Patty Gasso has made it an honor for some college softball teams to just be able to step on the same field as the Oklahoma Sooners.
The Sooners earned the third overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Softball Championship, which came with the privilege of getting to host their 15th straight Regional as OU has become the greatest dynasty in college softball with eight national titles under Gasso. OU this weekend will host Kansas, Michigan and Binghamton in the Norman Regional, and programs like Binghamton are just happy for the opportunity to share a stadium as extravagant as Love's Field with the Sooners.
Binghamton’s emotional reaction says everything about OU softball under Patty Gasso
"Oklahoma's the pinnacle of college softball," Binghamton head coach Jess Bump told local TV station FOX 40. "They won four straight national championships. We knew we were probably gonna go to a top-5 seed just because our RPI wasn't the greatest this year, but we're willing to take on whatever we need to.
"Oklahoma's stadium is the best in the country, so we're gonna have a great experience and just compete as hard as we can."
Binghamton knew it would be back in the 64-team field of the NCAA Softball Championship after just winning the America East Tournament for the second in a row. Regardless, when their name was announced on Sunday as part of the Norman Regional, Binghamton players erupted and clearly have the same respect as their coach about playing at OU.
"So surreal," outfielder Darien McDonough said. "I've always been a college softball fan. I've been watching since I was seven years old. Being able to watch the Sooners on TV, and now get to go there, play at Love's Field, it's a huge deal. I'm super excited."
Read more: How to watch every inning of Oklahoma's journey to Women's College World Series
Lost to OU fans sometimes, and maybe even Gasso, might be the influence the Sooners have had throughout all of softball, not just in Oklahoma and at every level of the game. A program like Binghamton, willing to admit their respect just as fans of the sport, is a reminder of the profound impact the Sooners have made in college softball being bigger than it ever has been before.
The Sooners routinely sell out Love's Field, which is the greatest venue in the sport, and set attendance records. OU is watched on TV more than any other program in the country, even if it's just fans hoping to witness the Sooners' downfall. The program even gets attention from the MLB's social media accounts and players like freshman Kendall Wells chasing home runs records become household names and are featured on ESPN push notifications.
The success goes beyond all the trophies on the shelf and even the statue of Gasso outside of Love's Field. The Sooners have set the standard in college softball that other programs have began trying reach, which has put the sport in a better place than it's ever been, but the epicenter is still Oklahoma.
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