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OU softball star Kendall Wells named NFCA Freshman of the Year

Bob Przybyloby: Bob Przybylo05/27/26BPrzybylo

There was a strong chance OU softball was walking away with the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s Freshman of the Year.

Strong chance. OU had two of the three finalists, and it turns out it is Kendall Wells who is getting the nod. The freshman sensation was announced as the winner Tuesday evening.

Other finalists were OU outfielder Kai Minor and Nebraska pitcher Alexis Jensen.

You could make a real argument that it was OU going 1-2 in this race because the only player that might have been able to eclipse what Minor did is Wells.

Wells concluded a ridiculous season to remember by hitting .358 with 39 home runs, 88 RBIs and a 1.028 slugging percentage. Add in 40 walks, and who knows what else Wells could have accomplished?

She set the OU single-season record for home runs when she hit No. 35. Wells now stands alone at No. 2 all-time for the NCAA record in a single season. The record of 37 by Arizona’s Laura Espinoza stood for 30 years but was broken by two players this season.

UCLA slugger Megan Grant enters the Women’s College World Series with 40. Wells went out with a bang with a two-home run, six-RBI performance last Friday in the Norman Super Regional against Mississippi State.

It’s not just the power, but the toughness. You have to be a special kind of breed to want to be a catcher. And Wells took numerous shots this season and just kept getting back up.

That was on display one more time Sunday in the season-ending loss to the Bulldogs. Wells was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the third right on the helmet flap.

“That was really hard because it looked like it busted her helmet,” said head coach Patty Gasso after the game. “And she’s a tough young lady, that is for sure, and wanted to come back into the game… She’s very hard headed, and she’s (like) ‘I’m coming back, I’m coming back in.’ And she doesn’t even wait for me to say something. She just takes her stuff and goes in.”

Wells was pinch-ran for in the third, and then, amazingly, was right back to catcher in the top of the fourth.

It’s rare to have two from the same team among the three finalists. But OU has done it before, with Tiare Jennings (winner) and Jayda Coleman back in 2021.

Wells becomes the fifth Sooner to earn the prestigious honor and just the second catcher. She joins Paige Parker (2015), Jocelyn Alo (2018), Jennings and Jordy Bahl (2022) in earning the award.

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