The first 2 weeks have been full of action and Friday is only bringing more for those craving more college softball. Here are 20 names to keep an eye on this season.

20. Sydney McKinney, SS, Wichita State

The 2021 American Conference Player of the Year became Wichita State’s first NFCA All-
American after a stellar sophomore season. She started all 55 games at shortstop and finished the season with a team-high .439 batting average, 56 runs scored and 87 hits.

19. Lacey Fincher, 1B, Georgia

The senior first baseman could be one of the strongest players in the nation. Ever seen a ball sail into the trees beyond centerfield in Athens. She has launched a few out there. In 2021, Fincher led UGA with an OPS of 1.245, 15 home runs, .734 slugging percentage, 42
walks and .511 on-base percentage.

18. Frankie Hammoude, 1B, Oregon State

The legend of Frankie Hammoude continues to grow in Corvallis. The infielder earned Pac-12 Freshman Team honors in 2019 and followed that up with First Team All-Pac-12 in 2021.

By the numbers, the improvement from 2019 to 2021 is insane. Her freshman year ended with a .283 average and last season ended at .360. Her slugging percentage jumped from .583 to .765 and Hammoude led the Beavers in home runs both seasons with 11 and 17.

She already has 6 HRs this season — 2nd in the country.

17. Paige Rauch, P/UT, Villanova

Visit Paige Rauch’s player page on the team’s website. The list of accolades is almost longer than her bio. Rauch is a preseason All-American and using her COVID year to follow up a stellar 2021.

Here is a list of some of her honors last season; NFCA All-American (Third Team), Big East Player of the Year, Big East Pitcher of the Year, All-Big East (First Team), Big East Championship Most Outstanding Player, Big East Championship All-Tournament Team and the list goes on and on.

She’s 2-1 thus far through 5 starts for a ‘Nova team that is 1-6 without her in the circle.

16. Lou Allan, 1B, Liberty

Lou Allan wrapped up her 4th year at Michigan batting .383 with 9 doubles, 11 homers and team-high 45 RBIs before transferring to Liberty as a graduate.

Allan earned All-Big Ten first-team honors and is looking to help Liberty continue its ascent. The Flames have posted 40 or more wins in 4 consecutive full seasons.

So far, so good. Allan is hitting .310 and shares the team lead with 6 RBIs.

15. Jaeda McFarland, OF, Maryland

“Air” Jaeda McFarland was named the 2021 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and led the Terrapins in slugging percentage (.479), runs scored (24), RBIs (19), doubles (5), triples (4), home runs (3) and total bases (68).

The sophomore outfielder was also named to the All-Second, All-Freshman and All-Defensive team in the Big Ten, which was the most honors any player has earned in one season in Maryland program history.

14. Abby Sweet, OF, Notre Dame

A 2-time team captain, Sweet was named 2021 NFCA second-team All-American and first-team All-ACC. The senior led the ACC with a .455 batting average which was good for 13th in the nation.

Sweet is also known as one of the toughest batters to strike out. Last season, she averaged 15.9 at-bats for every strikeout (9).

She’s off to a terrific start in 2022, hitting .464 with 3 home runs and 9 RBIs in 10 games.

13. Jordy Bahl, P/UT, Oklahoma

The reigning Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year is ready to make her mark in college as she enters her freshman season at Oklahoma.

Bahl led Papillion-LaVista High School (Neb.) to 3 straight state championships. She posted a 27-0 record her senior season with a 0.10 ERA, surrendered only 27 hits and
15 walks in 137 innings pitched while striking out 316.

She’s appeared in 6 games and started 3 for the Sooners. She’s 4-0 with a save and has struck out a team-high 34 batters in 20 1/3 innings. She’s yet to allow an earned run.

12. Deja Davis, INF, Duke

Senior Deja Davis became the first All-American in Duke program history last season. She led the Blue Devils in batting average (.389), hits (65), triples (7), total bases (109), slugging percentage (.653) and on-base percentage (.444).

She currently holds the program single-season records for hits, triples and total bases.

She can play a little defense, too.

11. Sara Jubas, SS, North Carolina

Grad transfer Sara Jubas (James Madison) is not usually in the mix for highly-touted preseason accolades, but she put on a clinic during the 2021 postseason that should put her on the nation’s radar.

She started every game at shortstop for the Dukes led the team with a .397 batting average and joined the 20- hit club. She hit the first home run of the Women’s College World Series against No. 1 Oklahoma and was named All-CAA second-team and CAA All-Tournament Team.

Her leadership and experience on the field bring something to Chapel Hill that no other Tar Heel and that is playing in a Super Regional and WCWS.

She already leads the Heels in hits (9) on the young season.

10. Kinzie Hansen, C, Oklahoma

As a freshman, Kinzie Hansen started 58 of 60 games either behind the plate or at first base for the Sooners. She batted .438 with 24 home runs, 9 doubles and 66 RBIs.

Defensively, she registered 279 putouts, 21 assists and only had three errors (.990 fielding percentage).

She was named an NFCA second-team All-American and Big 12 Tournament Most
Outstanding Player.

This season, she’s off to a .440 start for a 10-0 Sooners team that is averaging 9.5 runs per game.

9. Miranda Elish, P/UT, Oklahoma State

Over 4 season at Oregon and Texas, Miranda Elish compiled a 66-15 record and 32 shutouts while striking out 669. She was named an NFCA All-American at Oregon in 2018 and Texas in 2019.

The legacy Elish left in Austin ended with a Super Regional berth for the first time in 6 years.

Now, she’s part of the OSU staff that will be competing against the head coach, Mike White, she committed to at Oregon and followed to Texas.

Elish is 2-3 in 7 appearances.

8. Taylor Pleasants, SS, LSU

Redshirt sophomore Taylor Pleasants had a memorable full freshman season in Baton Rouge.

She was named an NFCA second-team All-American, SEC Newcomer of the Year and first-team All-SEC. Standing at 6-feet, Pleasants brings an intimidation factor to the plate that resulted in team-leading .605 slugging percentage and 107 total bases.

She’s off to a slow start (4-for-33, .111), but that will change.

7. Janelle Meoño, OF, Arizona

In 2021, Meoño did something that only her current head coach has done; hit .439 in a single season as a freshman. Her 27-game hitting streak, her conference-topping batting average and speed on the basepaths led her to being named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, All-Pac-12, Pac-12 All-Freshman and NFCA third-team All-American.

She’s getting it done again, too, hitting .346 with 10 runs for the 7-2 Wildcats.

6. Valerie Cagle, P/UT, Clemson

Valerie Cagle stepped into the circle during Clemson’s inaugural season in 2020 and had the softball audience eating out of the palm of her hand. She was rolling. She started all 27 games, 13 as a pitcher, and tallied 10 homers.

Then, COVID ended the season early and left everyone wanting more. She didn’t disappoint. She started all 52 games in 2021, 32 at pitcher, 11 in left field, 2 in center field, 3 in right field and 4 as designated hitter. She was named an NFCA second-team All-American and became the first player in league history to garner ACC Player of the Year or Pitcher of the Year while being named ACC Freshman of the Year.

This year? She leads the Tigers with 3 HRs and 10 RBIs at the plate and is 4-2 with 40 strikeouts in 29 IP on the mound.

5. Tiare Jennings, 2B, Oklahoma

Sophomore Tiare Jennings introduced herself to the collegiate world in a monstrous way last season. Her single-season freshman RBI record of 92 could be a hint as to why. She also set a program record with 52 extra-base hits and 25 doubles.

Her .462 batting average and 1.000 slugging percentage helped her earn NFCA/Schutt Sports Division I National Freshman of the Year honors, 2021 NFCA unanimous first-team Team All-America, Big 12 Freshman of the Year, All-Big 12 First Team and Big 12 All-Freshman Team.

She hasn’t slowed down in 2022. She’s hitting .440 with 5 homers and 12 RBIs — second only to teammate Jocelyn Olo (spoiler alert).

4. Janae Jefferson, 2B, Texas

Senior Janae Jefferson enters 2022 as the Texas career leader in total hits (270) and batting average (.431). She is a 3-time All-American and unanimous 3-time first-team All-Big 12 selection.

She consistently leads the Longhorns offensively and is coming off a season where she reached base safely in 47 of 51 games played. She is riding a 14-game reached base safely streak into 2022.

3. Kayla Kowalik, C, Kentucky

Kayla Kowalik led all power-five players in 2021 with a .495 batting average, 100 hits and 23 stolen bases in 2021.

She was a unanimous NFCA First-Team All-American selection and looks to continue one of the most prolific careers in Kentucky program history. She is the only Wildcat to collect 100 hits in a single season.

Behind the plate, she caught over 300 innings and threw out 4 runners.

2. Jocelyn Alo, OF, Oklahoma

It wasn’t a matter of if she breaks the NCAA home run records, it is simply a matter of when.

Senior Jocelyn Alo entered the season 8 home runs shy of being crowned the new NCAA home run queen. She already has 7 — giving her 95 to match former Sooner Lauren Chamberlain’s record.

Olo homered in the season-opener, homered again the next day against Mississippi State. She then hit 4 homers in a double-header last weekend and tied the record the following day with her 7th blast against Texas State.

Her next homer will set the record. Her first chance comes Friday against Cal State-Fullerton and then Long Beach State.

Alo has hit 30 or more in 2 seasons so far. Alo was named the 2021 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, Big 12 Player of the Year, All-Big 12 first-team and NFCA first-team All-American.

1. Montana Fouts, P, Alabama

Senior flamethrower Montana Fouts has it all except for a national championship.

She was the 2021 NFCA Pitcher of the Year, NFCA First Team All-American, SEC Co-Pitcher of the Year, SEC Tournament MVP and WCWS All-Tournament Team.

Fouts led the NCAA last season with 349 strikeouts and pitched the first perfect game since 2000 at the WCWS against UCLA.

The Crimson Tide will roll as far as Fouts can take them this season. She’s 3-0 with a save in 4 appearances thus far, registering 38 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings.