Jordy Bahl driving Nebraska’s season-ticket sales after transfer
LINCOLN, Neb. (BVM) – Last week, Jordy Bahl shocked the college softball world as she announced she was leaving the Oklahoma Sooners and entering the transfer portal. The move came just days after the Sooners won their third-consecutive Women’s College World Series title, ending the season on a 53-game winning streak while going an NCAA Division I all-time best 61-1 on the year.
In Bahl’s social media post announcing her decision to transfer, she made it clear that she planned to return to her home state of Nebraska to conclude her collegiate career.
❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/6OBFmG5VEE
— Jordyn Bahl (@jordybahl) June 12, 2023
Just three days later, the star pitcher announced her expected move to join the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
After 2 years of wonderful memories, I’m excited for 2 more representing the Nebraska Cornhuskers. This state, these people, and this N are all things I’m excited, proud, and thankful to be a part of. @HuskerSoftball pic.twitter.com/TctJwJgik3
— Jordyn Bahl (@jordybahl) June 15, 2023
Finishing the journey right where it began.@jordybahl x #GBR pic.twitter.com/ukq92RWpEk
— Nebraska Softball (@HuskerSoftball) June 15, 2023
Bahl comes to Nebraska as one of the most-decorated softball players to ever join a Big Ten team. In two seasons at Oklahoma, Bahl had a career 1.00 ERA and 397 strikeouts. This past season, she went an impressive 22-1 while being named the Most Outstanding Player of the Women’s College World Series as she didn’t allow a run in 24.2 innings of work.
With dominant numbers and two national championships, Bahl leaves Oklahoma as one of the program’s best players ever. Now, she will look to leave a similar legacy at Nebraska.
Already, Bahl has Husker fans excited. According to Mitch Sherman of The Athletic, since Bahl announced she was returning home, Nebraska has taken 2,124 season-ticket requests. In 2023, the team had just 365 season-ticket holders, and had just 26 on the waitlist for season tickets going into next year.
Some softball news from Nebraska: The school has taken 2,124 requests to join the wait list for season tickets this week after the announcement that Jordy Bahl would continue her career in Lincoln.
Nebraska previously had a wait list of 26. And 365 season-ticket holders in 2023.
— Mitch Sherman (@mitchsherman) June 16, 2023
Able to accommodate up to 2,500 fans, it’s likely Bahl will be pitching in front of several sell-out crowds at Bowlin Stadium in Lincoln in 2024, and may draw similar crowds wherever she plays throughout the Big Ten. It’s just one of the many impacts the star pitcher may have on the game going forward.
Bahl currently has an NIL valuation of $60,000, and has signed around a dozen notable NIL deals over the past couple of years. She also has upwards of 100,000 followers on social media, including 59,000 on Instagram.
Both her valuation and following only figure to grow as she returns to the state where she became the Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year at Papillion-La Vista High School in 2021. Already, Bahl is sought after in the area, as she will do a meet-and-greet and signing with fans at a game for the Omaha Storm Chasers – the triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals – later this month as part of Jordy Bahl Day.
🚨 JUST ANNOUNCED 🚨
June 30th is @jordybahl Day at Werner Park!
Come meet Jordy Bahl as she makes her first appearance as a Husker!
🎟️: https://t.co/nUxrqUiaed pic.twitter.com/WOvafbN39z
— Omaha Storm Chasers (@OMAStormChasers) June 15, 2023
Once she takes the field at Bowlin Stadium next spring, Bahl will join a Huskers squad that went 36-22 this past season, making it to the NCAA regional round where they eventually fell just short of advancing after a loss to Oklahoma State.
With Bahl leading Nebraska’s pitching staff, the Cornhuskers will likely head into 2024 as the favorites in the Big Ten, and perhaps even a threat to make a College World Series run.
Her continued success on the field will be worth watching, but so too will the impact she continues to make on Nebraska, the Big Ten and NCAA softball as a whole.
