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Big 12 softball: How will BYU fare in bigger pond?

jordan christiansen
·12 min read
BYU softball players celebrate during game against Pacific during the 2023 season.
BYU softball players celebrate during game against Pacific during the 2023 season. | Joey Garrison, BYU Photo

Editor’s note: Fourteenth in a series of articles examining how each BYU program will stack up against its new conference foes. Today’s program: softball.

Since BYU left the Mountain West Conference in the summer of 2011, the Cougars softball team has been dominant in conference play. Not just good dominant. Bored dominant.

Already winners of three straight MWC titles, head coach Gordon Eakin then led BYU to the top of its conference an additional 10 consecutive years. The accomplishment is even more impressive considering the Cougars played in four conferences in four years. The WCC didn’t initially sponsor softball, causing the Cougars to join the WAC for one year. The next year, BYU helped establish a new, softball-only conference only to finally have the WCC sponsor softball the following season.

The Cougars just kept winning, loading up tough nonconference slates before running through conference foes on their way to WCC titles, a truckload of individual awards, multiple All-Americans and 16-straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

Come 2024, however, BYU will have no weekends off in a Big 12 that has talent top to bottom. Fortunately, the Cougars return eight of nine All-WCC honorees from last season, including their top four hitters and their top pitching.

Senior Huntyr Ava was second on the team in 2023 in batting .328 and led the Cougars with 16 home runs, 100 total bases and 50 RBI on her way to being named WCC Player of the Year and an All-Region honoree.

Ailana Agbayani, the WCC Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Region shortstop, led BYU as a freshman with a .337 batting average. She also paced the team with 59 hits and 12 stolen bases and had a 2.43 ERA and 5-3 record in 31.2 innings pitched.

WCC Freshman of the Year Hailey Morrow was solid in her first year behind the plate as the Cougars’ starting catcher, earning second-team all-conference and batting .316. Senior outfielders Violet Zavodnik (fifth all-time at BYU with a .369 career batting average) and Maddie Bejarano give BYU upperclassman experience.

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In the circle, sophomore pitcher Kaysen Korth was named All-WCC First Team after posting a 2.49 ERA, 19-8 record and 189 strikeouts as a freshman. Junior lefty Chloe Temples had a 3.69 ERA, 9-6 record and 127 strikeouts.

Transfers include junior infielder Keila Kamoku from Ole Miss, sophomore infielder Lily Owens from Lehigh, senior utility player Aleia Agbayani from Cal, and Lindsey Madrigal, a Price native who was an NJCAA All-American at Salt Lake CC and broke the school’s single-season home run record with 37 last year.

The group joins the freshman class of Kate Dahle, Abbey Gillespie, Olivia Laney and Gianna Mares as newcomers to Provo this next season.

Big 12 softball

Of the current Big 12 teams, Baylor, BYU, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech and UCF sponsor softball. Cincinnati, Kansas State, TCU and West Virginia do not.

Oklahoma has ruled the conference, winning 11 straight Big 12 regular-season titles. Since the Big 12 Tournament was reinstated in 2017, the Sooners have won every one except in 2022 when Oklahoma State beat them in the championship in extra innings.

OU has ruled the nation, too. The Sooners just completed arguably the greatest season in NCAA Division I softball history, going 61-1 and claiming their third straight national title. In all Oklahoma has won seven championships and five of the last seven; they’ll be in contention to add another in 2024. The Women’s College World Series is even played at a neutral site in Oklahoma City.

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Texas, Oklahoma State and Baylor have been behind the Sooners but are still a force on the national stage. The Longhorns have been a consistent Top 25 team for more than a decade and have played in every NCAA Tournament since 2005. Texas finished second in the nation in 2022 and has finished in the top 12 each of the last four years.

After a strong run in the 1990s, Oklahoma State has returned to top form and qualified for the last four Women’s College World Series. Baylor has been to four College World Series in the last decade as well and was the one team to beat Oklahoma last year.

Among the Big 12 newcomers, UCF has been to the last three NCAA Tournaments, including advancing to the Super Regional in 2022 before unfortunately meeting the Sooners. Houston last went to the postseason in 2019 but has been more subpar lately.

How will BYU fare?

Barring catastrophe, the Big 12 title will yet again belong to Oklahoma. I believe Texas, UCF and Baylor will also be top-25 teams with Oklahoma State on the cusp as well. We don’t have a nonconference schedule, nor do we know yet what the conference play format will be, so predictions six months early are rough. But I believe BYU’s experienced roster will acquit themselves well in the first year. The Cougars will be one of the, say, 35 best teams in the country. And be in the middle of the Big 12 standings.

Big 12 teams at a glance

Here’s a look at the Cougars’ conference competition listed in my predicted order of finish:

Oklahoma

  • Overview: Hall of Fame head coach Patty Gasso is entering her 30th year with Oklahoma and has brought the Sooners to the height of the sport. Each year they somehow top themselves: in 2023, the Sooners finished the year on an NCAA-record 53-game win streak and went 28-0 against ranked opponents. They literally excelled at everything, leading the nation in ERA (0.96), batting average (.367) and fielding percentage (.988). Five players were named to the All-America First Team; four return next year for their senior seasons. Jordy Bahl, the Sooners’ ace, transferred to Nebraska to be closer to home, but all the Sooners did was pick up two-time All-American lefty Kelly Maxwell from rival Oklahoma State to fill the void.

  • Last season finish: First nationally, first in Big 12 at 18-0, 61-1 overall.

  • Top players: Alyssa Brito (Sr., 3B, All-America First Team), Jayda Coleman (Sr., CF, All-America First Team), Kinzie Hansen (Sr., C, All-America First Team), Tiare Jennings (Sr., 2B, All-America First Team), Kelly Maxwell (Sr., P, All-America First Team).

  • Conference titles: 15 (1996, ’99-’00, ‘09, ’12-’23).

  • NCAA tourneys: 29 (1994-’23).

  • BYU and Oklahoma history: BYU has never defeated the Sooners in eight contests played between 2001 and 2020. The Sooners have been ranked in the top-15 every time the Cougars have faced them.

Texas

  • Overview: The Longhorns were eighth in batting average and 14th in scoring last season as they advanced to the Big 12 Tourney final and the NCAA Super Regional. UT had a very young roster last season and still ranked among the top teams nationally; they’ll undoubtedly be even better in the upcoming campaign.

  • Last season finish: 11th nationally, second in Big 12 at 11-7, 45-15-1 overall.

  • Top players: Mac Morgan (Jr., P, All-Region), Mia Scott (Jr., INF, All-Region), Leighann Goode (So., INF, Freshman All-American).

  • Conference titles: 4 (2002-’03, ’06, ’10).

  • NCAA tourneys: 23 (1998-’00, ’02-’03, ’05-’23).

  • BYU and Texas history: BYU’s biggest win in program history came against Texas in 2010 when the Cougars came from behind to upset the No. 7 Longhorns in the NCAA Regional with a walk-off sac fly. The win helped them advance to their first and so far only Super Regional. Overall, Texas holds a 7-2 series advantage.

UCF

  • Overview: The Knights return both their All-Region pitchers and added lefty transfer Ava Justman from Wisconsin. Senior Chloe Evans and sophomore Aubrey Evans, UCF’s top two hitters from last year, are also back. Enjoy the sun because a trip to Florida could go south in a hurry — literally and figuratively.

  • Last season finish: Second in AAC at 15-3, 40-21 overall.

  • Top players: Grace Jewell (Sr., P, All-Region, AAC Pitcher of the Year), Sarah Willis (Sr., P, All-Region).

  • Conference titles: 4 (2014-’15, ’20, ’22).

  • NCAA tourneys: 10 (2005, ’08, ’10, ’12, ’14-’16, ’21-’23)

  • BYU and UCF history: The Cougars and Knights have never played each other. The two teams had a game scheduled in 2004 in California, but it was rained out.

Baylor

  • Overview: The only team to defeat Oklahoma last season, Baylor won 40 games and made it to the NCAA Regional before injured pitching helped end the season. The Bears had only one senior in 2023 and are looking to be healthy enough to improve on last year’s success.

  • Last season finish: 22nd nationally, fourth in Big 12 at 8-10, 40-18 overall.

  • Top players: Shaylon Govan (Jr., 1B, All-America Second Team), Dariana Orme (P, All-Region).

  • Conference titles: 1 (2007).

  • NCAA tourneys: 15 (2004-07, ’09, ’11-18, ’21, ’23).

  • BYU and Baylor history: The Cougars hold a 5-1 lead over Baylor and have won the last five games played. Most recently BYU swept four games at home against the 25th-ranked Bears in 2021.

Oklahoma State

  • Overview: OSU once again reached the WCWS last year (eliminating Utah) and finished the season ranked No. 6 in the nation. However, four Cowgirl All-Americans from last year’s squad only senior pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl is back. Catcher Caroline Hudson from Liberty is a strong addition and should help the program to at least reach its eight-straight NCAA Tournament.

  • Last season finish: Sixth nationally, third in Big 12 at 10-8, 47-16 overall.

  • Top players: Lexi Kilfoyl (P, All-America Third Team), Caroline Hudson (Sr., C, Two-time ASUN Player of the Year), Macy Graf (So., INF).

  • Conference titles: 0.

  • NCAA tourneys: 25 (1982, ’84, ’88-’98, ’03, ’05, ’09-’11, ’16-’23)

  • BYU and Oklahoma State history: The two teams are tied at 6-6 in the series. BYU swept a three-game series at home against OSU in 2015, but Oklahoma State beat the Cougars in the latest game played in 2019.

Kansas

  • Overview: The Jayhawks posted their highest win total since 2018 last year but still had a losing record. Kansas returns its top hitter and top pitcher; they look to be good but not great next season.

  • Last season finish: Sixth in Big 12 at 5-13, 25-27 overall.

  • Top players: Lyric Moore (Sr., C, All-Region), Lizzy Ludwig (So., P, All-Big 12 Freshman Team)

  • Conference titles: 0.

  • NCAA tourneys: 12 (1983, ’85-’86, ’92-’94, ’97, ’99, ’05-’06, ’14-’15)

  • BYU and Kansas history: The Jayhawks lead the series, 5-2, but the two teams haven’t faced off since 2009. Kansas has won the last four games with BYU’s latest victory coming in 2006.

Texas Tech

  • Overview: Last season the Red Raiders were one of the top teams in the nation in slugging percentage, doubles and home runs, but the pitching left something to be desired. Freshman Kailey Wyckoff was outstanding, batting .393, but Texas Tech’s next three top hitters from 2023 have graduated. Transfers from Alabama and Ole Miss have joined; we’ll see if a winning record is in the cards.

  • Last season finish: Seventh in Big 12 at 5-13, 31-22 overall.

  • Top players: Kailey Wyckoff (So., OF/C, Freshman All-American, Big 12 Freshman of the Year), Arriana Villa (Jr., INF).

  • Conference titles: 0.

  • NCAA tourneys: 6 (1999, ’01, ’10-’12, ’19).

  • BYU and Texas Tech history: Texas Tech won the first two games in the series in 2001 and 2011, but BYU beat the No. 25-ranked Red Raiders in 2020.

Houston

  • Overview: The Cougars had a losing record and bowed out after one game of the AAC Tournament last year. In response, Houston brought in nine transfers, six of whom are from other Power 5 schools. They already have all-Region slugger Turiya Coleman who transferred from Oklahoma and then led the team with a .397 average in 2023. The group is going to need to gel quickly to avoid being at the bottom of the standings.

  • Last season finish: Fifth in AAC at 7-10, 20-30 overall.

  • Top players: Turiya Coleman (Jr., 3B, All-Region, unanimous All-AAC), Bree Cantu (Sr., INF, All-AAC).

  • Conference titles: 5 (2007-’08, ’11, ’13-’14).

  • NCAA tourneys: 7 (2004, ’07-’08, ’11-’12, ’18-’19).

  • BYU and Houston history: Houston has a 6-1 lead in the series and is on a five-game win streak. The last time the two teams played, Houston won all three games in a series in Provo in 2013. BYU’s only win came in 2004.

Iowa State

  • Overview: In the last six years Iowa State has recorded three winning seasons; before that the Cyclones hadn’t recorded a winning season since 1995. ISU also has one NCAA Tournament trip in the last 35 years. It’s going to be tough for them to stay out of the bottom of the Big 12 in 2024.

  • Last season finish: Fifth in Big 12 at 6-12, 25-30 overall.

  • Top players: Milaysia Ochoa (Sr., OF, All-Region).

  • Conference titles: 0.

  • NCAA tourneys: 2 (1988, ’21).

  • BYU and Iowa State history: The Cougars hold a 5-1 advantage, including sweeping a three-game series in Provo in 2022 by a combined score of 27-10. The other three games in the series were all early season neutral site contests.

Oklahoma’s Kinzie Hansen, Tiare Jennings, Rylie Boone and Jayda Coleman celebrate, from left, celebrate the team’s win over Florida State in the NCAA Women’s College World Series softball championship series Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Oklahoma City. The Sooners were the toast of the Big 12 — and the nation — in 2023. | Nate Billings, Associated Press