| Jocelyn Erickson | |
|---|---|
 Erickson in 2024 | |
| Florida Gators – No. 8 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: (2003-09-27)September 27, 2003 (age 22) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Jocelyn Erickson (born September 27, 2003) is an Americancollege softball player for theFlorida Gators. She previously played forOklahoma. She was named theNFCA National Player of the Year in2024.
Erickson attendedSandra Day O'Connor High School inPhoenix, Arizona, where she was a two-sport athlete playing bothbasketball andsoftball. During her freshman year in 2019, she led the Eagles with 50 RBIs, while hitting .530 with 16 doubles and eight home runs to help lead her team to the 6A state championship.[1][2] In January 2021, during the second basketball game of the season, she suffered a tornanterior cruciate ligament and damaged her inside and outside meniscus while playing for the Eagles.[3] As a result of her injury, she was sidelined for the 2021 season.[4]
During the 2022 season, in her senior year, she posted a .624batting average with 25home runs, 10doubles, 58run batted in (RBI), 50runs scored and 28walks, and led the Eagles to the Conference 6A state tournament.[5] Following the season she was named Gatorade Arizona Softball Player of the Year, Arizona Republic All-State Team, 6A Conference Player of the Year and Desert Valley Region Player of the Year.[6][7]
She was ranked as the nation's No. 10 recruit in the Class of 2022 by Extra Inning Softball. On November 10, 2021, she signed her national letter of intent withOklahoma.[8]
Erickson began her collegiate career for Oklahoma in2023. During her freshman year she played in 57 games, with 32 starts at first base or designated player. She hit .337 with seven home runs, 11 doubles, 18 extra-base hits, 32 RBIs and helped Oklahoma win theWomen's College World Series in2023. Defensively she was perfect in the field, making 124putouts.[6] On February 18, 2023, in a game againstStephen F Austin, she tied a single-game program record with five hits, with two doubles, one home run and eight RBIs. It was the most RBIs by a Sooner sinceLynnsie Elam had eight in a game againstIowa on March 20, 2022.[9]
On June 26, 2023, Erickson entered theNCAA transfer portal, less than three weeks after the national championship.[10] On July 13, 2023, it was announced she would transfer toFlorida.[11][12] She wanted to be a full-time catcher and didn't want to wait another year behind fifth-year starterKinzie Hansen.[13]
During her sophomore year in2024, she had a .382 average, .494on-base percentage, 1.189on-base plus slugging percentage, with 73 hits, 15 doubles, 15 home runs, 50 runs scored and 86 RBIs. Defensively she threw out 13 of the 19 runners trying to steal. Her 80 RBI are tied for the Florida single-season record along with Megan Bush and rank second nationally. Following the season she was named to the All-SEC First team and SEC All-Defensive Team and was named theSEC Player of the Year.[14][15] She was also namedSoftball America Defensive Player of the Year,NFCA Catcher of the Year,NFCA National Player of the Year, NFCA First team All-American and aGold Glove Award recipient.[16][17][18]
Erickson was born to David and Jeanine Erickson, and has four siblings, Krislyn, Brendon, Emilee and Kaylee. Brendon playedcollege baseball atBYU, while Emilee and Kaylee playedcollege softball atBYU.[6]