OU Softball: Oklahoma Tabbed to Win Conference by Big 12 Coaches
Yet again, Oklahoma softball enters the season with massive expectations.
Patty Gasso’s two-time defending National Champions were picked to finish first in the Big 12 in 2023, the conference announced on Wednesday.
The Sooners got six of the seven first place votes, earning the top vote from every single opposing coach in the conference.
Oklahoma’s in-state rivals, Oklahoma State, finished second in the preseason poll, with last year’s National Runner-Up in the Texas Longhorns finishing third in the poll.
Baylor, Iowa State, Texas Tech and Kansas rounded out the rankings behind Texas.
Oklahoma captured its 10th straight Big 12 regular season title last season, but the Sooners fell to Oklahoma State 4-3 after extra innings in the Championship Game at the 2022 Big 12 Softball Tournament.
Despite having to fill massive holes in the lineup in the form of graduated stars Jocelyn Alo, Lynnsie Elam, Jana Johns, Taylon Snow and Hope Trautwein, Gasso still has plenty of talent to chase a third consecutive national title.
Last year’s NFCA Freshman of the Year, OU pitcher Jordy Bahl, is back and healthy after missing a majority of the 2022 postseason with an arm injury.
Women’s College World Series standouts in second baseman Tiare Jennings and center fielder Jayda Coleman also return, as well as outfielders Alyssa Brito and Rylie Boone, catcher Kinzie Hansen and pitcher Nicole May.
Gasso also cleaned up with key additions out of the transfer portal this past offseason.
A pair of Arizona State Sun Devils made their way to Norman in NFCA Freshman of the Year finalist Cydney Sanders and teammate Alynah Torres.
Playing first base last year, Sanders hit 21 home runs, drove in 61 RBIs, drew 45 walks and posted a slugging percentage of .952. She finished No. 12-overall in home runs nationally, and she broke ASU’s single-season home run record.
Torres was also explosive at the plate, smashing 16 home runs, 14 doubles and 60 RBIs.
The Sooners also added 2021 NFCA All-American and 2-22 First Team All-SEC selection in former Texas A&M catcher Haley Lee.
Lee set the Aggies’ single-season home run record with 25 deep bombs in 2021, and followed up her performance with 15 home runs and 45 RBIs last year in College Station.
Trautwein’s senior presence in the circle was also replaced, as OU landed Michigan transfer Alex Storako.
The right-hander started 29 games in 2022 for the Wolverines, striking out 300 hitters across 200 1/3 inning pitched.
Throughout her entire Michigan career, Storako is responsible for 901 strikeouts, helping win 69 games with a career 1.71 ERA.
Oklahoma’s quest to win a third straight national title begins on Feb. 9, as the Sooners will play a double-header at the Mark Campbell Invitational in Irvine, CA.
OU opens up against Duke at 6 p.m., and then will face off against Liberty at 9 p.m.
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