Chamberlain Named Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year

Oklahoma softball star Lauren Chamberlain was named the Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year Monday by the league office.

Chamberlain joins Keilani Ricketts (2012-13) as the only OU softball players to win the honor since the Big 12’s inception in 1996. Ricketts won the award in 2012 and 2013. Former women’s basketball player Stacey Dales (2001-02) is the only other recipient of the award from Oklahoma.

Chamberlain hit a grand slam at North Texas in April for her 91st career home run to break Stacey Nuveman's all-time mark of 90. The home run came in Chamberlain’s 212th career game and 584th at-bat. For comparison, Nuveman hit her 90 home runs in 264 games and 691 at-bats.

Chamberlain finished her career with 95 home runs and set the NCAA all-time slugging percentage record with a .960 career mark.

Following the 2015 season, Chamberlain was named a first-team All-American by the NFCA, joining former Sooner Keilani Ricketts as the only four-time All-Americans in Oklahoma history, as well as the only OU players to be named to the first team three times in a career.

Chamberlain hit .399 this season with 23 home runs and tied for the team lead in runs batted in with 65. She also led the team with 62 walks and a .589 on-base percentage, adding 11 doubles, four triples and eight stolen bases while playing in 56 of 58 games.

Oklahoma has had six student-athletes recognized as the Big 12 Athlete of the Year since its inception in the 1996-97 season. Along with Chamberlain, Ricketts and Dales winning Female Athlete of the Year, former OU quarterbacks Sam Bradford (2008-09), Jason White (2003-04) and Josh Heupel (2000-01) have all been named Male Athlete of the Year.