« Softball 2013

Brianna Turang

School
Oklahoma
Position
Outfield
Major
Multidisciplinary Studies
AVG
.379
R
20
H
22
RBI
7

Classroom

The demands on any Division I student-athlete in one sport are significant. Add a second and the demands increase geometrically. That’s the life of Brianna Turang. When you consider that she will be graduating in May and enters her final semester of competition with a 3.40 in her major of multidisciplinary studies, what this dual sport Sooner has done is remarkable. She has been named to the Academic All-Big 12 first team for soccer twice, in 2011 and 2012, and was a key member of the Sooner soccer teams that earned Team Academic honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America for three years—2010, 2011 and 2012. She earned Academic All-Big 12 first team honors for softball in 2012 and will add a second first-team honor for softball later this spring. She has been named to the President’s Honor Roll (4.00 GPA) twice , the Dean’s Honor Roll (3.50-3.99 GPA) once, the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll four times and is a four-time Sooner Scholar.

Character

The oldest of five children, Brianna Turang takes her role as the oldest of her siblings seriously and that approach has translated to both of the Sooner teams that she has played with over the last four years. According to her academic advisor, she is “one of the hardest working student-athletes I have ever worked with. Competing in two sports, she is always in season.” She is planning to pursue a degree in nursing and follow a career in pediatric nursing because of her desire to serve others and to make a difference in people’s lives. In her application for nursing school, she addressed the risks that she had taken in her undergraduate career. In her own words and in words that belie her age, Turang explained, “I took a simple risk to follow my dreams. I had the chance to play two sports I love, earn a bachelor’s degree and be able to impact others as I have been impacted through close friendships. It has been an incredible journey, even though it had constant ups and downs, and it has been such a blessing to be able to serve. It is something I value in my life.” When your heart thinks first of others and service to those around is the first thing you consider, then your strength of character sets a standard for others to follow.

Community

It is hard to believe that a Division I student-athlete who is playing two separate sports with seasons that routinely stretch from the beginning to the end of a semester has time to do community service. That is true, unless you are Brianna Turang. A leader in OU’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter, she and another Sooner student-athlete started their own charity in partnership with the FCA—Christmas1:27. The mission of the group is to bring Christmas to orphans who have been neglected, physically and sexually abused and orphans who are in need of a stable home. This duo raised money to meet their goal that “every child deserves a Christmas.” Again, in Turang’s own words, “I had just read ‘Faith without deeds is dead,’ in the book of James. God has given me the biggest heart for kids. I get the opportunity to be a part of God’s work and do it with my best friend. Along with her softball teammates, she has volunteered at area non-profit agencies as well including the latest effort, a week in late November, at Mission Norman. A food pantry, stocked and run through volunteers only, Gascoigne and her teammates spent three afternoons, stocking shelves, packing food boxes, helping people select food items and then carrying those items to their cars.

Competition

Competition – Named to the 2012 Women’s College World Series All-Tournament team, Brianna Turang ranks seventh on the career list for stolen bases with 58. She has played in 203 of the 208 games the Sooners have played in the last three-plus years. She has earned 170 starts and has a career batting average of .345. She led the team in batting average as a sophomore with a .353 then led the team in sacrifice bunts as a junior, demonstrating her multiple talents shared with the team. As a senior, she is currently fourth on the team in batting average (.349) and hits (17). In the fall for the last four years, Turang has played defender for the Sooner soccer team. She played in 69 games over her career and earned 40 starts. She finished with seven shots and four assists in her soccer career.