The transfer portal will give and take like always this college softball offseason, but there are still some players the Oklahoma Sooners cannot afford to lose to avoid another disappointing season and get back to the Women's College World Series in 2027.
So far, the Sooners have already lost three players to the portal, but none have been a major blow. Devastating losses are likely in the near future, though, but even those could be replaced rather easily. However, there are five players in particular that OU head coach Patty Gasso has to have back on the roster in 2027 to right the ship.
Who OU needs to keep out of the transfer portal this offseason
The pitching staff was an overall disappointment for the Sooners in 2026, but Audrey Lowry, a lefty, was still the best they had and the clear ace of the group despite Gasso bringing in multiple transfers to presumably take that role. Gasso once again this offseason should use the transfer portal to find a veteran ace, but that still doesn't mean Lowry won't be vital to the staff next season as a now seasoned veteran.
This season, Lowry posted a team-best 2.70 ERA and 23-4 record in 35 appearances and 19 starts with four complete games, three saves, 91 strikeouts and a .238 opponent batting average. It wasn't anything eye-popping or even worthy of what the Sooners want in an ace to be a true contender, but Lowry is still reliable and would be an exceptional No. 2 to have in 2027 without having to rely on a transfer or young pitcher to step up.
Kendall Wells, while chasing NCAA home run history, got most of the spotlight this season, but Kai Minor quietly had just as impressive of a freshman campaign. She led the Sooners with a .444 batting average, which was also just outside the top 25 in all of college softball when OU's season ended. Minor also tallied 84 hits, 70 runs, 45 RBI, 11 home runs and a team-high 17 stolen bases as one of the fastest players in the country.
Minor will be a staple at leadoff and in the outfield for the Sooners if Gasso can keep her in Norman for the long haul. Home runs get all the attention, but Minor's speed is at the same level as Wells' power is.
Allyssa Parker was almost too talented at times for Gasso to know what to do with this season. A top 2025 recruit from in-state Pocola High School, Parker has the ability to do it all as a right-handed pitcher in the circle or a potent bat in the lineup. The trick, though, was where to put her so she could thrive.
This season was basically experiemental for Gasso with Parker. Gasso eventually settled on Parker as a pitcher as she finished with a 3.73 ERA, 5-1 record, two complete games and a save in 20 apperances. She also hit a solid .328 in 64 at-bats, which saw a drastic decrease later in the season.
Wherever she ends up, Parker will break out sooner than later and be a star for the Sooners. If it really is as a pitcher, she'll reach a new level in 2027 after a full offseason with pitching coach Jennifer Rocha, who missed the first part of the season while battling cancer. OU has barely even scratched the surface yet with Parker.
A three-year starter, Ella Parker will be a needed senior leader for a young OU team in 2027. She's vital on the field as a First-Team All-SEC and All-Defensive Team selection this season while hitting .405 with 73 hits, 62 RBI and 13 home runs.
However, Parker's biggest contribution to the team are her career 185 games and 174 starts in three years in Gasso's program. That kind of experience and leadership is especially important when trying to turn things around after a disappointing season.
The easiest answer to this question.
Catcher Kendall Wells took over college softball this season while chasing the NCAA home run record before ultimately falling short with 39 home runs thanks to a late surge by UCLA's Megan Grant.
Ultimately, Wells still broke a 31-year-old NCAA record of 37 home runs in a season that was set by Arizona's Laura Espinoza in 1995. Wells also broke the record for most single-season home runs in OU and SEC history and by a freshman in NCAA history. She was named SEC Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-SEC, and a top 10 finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.
Wells will be the face of college softball the next three years, and also needs to be the face of the OU softball program.
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