Who is Jordy Bahl? What to know of Nebraska pitcher amid NCAA softball tournament
After a one-year hiatus due to injury, Jordy Bahl is back to doing Jordy Bahl things this season for Nebraska.
Because of that, the two-time national champion and first-team All-American pitcher is back to pitching in the postseason and NCAA softball tournament.
In her first season at Nebraska, the former Oklahoma pitcher has anchored the Cornhuskers' pitching staff while showing off her two-way talents at the plate. Bahl will likely get the ball in Nebraska's opening game of the Baton Rouge Regional on Friday, May 16 at 3 p.m. ET against UConn.
While doing all this — which included leading Nebraska to a semifinal appearance in the Big Ten tournament — Bahl was named a top 25 finalist for the USA Softball National Player of the Year award. She ranks in the top 15 of 13 statistical categories, including shutouts pitched (fifth), strikeouts (sixth) and home runs (14th).
Here's what you need to know about Bahl as Nebraska starts its run in the 2025 NCAA softball tournament:
Who is Jordy Bahl?
Nebraska's right-handed ace is one of the more decorated pitchers in NCAA softball history.
The Nebraska native was a freshman phenom, posting a 22-1 record with a 1.09 ERA, the latter of which ranked sixth in the nation. Bahl followed that up with an even stronger sophomore season, which consisted of a 7-0 record and a 0.18 ERA in seven NCAA Tournament games in 2023.
Following her 2023 season in Norman, Oklahoma, Bahl left Patty Gasso's squad to transfer to Nebraska. She ended her time as a Sooner by being named the Most Outstanding Player at the WCWS and an NFCA First Team All-American. She ranks second in ERA in Oklahoma history at 0.99.
Bahl missed all but the opening game of the Cornhuskers' 2024 season with a torn ACL. She returned in 2025, notching a 23-6 record in 34 appearances (28 starts) and 174 1/3 innings of work.
In her first full regular season at Nebraska, Bahl has put together a National Player of the Year resume, both at the plate and inside the circle. At the plate, Bahl hit .458 in the regular season while becoming the first Husker to record at least 15 doubles and 15 home runs in the same season.
In the circle, Bahl posted the lowest ERA in the Big Ten of 1.57 in 174 1/3 innings while also leading the league and ranking in the top 10 nationally in strikeouts (254) and opponent batting average (.156).
On May 9, the Big Ten named Bahl the conference's player and pitcher of the year, the first time in Big Ten history that a player took home both awards in the same season. As noted in the Big Ten's news release, Bahl joins Michigan’s Sara Griffin and Nikki Nemitz and Minnesota’s Sara Groenewegen as one of four players in the conference's history to earn both honors in their careers.
"Coming home and playing in Nebraska has been just the dream," Bahl said in a different pre-recorded interview that was featured in the Big Ten's clip announcing her awards. "Way more special than I could have ever imagined."
Jordy Bahl transfer from Oklahoma to Nebraska
After winning two national championships at Oklahoma, which included being named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2023 WCWS, Bahl announced she was leaving the Sooners program after her sophomore season — a transfer that shocked the sport.
Bahl announced her decision to transfer to Nebraska on June 16, 2023, citing homesickness as the catalyst for her decision to return to the Cornhusker State to play at Nebraska and in the Big Ten.
"I am excited to return home and be Jordy Bahl the softball player, but more importantly the person," Bahl wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Jordy Bahl stats
Here's a year-by-year breakdown of Bahl's career stats at both Oklahoma and Nebraska:
- 2025 (Nebraska): 23-6 overall record, 34 appearances, 27 starts, 1.57 ERA, 174 ⅓ innings pitched, 254 strikeouts, 97 hits allowed, 39 runs allowed and two saves; .458 batting average/.540 OBP/.955 SLG, 61 runs scored, 59 runs batted in (RBIs) and 37 extra-base hits (19 home runs)
- 2024 (Nebraska): 0-1 overall record, one appearance, one start, 9.00 ERA, 2 ⅓ innings pitched, three strikeouts, three runs allowed and two hits allowed
- 2023 (Oklahoma): 22-1 overall record, 38 appearances, 22 starts, 0.90 ERA, 147 ⅓ innings pitched, 192 strikeouts, 81 hits allowed, 20 runs allowed and four saves
- 2022 (Oklahoma): 22-1 overall record, 33 appearances, 24 starts, 1.09 ERA, 141 ⅓ innings pitched, 205 strikeouts, 71 hits allowed, 27 runs allowed and one save