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Oklahoma Claims Top Spot in Softball America Preseason Top 25

The two-time defending National Champions will start their quest for a third straight title on top of the softball world.

Ryan Chapman

Oklahoma Claims Top Spot in Softball America Preseason Top 25
Oklahoma Claims Top Spot in Softball America Preseason Top 25 /

The preseason plaudits continue to roll in for Oklahoma.

Patty Gasso’s defending back-to-back National Champions were ranked as the No. 1-overall team in Softball America’s preseason top 25 on Tuesday.

The Sooners were ranked in the top spot in D1 Softball’s preseason top 25 last week.

Oklahoma lost college softball’s all-time career home run leader in Jocelyn Alo off the 2022 title team, as well as key contributors in catcher Lynnsie Elam, third baseman Jana Johns, first baseman Taylon Snow and pitcher Hope Trautwein, but Gasso wasted no time adding to her strong core.

Stars in shortstop Grace Lyons, second baseman Tiare Jennings and pitcher Jordy Bahl all return as well as outfielders Alyssa Brito and Rylie Boone, catcher Kinzie Hansen and pitcher Nicole May to help OU win its third straight title.

Gasso also made key additions in the transfer portal.

She replaced Trautwein’s veteran arm with Michigan transfer Alex Storako, and then added NFCA Freshman of the Year finalist in Arizona State first baseman Cydney Sanders.

Sanders’ ASU teammate Alynah Torres also transferred to Norman, as well as Texas A&M utility player and power hitter Haley Lee.

A pair of OU’s Big 12 foes in Oklahoma State and Texas also were highly rated by Softball America, with the Cowgirls checking in at No. 2-overall and the Longhorns were rated No. 9.

Seven other teams on Oklahoma’s 2023 schedule were also ranked in the poll.

OU will square off against No. 3 Florida State, No. 4 UCLA, No. 15 Duke, No. 17 Washington, No. 18 Auburn, No. 19 Kentucky and No. 20 Stanford during the regular season.

The Sooners open the year against Duke on Feb. 9 at 6 p.m., kicking off the Mark Campbell Invitational in Irvine, CA. 

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Ryan Chapman
RYAN CHAPMAN

Ryan is deputy editor at AllSooners and covers a number of sports in and around Norman and Oklahoma City. Working both as a journalist and a sports talk radio host, Ryan has covered the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the United States Men’s National Soccer Team, the Oklahoma City Energy and more. Since 2019, Ryan has simultaneously pursued a career as both a writer and a sports talk radio host, working for the Flagship for Oklahoma sports, 107.7 The Franchise, as well as AllSooners.com. Ryan serves as a contributor to The Franchise’s website, TheFranchiseOK.com, which was recognized as having the “Best Website” in 2022 by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters. Ryan holds an associate’s degree in Journalism from Oklahoma City Community College in Oklahoma City, OK. 

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