No one has a better feel for what the future looks like for Oklahoma softball than head coach Patty Gasso, and she indicated in a local radio interview on Thursday that she likes where things are going.
If you believed everything you read and heard in the mainstream media, on social media and/or on sports talks shows after the world-beating Oklahoma softball team was eliminated from the Women's College World Series, you may have come away thinking that the bubble had finally burst on the Sooner softball dynasty.
That's what future Oklahoma softball opponents probably would like to believe, recognizing that no NCAA Division I softball program has accumulated more wins or national championships over the past 10-plus years than the Sooners. It's a cultural thing in this country that sports teams that are continually on top year after year after year draw diminishing returns over time in terms of fan support and appreciation.
After four consecutive national titles and six in the last eight seasons, you can imagine there isn't much love lost outside of Sooner Nation that OU fell short in its quest for yet another championship trophy.
Patty Gasso hints at transfer portal additions
Fans who follow Sooner softball are probably aware that Gasso and her staff have another top-ranked recruiting class coming in for next season, but they will also be augmenting their roster needs with additions from the transfer portal.
The Sooners lost two more players to the transfer portal on Thursday. Twenty-four hours after catcher Cori Hicks and outfielder Maya Bland announced they were entering the portal, outfielder Hannah Coor and infielder Kady McKay are also expected to leave the program. In this day and age of college athletics free agency, you know you are probably going to lose some players every year via the transfer portal.
As a guest on the "Chris Plank Show" on KREF 1400 The Ref, Gasso was asked about portal activity involving potential newcomers.
"Right now, I don't have a lot to say about it, but you will see movement, and you will be happy with the movement that you're seeing," Gasso said. "We don't need a lot of moves, because we have a really solid group of blue-collar athletes returning that are team-team-team first, and that's what I care about. Also, we'll have a nice mix of portal athletes, but we don't need a lot. I don't want to over-recruit on this freshman class and the next one that's coming in, because they're both elite young athletes that we need in this program.
"I love our positioning right now. We don't need a lot, but we do need a little. That's what we're working on."
Gasso closed her interview comments praising the fans for their love and support throughout the season, saying the team really felt it.
As far as an outlook for next season, Gasso advised, "I promise you, Sooner fans, if you liked this season, you're going to absolutely love next season."
Coming from the head coach, that's a really good sign of what we can look forward to next season.
Patty Gasso joined @PlankShow today and talked about what’s developing in the portal for OU Softball.
— The REF (@KREFsports) June 5, 2025
“You will see movement and you will be happy with the movement that you’re seeing. But, we don’t need a lot of moves, because we have a really solid group of blue collar… pic.twitter.com/3hNcD5AMSO
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