What are the Biggest Questions Facing Oklahoma Ahead of the 2026 Season?

As the 2026 softball season prepares to get underway, Sooners on SI’s Ryan Aber and Ryan Chapman tackle some big questions that will shape the months ahead.

Who will serve as Oklahoma’s primary first baseman?

Oklahoma Sooners, Sydney Barke — Sydney Barker filled in at first base last year when Cydney Sanders was out of the lineup for the Sooners. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Chapman: Well Ryan, it seems most of the starting lineup will pick itself. Nelly McEnroe-Marinas should return at third alongside shortstop Gabbie Garcia, and Ailana Agbayani will return as second baseman. Freshman Kendall Wells should split time with Isabela Emerling behind the plate and Abby Dayton will be somewhere in the outfield. So the real question is, who will play first?

Aber: Yeah, everything else seems pretty well set. I think you’re going to see players like Lexi McDaniel, Tia Milloy, Allyssa Parker seeing time at first.

But I think Sydney Barker is going to get the bulk of the playing time there.

Barker is an outfielder by trade, but with Kasidi Pickering (who can also play first), Abby Dayton and Kai Minor in the outfield, first base might be the best place for Barker to play.

As a freshman last season, Barker’s role grew significantly as the season went on and she finished with a .349 batting average, eight home runs and 32 RBIs. Her .699 slugging percentage was fourth-best on the team behind only Pickering, Ella Parker and Gabbie Garcia.

So Barker’s bat needs to be in the lineup somewhere.

Pickering did make three errors last season, most among the outfielders, though also came up with some big plays especially in left.

If Patty Gasso feels like Barker is the better defensive option, we could see Pickering play more first this season.

Chapman: Of note, Pickering played a healthy portion of the fall ball scrimmages at first base. Gasso likes her players to train across multiple positions, but Pickering’s usage at first throughout the fall felt more like a dress rehearsal than working her at a backup spot other than left field.

If Pickering is able to play at first, it opens up a spot in center field for Kai Minor, who is one of the most athletic players Gasso has ever signed, which is saying something.

Barker would be a safe option at first, but an outfield of Dayton, Minor and Barker brings top-end speed to cover every blade of grass in the outfield.

If I was writing down an official opening day lineup projection, I think I’d slot Pickering at first and Barker in left.

Will the Sooners’ pitching staff have a true ace?

Oklahoma Sooners, Sydney Berzo — Senior Sydney Berzon transferred to Oklahoma over the offseason after three years with LSU. | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Aber: I think it winds up being Sydney Berzon.

Almost every year, Patty Gasso says she would like to have a pitching staff that doesn’t have to rely on an ace, but every year — at least by the time the Women’s College World Series rolls around — an ace winds up emerging.

That’s not to say that Gasso and Jenn Rocha don’t wind up trusting several pitchers to handle high-leverage situations late in the season, but Berzon has the makeup of a pitcher that turns into an ace.

She went 18-8 with a 2.46 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 139 1/3 innings last season at LSU.

If she can stay healthy, Berzon looks like a player that can take a significant step forward under Rocha’s guidance, much like Landry last season, and Alex Storako and Hope Trautwein in recent years.

Chapman: If the workload is getting graded against Landy’s last year, I’m not sure one pitcher will jump off the page as the ace. But when it gets down to the business end of the season in May and June, it would be pretty surprising if Berzon doesn’t get the ball.

The addition of Miali Guachino, along with the return of Kierston Deal, means the Sooners should be able to utilize a full staff throughout the regular season and into Regional play. But for Super Regional action and beyond, it’ll be Berzon’s time to shine and finally dazzle at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

Which freshman will make the biggest impact in 2026?

Oklahoma Sooners, Kendall Well — Freshman catcher Kendall Wells wowed Oklahoma fans by hammering multiple home runs off the Sooners' pitching staff during fall ball. | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Aber: There’s a few options here but I’m going with catcher Kendall Wells.

Isabela Emerling will certainly get playing time, but Wells’ power is undeniable and will make it hard for Gasso to leave her out of the lineup very often.

Also, Emerling’s defense behind the plate isn’t overwhelming enough to make up for the difference in her bat. Emerling has some power, but Wells is both more powerful and more consistent offensively.

Wells will certainly have to work through some things throughout the season, but like Ella Parker, Kasidi Pickering and Gabbie Garcia over the last couple seasons, Wells has the makeup to work her way through things and emerge as not only the best freshman on the team — and perhaps the country — but also to be a middle-of-the-order hitter who would be a strong option to hit between Parker and Pickering to make it harder for opposing teams to match up with OU’s lineup.

Chapman: Wells feels like the safe bet, but Minor also has a strong case.

It feels like the floor for Minor will be an impact pinch-runner/a late-game defensive substitution. Wells will likely split time with Emerling, but there’s a pathway to Minor getting onto the field in virtually every contest this year.

If Minor’s offense is there, she’ll push for an every day role (especially if Pickering wins the job at first base as stated above). Minor was the top-rated recruit in the entire class per Softball America, and she could quickly emerge as a threat on the bases to every defense in the country if she can just get aboard and let her athleticism shine.

Allyssa Parker is the biggest wildcard for me. She can pitch and she can play all throughout the infield and outfield. What role do you see her playing this season?

Aber: I think Parker will be a super sub, with some time in the circle as well.

She’s got plenty of talent to make a quick contribution and on just about any other team in the country, she would be a lineup regular. But this OU lineup isn’t like pretty much any other nationally.

Parker will bounce around as matchups dictate, and her versatility makes her extremely valuable, especially later in games when matchups can become even more magnified.

That said, Parker certainly has a chance to break through and become a lineup regular if she can play defense at the level Gasso expects and adjust to the pitching the Sooners are going to face.

Which returnee will make the biggest improvement?

Oklahoma Sooners, Isabela Emerlin — Catcher Isabela Emerling is entering her second year with the program after transferring to Norman from North Carolina. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Chapman: This may age poorly simply due to the talent Wells brings to the table, but Emerling could be in line for a big second season in Norman.

She was a boom-or-bust bat last year, but another year of work with J.T. Gasso has generally yielded great results.

Patty Gasso also pointed to Emerling’s growth as a vocal leader during OU’s Media Day on Saturday. With only Deal and Audrey Lowry returning from last year’s pitching staff, Emerling’s voice will be key as Rocha’s rotation meshes throughout the year.

Aber: This is a difficult one.

Emerling isn’t a bad choice, because I do think there’s plenty of room for growth in her game, both at the plate and behind it, but Kendall Wells is going to make it difficult for Emerling to showcase those talents.

She’ll get a chance to play a good amount early, during doubleheaders, but unless she asserts herself forcefully there, playing time might become harder to come by as the season goes on.

I’m going with Sydney Barker here.

Barker made significant strides offensively last season and became a lineup regular by the time the WCWS rolled around.

Barker will be a more consistent hitter this season, and whether it’s at first base or in right field, finding a home will help develop her defense as well.

She also has some speed in her game, and her stolen base total could grow as well — though it remains to be seen how much Gasso will want to push the issues on the bases with as much pop as the Sooners’ lineup has.

Let’s have some fun. Who will lead the Sooners in home runs this season?

Oklahoma Sooners, Ella Parke — Oklahoma slugger Ella Parker celebrates after hitting a home run against Tennessee at the 2025 WCWS. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Aber: Well, last year it was Gabbie Garcia who led the team with 20 home runs, with Kasidi Pickering at 18 and Ella Parker and Nelly McElroe-Marinas with 15.

I’m going with Parker here.

Parker was excellent at the plate last season, even as she dealt with an injury that made hitting for power difficult.

With those foot issues cleared up, Parker’s power can make a significant leap forward and on a team I expect to lead the nation in home runs, the junior leads the way.

Who do you have?

Chapman: Well, it would be incredibly boring to also say Parker, so I’ll look elsewhere.

With so much attention played to Garcia and McEnroe-Marinas as first-year contributors alongside Parker’s injury issues last year, Pickering somehow feels like she’s flying under the radar.

Unofficially, she seems to have the most consistent exit velocity to my eye off the bat, and it’s not hard to imagine Pickering hammering a few extra over the fence in 2026 – especially with all of the extra scouting that will go into preparing for OU’s talented sophomore class.

Oklahoma and Texas split all of the first-place votes in the SEC Preseason Poll. Who is the biggest threat to the Red River Rivals in the conference?

Tennessee Volunteers, Karlyn Picken — Tennessee ace Karlyn Pickens | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Aber: I’m always going to bet on a dominant pitcher, and Tennessee has that with Karlyn Pickens.

Pickens had a 1.17 ERA last season as a junior, going 25-11 with 306 strikeouts in 226 2.3 innings.

Pickens will be able to carry the Vols to plenty of success even without a lot of offense, but Tennessee’s offense should pack some punch as well.

Boise State transfer Makenzie Butt hit 22 home runs last season as a freshman and figures to grow as an offensive threat this season with a lineup that will protect her better than she experienced last season.

I still think Texas and Oklahoma are the top two teams in the SEC, but the Vols can’t be discounted as a threat.

Chapman: I would also throw Florida into the mix.

It’s easy to forget that Keagan Rothrock battled injuries early last year, which seemingly threw off her entire season.

Add the promising performances from Ava Brown and Katelynn Oxley in the circle last year, and the Gators have a rotation capable of keeping up with the Longhorns, Sooners and the Vols in the SEC race.

Plus, any time you can pair a large pitching staff with sluggers like Jocelyn Erickson and Taylor Shumaker and you’ll only ever need one big swing to change the course of a game.

Let’s close down with this, who will win National Player of the Year? And which Sooner will have the strongest case to battle with NiJaree Canady?

Oklahoma Sooners, NiJaree Canad — Texas Tech star NiJaree Canady | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

Aber: Well, since I’m going first I’ll take Canady here.

She posted a 1.11 ERA last season, second nationally, striking out 319 batters and averaging 9.3 strikeouts per seven innings.

Canady was a workhorse for the Red Raiders last season and figures to be once again, giving her plenty of time to compile wins and strikeouts, plus Canady will get some chances at the plate as well.

One name I wouldn’t sleep on — even if you have to remind yourself that she has a different last name now after getting married in the offseason — is Nebraska’s Jordy Frahm (formerly Bahl). The former Sooner has a chance to make a run at Canady and Pickens.

For the Sooners, I’m going to stick with my pick of the home run leader and go with Ella Parker.

Parker was fantastic last year even though she was battling that injury, and if she can stay healthy this season, Parker’s numbers could be astronomical. There are very few hitters with Parker’s combination of power and plate discipline.

Chapman: Count this as another vote for Canady, assuming she stays healthy all year. One of the difficult things when trying to find someone to go up against her in an awards race is finding someone who is outstanding enough to outweigh the fact that Canady pitches and hits.

Frahm, formerly Bahl, plays a similar role and we’ve seen her dominate at the WCWS level in the past, but my only fear is the Cornhuskers won’t be good enough in the Big Ten to truly compete.

I would look to Texas catcher Reese Atwood to be in the race as well. She belted 21 home runs last year and totaled 89 RBIs, numbers that would have fit nicely into any of Oklahoma’s historic offenses.

For the Sooners, if Parker doesn’t emerge as the candidate, a strong sophomore campaign for Garcia would put the shortstop in the hunt. She showed off plenty of power last year for any Player of the Year voters looking for counting stats, and her defensive highlight reel was as good as any a year ago. It’s hard to imagine her taking a step back in 2026, and she has all the tools to turn into a superstar before everyone’s eyes over the next five months.