Home-run queen: Addison Barnard becomes Wichita State softball’s all-time career leader

In mid-March of her junior season, Addison Barnard became the Wichita State softball team’s all-time leader in home runs with her 59th career blast in Friday afternoon’s game against Northern Colorado at Wilkins Stadium.

For perspective on the torrid pace Barnard has left the yard during her Shocker career, she accomplished the feat (59 home runs in 127 games played) in nearly half of the games played it took former record-holder Maddison Perrigan, who hit 58 home runs in 245 games played from 2017-21.

For her career, Barnard has hit a home run in just about every other game and one in every 6.7 at bats. Barnard’s career slugging percentage of .856 is also on pace to crush the WSU career record, and Barnard (156 RBI) is closing in on Perrigan’s career record of 191 RBI.

Barnard shattered the WSU single-season record for home runs with 33 long balls last season, which finished fourth all-time in NCAA Division I history and set an NCAA Division I record for home runs per game (0.63).

The Beatrice, Neb., native still has a ways to go before cracking the all-time NCAA record list, as the 25th place hitter has 72 career home runs. Oklahoma’s Jocelyn Alo is the all-time leader with 122 home runs, with Oklahoma’s Lauren Chamberlain second with 95 home runs.

While Barnard currently has a career-high batting average (.429), Friday’s home run was just her fourth homer of the season in 23 games played.