Hometown: Corona, Calif.
Class: Senior
Position: Outfielder
Notes:
• 2012 WCWS All-Tournament Team
• 2012 Academic All-Big 12 First Team
“'I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’” – John 16:33
Needing just one win to secure a national championship, Oklahoma softball player Brianna Turang and her Sooner teammates devastatingly lost the final two games of the 2012 Women’s College World Series. Rather than dwelling on the past, the two-sport standout senior (also a member of OU’s soccer team) has committed to helping her team complete the mission this season while modeling her faith in her final year on OU’s campus.
FCA: What has your experience been like playing both softball and soccer at Oklahoma?
BT: The time required for practice, games and school has been a huge commitment, especially when I also want to be able to get into the Word as much as I can. It was a shock at first, but I was able to get through the first couple years, and since then it’s been the norm for me.
I’ve loved getting to know the girls on both teams and making so many friends. It was my dream since I was little to play sports in college, so getting to play in front of our fans and to share my faith with my teammates has been awesome.
FCA: What did you learn from the loss in last season’s national championship series?
BT: Right after we lost, our chaplain, [FCA’s] Sarah Roberts, told us, “We praise Him when we win and we praise Him when we lose.” It was difficult at the time, but it has strengthened our faith, as we’ve had to trust that God took us through that time for His purpose. Afterwards, we received emails, Facebook messages and tweets from parents and kids saying they loved seeing what we stood for and expressing our faith. So, despite losing, we were able to touch people through our loss, and it brought us closer as a team and made us more determined than ever for this season.
FCA: How has your faith been a part of your collegiate career?
BT: My college career has been a tremendous growth process with my faith being the foundation of it all. I struggled my freshman year because I was totally consumed with sports. When things weren’t going well I began to realize that my identity had become wrapped up in them, which was wrong because I could have lost them at any time.
Seeing what God has done from my freshman year to now, and the transformation He’s made in my life—the things that I’ve been able to let go of and to trust Him with—has been incredible. I’ve realized that God is all I need. My identity is in Christ, and I would take being in heaven with Him before any worldly accomplishments. Nothing compares to what God has done in my life, and my goal is to share that with others through my words and actions—being positive and motivating to my teammates and to those who watch me play.
FCA: How has FCA been a part of your spiritual growth at OU?
BT: I’ve gone to FCA since my freshman year, but I began consistently attending during my junior year, and it completely changed my life. Now, I’m a member of the leadership team, and each person on the team is like my family.
FCA has made a huge impact on me, my teammates, and everyone at OU who attends because it’s a place to step away from the pressures we each face and come to-gether as a community committed to Christ. We’re able to worship and talk about our faith and what God’s done in each of our lives. FCA is far greater than just learning about God; it’s about experiencing Him and His teachings together as His people.
*****
FCA Staff Quote:
“Brianna is an amazing young woman with a competitive spirit and compassionate heart. It doesn’t matter if she is playing softball or soccer for the Sooners, leading the OU FCA Huddle, or starting a charity foundation to provide gifts for foster children; she does it with passion, drive and determination, all in the name of Jesus. Her humble spirit and competitive attitude make everyone around her better." –Sarah Roberts, Oklahoma FCA Area Representative
Originally Published: May 2013
Photos courtesy of University of Oklahoma and Amy Elrod