Jennings Tabbed NFCA National Player of the Week

NORMAN — Oklahoma softball freshman Tiare Jennings has been named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced Tuesday.

Jennings, also tabbed Big 12 Player of the Week, had a collegiate debut for the record books, going 12-for-13 in the box with five home runs, 12 RBIs and a .923 batting average at the Miner Invitational.

The 2019-20 Gatorade California Softball Player of the Year hit three home runs in her first collegiate game, including a two-run blast in her first at-bat. Her three round-trippers helped the Sooners to an NCAA single-game record 13 home runs in a 29-0 run-rule win over UTEP in the season opener. Additionally, Jennings' three home runs versus the Miners tied a school record for single-game home runs, joining her with her own home run hat trick in the game was junior Grace Lyons.

The San Pedro, Calif., native finished the weekend with 30 total bases and eight extra base hits, pacing the Sooners in each category.

Jennings' weekly honor marks OU's first NFCA weekly award since redshirt senior pitcher Giselle Juarez won Pitcher of the Week accolades on Feb. 26, 2019 and the first Player of the Week honor since senior utility player Jocelyn Alo claimed the title on March 27, 2018.

It marks the first season a freshman has won the initial NFCA Player of the Week since 2008 when Ashton Ward of Tennessee took home the first weekly accolade.

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