2009: A mainstay in center field and at the top of the Razorbacks’ lineup, Jessica Bachkora registered a career-high five home runs and 26 RBIs during her junior campaign. She also posted career highs in doubles (12), stolen bases (18) and slugging percentage (.433), and was third on the team with a .270 batting average. Bachkora opened the season with a three-hit, three-run performance at Southern Miss. She was tied for second on the team with 10 multi-hit games, five of which came during SEC play. She totaled five hits in Arkansas’ doubleheader sweep of South Carolina to open conference play. In the opener of a three-game series at Mississippi State, Bachkora had an inside-the-park grand slam in the top of the eighth inning to lift the Razorbacks to an 8-3 victory. She totaled seven multi-RBI games during the season. The Overland Park, Kan., native continued the heroics with a game-winning solo shot to right field against Kentucky in the bottom of the fifth. She scored the first run in the Razorbacks’ 11-9 win over No. 13 Oklahoma in Norman, the program’s first victory on the road against the Sooners. Bachkora also had a seven-game hitting streak during the season. Also a champion in the classroom, she was named to the SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll and 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District first team.
2008: As a sophomore, Bachkora made 63 starts in center field and at the top of the lineup for Arkansas. She had a season-high four hits and scored a run in the season opener against UAB. At the Metrodome Classic, she was named to the all-tournament team after hitting .350 during the six-game event. Bachkora knocked her first career home run, a game-tying shot, in game two of a doubleheader with Oklahoma, which was ranked No. 11 at the time. She enjoyed a six-game hitting streak that included a three-hit performance at No. 15 Georgia. In the final game of the hitting streak, Bachkora filled the box score with two doubles, two runs, two RBI and a walk against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. In postseason play, she opened the team’s scoring against No. 7 Oklahoma in game two of the NCAA Regional in Norman. Bachkora had 14 multi-hit games during the season, was third on the team with 55 hits and second on the squad with 42 runs. She led Arkansas with 15 stolen bases and hit a team-best .289 against Southeastern Conference opponents. She was a second-team preseason All-SEC selection and earned a spot on the 2008 SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll.
2007: Her first year as a Razorback, Bachkora posted the highest batting average on the team and set the single-season triple record with five. She also set the single-game triple record hitting two against Missouri on Feb. 25. Bachkora started all 64 games in center field and had a team-high 14 multiple-hit games. Bachkora was the team leader in runs scored (30), hits (58), doubles (10), triples (5), total bases (78) and on-base percentage (.338). Bachkora was the season’s stolen base leader and was one of two Arkansas players named to the SEC All-Freshman team.
HIGH SCHOOL: A two-time offensive player of the year, Bachkora also got it done in the field, boasting a 1.000 fielding percentage her senior year. She was an all-state selection during her final season for the Notre Dame de Sion Storm and held the city’s highest batting average as a junior. Bachkora had a .426 career batting average with seven home runs.
PERSONAL: Born Feb. 29, 1988, she is the daughter of Charlie and Patty Bachkora. She has an older sister, Alycia, and an older brother, Christopher. Bachkora’s father played baseball at Fort Hays State, her brother played at Saint Louis and her sister plays softball at Bradley. Bachkora is majoring in kinesiology.