Nation-Best Five Named First Team All-America, Lyons Collects Gold Glove

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Five Oklahoma softball student-athletes were named 2023 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Americans, the organization announced the honors Wednesday. Also announced was Grace Lyons as the shortstop recipient for the Division I Rawlings Gold Glove Award, presented by the NFCA.

Jordy Bahl (P), Alyssa Brito (3B), Jayda Coleman (OF), Kinzie Hansen (C) and Tiare Jennings (2B) were all named to the first team, the most recipients by one school. Brito was a unanimous choice to the first team, one of six in the country.

It marks the second consecutive season OU has had five First-Team choices, a nation's best, and fourth straight year with at least three First Team honors. Additionally, it's the 10th time in the last 11 seasons that Oklahoma has had at least three representatives on the NFCA's All-America teams.

Lyons collects OU's first Rawling Gold Glove Award in program history, after the award was introduced to collegiate softball in 2022. Recipients of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, presented by the NFCA, were selected by the NFCA's NCAA Division I All-America Committee.

Coleman and Jennings collect their third career All-America nods while Bahl and Hansen earn their second and Brito her first honor.

Bahl, Coleman and Jennings have earned the status every year of their collegiate careers. Hansen collects her first First Team distinction and second career All-America honor after a Second Team accolade in 2021.

Bahl has led the nation's best pitching staff with a team-high 159 strikeouts to go with a top-10 nationally 1.08 ERA. She's allowing opponents to bat just .159 with a team-best six individual shutouts in 2023 and has combined on 11. The Papillion, Neb., product has also thrown one perfect game on the year, combined on two no-hitters and made three saves.

Brito has seamlessly transitioned to third base, starting 56 of OU's 57 games at the hot corner (.973 FLD%) after primarily playing outfield a season ago. At the plate, she leads the team with single-season career bests 17 home runs and 17 doubles, both ranking top-20 in the country, along with 59 RBIs and a .411 batting average.

Coleman has been exceptional in center field once again as a junior, while her power numbers have increased. The three-time All-American has 16 home runs, 15 doubles and a team-high 66 runs scored and 15 stolen bases in 2023. She ranks in the top 20 nationally in on-base (.543), batting.(417), slugging (.816) and runs/game (1.16).

Hansen has been clutch for the Sooners, hitting 12 home runs, six doubles and a triple in 2023 while batting .415 with 53 RBIs. The catcher has showcased her versatility with four stolen bases and a .446 on-base clip. Behind the plate, the two-time All-American holds a .992 fielding percentage.

Jennings has continued to showcase her power in 2023 with 16 home runs, 15 doubles and team-high 72 hits and 60 RBIs. The junior's RBI, batting (.436) and slugging (.818) numbers all rank top-15 nationally. In the field, the second baseman has helped turn 12 double plays and holds a .992 fielding clip.

The Gold Glove recipient Lyons, a five-year starter at short for the Sooners, has been electric in the field throughout her career. The Peoria, Ariz., native has started 256 games for OU, all at shortstop, and holds a single-season career best .975 fielding percentage in 2023, helping turn 11 double plays and has committed just three errors her super senior season.

The top-seeded Sooners (56-1) open their seventh straight Women's College World Series Thursday at 1:30 p.m. CT versus No. 9-seed Stanford (45-13).

The game can be seen on ESPN and heard in Oklahoma on 107.7 The Franchise and nationwide on The Varsity Network app.

Single-session tickets for the 2023 WCWS are still available via NCAAtickets.com.

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