DJ Gasso Expected to Leave Arkansas for Tulsa Head Coaching Position

After making its first-ever Women’s College World Series (WCWS) appearance, the Arkansas softball program will lose a major piece of its offensive success.

Assistant coach DJ Gasso will become the new softball head coach at the University of Tulsa, according to a report from Justin McLeod at D1 Softball.

Filed to @D1Softball: DJ Gasso will be the new head coach at Tulsa. He spent the last three years on staff at Arkansas.https://t.co/jVxJJdD8hb
— Justin McLeod (@justfactsmaam) June 4, 2026

Gasso, the son of Oklahoma eight-time national champion Patty Gasso, joined the Razorbacks in 2023, primarily serving as the program’s hitting coach. Under his direction, the team set several program records across that span. In 2026, the team set records in batting average (.340), RBIs (413), on-base percentage (.441), hits (522), and doubles (97), while putting up a record 26 run-rule victories.

Eight Razorback hitters with at least 115 at-bats this season batted .317 or better.

Could not be more proud of this group of seniors that will leave a legacy that will be remembered for many years to come. 🐗❤️ https://t.co/Ekb5L5kn5Q
— DJ Gasso (@djgasso) May 31, 2026

Gasso is credited with developing several hitters into NFCA All-Americans, including Bri Ellis, who went on to become the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year in 2025 after she hit .440 with 25 homers, 72 RBIs, 146 total bases, 69 walks, and 68 runs scored.

That same year, Arkansas saw record numbers offensively, including runs scored (436), RBI (399), walks (291), doubles (90), on-base percentage (.439), and sacrifice flies (29). The program ranked in the top 10 nationally in walks, sacrifice flies, on-base percentage, runs per game, and hit by pitch.

Prior to Arkansas, Gasso spent three seasons with the Utah Utes as an assistant coach, guiding the program to a Pac-12 Tournament Championship and a WCWS appearance in 2023, the first since 1994.

That year, the Utes increased their batting average by almost 40 points, and set single-season program records in runs (351), RBIs (316), slugging percentage (.483), doubles (84), and steals (99).

His impact was instant in Utah, as his first season in 2021 saw the program hit 46 homers, the most by a Utah team since 2012, and 237 runs scored, the most since 2017.

𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘵!

Amy Hogue, DJ Gasso, Paige Parker and Brooke Olson have been named the ATEC/NFCA Pacific Region Coaching Staff of the Year!#GoUtes

📰: https://t.co/yQk6wW6TZX pic.twitter.com/YHcGKzhaU9
— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) June 8, 2023

As an Oklahoma native, Gasso spent two seasons as a baseball player at Bradley University, following one year at Hutchinson Community College. He worked alongside his mom and brother JT Gasso, OU's assistant coach, while serving as a graduate manager of the Sooners’ softball team from 2018 to 2019.

Gasso now takes over a program previously led by Crissy Strimple. She completed her seventh season with the Golden Hurricane before the Tulsa Athletics Department decided not to move forward in renewing her contract.

The Hurricane finished the 2026 season with an overall record of 20-33 and a conference record of 10-17.

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