Kansas’ Ochai Agbaji, Oklahoma’s Jocelyn Alo Named Big 12 Athletes of the Year
The Big 12 Conference has named Kansas basketball guard Ochai Agbaji and Oklahoma softball player Jocelyn Alo the 2022 Big 12 Athletes of the Year.
Agbaji is the fourth overall Kansas male to win the award and is the first to do so since 2017. Alo, who was a unanimous selection, is the third-straight Sooner female to win the award and the eighth overall to do so.
In a press release, the Big 12 Conference detailed both athletes’ accomplishments from fantastic 2022 seasons in which both Agbaji and Alo led their teams to national championships.
“Agbaji was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2022 NCAA Men’s Final Four as the Jayhawks captured their sixth national title. The Kansas City, Missouri native was the unanimous Big 12 Player of the Year and a Consensus All-America First Team selection, leading the Conference with 18.8 points per game. He was the Most Outstanding Player at the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship, averaging 18.7 points in three contests.
“Agbaji was selected by Cleveland with the 14th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and leaves Lawrence with the school record for consecutive games with a 3-pointer made (53). He ranks in the program’s career top-10 for 3-pointers made (250), consecutive starts (98) and minutes played (3,978).
“Alo was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2022 NCAA Women’s College World Series, as the Sooners captured a second consecutive NCAA title, and the program’s sixth. The Big 12 Player of the Year, Alo won the Honda Sport Award for Softball, the ESPY for Best College Athlete – Women’s Sports and USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. She led the NCAA in home runs (34), batting average (.515) and slugging percentage (1.212).
“The Hauula, Hawaii native set an NCAA career record with 122 home runs, breaking the record in her home state in March. She is currently a member of the United States national softball team.“
