Capping off another national championship season, the dynasty that is Oklahoma softball can also claim the best coaching staff in NCAA Division I softball.
You don't win four consecutive national championships without outstanding coaching. And one week after defeating No. 1 seed Texas in the Women's College World Series, Patty Gasso and her staff were named the National Coaching Staff of the Year in Division I softball by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
The award is presented annually by the NFCA as determined by a vote of the NCAA Division I coaches. This is the seventh time and the third straight season Oklahoma has received the national honor.
It was a banner season for the four-time reigning national champions. The Sooners set a new NCAA record winning 71 consecutive games, carrying over from last year's 61-1 record-setting season. OU won 59 games in 2024, the fourth most in a single season in program history. A nation-best five Oklahoma players earned NFCA All-America honors.
Of the Sooners 59 wins in 2024, 27 were by run-rule (a lead of eight or more runs after five full innings) and 23 ended in a shutout, second most in Division I softball this season.
The Sooners also opened a brand new softball stadium, Love's Field, the country's largest on-campus softball facility. The new stadium more than doubles the size of the Sooners' previous venue, Marita Hynes Field, which was the home of OU softball for 26 seasons. Oklahoma averaged 4,328 fans per game this season for a record season attendance of 108,156.
Despite losing 10 seniors off of this season's national championship team, Gasso is optimistic that the future remains bright for Oklahoma softball.