Why Oklahoma Softball Is Starting the Season Without a Pitching Coach

Ahead of Oklahoma softball’s season-opener in Arizona, head coach Patty Gasso announced that associate head coach Jennifer Rocha did not travel with the team due to a health-related issue.

Gasso confirmed that Rocha, who primarily works with the pitching staff, will be away from the team for an undetermined period.

In the interim, Oklahoma has hired Karlie Keeney as a coach. The former pitcher who helped the Sooners win the 2024 national championship spent last season alongside Rocha as the program’s student assistant pitching coach.

Coach Gasso Announces Staff Updatehttps://t.co/hcmsrTDK9v
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) February 5, 2026

Entering the 2026 season, Rocha’s pitching staff owns a 1.74 ERA and 158 shutouts, 2817 hitters struckout across 2469.2 innings, and just 2.2 walks per seven innings. Aces under her direction have earned three Big 12 Pitcher of the Year awards, 24 Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors, and three NFCA Pitcher of the Week honors.

This unprecedented news comes as OU is expected to spend the third-straight year relying on a transfer ace in the circle to lead the way. After Oklahoma State\ transfer Kelly Maxwell led the Sooners to a historic fourth straight national title, Rocha was credited with completely transforming Louisiana transfer Sam Landry into a professional player in 2025.

In OU's first regular season in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the righty was named SEC Pitcher of the Week three times and SEC Newcomer of the Year. Landry was also named to the SEC First Team and SEC All-Defensive Team. With Rocha's guidance, Landry helped advance the team to a piece of the SEC Tournament championship and a Women’s College World Series appearance.

All eyes are on newcomer Sydney Berzon from LSU to do the same, if not take the program to its ninth title. The three-time NFCA All-Region First Team and All-SEC selection finished her junior season with a 2.46 ERA behind 104 strikeouts in 139 innings pitched. She battled injuries, but still managed to see her ERA jump from 2024’s 1.78 to 2.46,

Also joining the pitching staff is Miali Guachino from Ole Miss, along with freshman arms Alyssa Parker and Berkley Zache.

As for Keeney, she was a four-year letterwinner at Liberty and a three-time All-Atlantic Sun selection before transferring to OU. She posted a 6-1 record with a 1.82 ERA in 61.2 innings in her only season with the Sooners.

The No.3-ranked Sooners begin their season on Thursday at Arizona State at 7:15 p.m. CT before playing a three-game series at Arizona, beginning on Friday at 5 p.m. CT.

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