WCWS: Jayda Coleman boosts Sooners in 3rd straight title win

sports editor

Junior outfielder Jayda Coleman during the WCWS championship series against Florida State on June 8.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Jayda Coleman dropped her head, launched her glove in the air, and bolted towards the pitcher's circle, where she quickly found herself near the bottom of a celebratory dogpile.

Coleman's athleticism sticks out. She's displayed it plenty of times on the bases and in center field, but you'd be hard pressed to find a time when she sprinted faster than Thursday night.

Coleman then lined up to receive her third national championship trophy in as many years, which she took with her when she plopped onto the dirt to make snow angels out of the crimson and cream confetti.

When the celebration eventually mellowed and the Sooners were embracing friends and family in center field, Coleman took a detour down the right field line, where a line of fans from the first base dugout to the right field foul pole held various items out for her to sign. Their wishes were granted.

Jayda Coleman signing autographs while the rest of the #Sooners celebrate in center field. pic.twitter.com/Rf56dmz4HD

It all came after the final out in OU's (61-1) historic season, capping its third consecutive national championship with a 3-1 win over No. 3 Florida State (58-11) in Game 2 of the Women's College World Series championship series.

"We hold onto (the) 20 vs. everybody (mentality)," Coleman said. "These 19 girls that are by my side, they're the only ones out of everyone that know what I go through, my struggles that I've been through. Just holding onto that, really just leaning on them because it does get hard, it does get challenging.

"My heart is so full knowing that the 19 girls around me know my struggles and what I'm challenged with. All they do is lift me up from that."

Coleman headlined the game in the third inning, when she back-tracked to the 220-foot marker in center field before leaping and reaching well above the wall to snag a potential three-run home run. While approaching the wall, Coleman didn't feel the need to look back, as right fielder Rylie Boone did that for her.

Junior outfielder Jayda Coleman during the WCWS championship series against Florida State on June 8.

"I don't think a lot of people know, but I'm really relying on my left fielder, Rylie Boone, (and) whoever is in right, to really communicate with me where the wall is," Coleman said. "They're telling me, ‘You got room, three, two, one, jump!’ … Especially Boone, because Boone has been there for so long with me. I just completely trust that she's not going to let me run into the wall head first."

After making the catch, Coleman pointed toward the infield while relaying a reassuring message seemingly to senior pitcher Alex Storako:

"I got you, let's go."

Coleman will likely headline Sportscenter's Top 10 plays tomorrow, but nothing will top her teammates' reactions.

"The best thing (about) those plays is watching your teammates react and watching them just be so happy for you," Coleman said. "They know how hard we work. I know how hard they work. So when things like those plays come into play on this big stage, it's so joyful to watch."

JAYDA COLEMAN ROB JOB! 🗣️ @jaydac00#WCWS #SCtop10 x 🎥 ESPN / @OU_Softball pic.twitter.com/C1Nf6rLqdL

Junior outfielder Jayda Coleman during the first game of the WCWS championship against Florida State on June 7.

‘People gravitate toward her’

Coleman's former travel ball coach, Kevin Shelton, remembers her not just from the physical traits she possessed, but her softball IQ as well as the effect she had on her teammates.

During a scrimmage at the junior national team tryouts, Coleman found herself standing on second base with a clear view of the catcher, which she took advantage of. When she noticed the catcher positioning herself well before the pitch, Coleman relayed where the location of the pitch would be to the batter by waving her arm in that direction.

"She was gonna win," Shelton said. "She was competing. She was fighting hard all the time. That's why people gravitate toward her. She doesn't talk about how great she is, she just does it. And on the field she's in constant leadership mode to help her teammates be better."

Shelton adopted a simple defensive game plan in the three seasons he coached Coleman — get her the ball. In addition to her keen defensive skill set, her ability to control opposing baserunners and lead the defense stuck out to Shelton.

As a 13-year old, Coleman, fueled by a constant diet of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and soft drinks, began attending college camps alongside high school players. What may overwhelm most didn't affect the left-handed shortstop, who continued to serve as a vocal leader to the infield.

"She’d be leading kids with her voice on the infield who were four years older than her because she just understood the game so well," Shelton said. "And she had no fear. She didn't know that she wasn't supposed to be doing that … she just always competed so hard."

When Coleman originally joined the 16U Texas Glory team, she was the youngest, yet loudest, on the team. Coleman quickly made her mark on the program due to her energy in the dugout, which originally surprised her teammates, then became the standard.

Coleman has carried that same energy into her first three seasons with the Sooners, and displayed it when senior captain Grace Lyons blasted a home run in the fifth inning of Game 2 to give OU its first lead of the night.

"I think my eyes started seeing black dots," Coleman said. "I almost passed out. (I was) just so happy for her."

OU softball head coach Patty Gasso and junior outfielder Jayda Coleman during the first game of the WCWS championship against Florida State on June 7.

'She protects the standard'

Coleman's OU journey began when former Sooner Erin Miller hosted the then-high schooler on her official visit. Before they could do so, coach Patty Gasso made it clear to Miller the importance of the visit, knowing the effect Coleman could have on the program.

"This is the athlete we need," Gasso told Miller.

Gasso was looking for a program-defining player. She found it.

After taking her through a haunted house/scavenger hunt crafted by the current players inside OU's training facility, Miller quickly became fond of Coleman, and the feeling was mutual.

"We just got to spend some really quality time with each other," Miller said. "I think she started to see the heart of this program, the familial nature of this program, very family oriented, very tightknit group. And that was something I think drew her here.

"We definitely are cut from the same cloth. I think she's a little mini me. I like to take a little bit of pride and ownership to how she plays the game because I think we have a lot in common."

Coleman is used to being the leader of her teams, as she's always stuck out as the best player on each. Entering OU is a different beast though. She was joining a program which had made three of the last four championship series and was victorious in two.

It's a task all OU players are tested with when entering the program, but Coleman stepped up to the challenge. Despite being the consensus No. 1 prospect in the class of 2020, Coleman was frequently found asking questions and seeking wisdom from other OU players during her first season.

"Whenever you're around people who are great, it pushes you to be better," former OU utility player Nicole Mendes said. "And that iron sharpens iron kind of mentality, she embraced it.

"She would ask 'why?' a lot, and that was the best thing she could have done."

Coleman was used to playing shortstop, the position typically designated to the leader of the infield as well as the team's most keen defender and vocal player. Coleman was all of that, but ran into a problem when coming to OU, as the Sooners had Lyons, who Gasso claims is the best defensive shortstop she's ever seen.

It forced Coleman to adapt to being a center fielder. The move to the outfield typically raises concerns about lack of communication. Not for Coleman. In fact, Miller claims the move heightened Coleman's vocal impact on the team.

"Outfield is that last line of defense. You’re the last line to protect the green grass," Miller said. "You really need a strong voice that can project and manage and direct the defense. She does that very well in center (field). She's so fast. She is so quick on her feet. The crazy catches over the wall. You really see her leadership in an interesting way in the outfield different than the way you would see it in the infield.

"You have to be even louder and bigger on display in the outfield and I think she's really risen to that occasion."

When Miller looks at Coleman, not only does she see a leader, but the embodiment of what Oklahoma softball stands for.

"She's a leader and she protects the standard," Miller said. "She expects the standard out of her teammates and you can only expect that when you live it yourself. Every single day when she puts on a jersey, she plays lights out, so she definitely has earned that opportunity to lead in that way."

Coleman has cemented her legacy at OU through winning three consecutive titles. But that's not enough. Shelton recalls Coleman's desire – and expectation – for perfection. When Shelton attempted to ease those expectations, Coleman justified them:

"Shouldn't I expect to bat 1.000?"

Coleman, after three years at OU, sits with three trophies at her disposal. Entering her senior year, the expectation is clear, and the motivation appears stronger than ever.

"That whole 2020 class (will) be so desperate to demonstrate that they can win four in a row," Shelton said. "I think next year, (other teams) need to just get out of the way."

This story was edited by Colton Sulley.

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sports editor

Louis Raser is the OU Daily's summer sports editor and covers OU softball. He is a sophomore majoring in journalism.