For the sixth time in the last six years Oklahoma has had at least three representatives on the NFCA’s All-America teams. However, for the first time since 2012 Oklahoma’s three representatives are first teamers.
Oklahoma is the only team in the nation to have three first-team All-Americans this year. Senior pitcher Paige Parker, junior infielder Sydney Romero and freshman Jocelyn Alo have been named NFCA First-Team All-Americans, as announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association on Wednesday.
NEWS | @paigeparker008, @syd_syd2 and @78jocelyn_alo have been named NFCA First-Team All-Americans! Oklahoma is the only program in the country with three first-team selections this year. #ChampionshipMindset
MORE: https://t.co/OtyJXqK5BJ pic.twitter.com/8QPahwQqnc
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) May 30, 2018
Parker joins Keilani Rickets and Lauren Chamberlain in becoming the third player in program history to be a four-time All-American. She is the 34th four-time All-American in the history of the NFCA. Her 0.86 ERA this season ranks second nationally. She is 29-2 on the season and holds 121 career wins, ranking second in program history and leading all active Division I pitchers in victories.
This is the first time in her career that Romero has earned All-American status. She is currently ranked in the top-50 nationally in RBIs (22nd, 59), hits (24th, 75), batting average (32nd, .414), RBIs per game (33rd, 1.02), runs per game (35th, 0.93), and total bases (41st, 125).
Alo is the eighth freshman in program history to be named an All-American. She currently leads the nation in home runs with 28, just two away from matching the Oklahoma single-season record. The NFCA Freshman of the Year ranks first in home runs per game (0.48) while holding second in total bases (159), third in slugging percentage (0.970). She’s fourth nationally in RBIs (70) and RBIs per game (1.21), seventh in runs scored per game (1.07), 13th in on-base percentage (0.545), 15th in walks per game (0.79) and 30th in batting average.
With such a long list of names, I’m shocked there’s no mention of Pendley or Lowary anywhere!
I feel like it’s more of a marker towards the quality of softball being played around the country. Pendley and Lowary are superb but it’s one of those, who would you take out to put them in?, situations.