« Softball 2009

Samantha Ricketts

School
University of Oklahoma
Position
First Base
Major
Sociology
AVG
.343
R
24
H
46
FLD%
.986
RBI
41

Classroom

Samantha was the Academic Momentum Award winner from The Scholar-Baller Program and was also named to the 2008 Academic All-Big 12 First Team.  She currently has a 3.16 grade point average in sociology and is scheduled to graduate in May 2010.

Character

“Samantha Ricketts is a wonderful success story and a coach’s dream,” said Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso. “She was overlooked by many programs and she committed to Oklahoma one month before the start of her freshman year.  Sam has done an incredible job throughout her career improving her academics and is heavily involved with community service.  She won the unanimous vote from her teammates and was named our team captain.  Sam will leave her legacy on the OU softball program and in the lives of all those she has come in contact within the community.  She exceeds the expectations of what you could ever want from an athlete both on and off the field.”

Community

A member of OU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Samantha is also a part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Leadership Team.  She has participated in events such as the Safe Trick-or-Treat, Campus Cleanup, Race for the Cure, Meals on Wheels and various canned food drives and Faculty Appreciation Day at OU.  She leads an FCA huddle at Alcott Middle School and led one at Irving Middle School last year.  Samantha also served as a Camp Staffer at the 2008 FCA Summer Sports Camp.  IN addition, she reads to kids at McKinley Elementary, assists teachers at All Saints Catholic School and participates in Thanksgiving and Christmas activities at The Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center.

Competition

A 2007 Second Team All-American and National Player of the Year finalist (top three), Samantha was also a 2008 Second Team All-Midwest Region and First Team All-Big 12.  She led team with 51 runs batted in 2008 and hit .351 on the year.  She needs just seven RBI and six home runs to break school career records in both categories.  Currently, Samantha owns the OU career record for slugging percentage and the OU single season record for RBI (81 in 2007).  She was named to the 2008 Big 12 Tournament All-Tournament team and tabbed Big 12 and NFCA National Player of the Week on March 20, 2007.