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    OU Softball: Oklahoma Claims Top Spot in Softball America Preseason Poll

    Patty Gasso's three-time defending national champions will again open the season as softball's team to beat.

    Oklahoma will start off right where it left the college softball world last June — sitting on top.

    Patty Gasso’s Sooners were ranked as the No. 1 team in the country in Softball America’s Preseason Top 25 on Thursday.

    The ranking comes as no surprise, as Gasso reloaded from her team that finished the season on a 53-game winning streak last year, culminating in OU’s third consecutive national title.

    Crucial pieces in catcher Kinzie Hansen, pitcher Nicole May, second baseman Tiare Jennings, outfielders Jayda Coleman and Rylie Boone and returning starters Alyssa Brito and Cydney Sanders are all back in 2024, and Gasso once again brought in talent through the transfer portal.

    Jennifer Rocha’s pitching staff was bolstered after losing Alex Storako to graduation and Jordy Bahl by the additions of former Oklahoma State star Kelly Maxwell, as well as Liberty ace Karlie Keeney and Wisconsin’s Paytn Monticelli. Left-hander Kiersten Deal is also back for her second season in Norman, as well as redshirt freshman SJ Geurin.

    Gasso also picked up a reserve catcher in Furman transfer Riley Ludlam, and four freshmen in Nelly McEnroe-Marinas, Ella Parker, Kasidi Pickering and Maya Bland also joined the program over the offseason.

    The Sooners led a pack featuring three other Big 12 teams, as Texas checked in at No. 7, Baylor was ranked 11th and Oklahoma State was ranked 14th.

    Oklahoma will travel to Texas for a three-game series from April 5-7, while hosting Baylor at Love’s Field from March 22-24 before closing the regular season with Bedlam in Norman from May 3-5.

    Four of OU’s other regular season opponents also landed in the preseason ranking.

    Oklahoma will face No. 9 Duke on Feb. 8 at the Puerto Vallarta College Classic, then turning around to take on No. 22 Washington on Feb. 9.

    At the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, the Sooners will take the field against No. 25 San Diego State on Feb. 24, and then OU will play a pair of games against No. 23 Louisiana at Love’s Field in the OU Tournament on March 2 and March 3.

    The 2024 season gets underway on Feb. 8 in Mexico against Utah Valley at 10:30 a.m.

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