Oklahoma is just one win away from making history.
The Sooners (58-7) are on the cusp of securing their eighth national championship and an unprecedented fourth consecutive title. No major college softball team has ever won four straight national championships.
Regardless of the outcome, OU softball’s senior class will go down as one of the best in the sport’s history. Seniors Rylie Boone, Jayda Coleman, Kinzie Hansen, Tiare Jennings, and Nicole May are all seeking their fourth championship as Sooners. They are joined by transfers Alyssa Brito, Karlie Keeney, Riley Ludlam, Kelly Maxwell, and Alynah Torres in this standout senior class.
This group has consistently delivered in crucial moments and etched their place in history. Coleman is OU’s all-time leader in runs scored, Jennings is second in Women’s College World Series (WCWS) home runs and fourth in program hits, and Hansen has come through in pivotal situations.
“There’s only been one player in my program’s history whose parents I told after their first lesson that their daughter was special,” said former UCLA catcher and catching coach Jen Schroeder. That player was Kinzie Hansen.
Hansen, along with the rest of the OU softball program, has experienced a remarkable four-year run. Since 2021, OU has posted a 233-15 record, propelling head coach Patty Gasso to third on the all-time coaching wins list.
During this era, OU softball has established itself as one of the most dominant dynasties in college sports.
“A lot of it is the mindset, a highly competitive, elite mindset,” said former OU pitcher Jordy Bahl to the OU Daily. “I think it’s going to be hard to find another class of girls like them.”
Bahl, who was part of the 2022 and 2023 championship teams, was a standout pitcher, especially in the postseason. She was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2023 WCWS after pitching 24.2 scoreless innings and striking out 33 batters.
“There was never a moment where anyone doubted,” Bahl said. “We always believed we were going to win every game.”
Throughout these postseason runs, the seniors have stepped up time and again when OU needed them most. Coleman robbing home runs, Boone and Hansen delivering clutch hits, and Jennings launching balls over the fence have given Sooner fans countless memories.
The pitching staff has also been reliable. Nicole May, though not always in the postseason spotlight, has been a consistent presence for the Sooners. Ranking 10th in OU history for wins and tied for fifth in saves, May once had a 31-game streak without a loss, only broken in April 2022.
“Nicole has been steady from the beginning,” Gasso said after May’s scoreless outing in the Big 12 tournament final. “She’s loyal and strong, and I wish her nothing but the best.”
OU softball has forever changed the game, and this senior class was part of the winningest team in softball history in 2023. Now, they aim to become the first to win four consecutive national titles, captivating fans nationwide and setting a standard for future Oklahoma teams.
“Managing the spotlight is tough,” said associate head coach Jennifer Rocha. “They’ve learned how to handle it, but it’s also just who they are.”
“I feel like this senior class is even better than we were,” said former OU player Shay Knighten. “The current senior classes are so good, and they really know how to play the game.”
OU will seek its fourth straight national title against Texas on Thursday at 7 p.m., broadcast on ESPN.
