Just as she reminded Oklahoma fans how valuable she can be for Patty Gasso's softball program, Kasidi Pickering now has Sooner Nation worried she could become a key player for someone else next year for her final season.
Only hours after the No. 3 national seed Sooners' 6-0 loss to massive underdog Mississippi State in Game 3 of the Norman Super Regional on Sunday, Pickering shared via Instagram a video of Texas Tech celebrating punching its ticket to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City with the comment, "This is everything." This mostly raised red flags for OU fans because last year Pickering was among multiple players from various programs that the Red Raiders, according to Softball on SI, tried to poach even before the 2025 season concluded.
Sooners have reason for concern of Texas Tech stealing Kasidi Pickering
Interesting post after a season ending loss… https://t.co/wt6gaeIIxM
— Tierani (@tierani_kristen) May 25, 2026
Softball on SI last June published an article detailing how Texas Tech was taking advantage of an NIL loophole to start recruiting transfer targets early with monstrous paychecks as the Red Raiders emerged as a college softball powerhouse basically overnight. The article specifically mentioned eight top players who were contacted during the 2025 season, including Pickering.
Pickering obviously declined the reported offer and returned to OU in 2026, but a lot can change in a year. One thing that wouldn't change, though, would be Texas Tech's interest in Pickering as one of the best players in the country despite struggling for a time during this season. That slump, fans fear, could also lead Pickering to look for a restart somewhere else, especially with a roster loaded with young talent that could steal her starting role in 2027.
As a preseason All-American heading into 2026, Pickering broke out of an extended slump once the Sooners entered the NCAA Softball Championship. After a hot start, Pickering during a three-week period from April 10 to May 1 went 3-for-31 with a .097 average, one home run and one RBI. She looked more like her All-American self during the postseason, though, while getting a hit in every game during OU's Regional and Super Regional.
Pickering finished her junior season with a .370 average, 66 runs, 61 RBI and a career-high 20 home runs. Last year as a sophomore, she was named a First-Team All-American by NFCA and First-Team All-SEC. She was also a Freshman All-American by Softball America in 2024.
Even though the Sooners lost three players to the transfer portal in the blink of an eye already between Tia Milloy and sisters Riley and Berkley Zache, Pickering, even after her midseason slump, would be the first truly devastating blow to OU's 2027 roster thanks to the portal. And now the worry of that reality is more real than ever for Sooner Nation.
Add us as a preferred source on Google