In a dazzling moment that has sent shockwaves through college softball, Nebraska’s own Jordy Bahl has rewritten the Big Ten record books — and not with just one title, but two. In what can only be described as a legendary season, Bahl has been crowned both Big Ten Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year, becoming the first player in conference history to achieve this astonishing double in a single season.
Yes, you read that right. Bahl didn’t just dominate — she obliterated the narrative, elevating herself to mythic status within the sport. Only three other players in the entire history of the Big Ten have ever managed to win both honors across their careers. Bahl did it simultaneously.
And she didn’t just win — she earned it with fire.
After transferring from Oklahoma, where she was already a two-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Year (2022 & 2023), many questioned whether the star pitcher could replicate her dominance in a new environment. The answer? A resounding yes, and then some. With her latest accolades, Bahl has now become a three-time conference pitcher of the year across two Power Five conferences — an exclusive club shared by only six players in history.
The echoes of greatness ring louder knowing Bahl is the first Husker since Peaches James in 2004 to win conference Player of the Year, and the first since Tatum Edwards in 2013 to be named Pitcher of the Year. Nebraska fans, nostalgic for dominance, are watching history being forged in real time.
But this celebration isn’t a solo act.
Joining Bahl on the All-Big Ten First Team is Ava Kuszak, a transfer from Wisconsin who has exploded onto the scene with a season for the ages. Kuszak has eclipsed 50 hits, 50 runs, and 50 RBIs — a rare trifecta — while blasting 19 home runs (4th in school history). Her stunning .423 batting average and .899 slugging percentage are rewriting the Husker offensive playbook.
The future? Even brighter.
Samantha Bland and Hannah Camenzind earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors, while Bland also locked down a spot on the All-Defensive Team for her brick-wall performance at third base. Haidyn Warner, the team’s emotional leader, was recognized with the Huskers’ Sportsmanship Award, capping off a season of grit and growth.
While other headlines tout Washington’s Alexis DeBoer as Freshman of the Year and Oregon’s Melyssa Lombardi as Coach of the Year, Nebraska’s thunder was unmistakable.
With the Cornhuskers advancing to the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals against No. 2 seed UCLA — set to clash at 4 p.m. CDT on BTN — the stakes have never been higher, and the fire never brighter.
Jordy Bahl didn’t just make history — she lit the torch for a Husker revival. And now, with momentum at their backs and legends in the making, Nebraska’s charge for national glory is anything but a long shot.
