Oklahoma Coach Patty Gasso's Coaching Tree Continues to Grow, Thrive

NORMAN — Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso isn’t surprised a bit that Samantha Ricketts has Mississippi State in a Super Regional.

But more than 20 years ago, Gasso would’ve been surprised to learn Ricketts would wind up being a head coach, much less a successful one.

“When I brought Sam Ricketts here, I think she said maybe three words,” Gasso said Wednesday, two days before her Sooners meet Ricketts’ Bulldogs in the Norman Super Regional. “She came by herself and just did not have a lot to say at all. She became our captain through the years, brought Keilani here. … I really appreciate Sam’s leadership and to see her — she was very, still with leadership, kind of quiet but she’s not anymore. She’s a great leader and a great coach so it’s been a full circle.”

Gasso and the Sooners will take on Ricketts' Bulldogs in Game 1 of the best-of-three series at noon Friday at Love's Field.

Matchups against her former players and former assistants have become more common in recent years as Gasso’s coaching tree has continued to grow.

Ricketts was hired as an assistant at Mississippi State ahead of the 2015 season and has remained there for more than a decade.

After the 2018 season, she was elevated to associate head coach under Vann Stuedeman.

When Stuedeman left the job following the 2019 season, Ricketts was elevated.

In seven seasons with Ricketts at the helm, the Bulldogs have gone 239-137.

Despite having chances to go elsewhere, Ricketts has remained in Starkville.

“She made a home there,” Gasso said. “She committed herself, she brought in really good coaches that helped bring this program up for her.

“That’s what I love about her — she’s always been extremely loyal and I think that’s what I feel like she’s done with Mississippi State.

They’ve made the postseason in all but one season, and are in a Super Regional for the second time under Ricketts.

“It’s really heartwarming for me to see any player who played here to go on and coach because that means maybe they saw that I can do it and have a family as well,” Gasso said. “I look around, not just Sam but Missy Lombardi (Oregon’s head coach). … Michelle Gascoigne (Northwestern pitching coach). You look all around, you see some great Sooners that are in coaching. Sam is one of them.”

Among the 15 other teams that are in the Super Regional round, six have a head or assistant coach that either played or coached under Gasso with the Sooners.

“I’ve been really proud of her growth,” Gasso said. “You can see her growth. She is very detailed as well — she always has been. Expecting them to give us their best.”

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Patty Gasso Coaching Tree

(Among teams remaining in NCAA Tournament)

Courtney Deifel, Arkansas head coach (Graduate assistant at OU, 2008-09)
DJ Gasso, Arkansas hitting coach (Patty Gasso’s son, graduate assistant at OU 2018-19)
Samantha Ricketts, Mississippi State head coach (Player at OU, 2006-09; graduate assistant at OU 2009-11)
Shannon Saile, UCF pitching coach (Player at OU, 2019-21; graduate assistant at OU 2022)
Craig Snider, Tennessee hitting coach (Assistant coach at OU 2005-06)
Tim Walton, Florida head coach (Assistant coach at OU, 1999-2002)
Kristen Zaleski, Texas associate head coach (Volunteer coach at OU, 2022)

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