Sooners Named Player of the Year Finalists

April 11, 2012

NORMAN, Okla. -- Three student-athletes from the Oklahoma Softball program were named finalists for the 2012 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) announced on Wednesday. Lauren Chamberlain, Keilani Ricketts and Jessica Shults were all named to the list of 25 finalists as OU joined Cal as the only programs to place three athletes on the list.

Chamberlain is the lone freshman named to the final 25 as Ricketts and Shults were two of seven juniors on the list. Thirteen seniors and four sophomores comprise the remainder of the top 25 list for the award designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievements by female collegiate softball players across the country.

For Ricketts, Wednesday's announcement marks the third time she has made the list of 25 finalists in her career while Shults has advanced to the top 25 for the first time in her career after earning top 50 honors each of the last three years.

Chamberlain currently leads the Big 12 in home runs with 19, just one shy of the OU single-season record and the second-best total in the nation. The freshman also leads the Big 12 in runs scored (40), runs batted in (53), total bases (106) and slugging percentage (.981). Chamberlain is third nationally with her 53 runs batted in.

Ricketts leads the Sooners in the circle with a record of 18-4 and an ERA of 0.82. She ranks second nationally in shutouts (10) and hits allowed per seven innings (3.52) while ranking third in strikeouts (229) and fourth in ERA. Ricketts leads the Big 12 in ERA, strikeouts and opposing team's batting average, holding opponents to just a .145 clip at the plate.

At the plate, the two-time All-American is second on the Sooner squad with nine home runs while leading with an on base percentage of .508, a number that is second in the Big 12.

Ricketts owns the Big 12's third-best slugging percentage, .745, while Shults is just behind in fourth at .721. Shults is tied with Ricketts with nine home runs on the season and is second in the Big 12 with a .414 batting average. Shults is second in the conference with 46 hits and is third with 80 total bases.

Just before the start of post-season play, a list of 10 finalists will be announced on May 9. The three finalists will be announced May 23, while the winner of the 2012 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award will be revealed on May 29 prior to the start of the NCAA WCWS in Oklahoma City.

Now in its 11th year, the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award is voted on by coaching representatives from 11 Division I Conferences in the 15 ASA Regions as well as members of the media who constantly cover Division I softball across the country.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Three Sooners Named Player of the Year Finalists

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors