Offseason Competition at Oklahoma Brought the Best Out of Isabela Emerling

NORMAN — Isabela Emerling’s career year is showing no signs of slowing down.

The senior hammered three homers over the weekend against Arkansas, one in each game, including a grand slam on Friday night.

It was her ninth-career grand slam, which ranks third in NCAA D1 history, and she’s now fourth on the team with 17 homers.

The arrival of Kendall Wells, who dealt more damage against the Razorbacks, could have blocked a pathway to playing time for Emerling after she transferred from North Carolina for the 2025 season.

Instead, Emerling has leveled up in the face of competition and is enjoying the most productive season of her career.

“The beauty of what she did was she realized early on that Kendall Wells is a really good catcher,” OU coach Patty Gasso said on Sunday. “She came to me and said ‘Tell me what I need to do.’ I said you need to learn how to play first base.”

In her new role, Emerling has started 30 contests and appeared in 42 of Oklahoma’s 48 games this season.

She’s shown the ability to field her new position at a high level, which Gasso believed would be the case once Emerling got settled in at first.

“As a catcher, you have skills and you know how to dig balls. She’s really been great over there,” Gasso said.

Oklahoma Sooners, Isabela Emerling — Oklahoma catcher Isabela Emerling waits for a pitch against Kentucky. | Ryan Chapman / Sooners on SI

Lynnsie Elam and Kinzie Hansen successfully split time between catcher and first base in 2021, so it’s not the first time Gasso has gotten a catcher to play first at a high level, and Emerling’s bat has been tremendous.

She’s hitting .424, which would shatter her previous career-high of .323 from her sophomore season at North Carolina, and her 51 RBIs is two away from her 2023 mark.

Emerling’s .710 slugging percentage and her .487 on-base percentage also would be career-highs.

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The numbers haven’t been empty calories, either. Many of Emerling’s biggest swings have come in high-leverage situations in 2026.

“I feel like I’ve always been one to want to be in pressure moments just because, I don’t know, I think it’s easier hitting with runners on than out,” Emerling said.

“I think it’s just because I’ve just got to poke something through and that runs score or just hit it right side and a run will score. And yeah, I don’t try to make the moment too big at all. Just kind of see a strike hit a strike.”

Emerling’s voice has also emerged as an important one in the dugout as a roster that is still littered with first and second-year players navigates a tough stretch of the schedule.

She could have easily hit the portal after one season with the Sooners, but instead, she just went 5-for-8 for the series against Arkansas with three homers, eight RBIs and a walk, and Emerling will continue to be an important piece throughout Oklahoma’s postseason run.

“I believe Bela Emerling is saying don’t you ever take me out of the lineup,” Gasso said. “I’m listening.

“She has really done a great job for this team.”

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