OU freshman catcher Kendall Wells added another accolade to her already historic debut season, earning the 2026 Johnny Bench Award on Tuesday.
The Johnny Bench Award recognizes the top NCAA Division I baseball and softball catchers in the country. Wells became the first freshman in Division I softball history to win the award and just the second Sooner to earn the honor, joining Kinzie Hansen (2023).
Wells delivered one of the most dominant offensive seasons in program history, batting .358 with 70 runs, 39 home runs and 88 RBIs while posting a 1.028 slugging percentage. Her 39 home runs set OU and Southeastern Conference single-season records, while also placing her in second on the all-time single-season home runs list behind UCLA senior utility player Megan Grant.
Behind the plate, Wells was equally reliable, finishing with a .993 fielding percentage and allowing just three stolen bases all season.
Her performance earned widespread national recognition. Wells was named National Fastpitch Coaches Association freshman of the year, Diamond/NFCA Catcher of the Year and SEC player of the year, while also earning NFCA First Team All-American and first-team All-SEC honors. She was additionally a USA Softball collegiate player of the year Top 10 finalist and collected multiple national player of the week awards throughout the season.
Wells’ breakout campaign played a key role in OU’s offensive dominance, providing a consistent power presence in the middle of the lineup. She helped the Sooners reach the super regional round of the NCAA Division I Softball Tournament, where OU fell to Mississippi State 2-1 in Norman.
This story was edited by Joshua McDaniel
