Softball America 2023 Preseason Top 100

Forum to discuss the best softball team in the country
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The Far Journey
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Softball America 2023 Preseason Top 100

Post by The Far Journey »

Recently, Softball America put out it’s top 100 players going into 2023. They seemed to decide to rate players by ability and performance instead of spreading the accolades around to as many schools as possible as some other websites and organizations seem to do. I feel uncomfortable copying and pasting the entire article but can report where the OU players ranked.
First off, in the top ten, Oklahoma had five players. In the top 51, OU had 12. That’s a wow. And I believe much more reflective of reality. Here are the OU rankings:

1. Tiare Jennings
3. Jordy Bahl
5. Jayda Coleman
7. Grace Lyons
10. Cydney Sanders
27. Kenzie Hansen
29. Haley Lee
34. Rylie Boone
40. Nicole May
44. Alex Storako
48 Alyssa Brito
51. Alynah Torres
OUBeliever56A
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Post by OUBeliever56A »

It is very nice to see Rylie Boone to receive some recognition by SA. The same thought about Nicole May is also true.

It is pretty amazing, the Sooners had 12 of the top 51 players in the country as selected by Softball America. That is 23.5% of the top 51 players in the country.

If you have not figured this out yet, the 12 Sooner players include every 'starter' that is thought to be starting for the Sooners in the field and DP and the top 3 pitchers for the Sooners.

I will provide some analysis of the a combined D1Softball, EIS and SA Top 100 rankings probably later today.

Boomer Sooner!
TropicalSooner
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Post by TropicalSooner »

Always look forward to your observations and comments '56.

This list appears to be more realistic than others that have been published. I'm glad to finally see some recognition for Rylie Boone and Nicole May. Both players are incredibly key components to the Sooner Softball team. And both hardly ever get a nod from the "..Top #'s..." publications or the "..Best of..." nominations---granted there are a whole team of amazingly talented players on our team with them.

I thought it interesting that they had May listed higher than Strorako. I'm not sure I would have done that.....but way to go Nic!!!

Thanks Journey for posting this.....and looking forward to your thoughts as well ''56.
aka Crimson47
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Post by 1KCSoonerFan »

Erin Miller is one of my favorite softball commentators. She brings clear insight into the micro and macro aspects of the game. From a batter's stance to a program's historical statistics, she has something insightful to share. Just great!

During a game (WCWS last year?), after a homerun was hit, Erin opined about OU's concentration of elite talent on ONE team. It wasn't just that there are great players on the squad - there is a whole squad of great players. Her insight is a nuanced and meaningful point that goes a long way in interpreting OU's dominance this decade.

In an interview with Chris Plank, Coach Gasso said she thought this year's team was more offensively explosive than last year's! She noted there was so much power up and down the line up that it was, "A Murderer's Row". When asked about a breakout player, Gasso stumbled to name only one. For a 28-year veteran coach, that is saying something.

What really closes the deal for me are the comparative stats that '56 so graciously shares. He already did some analysis on what OU's player rankings mean when compared to other programs...and he revealed some eye-opening revelations. Nearly HALF of the TOP 50 players, and HALF of the TOP 10, wear Crimson and Cream. As Erin Miller pointed out, this is a TEAM of elite talent.

(Remember choosing teams on the playground in grade school? )

I'm very excited about this year!
MontOUfan
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Post by MontOUfan »

The problem with talking about players having a "breakout" season is that so many of them have already done that. I'm not sure how you could have a "breakout" season after the years that Coleman, Jennings, Lee, Lyons, Hansen, Storako, Sanders, Bahl and to a lesser extent Torres, Brito, Boone, and May have had. Maybe there is even more out there for a number of them, and for some like Hansen, the expectation is to get back to the high level they performed at. My hope is that players like Nugent, Lilio, and Erickson will be the ones to have that breakout season like Elam did her junior season or Donihoo as a sophomore or even like Erin Miller her junior year.
OUBeliever56A
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Post by OUBeliever56A »

MontOUfan wrote: Tue Jan 24, 2023 1:57 pm My hope is that players like Nugent, Lilio, and Erickson will be the ones to have that breakout season like Elam did her junior season or Donihoo as a sophomore or even like Erin Miller her junior year.
I think that a couple of the three players you mentioned might be considered 'might be surprise breakout players this season.Kiersten Deal could be a fourth player also.

Boomer Sooner!
MontOUfan
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Post by MontOUfan »

I always seem to forget Grace Green as well. She had a "breakout" freshman campaign as a 3rd team All-American and top-10 National Freshman of the Year candidate!!
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