Three Named to Player of the Year Watch List

NORMAN — Three members of the Oklahoma softball team have been named to the 2021 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List, released on Wednesday afternoon.

Seniors Giselle "G" Juarez, Jocelyn Alo and Nicole Mendes are among the 50 student-athletes on the preseason watch list. The recognition marks Juarez' and Alo's third consecutive year on the preseason list, while Mendes makes her first appearance.

Three selections tie for fourth nationally with Arizona, Mississippi State and Texas also having three representatives. UCLA leads all programs with six on the list, while Alabama and Washington have four representatives.

The top 25 finalists for the 2020 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award will be announced April 21. While an athlete does not have to be on the Watch List to be considered for the top 25, the eventual USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will come from the top 25 finalists. The top 10 finalists will be announced May 5 and the top three announced May 19. The 2020 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed June 1. Freshmen can be considered for the Player of the Year award once they have competed at the collegiate level.

Looking to lead the charge in the circle for OU in 2021 will be a rejuvenated "G" Juarez. Juarez battled injury throughout the 2020 campaign, registering just 6.2 inning pitched. The 2018 and '19 NFCA First-Team All-American returns for her redshirt senior season in 2021 with the chance to topple numerous OU pitching records, already holding top-10 spots in OU career history in opponent batting average (.150), strikeouts per seven inning pitched (10.11) and ERA (1.45).

2018 NFCA First Team All-American and 2019 Second Team selection Jocelyn Alo will provide the power in the box for OU in 2021 just as she has the past three seasons. Alo ranks in the OU career top 10 in a number of batting categories including home runs (54), batting average (.404), slugging percentage (.846) and walks drawn (91). The senior finished 2020 with a team-leading 61 total bases and a slashline of .427/.813/.506 to go with eight home runs, 21 RBIs and 22 runs.

Outfielder and two-time WCWS All-Tournament Team member Nicole Mendes returns for her fifth season with the Sooners in 2021 and looks to bounce back from a season that saw her play just six games following knee surgery in 2019. The only current Sooner that played on OU's last national title team in 2017, Mendes went 3-for-6 at the plate with two home runs and five RBIs in her limited appearances in 2020.

Oklahoma alumna and current USA Softball national team member Keilani Ricketts was a two-time recipient of the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, considered the most prestigious honor in NCAA Division I Softball.

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