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Oklahoma softball: Sooners favored 9th straight year in preseason poll

By Chip Rouse

TOKYO, JAPAN - JUNE 25: Keilani Ricketts #10 of United States pitches against Japan during the game three between Japan and United States at the Tokyo Dome on June 25, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)
TOKYO, JAPAN - JUNE 25: Keilani Ricketts #10 of United States pitches against Japan during the game three between Japan and United States at the Tokyo Dome on June 25, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images) /
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With Groundhog Day just a week away, it seems fitting that the Oklahoma softball team would again be established as the Big 12 favorite for the coming season.

Shadow or not, the Sooners have shown that they not only are a dominant force in the Big 12, but an established contender at the national level, as well. Oklahoma has been crowned national champions in softball four times since 2000, including back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017.

For the ninth straight year, the Sooners have been named the favorite to win the Big 12. Oklahoma is a slight favorite over Texas to win its 19th Big 12 crown. The Sooners received four of the possible seven first-place votes in the 2021 Preseason Big 12 Poll. Texas received the other three first-place votes and finished one behind OU in overall point tally (34 to 33).

The Sooners ended last season with a 20-4 record. The season was cut short when the NCAA cancelled all spring sports activities because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The two seasons before that (2018 and 2019) Oklahoma went undefeated in Big 12 play and has a 50-0-4 conference record over that span. No other Big 12 team has gone two consecutive seasons without losing a game within the conference.

Oklahoma State was picked to finish third this season, followed by Baylor, Texas Tech, Iowa State and Kansas.

The Sooners have failed to finish first just six times in the 24 seasons the Big 12 has been in existence.

Oklahoma returns five players who were All-Big 12 selections in 2019, the last full college softball season. In addition, now-junior utility player Grace Green was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year that season and Patty Gasso was Coach of the Year in the conference, the 12 time she has received that honor.

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