MOBILE, Ala. – Coming off her solid freshman season, University of South Alabama softball pitcher Olivia Lackie was named to the Extra Elite 100 College Players List by Extra Innings Softball earlier this week as she was ranked No. 71 on the list.
The inaugural list by the organization includes players from the top teams in the sport, as well as top players from every nook and cranny of Division 1 softball. Criteria for our rankings included career achievements, most recent on-field history, and overall impact on their team and the sport as a whole. The Extra Elite 100 College Player Rankings were led by Extra Inning Softball National College Softball Editor Justin McLeod.
Along with Lackie, three other Sun Belt players joined the Walker, La., native on the national preseason list: Troy's Leanna Johnson (No. 66), Texas State's Jessica Mullins (No. 90) and Louisiana's Kandra Lamb (T-No. 97).
Last season, the 6-foot right-hander was selected third-team all-South Region by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), while also earning first-team all-Sun Belt honors. She twice earned Louisville Slugger/Wilson NFCA DI Top Performance recognition throughout the 2021 season and was named Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week and DISoftball Freshman of the Week after helping the Jaguars pick up their first-ever win over No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Lackie also earned Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week honors on four occasions: Week 2 (2/23), Week 4 (3/9), Week 5 (3/16), Week 9 (4/13), becoming just the second pitcher in program history to earn SBC weekly accolades four or more times in a season, and first since Devin Brown's five (2016).
In her 194.2 innings of work, she struck out the side 19 times and recorded at least 2 or more strikeouts in 81 innings (41.6%), and recorded double-digit strikeouts seven times during the spring, with five of those going for 12 or more. Of her 587 put outs, 250 came by strikeout, while 338 came from balls put in play (42.6%). Of the 805 batters faced, got ahead 0-2 in the count to 183 (22.7%) batters, retiring 150 (82.0%) of those batters and striking out 103 (68.7%) of those batters, retiring the side in order or facing the minimum in 76 (39.0%) of her innings of work.
She set freshman the record for strikeouts in a season and holds the program mark for double-digit K's and shutouts by a freshman.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear. All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/bullpenclub.
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