Oklahoma Softball Snags Nation's Top Pitcher from Class of 2028

Sophia Schlader is the No. 1-ranked pitcher and the No. 3 overall player in the 2028 class.

Patty Gasso and the Sooners earned their second 2028 commit this offseason. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

When Patty Gasso shares her infamous “Go Boomer!” post on social media, you know something big is happening for Oklahoma softball.

Gasso and the Sooners earned their second 2028 commit this offseason when No. 1-ranked pitcher and the No. 3 overall player in the 2028 class, Sophia Schlader, made it official on Wednesday. 

The five-star athlete from Urbandale, Iowa, announced her decision at a ceremony at Waukee Northwest High School and followed up with a sentimental post on social media. 

MASSIVE get for OU softball.

No. 1 pitcher Sophia Schlader commits to the Sooners.

HUGE NEWS!!!! pic.twitter.com/1gMa0R397A

— Tyler McComas (@Tyler_McComas) September 16, 2026

"I am SO excited and blessed to announce that I have verbally committed to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Oklahoma," Schlader wrote on X. "I also want to thank all of the college coaches who recruited me and invested their time in me throughout this process. I'm so grateful for the relationships I've built and will always appreciate every who has been a part of my journey.

"And finally, THANK YOU Coach Gasso, Coach TJ (Gasso), Coach (Jennifer) Rocha, Coach (Falepolima) Steele and the entire OU staff for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to make a dream I've had since I was little come true. I couldn't be more excited to call Oklahoma HOMA and can't wait for what's ahead!"

BOOMER SOONER!!! ❤️🤍☝🏼@OU_Softball #committed @GassoPatty @jtgasso @coachjro @fale_steele @Sam_Marder @OU_Athletics @BillConroy60534 @DemariniBandits @waukeenwsb @Bandit16uConroy @SoftbalAmerica @LineDsoftball @ExtraInningSB @PrepSoftball @THEWOWSB @BradyVernon @CoachJenMac… pic.twitter.com/UJEFwiAg13

— Sophia Schlader 2028 (@SophiaSchlader) September 16, 2026

According to Perfect Game, the right-handed pitcher has reached her fastball well into 70 mph. Schlader was named the 2025-26 Gatorade Softball Player of the Year in Iowa after an outstanding sophomore season, going 30-1 with a 1.20 ERA and 296 strikeouts across 187 innings in the circle. Her efforts led Waukee Northwest to a Class 5A Iowa state championship. 

What is interesting to note about this commitment for the Sooners is that in the last 5 to 8 years, the only pitcher to successfully be developed through her entire career was Nicole May. In the Sooners’ historic four-straight national championship run,  a lot of the success was carried on the shoulders of transfers. 

Stars like Kelly Maxwell, Alex Storako, and Hope Trautwein were all major transfer pickups, while ace Jordy Frahm left after two seasons, and Kierston Deal only saw 199 innings in four years. 

May, also a Gatorade Player of the Year out of California, was true to the Sooners for four years and developed into quite the weapon out of the bullpen in those national title years. Though sometimes overlooked, her stat line improved year over year, all thanks to pitching coach Jennifer Rocha’s expertise. 

May became the only NCAA pitcher in history to have four national championships, and ranks second in career winning percentage in program history (.941). 

We’ve seen Rocha develop Maxwell into something she wasn’t at Oklahoma State, and Sam Landry into an Athletes Unlimited Softball League ace. If Schlader stays on the Oklahoma path for her entire career, Gasso and her team may just have one feared weapon on the bump.