Parker a First Team Academic All-American

NORMAN – Oklahoma sophomore pitcher Paige Parker has been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Division I softball first team, it was announced Thursday.

An arts and sciences planned program major, Parker was one of seven student-athletes overall and one of four first-teamers to post a 4.0 grade point average. Earlier this year, she was also named to the CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-District team and was an Academic All-Big 12 First Team honoree.

She is the ninth Sooner in program history to be an Academic All-American and just the fourth to be on the first team, the last of whom was Lana Moran in 2000.

To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his/her current institution. They must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games at the position listed on the nomination form (where applicable). In baseball and softball, pitchers must have at least 10.0 innings pitched.

The Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and a First Team All-Region Selection, Parker is 31-3 on the season with a 1.38 earned run average and 235 strikeouts to just 52 walks in 202.1 innings pitched this year. She is tied for the nation's lead in wins and ranks second in shutouts with 13. She's also 13th in ERA and 15th in strikeouts and hits per seven innings (4.36).

She's had four stretches this year where she's gone at least 20 straight innings without allowing a run, including a career-best 30.1 inning stretch from April 1-10. During the team's current 25-game winning streak, the second longest in program history, Parker has a 0.86 ERA with 130 strikeouts in 113.1 innings and an opponents' batting average of .175.

One of 25 finalists for USA Softball Player of the Year, Parker has been named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week five times this year as was named both the ESPNW National Player of the Week and the USA Softball Player of the Week on April 12 after helping OU sweep Baylor in Waco.

Parker and the third-seeded Sooners open play in the NCAA Super Regionals Thursday night against No. 14 Louisiana-Lafayette. First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. on ESPN2.