Completed Event: Softball at #12/14 Texas A&M on May 1, 2026 , Loss , 5, to, 8
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Softball
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at #12/14 Texas A&M
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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Hansen Named Defensive Player of the Year, Nine Sooners Earn All-Big 12 Honors
May 08, 2024 | Softball
NORMAN – A league-leading nine Oklahoma Softball players have been named All-Big 12 while graduate catcher Kinzie Hansen earned defensive player-of-the-year honors, the league announced Wednesday.
Hansen and senior outfielder Jayda Coleman were unanimous selections to the All-Big 12 First Team, joined by graduate left-handed pitcher Kelly Maxwell and senior infielders Tiare Jennings and Alyssa Brito to provide OU with five first-team honorees, sharing the conference lead with Texas. Senior outfielder Rylie Boone, sophomore left-handed pitcher Kierston Deal, freshman utility Ella Parker and senior infielder Alynah Torres added second-team recognition while Parker and outfielder Kasidi Pickering were named to the All-Big 12 Freshman Team.
Oklahoma's nine All-Big 12 members stand as the program's highest mark since 10 Sooners earned all-league honors in 1996. Hansen becomes OU's sixth-straight and ninth overall defensive player-of-the year and is the third Sooner catcher to be crowned the league's top defender, following Heather Scaglione (2004-05) and Lindsey Vandever (2010).
Hansen has enjoyed a terrific season behind the dish for OU, committing just three errors over 214.0 innings at catcher while throwing out five runners at a 35.7% caught-stealing rate. The graduate student has allowed just 14 wild pitches this season and did not commit an error in conference play. At the plate, Hansen is slashing .415/.474/.669 for a 1.143 OPS with eight home runs, six doubles and 28 RBIs. Her First Team All-Big 12 nod is the second of her career.
Now a four-time First Team All-Big 12 selection, Coleman batted .397 in the regular season and led Oklahoma with 57 runs scored, a .535 on-base percentage and 43 walks drawn. OU's leadoff hitter has produced a 1.226 OPS this season alongside 11 home runs, seven doubles and 39 RBIs while walking in 22.9% of her plate appearances and striking out in just 2.7% of her trips. Defensively, Coleman leads all Sooner outfielders with a 1.47 range factor and four outfield assists.
Jennings has earned her fourth-straight first-team honor following a regular-season that saw her lead OU with 19 home runs, 56 RBIs and 12 doubles while batting .365 with a 1.263 OPS. The senior slashed .365/.455/.808 and was the lone Sooner to start all 52 games. Over the course of 2024, Jennings broke Oklahoma's career doubles record and registered her 300th collegiate RBI, becoming just the fifth player in NCAA history to reach the mark. Jennings has committed just two errors in 306.0 innings at shortstop, logging a .987 fielding percentage and a 3.45 range factor.
Brito, a first-time First Team All-Big 12 selection, bats .405 entering the postseason with 16 home runs, 11 doubles, four triples and 50 RBIs. The third baseman owns a .405/.489/.843 triple slash this season for a team-high 1.332 OPS and leads Oklahoma in triples and slugging percentage. Brito bats .440 and has produced a 1.430 OPS with runners in scoring position, leading OU in both categories. She has committed just five errors at third base, fielding a strong .955 with a 2.49 range factor.
Maxwell earned her fourth career first-team all-conference honor, her first with the Sooners, following a stellar regular-season in which she went 16-2 with a 1.98 ERA. The left-handed pitcher has struck out 110 batters in 106.0 innings while walking just 37, limiting opponents to a .177 batting average. She has thrown seven complete games and four shutouts, adding one save and has worked to a 0.97 WHIP this spring.
Boone has garnered her first career All-Big 12 honor after batting .413 with 10 doubles, one triple and a home run. The OU sparkplug slashes .413/.456/.522 for a .978 OPS entering the postseason and is third among her teammates with seven stolen bases. She has scored 34 runs and has driven in 22 this spring while collecting 57 hits, tied for second across the Oklahoma lineup.
Another first-time All-Big 12 honoree, Deal is 11-1 this season with a 1.53 ERA. The southpaw has fanned 60 across 64.0 innings of work, issuing just 15 free passes for a Sooner-low 5.9% walk rate. She has limited opponents to a .165 batting average and a .509 OPS, tossing five complete-games and sharing the shutout lead with four. Her 0.83 WHIP stands as Oklahoma's best mark among pitchers with at least 50.0 innings pitched, as does her 4.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Torres picks up her second career all-conference honor, her first in the Big 12, following a regular season in which she slashed .358/.449/.642 for a 1.091 OPS. The second baseman has blasted eight home runs and seven doubles while driving in 31 runs and scoring 23 times. In the field, Torres logs a .984 fielding percentage across 149.0 innings at second base with just one error and has added 29.0 errorless innings at first base.
Parker slashes .388/.503/.705 for a 1.208 OPS in her freshman campaign, crushing 10 home runs and 11 doubles while ranking third among her teammates with 47 RBIs. The first-year Sooner leads the club with 15 stolen bases and has scored 47 times. Her .551 weighted on-base average (wOBA) is second only to Brito while her .434 batting average vs. right-handed pitchers paces Oklahoma.
Pickering rounds out Oklahoma's all-league honorees with an all-freshman team nod following a debut regular season in which she batted .377 with a 1.158 OPS, collecting seven home runs and eight doubles while driving in 38. The freshman added 36 runs scored, walked in 22.1% of her trips to the plate and produced a .497 wOBA. With runners in scoring position, Pickering bats .413 with a 1.170 OPS.
Under head coach Patty Gasso, 250 Sooners have earned All-Big 12 honors, 19 have added all-freshman team accolades and 11 have been named defensive player-of-the-year.
For updates and more information on Oklahoma Softball, follow the Sooners on Twitter/X and Instagram (@OU_Softball) and like Oklahoma Softball on Facebook.
Hansen and senior outfielder Jayda Coleman were unanimous selections to the All-Big 12 First Team, joined by graduate left-handed pitcher Kelly Maxwell and senior infielders Tiare Jennings and Alyssa Brito to provide OU with five first-team honorees, sharing the conference lead with Texas. Senior outfielder Rylie Boone, sophomore left-handed pitcher Kierston Deal, freshman utility Ella Parker and senior infielder Alynah Torres added second-team recognition while Parker and outfielder Kasidi Pickering were named to the All-Big 12 Freshman Team.
Oklahoma's nine All-Big 12 members stand as the program's highest mark since 10 Sooners earned all-league honors in 1996. Hansen becomes OU's sixth-straight and ninth overall defensive player-of-the year and is the third Sooner catcher to be crowned the league's top defender, following Heather Scaglione (2004-05) and Lindsey Vandever (2010).
Hansen has enjoyed a terrific season behind the dish for OU, committing just three errors over 214.0 innings at catcher while throwing out five runners at a 35.7% caught-stealing rate. The graduate student has allowed just 14 wild pitches this season and did not commit an error in conference play. At the plate, Hansen is slashing .415/.474/.669 for a 1.143 OPS with eight home runs, six doubles and 28 RBIs. Her First Team All-Big 12 nod is the second of her career.
Now a four-time First Team All-Big 12 selection, Coleman batted .397 in the regular season and led Oklahoma with 57 runs scored, a .535 on-base percentage and 43 walks drawn. OU's leadoff hitter has produced a 1.226 OPS this season alongside 11 home runs, seven doubles and 39 RBIs while walking in 22.9% of her plate appearances and striking out in just 2.7% of her trips. Defensively, Coleman leads all Sooner outfielders with a 1.47 range factor and four outfield assists.
Jennings has earned her fourth-straight first-team honor following a regular-season that saw her lead OU with 19 home runs, 56 RBIs and 12 doubles while batting .365 with a 1.263 OPS. The senior slashed .365/.455/.808 and was the lone Sooner to start all 52 games. Over the course of 2024, Jennings broke Oklahoma's career doubles record and registered her 300th collegiate RBI, becoming just the fifth player in NCAA history to reach the mark. Jennings has committed just two errors in 306.0 innings at shortstop, logging a .987 fielding percentage and a 3.45 range factor.
Brito, a first-time First Team All-Big 12 selection, bats .405 entering the postseason with 16 home runs, 11 doubles, four triples and 50 RBIs. The third baseman owns a .405/.489/.843 triple slash this season for a team-high 1.332 OPS and leads Oklahoma in triples and slugging percentage. Brito bats .440 and has produced a 1.430 OPS with runners in scoring position, leading OU in both categories. She has committed just five errors at third base, fielding a strong .955 with a 2.49 range factor.
Maxwell earned her fourth career first-team all-conference honor, her first with the Sooners, following a stellar regular-season in which she went 16-2 with a 1.98 ERA. The left-handed pitcher has struck out 110 batters in 106.0 innings while walking just 37, limiting opponents to a .177 batting average. She has thrown seven complete games and four shutouts, adding one save and has worked to a 0.97 WHIP this spring.
Boone has garnered her first career All-Big 12 honor after batting .413 with 10 doubles, one triple and a home run. The OU sparkplug slashes .413/.456/.522 for a .978 OPS entering the postseason and is third among her teammates with seven stolen bases. She has scored 34 runs and has driven in 22 this spring while collecting 57 hits, tied for second across the Oklahoma lineup.
Another first-time All-Big 12 honoree, Deal is 11-1 this season with a 1.53 ERA. The southpaw has fanned 60 across 64.0 innings of work, issuing just 15 free passes for a Sooner-low 5.9% walk rate. She has limited opponents to a .165 batting average and a .509 OPS, tossing five complete-games and sharing the shutout lead with four. Her 0.83 WHIP stands as Oklahoma's best mark among pitchers with at least 50.0 innings pitched, as does her 4.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Torres picks up her second career all-conference honor, her first in the Big 12, following a regular season in which she slashed .358/.449/.642 for a 1.091 OPS. The second baseman has blasted eight home runs and seven doubles while driving in 31 runs and scoring 23 times. In the field, Torres logs a .984 fielding percentage across 149.0 innings at second base with just one error and has added 29.0 errorless innings at first base.
Parker slashes .388/.503/.705 for a 1.208 OPS in her freshman campaign, crushing 10 home runs and 11 doubles while ranking third among her teammates with 47 RBIs. The first-year Sooner leads the club with 15 stolen bases and has scored 47 times. Her .551 weighted on-base average (wOBA) is second only to Brito while her .434 batting average vs. right-handed pitchers paces Oklahoma.
Pickering rounds out Oklahoma's all-league honorees with an all-freshman team nod following a debut regular season in which she batted .377 with a 1.158 OPS, collecting seven home runs and eight doubles while driving in 38. The freshman added 36 runs scored, walked in 22.1% of her trips to the plate and produced a .497 wOBA. With runners in scoring position, Pickering bats .413 with a 1.170 OPS.
Under head coach Patty Gasso, 250 Sooners have earned All-Big 12 honors, 19 have added all-freshman team accolades and 11 have been named defensive player-of-the-year.
For updates and more information on Oklahoma Softball, follow the Sooners on Twitter/X and Instagram (@OU_Softball) and like Oklahoma Softball on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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UTL
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