Back in 2017, FloSoftball featured Jordyn Bahl as a Rising Star after a summer of winning the Tulsa Elite Invitational, a second-place finish at Top Gun and the Colorado Sparkler. It was clear that Bahl's talent and competitive edge was going to take her places.

We asked a few questions after her recent verbal commitment to Oklahoma.

When did you decide that you wanted to open your recruiting options back up?

I decided during the spring.  I wanted to have a more thorough process.  I had taken one visit to Lincoln when I was 14 and made a decision for the next 8 years of my life.  I got a little older and more mature and decided that I wanted to see what other places/opportunities were out there.

Were you nervous about making the change? 

Yes, I was nervous.  I had been committed to Nebraska for two years, picturing myself playing there.  It is where my family is, and it’s always been home.

What was your recruiting experience like summer 2019?

It was a great summer.  I was playing for Nebraska Premier, now Nebraska Thunder Gold.  We were a brand new team and had a lot of success.  The more success we had, the more coaches came to watch us play.  There were a lot of talented players on the team, so between the coaches coming to watch them, and me, our team was drawing a crowd.

What was September 1 like?

It woke up to a lot of texts and calls and was lucky to get to talk to some coaches of programs that I was really interested in.

How did it feel to see so many coaches come out to see you this summer and this fall?

It was awesome.  It fueled us and motivated us to keep working hard.  Our team got great exposure and learned how to play under a little pressure.

Where did you go on your recruiting trips this fall?

I had a list of schools that I planned to visit.  However, after the trip to Norman, it just checked every box for me.  I can see myself growing as a player, woman, and Christian there under an awesome coaching staff, and with a team who has a great culture.  I also liked the idea of staying in the midwest, within driving distance of home.  I  loved how Norman isn’t a big city, but a college town.  The town felt comfortable.

When did you know Oklahoma was the place for you? 

On the visit, I got to spend a lot of time around the team.  I got to see how they interacted with each other, and with the coaches.  The culture was amazing.  I want to surround myself with the best athletes and competitors that I can, to push myself, and put myself in a position where I can compete and be a part of a WCWS championship team.

How does it feel to be done with the recruiting process for a second time?

Being two years down the road from when I committed to Nebraska, and after a lot of growing and maturing, I feel like now I have a better understanding of what I want in a college softball experience.  It feels good to have committed to Oklahoma knowing that I am two years away from college, not four, and I’m more confident in my reasons for committing.

Looking back, how different do you feel now compared to when you first committed (Personally, emotionally, spiritually)?

When I decommitted, I did a lot of praying.  I was scared of the unknown and was wondering if I had made a mistake.  I asked God several times to lead me to where he wanted me to go, and for his will to be done.  On Sunday morning of my visit, my family attended a church service with some of the players, and it was during the sermon where I felt like He was telling me, “This is it.”

Do you want to thank any people who helped you along the way?

I want to thank my coaches, Todd Peterson, Dan Johnston, and Luke Olson for managing pretty much the whole process.  I also want to thank Darren Dubsky, my pitching coach since I was 7 years old.  Also, my parents for raising my three brothers and I, taking us to practices, pushing us to be well rounded people, so that we could see that there’s more to life than sports.