There’s officially less than one week between us and the start of the 2025 Big 12 softball season, as several programs will kick things off on Thursday.
The league looks completely different than it did a season ago, as Oklahoma and Texas are now officially in the SEC, and programs formerly in the Pac-12—Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah—are now in the Big 12.
Despite the loss of teams that have played each other in two of the last three national championship series, the Big 12 still have more than its fair share of star power, including the best player in the country.
Here’s a look at the ten Big 12 softball names you need to get familiar with ahead of the 2025 season.
Shaylon Govan, Baylor, 1B
Shaylon Govan enters the 2025 season as the most feared power-hitter in the Big 12, and rightfully so. A unanimous NFCA All-American in 2024, Govan has proven that she’s a force to be reckoned with at the plate. Over the past two seasons, Govan leads the Bears with a .406 batting average, 89 RBIs, a .710 slugging percentage, and 22 total home runs.
In 2024, she posted a career-best .444 average with 63 hits, 11 HR, 48 BB, and a .739 slugging percentage. Additionally, Govan serves as the Bears’ primary first baseman and had 306 putouts with an incredible .997 fielding percentage and just one error on the year.
Dakota Kennedy, Arizona, UTL
Dakota Kennedy had a breakout season as a sophomore in 2024, earning NFCA All-American honors as a third-team outfielder, and won the Rawlings Gold Glove after finishing the season with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in left field. Last year, she led the Wildcats with 42 walks, .688 slugging, and .521 OBP, and ranked second on the team with .400 batting average, 68 hits, 13 home runs, 10 doubles, and six stolen bases.
Kennedy is expected to be one of the top outfielders in the country in 2025, and her entry into the Big 12 is something that other coaching staffs are keenly aware of.
RyLee Crandall, Oklahoma State, RHP
After spending each of the last two seasons as one of the top arms in Baylor’s rotation, RyLee Crandall has transferred to Stillwater and boasts what should be an impressive collection of talent in the circle for Kenny Gajewski.
Over her first two seasons in Waco, Crandall maintained a 3.13 ERA and a combined 33-15 record to go with 197 strikeouts in 286.0 innings pitched. She’ll immediately become a heavy contributor for the Cowgirls in 2025.
Ruby Meylan, Oklahoma State, P
There’s a contingent of people who believe that adding Ruby Meylan, an already stacked pitching staff in Stillwater, just might be the move that pushes Oklahoma State over the hump to win a national championship, and it’s easy to see why. Meylan is one of the hardest throwers in softball and brings a ton of experience from her time with Washington.
Over her first two seasons, Meylan put together a 27-17 record in the circle with a 2.31 ERA and 343 strikeouts in 303.2 innings pitched in 76 appearances. With Meylan, Crandall, and Kyra Aycock headlining the group, there’s no shortage of skill or experience in the circle.
Angelina Allen, Iowa State, OF
One of the most underrated players in America, Iowa State outfielder Angelina Allen was named a second-team All-American last season and enters 2025 as one of the best players in the country. In 2024, Allen paced the Cyclones in hits (74), home runs (11), RBIs (43), and total bases (129), all while maintaining a team-high .435 batting average.
Allen is capable of breaking a game open on her own, which is why there will be times throughout the season that you’ll see Iowa State winning games they probably “shouldn’t.”
Megan Delgadillo, Oklahoma State, OF
After spending five years at Cal State Fullerton, Megan Delgadillo has come to Stillwater to finish out her career and brings all kinds of records along with her. During her time with the Titans, Delgadillo set program records in hits (272), runs scored (172) and stolen bases (151), while also finishing with the fourth-best career batting average (.390) in school history.
Delgadillo is a problem on the bases, too, and won the 2024 NFCA Golden Shoe, given to the nation’s top base-stealer, as she nabbed 44 bases on 46 attempts. She should fit nicely in Oklahoma State’s offense and will bring all kinds of pressure to opposing infield.
Karli Godwin, Oklahoma State, INF
Karli Godwin made a statement in her first year as a Cowgirl, turning in perhaps the most outstanding freshman season ever in the Gajewski era. She was named a finalist for the NFCA Freshman of the Year and earned freshman All-American honors from both D1Softball and Softball America after putting up a line of .340/.394/.649.
She finished the season with 15 home runs and 122 total bases, both of which were single-season freshmen records, and her 13 doubles were one shy of that same accomplishment as well. Godwin’s 51 RBIs led the Cowgirls, while her 15 home runs and 64 hits ranked second on the team.
Lily Owens, BYU, UTL
After spending one season at Lehigh, Lily Owens transferred to BYU and immediately became a fixture of the Cougars rotation. Her six home runs tied for fourth on the team, while she also posted the second-most runs scored (39) and RBI (40) and the third-best batting average (.348) in her first season in Provo.
Owens owns a career fielding percentage of .941 and plays all over the field for the Cougars, starting 48 games over four different positions, including nine games as BYU’s designated player. Owens was one of five unanimous picks for the Big 12 Preseason Team and ranked No. 74 on Softball America’s Preseason Top 100 list.
Regan Shockey, Arizona, UTL
A 56-game starter for Arizona in centerfield last year, Regan Shockey was an instant leader for the Wildcats as a freshman. She lead Arizona in batting average (.404) and led the entire Pac-12 Conference with 80 hits in her first year of action. Her .427 OBP and .971 FLD% are also notable, and should only improve as she gains experience.
Arizona is a sneaky good team coming into 2024, and should challenge Oklahoma State and Texas Tech in the Big 12 race. Shockey’s ability to stress defenses and keep the bases rolling will be a big reason.
NiJaree Canady, Texas Tech, RHP
When NiJaree Canady transferred to Texas Tech last summer, it resulted in a seismic shift in the distribution of power in college softball. Suddenly, Texas Tech is a popular WCWS dark horse candidate and the team that everyone projects to challenge Oklahoma State for the Big 12 crown. She’s that good.
Canady maintained an impressive 41-10 with an 0.67 ERA and led Stanford to a final-four finish in the WCWS in both of her seasons with the Cardinal. Canady earned nearly every honor available to her, including being named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year in 2024 after leading the country with 337 strikeouts and a 0.73 ERA.
