The 2024 SEC Player of the Year, Jocelyn Erickson (8), gets a hug from 2023 SEC Player of the Year Skylar Wallace (right) in a win over Texas A&M earlier this month.
Erickson's 'More to offer' Quest Comes Full Circle in OKC
Wednesday, May 29, 2024 | Softball, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY – The 2024 Rawlings Golden Glove Award was glistening Wednesday afternoon on the brightly lit dais beneath Devon Stadium. The scene made for a lovely contrast to the glistening tears streaming down Kendra Falby's face. The Florida junior had trouble controlling her emotions Wednesday when she walked into the interview room and learned she'd been voted by NCAA coaches as the best center fielder in the country.
When asked for a comment, Falby's words were drenched in humility and gratitude for her teammates. That's when sophomore Jocelyn Erickson, seated to Falby's right, was asked for her thoughts on being honored as the nation's best catcher.
Truth be told, even without the award, some Erickson tears this week were probably inevitable. How often does a highly motivated, goal-oriented athlete set a personal bar for themselve and actually clear it?
That's exactly what Erickson did when she entered the portal last summer, transferred to Florida, won Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, put herself on the doorstep of breaking the program's single-season RBI record and helped guide the Gators back to the Women's College World Series.
Heck, she even predicted the team would be here, declaring so after gauging her new teammates and culture last fall, which makes her a sage along the line of her head coach.
"She's exactly what I thought she would be," UF coach Tim Walton said.
One year ago to the day, Erickson was a freshman in this very stadium, but wearing the uniform of the mighty Oklahoma Sooners, with whom she went on to celebrate the 2023 national championship. As a collegiate rookie, the Phoenix product hit .337 with seven home runs and 32 RBI while starting 32 of OU's 57 games, mostly in right field. A fabulous year.
Erickson, though, knew she could be one of the best catchers in the country. That was the position she wanted to play. Unfortunately, the best catcher in the country – Kinzie Hansen, the 2023 Johnny Bench Award – was behind the plate for OU last season and was set to return in '24.
"I just felt like I had more to offer, more to accomplish and more to give to a team," Erickson said. "I'm so glad for my experiences [at Oklahoma]. They definitely shaped me into who I am today and I'm glad to use those [experiences] with this team, too."
When fourth-seeded Florida (51-13) squares up against fifth-seeded Oklahoma State (49-10) Thursday night, Erickson's spot behind home plate will be 27 miles from the Norman campus stadium she roamed as a right fielder a year ago. She was pretty good at that position, also.
Erickson not only had a Midas touch handling freshmen standouts Keagan Rothrock and Ava Brown, who combined for 46 of UF's 51 victories, but the lefty (yes, a lefty catcher) threw out 13 of 19 runners who tried to steal on her, while committing just two errors and two passed balls.
On offense, Erickson batted .383 from the clean-up spot with 13 homers and 80 RBI, which ranks second in the nation. The next run she knocks in will break the single-season tie with Megan Bush (2011) and give Erickson the record all to herself.
To do so in OKC seems just seems right.
"It would mean a lot because there have been so many great Gators to come through this program," Erickson said.
Back in February, Walton nominated Erickson to a couple preseason player "watch" top-25 and top-50 lists. Erickson cracked none of them; not even the Bench list.
"I reminded her about it every single day. Every. Day," Walton said. "I'd tell her, 'Just remember, you didn't make the Top 50. Might need a couple more reps, Jocey, for the people who don't know your name.' I really messed with her."
