OU Softball: Meet Oklahoma's Opponents in the 2024 Women's College World Series

The Sooners will once again finish their season in Oklahoma City as OU seeks a fourth-straight national title.

BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

Oklahoma will get its chance to win an unprecedented fourth-straight national title. 

The field is set, and Patty Gasso’s team will open the 2024 Women’s College World Series on Thursday in a rematch of the first game of the season against the Duke Blue Devils. 

Seven talented teams will join the Sooners in Oklahoma City as each will try to dethrone OU over eight days spanning into June. 

Meet the Duke Blue Devils:

Record: 52-7

Head Coach: Marissa Young

Last Time Out: Beat Missouri in Super Regional action in three games.

Notable Regular Season Wins: Florida State (10-5 on March 15. 9-5 on March 17), Virginia Tech (14-5 on March 28, 6-5 on March 29, 5-2 on March 30), Clemson (13-9 on April 12, 4-3 on April 13, 6-1 on April 14)

Ace in the Circle: Jala Wright

Cassidy Curd started the regular season meeting between Duke and OU all the way back on the opening day of the season, but Jala Wright has stepped into a bigger role for the Blue Devils. Wright leads the team with 153 1/3 innings pitched while her ERA (1.28) is virtually the same as Curd’s (1.29).

Standout Slugger: Claire Davidson

Claire Davidson leads Duke in batting average (.439), OPS (1.420), doubles (19), home runs (18) and RBIs (67) while drawing 32 walks and striking out 24 times in 2024.

Meet the Alabama Crimson Tide:

Alabama ace Kayla Beaver / Randy Sartin/Special To The News

Record: 37-18

Head Coach: Patrick Murphy

Last Time Out: Beat Tennessee in Super Regional action in three games.

Notable Regular Season Wins: Arizona (2-1 on March 1, 1-0 on March 2), Florida (3-0 on March 11), Florida State (4-1 on March 13), Georgia (5-4 on March 17), Virginia Tech (1-0 on March 22), Texas A&< (2-0 on April 13), Arkansas (5-1 on April 20), Tennessee (1-0 on April 28), 

Ace in the Circle: Kayla Beaver

Kayla Beaver by far pitched the most innings for the Crimson Tide this year, logging 185 2/3 throughout the year. She still has the best ERA on the team (1.58) and has thrown 178 strikeouts to 65 walks. Beaver is holding opponents to a .196 batting average. 

Standout Slugger: Kenleigh Cahalan

Alabama has only hit 50 home runs all year, but Cahalan helps the Crimson Tide produce in other ways. She leads the team with a .293 batting average and is second with 29 RBIs. Though she’s only belted a pair of home runs, Cahalan has eight doubles and five triples and she’s always a threat to stretch a single into extra bases. 

Meet the UCLA Bruins:

Maya Brady helped lead UCLA back to the WCWS. / Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 42-10

Head Coach: Kelly Inouye-Perez

Last Time Out: Swept Georgia in Super Regional action.

Notable Regular Season Wins: Florida State (14-10 on Feb. 16), Tennessee (6-2 on Feb. 25), Utah (6-2 on March 8, 6-5 on March 9, 12-1 on March 10), Washington (6-0 on March 24), Oregon (5-3 on March 28, 6-3 on March 29), Stanford (1-0 on April 19, 9-3 on April 20, 2-0 on April 21), Arizona (10-2 on April 26, 11-7 on April 28)

Ace in the Circle: Taylor Tinsley

Taylor Tinsley came on strong to close the year and is pitching much better than her 2.53 ERA would indicate. She’s struck out 161 batters in 138 2/3 innings, issuing just 25 walks while holding opponents to a .241 batting average.

Standout Slugger: Maya Brady

Maya Brady is making the most of her last year in Los Angeles. She leads UCLA with a .431 batting average and is second on the team with a 1.359 OPS and 17 home runs with an impressive .844 slugging percentage. She’s also added 13 doubles and a triple to pace the Bruins.  

Meet the Texas Longhorns:

Big 12 Player of the Year Reese Atwood / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /

Record: 52-8

Head Coach: Mike White

Last Time Out: Beat Texas A&M in Super Regional action in three games.

Notable Regular Season Wins: UCLA (3-2 on Feb. 9, 16-0 on Feb. 10), Tennessee (2-1 on Feb. 16), Stanford (9-2 on Feb. 16), Florida State (5-0 on March 20), Oklahoma State (2-1 on March 29), Oklahoma (2-1 on April 6, 2-1 on April 7), Baylor (14-1 on April 12, 9-6 on April 13, 9-5 on April 14)

Ace in the Circle: Citlaly Gutierrez

Citlaly Gutierrez frustrated Oklahoma’s batters during the regular season series with the Sooners, and that was indicative of her entire season. She leads all Texas pitchers with a 1.79 ERA, throwing 90 innings and striking out 59 batters while allowing just 16 walks and holding opponents to a .227 batting average. 

Standout Slugger: Reese Atwood

Reese Atwood, the 2024 Big 12 Player of the Year, leads Texas with a .435 batting average, 23 home runs, a 1.409 OPS and a .904 slugging percentage and 90 RBIs while also adding 12 doubles and a triple and drawing 23 walks on the year. 

Meet the Stanford Cardinal:

Stanford pitcher NiJaree Canady is back at the WCWS. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

Record: 48-15

Head Coach: Jessica Allister 

Last Time Out: Beat LSU in Super Regional action in three games.

Notable Regular Season Wins: Tennessee (1-0 on Feb. 16), Texas (4-3 on Feb. 24), Georgia (3-1 on March 3), Utah (5-3 on March 22, 2-1 on March 23, 5-3 on March 24), Arizona (9-0 on March 28), 7-0 on March 30), Washington (3-1 on April 26, 2-1 on April 28), Oregon (7-3 on May 3, 3-1 on May 4)

Ace in the Circle: NiJaree Canady

The breakout star of the 2023 WCWS had another excellent year for Stanford. She boats an incredible 0.67 ERA, and she struck out 307 batters in 198.2 innings pitched. 

Standout Slugger: Emily Jones

Though she’s not a home run threat, Emily Jones leads all Stanford batters with a .342 batting average with 61 hits including 10 doubles and a triple while drawing 17 walks.

Meet the Oklahoma State Cowgirls:

Oklahoma State coach Kenny Gajewski has his Cowgirls back for a fifth-straight WCWS. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

Record: 49-10

Head Coach: Kenny Gajewski

Last Time Out: Swept Arizona in Super Regional action.

Notable Regular Season Wins: UCLA (9-1 on Feb. 11), Florida (3-0 on Feb. 19), Washington (7-0 on Feb. 22), Baylor (4-1 on March 8, 3-2 on March 10), Texas (5-0 on March 28, 3-0 on March 30), Oklahoma (6-3 on May 3, 6-2 on May 4)

Ace in the Circle: Lexi Kilfoyl

Lexi Kilfoyl won Big 12 Pitcher of the Year honors after posting a 1.06 ERA in 171 innings of work leading into the WCWS. She’s struck out 146 batters while only allowing 30 walks and teams have only hit seven home runs all season off Kilfoyl while batting .172 off the talented Cowgirl ace. 

Standout Slugger: Karli Godwin

Freshman Karli Godwin has proved time and time again that she is unfazed by the big stage. She’s second on the team batting .344 and hitting 15 home runs, both marks trailing catcher Caroline Wang, but she leads the team with 13 doubles and has drawn 14 walks. 

Meet the Florida Gators:

Florida coach Tim Walton will meet former assistant and friend Kenny Gajewski on Thursday at the WCWS. / Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun / USA

Record: 51-13

Head Coach: Tim Walton

Last Time Out: Beat Baylor in Super Regional action in three games.

Notable Regular Season Wins: UCLA (1-0 on March 1), Alabama (2-0 on March 9, 11-2 on March 10), Mississippi State (8-5 on March 29, 7-6 on March 30), LSU (4-2 on April 6, 6-5 on April 8), Missouri (3-1 on April 14), Georgia (9-1 on April 26), Florida State (15-13 on May 1),  Texas A&M (2-1 on May 3, 9-8 on May 4, 11-3 on May 5)

Ace in the Circle: Keegan Rothrock

Keegan Rothrock has been an inning eater for Florida, throwing 226 2/3 innings this year. She leads the pitching staff with a 2.44 ERA and has fired 183 strikeouts to 84 walks while holding opponents to a .202 batting average. 

Standout Slugger: Jocelyn Erickson 

The OU transfer made the most of her first season in Gainesville, batting .385 with a 1.176 OPS, 13 home runs and a team-high 79 RBIs.