Why Moore's Libby Jaques committed to play softball for Oklahoma State Cowgirls

Libby Jaques’ dream of playing softball at Oklahoma State goes way back.

While growing up in Moore, it was just a short drive to Norman, home of powerhouse OU, and Jaques heard a lot about the Sooners.

Despite that, Jaques always rooted for the Cowgirls.

“Me and my mom always went to the World Series,” she said. “It was just like a big dream of mine to go to Oklahoma State. My family, we kind of grew up in Oklahoma. I’ve always kind of wanted to take down OU.”

Now a junior for the Moore Lions, Jaques is one of the best high school players in Oklahoma. And on Friday, she announced her lifelong dream is getting ready to come true, committing to the Cowgirls.

A star outfielder with a great combination of power at the plate and speed, Jaques will be a versatile addition for coach Kenny Gajewski.

The two have developed a solid relationship during the recruiting process, and Jaques can’t wait to play for him.

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“He’s amazing,” said Jaques, a righty who also plays some first base in addition to her main spot in right field. “He’s a whole lot of fun. He’s a really cool guy. You get to know him and talk to him one on one, it’s a lot of fun.”

Jaques is a three-sport athlete at Moore, competing in fastpitch softball, basketball and track.

As a sophomore, she was named to The Oklahoman’s Big All-City fastpitch softball first team after finishing with a .494 batting average, 12 home runs and 47 RBI and helping the Lions reach the Class 6A state semifinals.

She averaged 10.2 points per game during the basketball season before competing for the Lions in track and ultimately running at the state meet.

A sprinter during the spring, her wheels are one of the things that stand out when the fastpitch softball season comes around.

“She can fly,” Moore coach Stephanie Riley said. “She’s not afraid of diving at the ball. She reads the ball off the bat really well.”

Those aren’t the only things that make Jaques a special player though.

“She’s a power hitter,” Riley said. “And when she hits it, she hits it really far.”

Jaques’ parents both went to Texas A&M–Kingsville and were athletes at the school. Her mom was a softball player and her dad played football. Jaques’ oldest brother is currently playing football at their parents’ alma mater.

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Jaques has always had a deep love for athletics.

Her passion is on full display in whatever sport she’s competing in.

“I always give effort no matter what I do,” she said. “And I’m always loud and trying to keep everybody energetic.”

Jaques undoubtedly has great talent and athleticism.

But the way she carries herself impresses Riley as much as anything.

“She learns from her mistakes, and she picks her teammates up,” Riley said. “She never gives up on herself or her team.”

With Jaques leading the way, Moore is having a stellar year and holds a 24-3 record while leading District 6A-2. The Lions will try to finish strong in the regular season before making a deep postseason run.

Jaques is excited about making the jump to college, but she still has a major goal she wants to achieve before that.

“Win state,” she said. “That’s the biggest one for me. … And that’s the thing for college, too. I want to win the World Series.”

Nick Sardis covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Nick? He can be reached at hhart@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @nicksardis. Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Nick's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State softball: Moore's Libby Jaques commits to Cowgirls