McEnroe-Marinas captains Oklahoma into NCAA Tournament
Nine players from Hawaii high schools across eight collegiate programs are set to compete in the regional round of the NCAA Tournament. Among them, two standouts Maryknoll graduate Nelly McEnroe-Marinas and 'Iolani alum Ailana Agbayani are suiting up for top-ranked Oklahoma, the four-time defending national champions.
Oklahoma is the only school in the tournament featuring multiple players from Hawaii. And for McEnroe-Marinas, her redshirt freshman campaign has been nothing short of remarkable. After bouncing back from injury, she was named a team captain, an uncommon honor for an underclassman. She enters the postseason batting .345 with 14 home runs.
'It's a blessing,' McEnroe-Marinas said. 'I'm just so grateful for all the things that I went through and all the things that I've learned from the past captains. Just being able to soak all of that in is a huge honor. But definitely with this team, I'm not doing anything alone.'
Asked how her upbringing helped shape her leadership style, McEnroe-Marinas credited her island roots.
'The Hawaiian culture is unmatched. I think it's a big reason why I got picked to be a captain in the first place,' she said. 'Being able to grow up in that environment and bring that environment here to Oklahoma and spread the aloha. It's just amazing.'
Agbayani, a junior transfer from BYU, has made an immediate impact, batting .331 with 31 RBIs this season. Together, the duo brings island flair and culture to Norman, something McEnroe-Marinas says their teammates appreciate.
'In our BP sessions, we're the only ones vibing out to reggae,' she joked. 'I love having Ailana on this team. We never had the opportunity to be teammates growing up, and now we do, it's insane.'
In addition to the Sooners' duo, seven more Hawaii high school graduates are featured on tournament rosters:
2025 NCAA Softball Tournament – Hawaii High School Graduates
• Oregon: Braiesey Rosa (Waianae) – Sophomore Catcher
• San Diego State: Quinn Waiki (Campbell) – Freshman Infielder
• Arizona: Jenna Sniffen (Maryknoll) – Freshman Infielder
• Santa Clara: Cairah Curran (Campbell) – Sophomore IF/OF
• Grand Canyon: Lovey Kepa'a (Leilehua) – Senior Infielder
• Georgia: Mua Williams (Kamehameha) – Freshman Utility
• Howard: Kenna Higa (Kamehameha) – Senior 1B/3B
• Oklahoma: Nelly McEnroe-Marinas (Maryknoll) – Freshman Infielder
Ailana Agbayani ('Iolani) – Junior Second Baseman
Top-seeded Oklahoma opens tournament play on Friday against Boston.
For a look at the complete bracket and schedule, click here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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