Seven Cowgirls Bestowed Big 12 Softball Yearly Honors; Updated Start Time for Kansas
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State's Rachel Becker and Kelly Maxwell headline a group of seven Cowgirls who procured as the All-Big 12 recognition as the conference announced its 2023 softball yearly awards today.
Rachel Becker and Kelly Maxwell were both named All-Big 12 first team members. Chyenne Factor, Katelynn Carwile and Lexi Kilfoyl earned All-Big 12 second team honors. Kyra Aycock and Micaela Wark were named to the All-Big 12 freshman team.
With seven Cowgirls awarded All-Big 12 recognition, the 2023 Oklahoma State squad tied the 2021 Cowgirls for the most All-Big 12 honorees in a single season.
After an All-American season at Purdue, Becker joined the Cowgirls for her final collegiate season and made an immediate impact as the Pokes' leadoff hitter. Becker's .449 average ranks top-15 nationally and leads the conference; she also leads the conference in hits (71) and doubles (19).
Maxwell, one of Oklahoma State's two unanimous selections, collects her the third All-Big 12 first team selection of her career as the ace of the Oklahoma State pitching staff.
Boasting a 1.77 ERA, Maxwell leads the Big 12 in strikeouts (193) and opposing batting average (.149). For the third-consecutive season, the lefty has tallied a triple-digit strikeout total.
For Carwile, 2023 marks the second-straight season in which she has been named to the All-Big 12 second team. Against conference opposition, she led the team in batting average (.370) and on base percentage (.483); she is also first in the conference in doubles in Big 12 play with six.
The Cowgirls' centerfielder, Factor is on pace to notch her fifth-consecutive season batting above .300, she ranks top-three among her OSU teammates in batting average (.386 – second), hits (54 – third), on base percentage (.476 – second) and sacrifice hits (eight – first).
A strong counterpart for Maxwell as the Cowgirls' off-speed specialist, Kilfoyl's combination of power and movement has made her a strong Saturday starter for the Cowgirls after transferring from Alabama. With 107 strikeouts, she has reached the triple-digit strikeout total for a second-consecutive season.
One of only two unanimous selections to the 2023 All-Big 12 freshman unanimous, Aycock has lived up to the expectations in her opening season at Oklahoma State. The true freshman out of Newnan, Georgia, owns a 9-1 record and a 2.17 ERA; she leads the OSU pitching staff with five solo shutouts. When called upon, the freshman has delivered, most recently holding No. 1/1 Oklahoma scoreless through 6.1 innings.
Wark has shined in America's Brighest Orange after being kept from competition due to injury a season ago The redshirt freshman – a former Kansas Jayhawk – is second among all Cowgirls in RBI (46), tied-second in home runs (nine) and third in slugging percentage (.586); she's notched 13 multi-hit performances 2023.
OSU begins postseason play at the Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship in Oklahoma City from May 11-13. The Cowgirls' round one matchups pits them against against No. 6-seeded Kansas on Thursday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. on ESPN+ and The Varsity Network.
2023 Oklahoma State All-Big 12 Softball Honorees
All-Big 12 First Team
- Rachel Becker - IF
- Kelly Maxwell* - P
All-Big 12 Second Team
- Katelynn Carwile - OF
- Chyenne Factor - OF
- Lexi Kilfoyl - P
All-Big 12 Freshman Team
- Kyra Aycock* - P
- Micaela Wark - IF