Five Oklahoma Players Named to USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List

Patty Gasso's Sooners tied Texas for the most players on the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List.

Oklahoma slugger Ella Parker celebrates a home run at the WCWS. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma’s roster is loaded with talent again in 2026.

The Sooners had five players named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List. OU’s five selections were tied with defending national champions Texas for the most players on the watch list in the country.

Junior slugger Ella Parker was joined by outfielder Kasidi Pickering on the list.

Oklahoma Sooners, Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickerin — Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickering celebrate after the Sooners took down Florida at the 2024 WCWS. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Parker was named an NFCA First Team All-American in 2025 after she hit .423 at the plate with 15 homers and 53 RBIs. She was named to the Women’s College World Series All-Tournament team after she hammered Tennessee star Karlyn Pickens for two bombs in the Sooners’ 4-3 victory over the Vols in Oklahoma City. Parker accomplished all of that while also battling a lower-leg injury during the middle of the season.

Pickering earned NFCA First Team All-American honors alongside Parker after hitting .392 with 18 home runs, 57 RBIs and drawing 51 walks.

Redshirt sophomore third baseman Nelly McEnroe-Marinas was named to the watch list after her breakout 2025 campaign.

She started every game for the Sooners at third base, homering 15 times while batting .339.

McEnroe-Marinas’ partner on the left side of the infield, Gabbie Garcia, was also named to the watch list.

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She took over at shortstop as a true freshman for Patty Gasso, immediately earning NFCA Third Team All-American honors while also being named to the SEC All-Defensive Team.

Garcia totaled 58 RBIs and hit 20 home runs, which led all freshmen a year ago. She finished the year with a .351 average at the plate, and she also drew 15 walks.

Newcomer Sydney Berzon was the OU pitcher who was named to the watch list.

In three seasons at LSU, Berzon went 52-25 as a starter, posting a career ERA of 2.02. She struck out 416 batters in 486 1/3 innings of work.

Berzon has been an All-SEC selection in each of the last three seasons, and she earned NFCA All-American honors in both 2023 and 2024.

Oklahoma’s 2026 season will get underway on Feb. 5 at Arizona State. The Sooners will then take on Arizona in the Candrea Classic from Feb. 6-8 before heading to the New Mexico Classic and the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic later in February.

OU’s home opener will come in a double-header against Sam Houston and Alabama State on Feb. 27 at Love’s Field.

Published 2 hours ago

Ryan Chapman

Ryan is co-publisher at Sooners On SI and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City. Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more. Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com. Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters. Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK.

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