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OU Softball: Oklahoma Pitcher Transfers to LSU

Former reliever Paytn Monticelli will stay in the SEC after two seasons with the Sooners.
Ryan Chapman|
Oklahoma pitcher Paytn Monticelli spent two years with the program.
Oklahoma pitcher Paytn Monticelli spent two years with the program. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Oklahoma pitcher Paytn Monticelli is transferring to LSU. 

The right-hander announced the move on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday afternoon. 

Monticelli entered the transfer portal on July 24, per D1Softball reporter Justin McLeod, as a designated student-athlete, a result of new roster restrictions brought in by the House Settlement. 

On July 2, the NCAA Committee on Legislative Relief granted a special waiver to open a new transfer window from July 7-Aug. 5, per Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger. 

If a school placed an athlete on its DSA list, the school had to release the player from its own roster if the player elected to transfer. 

The one-time blanket waiver was designed to help schools ease current scholarship athletes into each sport’s new roster limit. 

Last year, Monticelli made 16 appearances, pitching 21 1/3 total innings for the Sooners. She struck out 20 batters and allowed 13 walks while posting a 3.94 ERA.

In 2024, she ended with a 1.09 ERA in 19 1/3 innings of work across 18 appearances. She struck out 23 batters and allowed eight walks. 

Monticelli transferred to Oklahoma after enjoying a nice freshman season at Wisconsin. 

Had Monticelli stayed in Norman, the Sooners would have rolled into 2026 with eight pitchers on the roster. 

Oklahoma added former All-American Sydney Berzon from LSU and Mississippi’s Miali Guachino, while left-handers Kierston Deal and Audrey Lowry return. Sophia Bordi will return to the program in 2026, and the Sooners have signed Allyssa Parker and Berkley Zache, who will be freshmen next year. 

Berzon finished with a record of 18-8 last year at LSU, ending with a 2.46 ERA in 139 1/3 innings pitched in 30 outings. She fanned 185 batters in 2024 and issued 46 walks, and in 2025, she struck out 104 batters and allowed 44 walks. Berzon was voted to the 2025 All-SEC Second Team. 

As a freshman at Ole Miss, Guachino posted a 3.65 ERA. She tossed 136 innings in 26 appearances and struck out 160 batters while allowing 78 walks. 

Oklahoma also lost outfielder Hannah Coor to the portal (she transferred to Nebraska), as well as outfielder Maya Bland (Texas A&M), infielder Kadey Lee McKay (North Texas) and catcher Corri Hicks (Clemson).

Patty Gasso signed the No. 1-ranked high school recruiting class again. Along with Parker and Zache, OU also landed the nation’s top-ranked player in outfielder Kai Minor, the No. 1-ranked catcher in Kendall Wells and the top-ranked infielder in Lexi McDaniel. 

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Ryan Chapman
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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