OU’s Ricketts Named National Player of Week

Originally Published: May 10, 2011 2:41 PM CDT

Oklahoma Sports Staff
STARKVILLE, Miss. – University of Oklahoma sophomore pitcher Keilani Ricketts has been named as the NFCA National Player of the Week.

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced Ricketts honor after a stellar week on the mound as well as at the plate to help the Sooners end the regular season on a three-game win streak.

Last week, Ricketts went 3-0 over 13.0 innings with 22 strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA while allowing just two hits.

On the flip side, at the plate she went 3-for-5 with four RBI, four runs, four walks and a home run.

Also last week, the San Jose, Calif., native limited opponents to a miniscule .049 batting average, while she managed a .600 clip to go along with a .778 on-base percentage and a 1.200 slugging percentage.

So far this season, Ricketts is 25-12 with a 1.45 ERA and 389 strikeouts. Her nearly 400 strikeouts on the season is the most of any Big XII pitcher and is third-most in all of Division I softball, behind Sara Plourde of Massachusetts (463) and Morgan Melloh of Indiana (458).

Ricketts is the seventh Sooner to earn National Player of the Week honors from the NFCA. It is her fifth career Big 12 honor and second this season.

The 13th-ranked Sooners ended their regular season at 38-16 overall and at 10-8 in the Big XII.

Oklahoma now awaits the release of the 64-team field for the 2011 Division I Softball Championships[s to see if they earned an at-large bid.

NFCA DI National Player of the Week May 10 – Keilani Ricketts – Oklahoma – So. – P – San Jose, Calif.
May 3 – Raven Chavanne – Tennessee – So. – OF – Thousand Oaks, Calif. (co)
May 3 – Jen Mineau – Fordham – Jr. – P – Schaghticoke, N.Y. (co)
Apr. 25 – Adrienne Monka – Northwestern – Jr. – 1B – Ranch Cucamonga, Calif.
Apr. 18 – Jolene Henderson – California – So. – P – Elk Grove, Calif.
Apr. 11 – Kristyn Sandberg – Georgia – Jr. – C/IF – Island Park, N.Y.
Apr. 5 – Sara Plourde – Massachusetts – Jr. – P – Bristol, Conn.
Mar. 29 – Jacqueline Grim – Loyola (IL) – Sr. – 1B – Beecher, Ill.
Mar. 22 – Blaire Luna – Texas – So. – P – Austin, Texas
Mar. 15 – Kelly Hmiel – Pittsburgh – Jr. – 3B – York, Pa.
Mar. 8 – Chelsea Thomas – Missouri – So. – P – Pleasantville, Iowa
Mar. 1 – Lori Spignola – North Carolina – Fr. – P – Atlanta, Ga.
Feb. 22 – Stephanie Brombacher – Florida – Sr. – P – Pembroke Pine, Fla.
Feb. 15 – Gabrielle Bridges – La-Lafayette – Sr. – 1B – Lafitte, La.