Completed Event: Softball at #24/#22 UCF on April 18, 2026 , Loss , 2, to, 9
Final
Softball
2
at #24/#22 UCF
9
Boyer Named Unanimous Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Cripe Named Co-Defensive Player of the Year
5/6/2026 12:02:00 PM | Softball
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Big 12 Conference announced its postseason awards on Wednesday, which includes Ella Boyer as unanimous Big 12 Freshman of the Year and Hailey Cripe as Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Boyer is the third Jayhawk to win conference freshman of the year, and Cripe is the first to be named defensive player of the year.Â
Kansas was also highlighted on the All-Big 12 teams which included Boyer and junior Anna Soles on the All-Big 12 First Team, senior Presley Limbaugh on the All-Big 12 Second Team, Boyer, Blakely Barber and Lila Partridge on the All-Freshman Team, and Cripe and Limbaugh on the Defensive Team. This season marks the first time Kansas has had multiple players make the All-Big 12 first team since 2015.Â
A catcher from Spring, Texas, Boyer has had one of the best freshman seasons in Kansas softball history. Her 18 home runs is tied for fourth in the Big 12, breaking a Kansas single-season freshman record and is just four away from the all-time single-season record of 22. Boyer also currently leads Kansas in RBIs (56), OPS (1.275), slugging percentage (.794), walks (35) and on-base percentage (.481).Â
Cripe, a senior infielder from Royal Center, Indiana, has proved to be one of the best defensive players in the country. Starting every game for Kansas at shortstop this season, Cripe has made just four errors on 98 assists and 85 putouts on 187 total chances. Her Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive team honors are the first Big 12 honors Cripe has received in her career.
Soles, a junior first baseman from League City Texas, has been one of the most consistent bats in the Jayhawks' lineup. Soles has started all but one game this season and boasts a .363 batting average, a 1.193 OPS and has hit 12 home runs, the most in a season in her career. Soles has been great defensively at first base for Kansas posting a .980 fielding percentage with 278 putouts and 11 assists on 295 total chances.Â
A senior outfielder from Cooper, Texas, Limbaugh has provided a leadoff spark for Kansas all season. One of three Jayhawks to play and start all 52 games this season, Limbaugh leads the team in batting average (.390) and stolen bases (13). She also has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in center field with 79 putouts and one assist on 80 chances. Limbaugh is one of just five players in the Big 12 with a perfect fielding percentage. Going into the Big 12 Tournament, Limbaugh has reached base safely in 16 straight games.Â
Barber, a freshman pitcher from Georgetown, Texas has been one of the top arms in the Kansas pitching staff. One of two Kansas freshmen with an ERA below 4.00 (3.36), Barber has provided consistency throughout the season for the Jayhawks. Her season has been highlighted by a complete game shutout in a 1-0 win over Baylor, allowing just four hits over seven innings pitched.Â
Partridge, a freshman pitcher from Petalua, California, has been one of the most consistent pitchers in the Big 12. Partridge leads the Jayhawks in innings pitched (73.0), appearances (25), WHIP (1.42) and complete games (5). She is coming off of a stretch of four straight complete game wins spanning from April 19-May 2. In that stretch she helped Kansas defeat UCF, Iowa State, Wichita State and Oklahoma State.Â
Kansas enters the Big 12 Tournament as the No. 5 seed and will face No. 4 seed UCF Thursday, May 7 at 11 a.m. CT at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and fans can follow along with updates on the Kansas Softball X account.Â
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Kansas was also highlighted on the All-Big 12 teams which included Boyer and junior Anna Soles on the All-Big 12 First Team, senior Presley Limbaugh on the All-Big 12 Second Team, Boyer, Blakely Barber and Lila Partridge on the All-Freshman Team, and Cripe and Limbaugh on the Defensive Team. This season marks the first time Kansas has had multiple players make the All-Big 12 first team since 2015.Â
A catcher from Spring, Texas, Boyer has had one of the best freshman seasons in Kansas softball history. Her 18 home runs is tied for fourth in the Big 12, breaking a Kansas single-season freshman record and is just four away from the all-time single-season record of 22. Boyer also currently leads Kansas in RBIs (56), OPS (1.275), slugging percentage (.794), walks (35) and on-base percentage (.481).Â
Cripe, a senior infielder from Royal Center, Indiana, has proved to be one of the best defensive players in the country. Starting every game for Kansas at shortstop this season, Cripe has made just four errors on 98 assists and 85 putouts on 187 total chances. Her Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive team honors are the first Big 12 honors Cripe has received in her career.
Soles, a junior first baseman from League City Texas, has been one of the most consistent bats in the Jayhawks' lineup. Soles has started all but one game this season and boasts a .363 batting average, a 1.193 OPS and has hit 12 home runs, the most in a season in her career. Soles has been great defensively at first base for Kansas posting a .980 fielding percentage with 278 putouts and 11 assists on 295 total chances.Â
A senior outfielder from Cooper, Texas, Limbaugh has provided a leadoff spark for Kansas all season. One of three Jayhawks to play and start all 52 games this season, Limbaugh leads the team in batting average (.390) and stolen bases (13). She also has a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in center field with 79 putouts and one assist on 80 chances. Limbaugh is one of just five players in the Big 12 with a perfect fielding percentage. Going into the Big 12 Tournament, Limbaugh has reached base safely in 16 straight games.Â
Barber, a freshman pitcher from Georgetown, Texas has been one of the top arms in the Kansas pitching staff. One of two Kansas freshmen with an ERA below 4.00 (3.36), Barber has provided consistency throughout the season for the Jayhawks. Her season has been highlighted by a complete game shutout in a 1-0 win over Baylor, allowing just four hits over seven innings pitched.Â
Partridge, a freshman pitcher from Petalua, California, has been one of the most consistent pitchers in the Big 12. Partridge leads the Jayhawks in innings pitched (73.0), appearances (25), WHIP (1.42) and complete games (5). She is coming off of a stretch of four straight complete game wins spanning from April 19-May 2. In that stretch she helped Kansas defeat UCF, Iowa State, Wichita State and Oklahoma State.Â
Kansas enters the Big 12 Tournament as the No. 5 seed and will face No. 4 seed UCF Thursday, May 7 at 11 a.m. CT at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and fans can follow along with updates on the Kansas Softball X account.Â
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