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    Jen Rocha

    OU Softball: Oklahoma Assistant Jennifer Rocha Wins National Award

    For the second time in her career, Oklahoma associate head coach and pitching coach Jennifer Rocha has been named the NFCA Assistant Coach of the Year.

    Oklahoma continues to garner recognition for its record-breaking season.

    Jennifer Rocha, Oklahoma’s associate head coach and pitching coach, was named the NFCA Division I Assistant Coach of the Year, it was announced on Tuesday.

    Rocha’s pitching staff combined for the best earned run average in softball, an outstanding 0.96. mark.

    All four pitchers deployed, Jordy Bahl, Nicole May, Alex Storako and Kierston Deal, all finished with an individual ERA below 1.15, and the group struck out 460 batters and held opponents to a .162 batting average.

    Bahl then took her game to another level in Oklahoma City as she allowed zero runs while appearing in every contest of OU’s title run.

    Throughout the season, Rocha’s pitchers combined to throw four no-hitters and a perfect game, and the group allowed just 53 earned runs all year.

    Bahl, May and Storako were All-Big 12 selections, and Bahl finished the year as an NFCA First Team All-American as well as the Women’s College World Series’ Most Outstanding player.

    It is the second time in Rocha’s career she was won the award, as she was also named the Assistant Coach of the Year in 2015 at Florida.

    Previously, Oklahoma assistant Melyssa Lombardi won the honor in 2017.

    The award was first given in 2014, and assistant coaches are nominated by NFCA member coaches and selected by a panel of their peers on the NFCA Awards Committee. 

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