Women’s College World Series MOP Will Play in Big Ten Next Season

From the standpoint of having great players in your conference, this is wonderful news for the Big Ten. That is unless you have to go head-to-head with her.

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Last week, Jordyn Bahl, who goes by Jordy, led the University of Oklahoma to their third straight national title on the softball diamond. Their championship-clinching victory over Florida St. was the team's 53rd straight win, an all-time national record. It's 6 more than the previous record of 47 in a row by the University of Arizona during the 1996 and 1997 seasons).

Bahl has played a huge part in Oklahoma's winning the last two seasons. She was the losing pitcher in the Sooners' only loss of 2023 (4-3 to Baylor on February 19). After giving up four earned runs in that game, Bahl allowed 12 earned runs the rest of the year. In April, May, and June combined, she gave up four earned runs and won 13 consecutive games.

In two years with the Sooners, Bahl is 44-2 with an ERA of 1.00. She's pitched 15 shutouts, saved 5 other games, and has struck out 397 while walking only 71.

What Bahl has done at Oklahoma shouldn't come as a gigantic surprise. She was named the 2021 Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year at Papillion La Vista High School in Nebraska. In her last two seasons in high school, Bahl was an astounding 54-0 on the mound. Her combined pitching record for the last four seasons (two in high school and two in college) is an almost unfathomable 98-2.

Last week, Bahl was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2023 Women's College World Series.

All of the above is why the sports world was shocked on Monday when Bahl announced she was transferring. Walk away from three straight national titles and 53 straight wins? Yes, some things are more important than wins and losses.

Bahl has now confirmed she is truly going home. She'll play for the Nebraska Cornhuskers next season. Nebraska was a solid 36-22 this year. The University of Nebraska is in Lincoln, a 50-minute trip from Papillion where Bahl played high school softball.

Good luck to Big Ten hitters. They'll need it.