Four Oklahoma Softball Stars Named to Preseason All-Big 12 Team

OU tied Oklahoma State for the most Preseason All-Big 12 selections with four apiece.

Ryan Chapman | Jan 20, 2022

Four Oklahoma Softball Stars Named to Preseason All-Big 12 Team /

Oklahoma was well represented on the Big 12 Conference Preseason Softball Team.

Jocelyn Alo, Kinzie Hansen, Tiare Jennings and Jayda Coleman were the four representatives from the Sooners, which tied Oklahoma State for the most selections on the team.

Jennings was one of the two unanimous selections to the team, joining Texas’ Janae Jefferson, despite Alo chasing down the NCAA home run record in 2022.

Still, Alo is the reigning USA Softball Player of the Year as well as last year’s Big 12 Player of the Year in a season in which she set the program record for home runs (34), batting average (.475) and total bases earned (203). Alo was also named a First Team NFCA All-American.

The Hawaiian slugger will get a chance to set many more career marks, as 2022 will be her super senior year in Norman due to gaining a year of eligibility after the 2020 season was cut short due to COVID concerns.

Hot on Alo’s heels last season was Jennings, the freshman phenom. Jennings was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year for a campaign in which she launched 27 home runs and set the NCAA freshman record for RBIs with 92. She also led the country with 25 doubles, and was named the 2021 NFCA DI National Freshman of the Year and Jennings was also another unanimous NFCA First Team All-American.

Splitting time at both catcher and first base, Hansen was another weapon for Patty Gasso in 2021. A reliable bat, Hansen batted .438 last year, finishing with 24 home runs and 66 RBIs.

Hansen was named the Most Outstanding Player at the 2021 Big 12 Tournament, and she just earned a USA Softball National Team Selection this offseason.

Coleman rounded out OU’s selections to the preseason team. Last year the fiery freshman led all Sooners with 20 stolen bases, but was also a force behind the plate. Jennings hit nine hime runs and 11 doubles in 2021, accounting for 53 RBIs.

Jennings was an NFCA First Team All-American and top-three finalist for the NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year, and was also named to the All-Big 12 and All-Freshman team in 2021.

The four All-Conference selections go hand-in-hand with the preseason Big 12 poll which picked the Sooners to once again wear the conference crown.

Oklahoma’s national title defense will begin on Feb. 10 on the West Coast against UC-Santa Barbara.

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Published Jan 20, 2022

RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan is deputy editor at AllSooners and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City. Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more. Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com. Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters. Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK.