OU Tournament
Norman, Okla. | Love's Field | Marita Hynes Field
Feb. 22: vs. Bowling Green (12:30 PM | Love's Field)
Feb. 23: at #2/2 Oklahoma (3:30 PM | Love's Field) | vs. Abilene Christian (6:00 PM | Love's Field)
Feb. 24: vs. Abilene Christian (11 AM | Marita Hynes)
Video: SEC Network+ (OU Game)
Stats: Statbroadcast.com

QUICK HITS
• Wichita State looks to get back on track this weekend in Norman at the OU Tournament. Wichita State will face Bowling Green, No. 2 Oklahoma and Abilene Christian.
• Wichita State is 3-2 all time vs. Bowling Green, 3-0 vs. Abilene Christian and 5-53 vs. Oklahoma.
• The Shockers are coming off a 1-4 week at the Shriners' Children's Clearwater Invitational where they faced four teams in the Top 25 or receiving votes.
• Wichita State started the season 5-0 for the first time since 1994 and just the third time in program history. The Shockers' 5-0 weekend in Phoenix also marked the first time since 2021 the Shockers have gone 5-0 at an early season tournament.
• Lauren Lucas was named AAC Player of the Week on Feb. 10.
• Wichita State will face 12 NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago, which includes eight in the opening month of the season (Grand Canyon, Kentucky, Texas A&M, San Diego State, Liberty, Florida State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Missouri).
• Wichita State has made it to the NCAA Tournament three of the last four years. The 2024 Shockers came up just short of an NCAA Regional, snapping a streak of three straight appearances.
• A pair of redshirt seniors return to the lineup in 2025 after missing all of the 2024 season due to injuries in Lauren Lucas and Camryn Compton.
• Lucas was named to the Softball America Preseason Top 100, sliding in at No. 78.
Freshman pitcher Ava Sliger was named to the D1Softball D100 Freshman Watch List.
• Sliger and freshman teammate Ryley Nihart were named to the Softball America Freshman Watch List.
• The Shockers bring back only two pitchers that recorded innings in 2024: Chloe Barber (Sophomore, AAC All-Rookie Team) and Alex Aguilar (Junior, 2023 AAC Rookie of the Year).
• Wichita State was picked to win the American Athletic Conference in the Preseason Coaches Poll.
• In total, Wichita State returns four starters and 11 letterwinners from a season ago.
• Nine newcomers (six freshman, three transfers) join the team in 2025.
• Bredbenner is 2 wins away from her 400th career victory at Wichita State. She is the all-time winningest coach in program history.

SCOUTING ABILENE CHRISTIAN
Having faced a challenging schedule over the first two weeks, Abilene Christian is off to a 1-9 start in 2025. The Wildcats have played #19 Baylor, Purdue, #7 Texas A&M, Iowa and Rutgers. ACU had Texas A&M on the ropes before falling, 1-0. Offensively, ACU is hitting just .226 with nine doubles and no home runs. Elizabeth Schaefer leads the way with a .429 average and six runs. Audrey Lacina has three of the team's nine doubles. The pitching staff has an ERA of 8.69, but they lean on Lina Russo who leads the team in ERA (3.72), starts (5), complete games (3), innings (26.1) and strikeouts (19). ACU is led by first-year head coach Jo Koons.

SERIES HISTORY
All three meetings between Wichita State and Abilene Christian came during the 2019 season over the span of two different tournaments. Wichita State first defeated ACU on Feb. 15 in the LA Tech Invitational. A week later the two teams met again in Arlington, Texas, at the Maverick Invitational.

LAST MEETING VS. THE WILDCATS
Wichita State opened play at the 2019 Maverick Invitational with an 8-1 win over Abilene Christian and then closed the tournament with a much closer 3-2 victory over the Wildcats. In the opener Wichita State pounded out 13 hits, eight of those being extra base hits. Madison Perrigan was 3-for-3 with two doubles, a home run and two RBIs and another three runs scored. Erin McDonald struck out seven and allowed just one run on four hits to earn a complete game victory. In the finale, Wichita State needed 9.0 innings to hold off the Wildcats, 3-2. Bailee Nickerson delivered the game-winning RBI double in the top of the 9th. She was responsible for all three runs, driving in two and scoring another. Caitlin Bingham tossed all 9.0 innings, striking out 10, walking only three and only no earned runs.

SCOUTING OKLAHOMA
The four-time defending National Champions are off to another hot start in 2025 at 10-0 and ranked No. 2 in all four polls. Five of their 10 games have ended in run-rule fashion, but they've also played two extra inning games. The Sooners' offense is once again producing at a powerful, efficient clip. OU hits .330 with 18 doubles and 19 home runs. Ella Parker is hitting a ridiculous .647 with seven doubles, three home runs and 14 RBIs. Syndey Barker is tied for the team lead with three home runs and 14 RBIs. The pitching staff sports just a 1.38 ERA with 78 strikeouts to just eight walks in 66.0 innings. Sam Landry leads the staff in appearances (5), innings (20.1) and strikeouts (31). Campbell transfer Isabella Smith has yet to allow a run in 15.2 innings with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 17:1. The perennial powerhouse Sooners are led by 31st year head coach Patty Gasso.

SERIES HISTORY
Oklahoma has dominated the series vs. Wichita State, winning 53 of the 58 all-time meetings, including 42 straight. Wichita State's last win against the perennial powerhouse was back in 1990 when the Shockers won a doubleheader against the Sooners.

LAST MEETING VS. THE SOONERS
Last April, the Shockers dropped a midweek contest against No. 1/2 Oklahoma, 7-0. OU scored all seven of its runs in the first two innings before being shut out by Alison Cooper out of the bullpen. Cooper threw 6.0 scoreless innings of relief behind just six hits, one walk and five strikeouts.

SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
Bowling Green enters the weekend with just five games under its belt after an off week. The Falcons are 2-3 under first-year head coach Michelle Gardner. Bowling Green hits .246 with seven doubles and five home runs as a team. Addie Martin hits a team-high .417 with a double and a home run. The Falcons have six pitchers that have logged at least an inning of work already through five games. Sydney Marshall has a team-low 1.17 ERA and is 1-0 in 6.0 innings. Scarlet Anderson leads the team in innings (9.0), appearances (3) and strikeouts (5).

SERIES HISTORY
The series between Wichita State and Bowling Green dates all the way back to 1986 when the teams first met on the diamond. The Falcons come out on top, 3-2, in the first of five all-time meetings. All five have come on a neutral field. Wichita State has won three of the last four matchups, including two straight.

LAST MEETING VS. THE FALCONS
Wichita State and Bowling Green last met in 2016 at the South Alabama Invitational where the Shockers won both by scores of 9-4 and 11-3. A four-run fourth and a three-run sixth pushed the Shockers to a 9-4 win in the opener against the Falcons. Kelli Spring, Mackenzie Wright and Brittany Fortner all had three-hit games. That trio combined for nine of the team's 15 hits. The following day the two teams met again, this time Wichita State needed only 5.0 innings to take down the Falcons, 11-3. The Shockers held an 11-0 lead after the fourth. Nine different Shockers had a hit and an RBI in the game. Katie Malone didn't allow an earned run and gave up just four hits in 5.0 innings.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State went 1-4 at the loaded Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational. The Shockers picked up a win over Liberty, who is ranked in the Top 25 in three of the four polls, but dropped games to No. 23 Kentucky (2-0), No. 5 Texas A&M (9-1), San Diego State (4-3) and No. 8 Florida State (15-5). Wichita State fell in extra innings to the Aztecs and were in both games with Texas A&M and Florida State until the final inning. In the win over Liberty, Ellee Eck delivered the go-ahead three-run double and Chloe Barber recorded a save to seal the deal in the 7th.

WELCOME BACK
Wichita State welcomes back a pair of super seniors in Lauren Lucas and Camryn Compton after missing the entire 2024 season due to injuries. The duo have 161 combined starts between the two of them. Lucas is a two-time First Team All-Conference performer and earned Third Team All-America honors in 2023 after hitting .384 with 16 doubles, 7 triples, 4 home runs and 62 RBIs. Her 62 RBIs ranked Top 10 nationally. Compton has battled injuries throughout her career at Wichita State, but her experience will be key in 2025, as she looks to end on a high note.

TOUGH SLEDDING
Wichita State has never shied away from playing a tough schedule, and that is no different in 2025. The Shockers are scheduled to play 10 teams ranked or receiving votes in the Preseason NFCA Top 25: No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 4 Oklahoma State, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Florida State, No. 15 Missouri, No. 19 Nebraska. Kentucky, Texas State, Grand Canyon and Liberty all received votes.

PRESEASON TOP 100 LOVE
Lauren Lucas was named to the Softball America Preseason Top 100 list and the D1 Softball D100 Player Rankings. Lucas checked in at No. 78 on the Softball America Top 100 and No. 88 on the D100. Lucas was also named the No. 21 outfielder according to D1 Softball. Freshman pitcher Ava Sliger was named to the D1 Softball D100 Freshman Watch List on Jan. 8.

UP NEXT
Wichita State welcomes Oklahoma State, Missouri, South Dakota State and Nebraska to Wilkins Stadium for the Shocker Invitational, Feb. 27-March 2.