As February approaches, the countdown clock on the Tracy Beard College Classic website is clicking closer and closer to zero-hour.

For the ninth consecutive year, Oklahoma has been chosen as the favorite in the 2021 Big 12 softball preseason poll in a vote by the league’s head coaches. This marks the 12th occurrence in the last 13 years the Sooners have collected the honor.

2021 Tracy Beard College Classic on FloSoftball featuring Texas, Oklahoma State, Kansas, North Texas, Lamar, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, Tarleton, South Dakota State is now canceled.

Aces Fastpitch photos taken at 2020 Top Club National 18U by Alonzo Adams from USA TODAY Sports.

Over the past year, NiJaree Canady came close to winning state championships in both softball and basketball. In both cases, she watched opportunity slip from her grasp due to circumstances completely beyond her control.

Select Fastpitch Jones photos taken at the 2020 Tulsa Elite Summer Invite by Brett Rojo from USA Today Sports/Imagn.