Keilani Ricketts

Keilani Ricketts is a 6-foot-2 professional softball pitcher from San Jose, California. She was acquired in the 6th Round of the 2025 Inaugural Draft following a collegiate career at Oklahoma.

Personal Life

Background: Her proudest accomplishments are being a mom and continuing to play professional softball. She enjoys going to farmers' markets and seasonal festivals along with food trucks and playing basketball. 

Career: Completed her second season as an assistant softball coach at the University of the Pacific in 2026.

Family: Sister, Samantha, was an All-America softball player at Oklahoma and serves as head softball coach at Mississippi State. Married her husband, Sean, in 2017 and has a daughter named Elizabeth.

Professional Experience

Athletes Unlimited Softball League (2024–)

2026 AUSL Regular Season (Carolina Blaze): Ricketts made 17 appearances in the circle, including three starts, setting the new league record for appearances in a season. She tied for first in the league with eight games finished and ranked second in the circuit with 14 relief appearances. She posted a 3.88 earned run average, good for seventh in the AUSL, while compiling a 2-6 record with one save. She tallied 26 strikeouts over 39.2 innings and held opponents to a .293 batting average, ranking eighth in the league. Ricketts opened the season by recording a save against Portland on June 9, allowing one hit over 3.0 scoreless innings with three strikeouts in a 4-1 victory. She secured a win in relief against Oklahoma City on June 29, scattering three hits over 4.0 scoreless innings with one strikeout. On July 3, at Utah, she logged a season-high four strikeouts across 4.0 innings, giving up one earned run on three hits in a 4-2 triumph. She closed out the season by throwing a season-high 5.0 innings against Chicago on July 15, allowing two unearned runs on six hits with two strikeouts.

2025 AUSL All-Star Cup: Earned her first AU medal after placing third with 1,184 leaderboard points. Second in the circuit with a 1.56 ERA and a 2-0 record over 27.0 innings.

2025 AUSL Regular Season (Blaze): Ranked eighth in the AUSL with a 4.20 ERA, posting a 1-3 record with two saves and 26 strikeouts.

2024 AUX Season: Secured 856 leaderboard points with 11 strikeouts over 20.1 innings.

Other Professional Experience (2013–2023)

WPF & NPF: Competed for the Oklahoma City Spark in 2023 (5-3, 3.03 ERA). No. 4 overall pick in the 2013 NPF Draft by the USSSA Pride, compiling a 41-24 record from 2013-18.

Japan Softball League: Played for Toyota Industries Shokki from 2013-18.

International Experience

Team USA: Won Gold medals at the 2011 Pan American Games, 2019 Pan American Games, 2019 Japan Cup, and 2018 WBSC World Championship. Member of the 2026 National Team pool.

College Experience: Oklahoma (2010–2013)

Career Statistics: Compiled a 133-35 record with a 1.26 ERA. Holds Oklahoma career pitching records for wins (133), strikeouts (1,605), shutouts (54), and complete games (123). Also hit 50 career home runs with a .503 on-base percentage.

Senior Year (2013): Authored a 35-1 record with a 1.23 ERA and 350 strikeouts. Named WCWS Most Outstanding Player.

Junior Year (2012): Posted 37 victories with a 1.08 ERA and 457 strikeouts.

Awards & Honors

National Honors: Two-time USA Softball Player of the Year (2012, 2013) and the first Oklahoma student-athlete to win the Honda Cup (2013).

All-America: Four-time NFCA All-America selection (First-Team from 2011-13).

Conference Honors: 2012 Big 12 Player of the Year and 2013 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year.