OU Softball: Taking Stock of Oklahoma's Roster Heading Into the Offseason

After turning most of the roster over following the 2024 season, Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso won’t have nearly as much work to do this offseason to get ready for 2026.

The Sooners’ season came to an end in a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Texas Tech on Monday, ending OU’s streak of four-straight national titles.

Undoubtedly, Gasso wanted her team to battle back and make it to the championship series, but for her the 2025 NCAA Tournament run was just as much about preparing her next generation for the years ahead.

Oklahoma only graduates three players off the roster — first baseman Cydney Sanders and pitchers Sam Landry and Isabella Smith. Everyone else is eligible to return, though life in college athletics in 2025 means there will always be a few departures via the transfer portal.

Next year’s senior class will consist of outfielders Abigale Dayton and Hannah Coor, catcher Isabela Emerling, second baseman Ailana Agbayani and pitchers Kierston Deal and Paytn Monticelli.

The juniors will be outfielders Kasidi Pickering and Maya Bland as well as slugger Ella Parker.

Third baseman Nelly McEnroe-Marinas will be a redshirt sophomore, and this year’s true freshman class — Gabbie Garcia, Sydney Barker, Audrey Lowry, Tia Milloy, Kadey Lee McKay, Riley Zache and Chaney Helton — are all set to return.

Freshman catcher Corri Hicks became the Sooners' first portal entry on Tuesday.

Gasso signed another wave of incredibly talented freshman who will join the team this fall as well.

Associate head coach and pitching coach Jennifer Rocha will have three new arms to work with. Sophia Bordi, who Softball America rated as the top-overall pitcher in the 2025 class, reclassified and joined the team to redshirt in 2025, though she returned home and did not finish the year with the Sooners.

OU also signed Pocola, OK, right-hander Allyssa Parker, who was rated as the No. 2-overall pitcher in the class by Softball America, as well as Riley Zache’s sister, Berkley, who was rated as the No. 6 pitcher in the class.

Oklahoma also added infielder Lexi McDaniel from St. Joseph, MO, outfielder Kai Minor from Irvine, CA, and catcher Kendall Wells from Bogart, GA.

With so few starting jobs up for grabs, Gasso’s task will be retention.

Barker’s late surge saw her platoon in the outfield with Coor, while Bland got fewer and fewer opportunities as the season wore on.

There will be an open competition at first base, which will likely include Barker, but the rest of the infield seems set with Agbayani, Garcia and McEnroe-Marinas.

Parker will continue to torment opposing pitching staffs as the designated player, and Pickering and Dayton will also both feature in the outfield.

That leaves the Sooners with three catchers on the roster — Emerling, Riley Zache and McDaniel — as well as six pitchers if everyone else stays put on the roster instead of testing the waters in the portal.

Deal made 26 appearances and pitched 77 2/3 innings in 2025, while Lowry pitched 43 innings in 18 appearances.

The Sooners could look to add another veteran arm to help bring along so many young pieces, but it’s unclear if the coaching staff would like to carry seven arms on the roster next year if there are no departures.