For the second consecutive year, seven Big 12 players were announced as USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 26 finalists, tied for the most of any conference.

Oklahoma had five finalists, the most of any school, while Oklahoma State and Texas each had one player.

The Sooners had Alyssa Brito, Jayda Coleman, Kinzie Hansen, Tiare Jennings and Kelly Maxwell listed. OSU’s Lexi Kilfoyl was selected, while Reese Atwood was the Longhorns’ finalist.   

Each NCAA Softball season, USA Softball recognizes a Collegiate Player of the Year based on outstanding play over the course of the entire season. At the beginning of each season, USA Softball issues a Top 50 “Watch List” for Player of the Year, followed by a list of finalists that narrows from the Top 25 to Top 10 and Top 3. The USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year is awarded during a team reception the week of the Women's College World Series.

The Top 10 finalists will be revealed May 15.

Previous Big 12 winners of the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year include Cat Osterman (Texas – 2003, 2005, 2006), Keilani Ricketts (Oklahoma – 2012, 2013), and Jocelyn Alo (Oklahoma – 2021, 2022).

The seven Big 12 players have helped lead each of their teams to a top four ranking in both the USA Today/NFCA and the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 polls. The Big 12 is the only league to have multiple teams in the top four of either poll.

All three teams remain in the hunt for the 2024 Big 12 Softball regular season title and will compete in the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship.

The Championship returns to Oklahoma City’s USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium at OGE Energy Field, the home of the WCWS, from May 8-11. All 10 Conference softball teams will compete in the single-elimination format with the top-six finishing regular season teams receiving a first-round bye.

All-session and single-session tickets are now on sale and can be purchased here.

2024 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 26 Finalists
Alyssa Brito, OU, INF
Jayda Coleman, OU, OF
Kinzie Hansen, OU, C
Tiare Jennings, OU, INF
Kelly Maxwell, OU, P
Lexi Kilfoyl, OSU, P
Reese Atwood, UT, C/DP