The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
No. 10 Softball’s Jefferson, O’Leary & Dolcini named Softball America Preseason All-Americans
02.07.2022 | Softball
The trio was part of 48 total players lauded by the organization over three All-American teams
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas super senior second baseman Janae Jefferson (first team), junior pitcher Shea O'Leary (second team) and super senior transfer pitcher Hailey Dolcini (third team) were each selected as a Softball America Preseason All-American according to a Monday announcement by the organization.
As one of just two unanimous choices to the 2022 Preseason All-Big 12 Conference Team, a recent selection to the 2022 USA Softball Women's National Team and a three-time NFCA All-American, Jefferson preps to enter her final campaign on the Forty Acres as the all-time program leader in both batting average (.431 – current Big 12 career leader) and total hits (270). The Humble, Texas, product, and 2022 USA Softball National Player of the Year Top 50 Preseason Watch List inclusion, is also within sight of the Big 12 Conference's career hit mark (332) established last season by Iowa State standout Sami Williams. Jefferson led the Longhorns during 2021 in batting average (.446), hits (75), on-base percentage (.495) and steals (14), while rating second in runs scored (49) and third in total bases (100).
O'Leary is coming off a solid 2021 season that saw her earn NFCA All-Central Region and All-Big 12 Conference honors. The Castaic, Calif., native went 16-6 from the circle for the Longhorns with a 1.82 ERA, 15 complete games, six solo shutouts and 121 strikeouts over a team-high 161.2 innings of work. Along the way, O'Leary started the 2021 campaign at 9-0 before suffering her first loss and registered high-profile victories over Wichita State, No. 25 Mississippi State, No. 15 Louisiana, Texas Tech (two), Iowa State (two) and Baylor (two). For her efforts during the Texas Tech series sweep (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 18 K's in 14.0 innings, O'Leary was named as the Big 12 Conference's Pitcher of the Week for April 6.
A transfer out of Fresno State, Dolcini has already been tabbed to the 2022 USA Softball National Player of the Year Top 50 Preseason Watch List. During an outstanding 2021 senior campaign for the Bulldogs, the Ferndale, Calif., product posted a 22-5 record with a 1.12 ERA (11th in NCAA Division I) over 180.2 innings of work and 259 strikeouts (13th in NCAA Division I) on the way to earning both Softball America Third-Team All-American and Mountain West Conference (MWC) Pitcher of the Year accolades. A Top 25 finalist for the 2021 USA Softball National Player of the Year trophy as well as a NFCA All-Pacific Region and All-MWC First Team selection, Dolcini rated first in the nation as a senior with 14 shutouts, fired two perfect games, struck out 10-or-more batters in a game 13 times and limited the opposition to a miniscule .175 batting average. In MWC play, Dolcini posted a 13-1 mark with a 0.89 ERA while leading the league in wins, strikeouts, ERA and opponent batting average. Along the way, she won seven 2021 MWC Pitcher of the Week awards and tied a program record with 18 K's in seven innings during a 6-0 win over New Mexico (April 2).
