Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: Charles Taylor
Returner Spotlight: Randee O'Donnell
November 29, 2017 | Cowgirl Softball
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State softball senior Randee O'Donnell has been a key cog in the Cowgirls' lineup for the past three seasons, and he contributions both on and off the field have been vital in OSU reemerging into the national spotlight. Now entering her final campaign, O'Donnell will again play a key role in OSU's success.
The Tahlequah, Oklahoma, native first came to Stillwater prior to the 2015 season. Her first significant impact as a Cowgirl came during second half of her freshman season, specifically in Big 12 action.
From March 19 to April 18, O'Donnell raised her batting average 110 points and she finished with a .333 batting average in conference play. Her immediate success in the league earned her a spot on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team.
O'Donnell concluded her freshman season with two home runs, eight runs batted in and 15 runs scored. She hit safely in eight of 10 games in the month of April, beginning with a two-hit performance against Kansas on April 3.
She belted the first home run of her career against Iowa State, helping the Cowgirls lock up an 11-1 run-rule victory over the Cyclones. The next day, she followed up her first home run with a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4 at the dish and driving in a run to help OSU secure an 8-6 win.
After a highly-successful freshman season, O'Donnell returned in 2016 as a key figure in first-year head coach Kenny Gajewski's lineup. She featured in all 58 games, starting in all but one of those.
Her biggest contribution as a sophomore came in the field, as she set the school's single-season record with 152 assists at the shortstop position. O'Donnell also tallied a Big 12 single-game high eight assists against DePaul on February 13.
At the plate, O'Donnell had several stand-out moments, including a second-inning grand slam against Wichita State that lifted the Cowgirls to a 4-3 victory. She also executed an RBI-squeeze bun in the top of the ninth inning to help Oklahoma State knock off Northwestern, 3-2, during the Cowgirls' first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2011.
O'Donnell also began to be recognized for his success off the field as a sophomore, as she was a First-Team Academic All-Big 12 selection for the first time in her career.
Her sophomore season saw O'Donnell cement herself as an everyday starter at shortstop, and in 2017 the pieces continued to click for the Tahlequah High School graduate.
O'Donnell again was an everyday player for OSU, appearing in 59 games and starting in 57 of those contests, including each of the season's final 43 games, during her junior season. She also continued to thrive, both at the plate and in the field, as she smacked a career-high four home runs and posted a .929 fielding percentage at shortstop.
One of her four home runs was a first-inning grand slam – the second of her career – against North Texas that got the Cowgirls rolling to a 13-1 victory over the Mean Green. She also tallied two three-hit outings – a career high – going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI against Eastern Kentucky on March 12 and posting a 3-for-5 day against Iowa State on April 15.
After the Cowgirls' season ended, O'Donnell was also once again recognized as a First-Team Academic All-Big 12 honoree. In both years that she was honored, Oklahoma State was presented with a program-record number of honorees and led the Big 12 in both seasons.
Randee O'Donnell has become a fixture of Oklahoma State's lineup under head coach Kenny Gajewski. In 2018, she'll have a chance to cap off what has already been an impressive career in Stillwater.
The Tahlequah, Oklahoma, native first came to Stillwater prior to the 2015 season. Her first significant impact as a Cowgirl came during second half of her freshman season, specifically in Big 12 action.
From March 19 to April 18, O'Donnell raised her batting average 110 points and she finished with a .333 batting average in conference play. Her immediate success in the league earned her a spot on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team.
O'Donnell concluded her freshman season with two home runs, eight runs batted in and 15 runs scored. She hit safely in eight of 10 games in the month of April, beginning with a two-hit performance against Kansas on April 3.
She belted the first home run of her career against Iowa State, helping the Cowgirls lock up an 11-1 run-rule victory over the Cyclones. The next day, she followed up her first home run with a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4 at the dish and driving in a run to help OSU secure an 8-6 win.
After a highly-successful freshman season, O'Donnell returned in 2016 as a key figure in first-year head coach Kenny Gajewski's lineup. She featured in all 58 games, starting in all but one of those.
Her biggest contribution as a sophomore came in the field, as she set the school's single-season record with 152 assists at the shortstop position. O'Donnell also tallied a Big 12 single-game high eight assists against DePaul on February 13.
At the plate, O'Donnell had several stand-out moments, including a second-inning grand slam against Wichita State that lifted the Cowgirls to a 4-3 victory. She also executed an RBI-squeeze bun in the top of the ninth inning to help Oklahoma State knock off Northwestern, 3-2, during the Cowgirls' first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2011.
O'Donnell also began to be recognized for his success off the field as a sophomore, as she was a First-Team Academic All-Big 12 selection for the first time in her career.
Her sophomore season saw O'Donnell cement herself as an everyday starter at shortstop, and in 2017 the pieces continued to click for the Tahlequah High School graduate.
O'Donnell again was an everyday player for OSU, appearing in 59 games and starting in 57 of those contests, including each of the season's final 43 games, during her junior season. She also continued to thrive, both at the plate and in the field, as she smacked a career-high four home runs and posted a .929 fielding percentage at shortstop.
One of her four home runs was a first-inning grand slam – the second of her career – against North Texas that got the Cowgirls rolling to a 13-1 victory over the Mean Green. She also tallied two three-hit outings – a career high – going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI against Eastern Kentucky on March 12 and posting a 3-for-5 day against Iowa State on April 15.
After the Cowgirls' season ended, O'Donnell was also once again recognized as a First-Team Academic All-Big 12 honoree. In both years that she was honored, Oklahoma State was presented with a program-record number of honorees and led the Big 12 in both seasons.
Randee O'Donnell has become a fixture of Oklahoma State's lineup under head coach Kenny Gajewski. In 2018, she'll have a chance to cap off what has already been an impressive career in Stillwater.
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