ORLANDO – The individual accolades for the UCF softball team have already begun rolling in, still 21 days away from the squad’s Feb. 8 season-opener.
As announced in the Big 12 Conference’s Thursday afternoon release, right-handed pitcher/outfielder Sarah Willis has been named to the Big 12 Preseason All-Conference Team.
In representation of the Knights, Willis joins a preseason squad that also includes one representative from each of No. 11 Baylor, Iowa State, No. 12 Oklahoma State, BYU, Houston and Texas Tech. The No. 5 Texas Longhorns are represented by five players on the team, and the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners saw a conference-high seven players selected.
The preseason recognition comes as the latest in a robust metaphorical trophy case for Willis, who last year alone garnered NFCA All-Region First Team, American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year, AAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, AAC All-Tournament Team and AAC All-Conference First Team honors.
In a year highlighted by her first career perfect game, as well as the first of seven innings in UCF’s program history, Willis enjoyed a breakout 2023 campaign. After totaling 48 innings pitched between her first two seasons with the Washington Huskies, the then-junior threw a season-high 152.1 innings while posting a glistening 1.65 ERA (36 ER), a mark that ranked second-best in the conference and 35th in the nation.
Her 4.69 hits allowed per seven innings pitched was bested in The American only by teammate Grace Jewell’s 4.57, and she also racked up the second-most strikeouts in the AAC with a season-ending total of 124.
Willis’ dominant season also clinched a spot on D1Softball.com’s annual preseason D100 rankings, as the publication slotted the Ontario, California, native the No. 70 player in the nation entering the spring 2024 campaign.
Joining Willis on D1Softball’s preseason rankings is Knights veteran utility player Jada Cody, entering her fifth season in Orlando. The publication ranked Cody the No. 90 player in the country overall coming off a season that saw the Murrieta, California, native claim sole possession of second place on the UCF career RBI list.
Coming off her career 2022 slate that saw her drive in a program-record 75 RBI, Cody compiled another strong year in 2023. She recorded an on-base percentage north of .400 for the fourth straight year, and her .538 slugging percentage represented the second-highest of her four-year collegiate career, as did her 93 total bases.
With her first-inning solo home run against the then-No. 22 Wichita State Shockers March 26, Cody also became the third player in program history to hit 30 career home runs in a Knights uniform, joining UCF Hall-of-Famer Stephanie Best and Jania Shinhoster.
The Knights open their spring 2024 campaign with their annual Black & Gold Classic tournament hosted at the UCF Softball Complex. The team will commence its season with a Feb. 8 doubleheader against Howard and UConn, with first pitch times slated for 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.
Complete Big 12 Preseason All-Conference Team
Shaylon Govan, Baylor, INF, Jr. *
Huntyr Ava, BYU, 1B, Sr.
Sarah Willis, UCF, P/OF, Sr.
Turiya Coleman, Houston, INF/C, Jr.
Milaysia Ochoa, Iowa State, OF, Sr.
Rylie Boone, Oklahoma, OF, Sr.
Alyssa Brito, Oklahoma, UTL, Sr.
Jayda Coleman, Oklahoma, OF, Sr.
Kinzie Hansen, Oklahoma, C, Sr.
Tiare Jennings, Oklahoma, INF, Sr. *
Kelly Maxwell, Oklahoma, P, R-Sr.
Nicole May, Oklahoma, P, Sr.
Lexi Kilfoyl, Oklahoma State, P, Gr.
Citlaly Gutierrez, Texas, P, So.
Ashton Maloney, Texas, OF, R-So.
Viviana Martinez, Texas, SS/2B, So.
Mac Morgan, Texas, P, Jr.
Mia Scott, Texas, UTL, Jr. *
Kailey Wyckoff, Texas Tech, C/OF, So.
* denotes unanimous selection
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