May 11—Oklahoma centerfielder Jayda Coleman showed no signs of slowing down to open up the season coming off two impressive campaigns to begin her career.

It took 35 games before Coleman failed to reach base at any point in a game this season. It wasn’t even the longest streak of her career, that came during a 43-game stretch during her freshman season.

By the time Coleman was finally held without a walk or a hit— two months after the season began — the junior was hitting .462 and had already tied her home run total from the season prior (nine).

On Wednesday, Coleman was named the Big 12’s Player of the Year, giving the Sooners four of the conference’s five yearly awards.

OU head coach Patty Gasso said she thought there are three or four players on her team that could’ve taken home the award.

“Worthy,” Gasso said. “... Jayda’s had a good year and I’m really proud of her. She’s very passionate and I know you see how athletic she is, but she’s also really matured quite a bit.”

Coleman was named one of ten finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, joining teammates Tiare Jennings and Jordy Bahl on the list.

The Texas native finished the regular season 15th in the country in batting average .439. And runs per game (1.10). She’s also been walked 34 times, which ranks 29th in the country.

Coleman’s Player of the Year selection is the program’s 16th all-time and fourth in a row.

“She’s really putting excellence not only on the field, but in the classroom and her decisions and things like that,” Gasso said. “I’ve really seen her grow into a woman.”

Bahl was named the conference’s Pitcher of the Year, while Grace Lyons was named Defensive Player of the Year. Gasso was awarded Big 12 Coach of the Year honors for the 11th time in her career, sharing the title with Baylor’s Glenn Moore.

Bahl and Lyons are repeat winners as well. Bahl was the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year last season on her way to being named the National Freshman of the Year.

Lyons is now a three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner, becoming the first player in conference history to do so.

“I’ve said it and I’ll say it again until someone else comes along: she’s the best shortstop I’ve ever seen,” Gasso said about Lyons. “She’s a complete player — offensively, defensively — she makes plays look so easy.”

Oklahoma enters the Big 12 tournament this weekend with eight first and second team allconference selections. That’s the most the Sooners have ever produced in a single season and the most by a single team since the conference moved to a 12-team format in 2013.

Seven of those selections were first-teamers — Coleman, Bahl, Lyons, Haley Lee, Kinzie Hansen, Jennings and Nicole May.

No other team had more than two selections on the First Team.

No. 5 seed Iowa State knocked off No. 4 seeded Baylor on Thursday, 8-1. The Sooners will face the Cyclones on Friday at 1 p.m., with the winner advancing to the championship game on Saturday at 2 p.m.