The biggest event in college softball’s calendar is finally here: The Women’s College World Series — otherwise known as the “Greatest Show on Dirt” — starts Thursday in Oklahoma City. Whether you’re just getting into the sport or you’ve been following all season, one of the best things about this time of year is getting to see the brightest stars lead their teams on the biggest stage. Throughout the games, the broadcasts will tell all kinds of heartwarming stories about the players who are putting everything on the line for a chance at a title.We’ve highlighted one player on each team that you will likely hear a lot about.Karlyn Pickens, P, TennesseeThe 6-foot-1 power pitcher is a modern-day Jennie Finch. Last year, she broke the record for fastest pitch in softball history at 78.2 mph, then turned around and broke her own record a few weeks later at 79.4 mph. The senior, who was recently selected with the No. 1 pick in the AUSL draft, has 180 strikeouts in 132 1/3 innings this season, bringing her career total to 810. With two other standout pitchers in Erin Nuwer (0.99 ERA) and Sage Mardjetko (1.12 ERA), Tennessee coach Karen Weekly has reduced Pickens’ workload, but she has thrown complete, one-run games in her last two starts.Jordy Frahm, P/1B, NebraskaTalk about a feel-good story. After helping lead Oklahoma to back-to-back World Series titles in 2022 and 2023, Frahm transferred back to her home state to help turn around Nebraska. After missing the majority of her first season in Lincoln due to injury, she returned and blossomed into the sport’s most lethal two-way player. This season she’s led the Huskers to their first No. 1 ranking and first WCWS trip since 2013. In the circle, she’s 20-4 while ranking in the top five nationally in ERA (1.14). At the plate, she’s hitting .416 with 19 home runs. She hopes to cap it off by leading her school to its first national title.