Oklahoma softball has started the 2026 college softball season without one of the most important people to the program.
OU head coach Patty Gasso announced just before the Sooners' season opener last week that the team will be without associate head coach and pitching coach Jennifer Rocha for "an undetermined period" because of an undisclosed health matter. Gasso also announced that former OU pitcher Karlie Keeney will help coach the Sooners' pitchers during Rocha's absence.
Karlie Keene coaching Sooners' pitchers while Jen Rocha is away with health issues
On Tuesday during Gasso's first press conference since the coaching change and the Sooners' opening weekend, Gasso first gave a brief update on Rocha and also shared her deep reverence for her longtime assistant that revealed just how much Rocha means to the program.
"She's definitely struggling with some health issues right now," Gasso said. "Pretty severe, but she's OK. We're waiting for more information, and when that happens it'll be delivered, but we're fighting for her.
"We're trying to bring her as much comfort as we can through our play. She's resting at home and has a lot of help and a lot of love."
Here’s #Sooners coach Patty Gasso talking about pitching coach Jen Rocha, who’s currently away from the team. pic.twitter.com/azrHOE4O5h
— Mason Young (@Mason_Young_0) February 11, 2026
Rocha has been on Gasso's OU staff in the same role since 2018 after playing for the Sooners in 1996-98 and serving as a graduate assistant in 1999-2001. Before returning to Norman, Rocha spent 13 years at Florida as an assistant.
The Sooners' already strong program evolved into a dynasty after Rocha's addition, with her pitching staff powering the Sooners to six straight trips to the Women's College World Series, including four national titles in a row. Under Rocha, OU's pitching staff has a 1.74Â ERA and 158Â shutouts in eight seasons.
Although the Sooners have bigger worries to be concerned about involving Rocha, OU's pitching staff posted a 3.08 ERA with eight strikeouts compared to 16 walks as the Sooners went 3-1 last weekend in their first action without Rocha.
The numbers and awards and championships easily prove Rocha's value to the program on the field, but Gasso emphasized the characteristics unseen by fans that make Rocha so important to the Sooners.
"She is always the calm voice, the reasonable voice, the faith-based voice, the thought-out thoughtful voice," Gasso said. "It's just, she is too wonderful of a person to be a coach. That's horrible, but coaches are ruthless. We want to win at all costs. Sometimes you just forget who you are, and she never does. And she never lets us as a coaching staff forget who we are. She just always keeps our feet on the ground, keeps us in check.
"I don't know, she's one of the greatest people I've ever met. I love working next to her and it's very hard to look to my left and not see her there. But a familiar face is always helpful, and Karlie Keeney has stepped in graciously and really did a good job for us as our opening weekend began."