OKLAHOMA CITY — Kinzie Hansen brought a different aura behind the plate.
Opposing batters stepping in to take on an Oklahoma pitcher had to always worry about the OU hurler the past four years, but there was an intense presence emanating from Hansen that also had to be checked.
The 6-foot-0 catcher from Norco, CA, sported a game face that channeled her intense focus, and had a cannon for a right arm to put any baserunner on high alert.
And then came her exploits at the plate.
She belted 60 career home runs, including a host of clutch bombs to propel the Sooners.
In 2023, her two-strike, two-out blast gave the Sooners new life in Game 2 of their Super Regional matchup against Clemson, extending OU’s record winning streak.
She opened up Love’s Field with late game heroics against Miami (OH), and again delivered on the biggest stage most recently against Texas.
Hansen was voted a captain of the 2024 OU squad, serving alongside Tiare Jennings, in one of the hardest leadership jobs the sport has seen as Oklahoma tried to manage the pressure weighing over its historic campaign.
