The Colony grad and Oklahoma softball star Jayda Coleman was named to the U.S. women’s national team (WNT), one of 16 players that will compete at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Cup. Coleman was also on the national team last season.
Games will begin July 11 in Ireland.
The competition will consist of a two-stage format with 18 teams competing across three groups (Group A, B and C) in Stage 1 followed by Stage 2, which will be held in 2024 and will include the top two teams from each group battling it out in the finals.
Team USA will be in Group A with world-ranked No. 3 Chinese Taipei, No. 9 Australia, No. 16 Great Britain, No. 17 Ireland and No. 43 Botswana. Washington head softball coach Heather Tarr returns to lead the Americans, who won three gold medals during the 2022 season.
Tarr’s assistant coaches will be Cindy Ball-Malone (UCF), Tony Baldwin (Georgia) and Tim Walton (Florida).
Coleman, a junior outfielder for OU, has helped the top-ranked Sooners to a 39-1 record, 9-0 in the Big 12 and on a 31-game winning streak. The Sooners have won the WCWS the past two seasons, going 115-7. Coleman was a first team ALl-American last season and named to the WCWS all-tournament team.
During her first two seasons, Coleman played and started in 122 of 122 games with a 0.435 batting average, 137 hits, 20 doubles, 17 home runs, 93 RBIs and 140 runs scored. The season she is hitting 0.477 with 51 hits, 10 doubles, 11 home runs, 32 RBIs and 47 runs.
Coleman is regarded as one of the all-time greatest high school softball players in Texas.
She was ranked No. 1 in the Class of 2020 and named Gatorade National player of the year as a senior. She helped the Cougars to the state title in 2017 and reached the state semis in 2019. Coleman finished her career with 279 hits, 261 runs, 209 stolen bases and a 0.702 average.
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So very proud for all the girls and coaches but especially Jayda Coleman representing the Oklahoma Sooners. Good Luck 🍀 and Win! Win!