Oklahoma softball: Statue for Patty Gasso is on order
By Chip Rouse
![University of Oklahoma Athletic Director Joe Castiglione and head coach Patty Gasso watch a highlight video as fans, players, coaches and officials celebrate another National Championship for the University of Oklahoma (OU) Sooner WomenÕs Softball team on June 10, 2023 at Marita Hynes Field in Norman, Okla. [Steve Sisney/For The Oklahoman]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F8daf74af2d89d3db7048bf5f3002663d55a19102c2c1a6bf7f0f64d9db26e97d.jpg "University of Oklahoma Athletic Director Joe Castiglione and head coach Patty Gasso watch a highlight video as fans, players, coaches and officials celebrate another National Championship for the University of Oklahoma (OU) Sooner WomenÕs Softball team on June 10, 2023 at Marita Hynes Field in Norman, Okla. [Steve Sisney/For The Oklahoman]")
Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso is a living legend, and many Sooner fans — not just Sooner softball fans — have been wondering when OU would get around to honoring her legendary contributions to the university and the sport with a bronze statue like the ones immortalizing the four greatest coaches in Oklahoma’s celebrated football history.
Well, the time has finally come.
“We’re going to have a statue for Coach Gasso next year,” OU athletic director Joe Castiglione announced at the celebration for Oklahoma’s third consecutive national championship on Saturday at Marita Hynes Field.
Castiglione revealed that the process is already underway. “We have built a program for the ages on the rock Patty Gasso brought to Oklahoma,” he said. “We’re not sure what the pose is going to be…You get to pick it.”
𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐄 🐐@SoonerAD | 📺 » https://t.co/AHZGTKwfOC pic.twitter.com/JnOHTXHrU4
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) June 10, 2023
The OU AD went on to say that the lifelike statue will be unveiled next season in a special ceremony at Oklahoma’s new softball stadium Love’s Field, appropriately at the “House Patty Gasso Built.”
Oklahoma won its seventh national championship in softball last week, finishing out an incredible season on a 53-game winning streak and a new NCAA record 61-1 overall season mark. Over the past three seasons, the Sooners have compiled a phenomenal record of 176-8. All seven national championships have come under Gasso along with two national runners-up finishes.
"“It’s incredible to even think, 29 years here,” Gasso said. “The new stadium coming is an absolute dream come true, at the right time in the right place.”"
The statue will be the first non-football statue commissioned by OU and also the first one for a coach or player that is still active in the job.