Tag: OU Softball

‘College GameDay’ team takes batting practice with Oklahoma Softball

Oklahoma Softball welcomed “College GameDay” to Loves’ Field before Saturday morning’s show.

The Oklahoma Sooners will host the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday night in Norman. OU’s first conference game as a member of the [autotag]SEC[/autotag] is one of the biggest games of the 2024 college football season.

It’s such a big game that ESPN’s “College GameDay” will be doing their live show on campus in Norman on Saturday morning before that night’s primetime affair between the Sooners and Volunteers.

A few members of the “GameDay” team took a visit to Oklahoma’s softball team on Friday before the big day on Saturday. The Sooners are coming off of a four-peat of national championships, and are one of the best softball programs ever, led by head coach [autotag]Patty Gasso[/autotag].

Gasso and the team welcomed the ESPN personalities to Loves’ Field to take some practice swings. “College GameDay” took to social media to post video of the results.

https://twitter.com/collegegameday/status/1837265501988208811?s=46&t=c0IUXD99Gev3mDup6hgrLA

Of course, Pat McAfee, a former NFL punter, gets the recognition with a big-time hit over the wall. But the best part of this video, in my opinion, is the smooth swing by former Alabama head coach Nick Saban.

Saturday will mark the first time “GameDay” has been in Norman since 2020 when the Sooners hosted Oklahoma State. Since that game occurred during the COVID-19 season, this week will be the first appearance with fans in attendance since 2012, when Oklahoma hosted Notre Dame.

McAfee interviewed Patty Gasso during his show Friday live from Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and they plan to feature OU Softball during the three hour pregame show Saturday morning.

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Oklahoma Sooners unveil Patty Gasso statue at Love’s Field

The Oklahoma Sooners enshrined a living legend at Love’s Field on Friday, unveiling the statue of head coach Patty Gasso.

A living legend was enshrined at [autotag]Love’s Field[/autotag] today when the University of Oklahoma unveiled a statue honoring softball coach [autotag]Patty Gasso[/autotag].

The statue evokes the image of Gasso giving a player a high five as they round third base after hitting a home run. Oklahoma has become synonymous with offense, and she’s handed out a lot of high-fives over the years.

Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso take a picture with players and family during a statue dedication at Love’s Field in Norman, Okla,, Friday, Sept., 13, 2024. SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Gasso is the winner of eight national titles, pushing Oklahoma into a tie for second place after the Sooners completed the only four-peat in college softball history. Seven of the eight national championships have come since 2013, and six since 2016.

Under her guidance, the Sooners won 15 Big 12 regular season titles and led her staff to earn seven NFCA coaching staff of the year awards.

Prior to the spectacular run to the 2024 national title, the Sooners were one of just two teams to accomplish a three-peat, joining the UCLA Bruins, who secured the feat in the sport’s infancy.

Gasso is the winningest active coach in college softball and ranks third all-time in career wins, leading Oklahoma to the pinnacle of the sport over her 30 years at the helm for the Sooners. The NFCA Hall of Fame member has not only been a part of the growth of the OU Softball program, but the sport itself.

University of Oklahoma President Joe Harroz spoke at the unveiling and highlighted Gasso’s remarkable impact on her players, the sport, and those who follow the team, saying, “true greatness is not measured by the number of wins you have. It’s measured by the number of lives you impact. Patty transcends softball. Patty transcends sports.”

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Oklahoma Board of Regents approves historic raise for Patty Gasso

University of Oklahoma Board of Regents voted to increase Patty Gasso and OU Softball assistant salaries for 2025.

Fresh off a fourth straight national title, the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents approved a significant raise for Head Coach Patty Gasso and her assistants Jennifer Rocha and J.T. Gasso.

According to Eric Bailey of the Tulsa World (subscription required), Gasso’s salary for 2024-2025 will be increased to $1.9 million, and next year will increase to $2 million in 2025-2026. According to Colton Sulley of The Oklahoman, the salary has an average annual value of $2 million per year and runs through 2028. Gasso’s last raise came in 2022, a salary bump that paid her $1.775 million a year.

Rocha and J.T. Gasso will see their salaries increase to $300,000 a year per Bailey.

The Sooners keep their corps coaching staff intact as they look to build off of their historic run over the last four years.

https://twitter.com/EricBaileyTW/status/1834666114300911795

Oklahoma underwent its biggest turnover over the last five years, losing a number of stars to eligibility. But they’ve got a good young corps of players to build around as the Sooners enter the SEC.

OU’s SEC schedule was released for next spring. They’ll take on softball powerhouses Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, and Florida next spring to extend their record national championship streak.

https://twitter.com/OU_Softball/status/1833944835801448849

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Oklahoma Sooners to unveil Patty Gasso Statue Friday

The University of Oklahoma unveiled plans to unveil a statue of Patty Gasso at Love’s Field this Friday.

The Oklahoma Sooners are set to enshrine one of the greatest college coaches of all time. Announced by Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione at the 2023 national championship celebration, the Sooners will unveil a statue honoring OU Softball [autotag]Patty Gasso[/autotag].

Gasso is the architect of a softball program that has won eight national championships under her leadership. OU Softball is the only program to win four straight national titles, accomplishing that feat from 2021 through another remarkable run in 2024.

In 31 seasons at Oklahoma, Gasso has the most wins and highest winning percentage of any coach in softball history. Under her direction, Oklahoma Softball has reached the Women’s College World Series 17 times.

Patty Gasso spoke about what it means to her, saying, “It’s really surreal. It’s really, I don’t even know what to say. I mean, I’m honored and humbled, and I was shocked when it was announced. I wasn’t expecting that at all. It’s kind of cool that it’ll be there for a while.”

Gasso has made an indelible imprint on the sport of softball, not just in Oklahoma but around the world. She hasn’t just been an advocate for the game, but an advocate for athletes and their mental health at the collegiate level.

There are few who have had as much of an impact on their sport as Patty Gasso has had on college softball. And her impact will last for generations.

From the University of Oklahoma Athletic Department

 The University of Oklahoma Athletics Department announced Wednesday it will dedicate a statue honoring head softball coach Patty Gasso, on Friday, Sept. 13. It will be the school’s first statue honoring a female coach or athlete.

The ceremony, which will be open to the public, will begin at 4 p.m. in front of Gate 1 at Love’s Field. The public viewing area will be standing room only immediately south of Gate 1, with a free livestream of the event available on SoonerSports.com. Public parking for the dedication is available in the Lloyd Noble Center lot.

Gasso, OU President Joseph Harroz Jr., OU Vice President and Athletics Director Joe Castiglione and an OU Softball alumna will speak at the ceremony. Following the event, photo opportunities at the statue will be available to fans.

The statue was created by master sculptor Brian Hanlon of Hanlon Sculpture Studio.

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Oklahoma Sooners Pitcher Alex Storako named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week

After her flawless performance against UCLA, Oklahoma Sooners pitcher Alex Storako was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week.

For the first time since trading her maize and blue for crimson and cream, Oklahoma Sooners pitcher Alex Storako was named the Big 12’s Pitcher of the Week. The early returns on Storako’s transfer from the Michigan Wolverines are looking quite good for head coach Patty Gasso and the Oklahoma Sooners.

After losing to Baylor, the Sooners didn’t miss a beat. They responded by rattling off five straight wins, four of them via run-rule. Their most recent victory was a 14-0 romp over the then No. 1 UCLA Bruins. Storako’s performance against UCLA is what earned her this honor.

Storako was fantastic all weekend long, but against UCLA, she spread three hits across five innings of work and struck out five. She was dominant. On a day when the Oklahoma bats erupted for 14 runs, Storako gave the UCLA batting order little room to breathe.

The Michigan transfer allowed just seven base runners and didn’t allow a run across 10 innings of work and went 2-0 in the Mary Nutter Classic. She combined with Jordy Bahl for the shutout victory over Cal State Fullerton.

Since blowing out UCLA, the Sooners have reclaimed the top spot in the rankings, knocking the Bruins down to No. 2.

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‘There’s really no offensive weakness’: Patty Gasso talks 2023 season, attending OU Hockey game

During Oklahoma Softball’s visit to an OU Hockey game, Patty Gasso talked about her team, her career and her to-be ballpark

The crowd at Friday night’s OU Hockey game had a bit more star power than usual. Oklahoma Softball was in the building for the Sooners’ tilt against the Missouri State Ice Bears.

The back-to-back defending champions were invited onto the ice for the pregame ceremonial puck drop. Head coach Patty Gasso did the honors.

After the first period, Gasso gave an interview with the OU Hockey broadcast. She was candid when asked how her squad ended up at a hockey game that night.

“We need to get off the softball field and see what other athletes look like in action,” said Gasso. “I enjoy and (the players) enjoy seeing other athletic events and seeing athletes go through the same kind of intensity, pressure and push.”

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After winning back-to-back national championships, the Sooners are looking just as potent and dangerous as ever, but Gasso still has her sights set on the upcoming season.

“We focus on the process,” Gasso said. “We focus on the journey. We don’t talk about the word ‘three-peat.’ It’s just staying day to day and focusing on the moment… It’s a really good group that understands that, but they also want to make history.”

Superstar Jocelyn Alo has moved on from the Sooners, yet Oklahoma is looking as potent and dangerous as ever. While Alo will be missed, Gasso feels confident in the players she brought in during the offseason.

“There’s no one on earth that can swing it like Jocelyn Alo,” Gasso continued. “So, what we did instead was get three or four to replace Jocelyn Alo. You look at our lineup and there’s really no offensive weakness. One through nine can hit it out of the park and change the game at any time. It’s a very good team with very good pitching and very good defense.”

OU Softball will be moving into what will be known as Love’s Field for the 2024 season. The new ballpark’s construction is something of a crowning achievment for Gasso’s career.

“I think it (a new ballpark) has been the missing piece to this phenomenal puzzle for a long time… (The ballpark) is going to be absolutely beautiful and well-deserved for this team,” Gasso shared.

While Gasso has accomplished so much in her career, she considers this new ballpark the “icing on the cake” of her career.

“I’ve got nothing else to win or prove,” she continued. “I want to help some of these players reach their goals and dreams. It’s my passion and I love it.”

OU Softball will open their season at the Mark Campbell Invitational against No. 16 Duke on Thursday, Feb. 9.

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OU Softball’s Jordy Bahl named Big 12 Freshman and Co-Pitcher of the Year

Freshman phenom and former No. 1 recruit Jordy Bahl has won the Big 12’s Freshman of the Year and Co-Pitcher of the Year awards for the 2022 season in unanimous selections. It was a busy day for the University of Oklahoma Softball team with many …

Freshman phenom and former No. 1 recruit Jordy Bahl has won the Big 12’s Freshman of the Year and Co-Pitcher of the Year awards for the 2022 season in unanimous selections. It was a busy day for the University of Oklahoma Softball team with many awards being won by other Sooners, including Coach Patty Gasso winning her 10th straight Coach of the Year award.

Bahl has been another star on the country’s best pitching staff with a 0.95 ERA, a 21-1 record and a total of 199 strikeouts in 132.1 innings pitched. She ranked 1st in the conference in wins, complete games and shutouts. She’s been as advertised as the best recruit in the nation sice coming to Norman from Papillion, Nebraska.

Bahl shared the Pitcher of the Year award with Oklahoma State ace Kelly Maxwell.

Brent Venables recently called Bahl the “Conor McGregor of college softball.” Given how downright scary she looks when staring down batters at the plate, it’s easy to see the comparison.

Patty Gasso called Bahl one of the best prospects she’d ever seen, and she’s seen quite a few during her illustrious career.

With so much to go in her collegiate career, fans can only wait to see what else Bahl will accomplish as a Sooner.

OU Softball will play on Friday against the winner of Iowa State and Baylor in the Big 12 tournament at 1 p.m. CST, which can be viewed on ESPNU.

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Oklahoma Sooners beat Oklahoma State 6-0 to clinch 10th consecutive Big 12 regular season title

The Oklahoma Sooners beat Oklahoma State 6-0 to clinch the Big 12 regular season title with another standout performance from Hope Trautwein

The road to the Big 12 Conference trophy will yet again run through Norman as the unanimous No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners clinched the regular-season title with a win over the No. 7 Oklahoma State Cowgirls 6-0.

Since losing to the Texas Longhorns, OU has won nine straight games and allowed only six runs in that same span.

With head football coach Brent Venables in attendance to throw out the first pitch, the best softball team in the world put on an absolute show once again.

[autotag]Hope Trautwein[/autotag] picked up her 14th win of the season in 5.1 shutout innings with four strikeouts. Freshman phenom [autotag]Jordy Bahl[/autotag] came in to finish the job in the sixth.

Bahl struck out two batters in the remaining 1.2 innings of the game. Pitching once again revealed it’s a strength for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Oklahoma State threatened early with two hits in the first inning, but Bahl ended up stranding both baserunners.

The Cowgirls only managed one hit after the early start as Trautwein buckled down and controlled the game.

Since losing to Texas, the Sooners have thrown five shutouts.

The game was tied at zero through the top of the third, then the Sooners’ offense made some noise.

Alyssa Brito singled home a run, Jana Johns walked with the bases loaded and then Kinzie Hansen hit a three run double to clear the bases.

With two wins against the Cowgirls, OU has now won 28 of their last 29 against their Bedlam rivals. Their only loss since 2011 was last year in Stillwater. Oklahoma has won 10 straight Big 12 regular-season titles and this is their 14th overall.

The regular season finale is tomorrow in Norman at 4 p.m. CST.

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How to watch, stream, listen to OU Softball in the Mary Nutter Classic this weekend

Looking to watch OU softball build on their 10-0 start in the Mary Nutter Classic, here’s how you can watch or listen to this weekend’s games.

The Oklahoma Sooners travel to Cathedral City, Calif. for a five-game set in the Mary Nutter Classic. 10-0 on the season, the Sooners look to continue their dominant start to the 2022 season as they look to repeat as national champions.

Heading into the weekend, senior Jocelyn Alo is tied with former Sooners great Lauren Chamberlain for the NCAA all-time home run record. With five chances to pull ahead, there’s a great chance for Alo to make the record her own before the Sooners return home for their home opener against Minnesota on March 7.

The Sooners will play their first game of the weekend on Friday at 2:30 p.m. Central Standard Time against Cal State Fullerton and will follow that up with a game against Long Beach State.

On Saturday, Oklahoma will take on No. 8/10 Arizona at noon and then will play No. 17/17 Tennessee immediately after. The Sooners will close up the weekend series on Sunday with a matchup with Utah at 11 a.m. Central Standard Time.

How to watch

Stream

Available on FloSoftball via subscription

How to Listen

Available on The Franchise 2 (103.3 FM/1560AM) in Oklahoma and on the Tune In App with OU Softball play-by-play voice Chris Plank.

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