Familiar Name Coming to OKC

Originally Published: Jun 2, 2010 11:12 PM CDT

Jessica Coody
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- Ricketts is a familiar name around the Oklahoma softball community. Freshman pitcher Keilani Ricketts has dominated the Sooners’ opponents all season, but it is another Ricketts who will be making an appearance in Oklahoma this week.

Keilani’s sister Stephanie is part of a Hawaii team that will travel to Oklahoma City to take part in the first Women’s College World Series in program history.

"We were fortunate to get Stephanie,” Hawaii head coach Bob Coolen said. “She had a lure for the islands; it was a good recruiting process for us.”

Stephanie Ricketts and Hawaii pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season, taking down top-seeded Alabama in the Tuscaloosa Regional to punch their ticket to OKC. Hawaii finished the series victory with a two-run walk-off home run from Jenna Rodriguez, and it was a moment Stephanie Ricketts will remember forever.

"That moment was one of those moments that everyone talks about and they know that that was one of the best moments to live through as a softball player," she said. "And when it happened you were just completely excited and right when it died down you just sat there and you're like that really just happened that was amazing that was my teammate and it's one of the best feelings I've ever had on the softball field."

Samantha Ricketts, the older sister of Keilani and Stephanie, was named to the NFCA All-America Second Team in 2009, but Stephanie is now the only Ricketts sister to qualify for the College World Series.

"That is kind of ironic, I don't think anyone saw it coming," Stephanie said.

After Rodriguez’s home run clinched Stephanie’s trip to Oklahoma City, both of her sisters jumped on the phone to congratulate her.

"The second that Jenna hit that homerun they were texting me and calling me," Stephanie said. "They came to the airport (in Oklahoma City) with a few of their teammates with signs for us and they are really excited to support us here."

Samantha and Keilani have been nothing but supportive, probably because they can appreciate their sisters' accomplishment.

"We have a pretty athletic family and that's why they are all so excited for me to be playing here right now," Stephanie said.