Fresh Faces: Sophia Bordi Arrived at Oklahoma Early to 'Listen' and 'Learn'

The freshman pitcher reclassified to join the Sooners a year early, which will jumpstart her development with OU's coaching staff.

Oklahoma pitcher Sophia Bordi / Photo via Sophia Bordi's X account

Leading into the 2025 softball season, Sooners on SI is profiling Patty Gasso’s nine talented freshmen who are set to help OU in the program’s first trek through the Southeastern Conference. 

NORMAN — A major piece of Oklahoma’s 2026 team is going to get a head start this year.

Pitcher Sophia Bordi, who was planning to debut next year, arrived a year early. 

The highly-touted right-handed pitcher reclassified this winter and enrolled in Norman to link up with Patty Gasso’s team. 

"Sophia brings a lot to the table,” Gasso said when Bordi signed last November. “She is an elite pitcher, having won championships in both high school and travel ball. She is also elite offensively. She brings power from the right side and we expect her to be an integral part of our program. I'm very excited about Sophia's future as a Sooner."

And while the plan is for her to redshirt in 2025, Gasso is ecstatic about the experience she’s in line to gain this season. 

“If we had an emergency, break the glass, bring in Sophia. That's the only way we would ever do it,” Gasso said on Saturday. “I do want to maintain her redshirt unless we absolutely need her. But I think it's great. I'm really excited about what her (progress). She's going to be so ahead of her normal class that's coming in next year. Think she could lead them, guide them with her experience as well."

Graduating early to join the program a semester early is the norm in college football. 

Porter Moser’s Oklahoma basketball team is currently enjoying the play from Jeremiah Fears, who reclassified to get to college a year early on the hardwood. 

But speeding up the process a year is far from typical in softball. 

Bordi’s situation wasn’t something Gasso had planned for, but it fell into place due to unique circumstances. 

“She did graduate actually in I think June, a year in advance,” Gasso said. “I didn't even know it. I'm not normally looking for that. She told me that she was gonna go in the spring and live in California and train with her travel ball team and get a job. And I'm like, 'What if we could get you in here?’”

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Read More OU Softball: Meet the Sooners' 2025 Freshmen

• Kadey Lee McKay
• Chaney Helton
• Sydney Barker
• Corri Hicks
• Riley Zache
• Gabbie Garcia
• Audrey Lowry
• Tia Milloy

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Bordi’s mom, Danielle, swam at a high level for Texas, and she understood the value that Sophia could get by spending an extra year in Norman.

“She knows about college athletics,” Gasso said. “And I said, 

‘We could do this.’ And they were all in. It made more sense for each party. And what she's gonna develop, she's gonna have such a major head start and I foresee her being one of our elite pitchers in the future."

The Sooners have plenty of arms for 2025. 

Veteran transfers Sam Landry and Isabella Smith join returner Kierston Deal to give OU three experienced starters. 

Paytn Monticelli is back for Oklahoma as well, and BYU transfer infielder Ailana Agbayani can also pitch, as can designated player Ella Parker, and Gasso is excited about what freshman lefty Audrey Lowry can do this year. 

All that means is Bordi can focus on honing her craft without the pressure of catching up and contributing when the season starts next week. 

"She is quite behind, and I think she knows that,” Gasso said. “When you miss a complete fall, you're jumping into a team that already has the system down. And so she's just trying to learn the system.”

But Gasso said Bordi has been taking everything in, and she’s in a great position to hit the ground running in 2026.

“The goal was to get her to be able to throw some BP against us, to get in with Coach (Jennifer) Rocha,” Gasso said. “Listen, learn, get strong in the weight room. 

“That's probably the biggest thing that we're looking for, is that she gains strength.”