Oklahoma Ranked No. 1 in D1 Softball's Preseason Top 25

Two-time defending national champion Oklahoma has one of the game's most challenging schedules but brings back a stacked roster and a hall of fame coach

Who else?

Two-time defending national champion Oklahoma is ranked No. 1 in Tuesday’s D1 Softball preseason Top 25, a sign of the Sooners’ expected dominance again this year.

Hall of Fame coach Patty Gasso returns eight position starters, two pitchers, several impact stars in the transfer portal and the nation’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class.

After going 59-3 last year and 56-4 in 2021, the Sooners are the prohibitive favorites to win a third straight national title.

According to D1 Softball's Top 100 Players preseason rankings last week, OU's roster has 10 of the top 100 players in the nation, including eight of the top 26. 

The list includes No. 1 overall Tiare Jennings, No. 4 Grace Lyons, No. 6 Cydney Sanders, No. 9 Jordy Bahl, No. 15 Jayda Coleman and No. 20 Kinzie Hansen. 

However, the Sooners' competition will be stiff.

According to D1 Softball’s Top 25, the No. 3 team in the nation resides 80 miles to the north in Stillwater: Oklahoma State. The Sooners and Cowgirls meet in the final regular-season series of the year May 4-6.

Fellow Big 12 Conference foe Texas comes in at No. 14.

The Sooners’ schedule also includes matches with No. 2 UCLA, No. 4 Florida State, No. 7 Northwestern, No. 11 Stanford, No. 16 Kentucky, No. 17 LSU, No. 19 Auburn, No. 21 Washington and No. 22 Duke.