Kansas’ Cripe named Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of Year

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

College softball

Kansas senior shortstop Hailey Cripe was voted Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year in voting done by the conference’s coaches and released Wednesday.

Cripe committed just four errors on 187 total chances. She is the first Kansas player to receive the Defensive Player of the Year award since it was first honored in 2024.

Cripe shared the award with Arizona’s Regan Shockey.

Kansas rallied from a 4-0 deficit to beat UCF 6-5 Thursday in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City.

Cripe is also hitting .350 with 15 homers and 47 RBIs on the season. She has an 1.147 OPS.

Cripe is a 2022 Pioneer grad.