OU Softball: Meet Oklahoma's Opponents in the 2024 Norman Regional

The 2-seeded Sooners will play host to a familiar face as regional action gets underway in Norman on Friday.

BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

Oklahoma secured the No. 2-overall seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, meaning Love’s Field will see postseason action for the first time. 

Fresh off taking down the top-seeded Texas Longhorns in Saturday’s Big 12 Tournament Championship, Patty Gasso’s Sooners can officially begin their quest to capture a fourth-straight National Championship. 

First OU will host the Norman Regional, which presents the opportunity for a pair of reunions. 

Friday’s first contest will see the Oregon Ducks take on the Boston Terriers. 

At the helm of the Ducks’ program is longtime Oklahoma assistant Melyssa Lombardi.



Oregon hired Lombardi in 2018, ending her 21-year stint as a member of Gasso’s staff in Norman. 

She coached the pitchers and catcher for the Sooners from 1997-2018, helping OU capture the program’s first four national titles. 

Lombardi was named the 2017 NFCA NCAA Division I Assistant Coach of the Year, and she took over Oregon’s program after Mike White departed for Texas. 

Lombardi won’t be the only participant in the Norman Regional who has ties to both Oregon and Oklahoma, however. 

OU’s All-American third baseman Alyssa Brito began her career as a shortstop for Lombardi in Eugene before transferring to Norman in 2022.

Oregon’s contest with Boston will get underway at 4:30 p.m. at Love’s Field on Friday and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+ as the Ducks hope to snap the Terriers’ 26-game unbeaten run. 

Oklahoma’s tournament run will officially begin at 7 p.m. on ESPNU when the Sooners meet the Cleveland State Vikings for the first time in program history. 

Cleveland State earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Horizon League Tournament. 

Get to know Oklahoma’s opponents in the Norman Regional:

Meet the Oregon Ducks

Former Oklahoma assistant coach Melyssa Lombardi could square off with Patty Gasso in the 2024 Norman Regional. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

Record: 28-19 (13-10 Pac 12)

Head Coach: Melyssa Lombardi 

Notable Wins: Liberty (8-0 on Feb. 9), California (4-3 on March 8 and 5-3 on March 9), Utah (20-3 on March 15, 5-1 on March 17), Washington (9-8 on April 6, 6-4 on April 7), Stanford (1-0 on May 5)

Ace in the Circle: Elise Sokolsky

Though Morgan Scott leads Oregon with 101 1/3 innings pitched this year, right-handed pitcher Elise Sokolsky has been the Ducks’ most effective arm. The redshirt sophomore leads the Ducks in ERA (2.41), opponent batting average (.241) and strikeouts (63) despite pitching 72 2/3 innings. Sokolsky is 8-3 in 2024 and has made 20 appearances. 

Standout Slugger: Ariel Carson

Outfielder Ariel Carson paces Oregon in home runs (15), RBIs (52), slugging percentage (.766), doubles (13) and OPS (1.217) while batting .366 for the year. Kai Luschar, the Ducks’ leader in batting average (.423) gets on base plenty for Carlson, and Alyssa Daniell has blasted 10 home runs herself to support Carson in the lineup. 

Meet the Boston University Terriers  

🙌 to our 4️⃣ #PatriotSB All-Tournament Team members‼️

Ricard (MVP): 3-0, 1/1 SHO, 15.2 IP, 20 Ks, 0 BB, 6 H, 1 ER
Deppiesse: 4-9, 3 R, 2 2Bs, 2 RBIs, 8 PO, 5 A
Nett: 5-10, 2B, 2 RBIs, 11 PO
Sellers: 2-R HR, 3 RBIs, 26 PO#GoBU #DawgsEat #NCAASoftball pic.twitter.com/l6RIxgsqaK

— BU Softball (@TerrierSoftball) May 12, 2024

Record: 42-4-1 (18-0 Patriot League)

Head Coach: Ashley Waters

Notable Wins: Charlotte (5-0 on Feb. 16, 2-1 on Feb. 17), Villanova (8-1 on Feb. 23), 

Ace in the Circle: Kasey Ricard

Boston has thrown just three pitchers all year: Kasey Richard, Allison Boaz and Lizzy Avery. Richard by far pitched the most, logging 204 2/3 innings, but it didn’t make her any less effective. The right-handed sophomore enters the NCAA Tournament with a 1.20 ERA, showering 261 strikeouts while allowing just 47 walks and holding opponents to a .142 batting average.

Standout Slugger: Lauren Keleher

Lauren Keleher’s eight home runs paces Boston, though Caitlin Coker and Kylie Doherty both have hammered seven in 2024. Keleher also leads the team in batting average (.407), OPS (1.129), and slugging percentage (.649) while also driving in 41 runs, and she’s been an integral part of Boston’s 26-game unbeaten run.

Meet the Cleveland State Vikings

The Vikings are headed to Norman, Oklahoma for a first round regional matchup with the Oklahoma Sooners!! #GoVikes💚 pic.twitter.com/rJLaxz3Jtq

— Cleveland State Softball (@CSU_Softball) May 12, 2024

Record: 22-24 (15-10 Horizon League)

Head Coach: Amy Kyler

Notable Wins: Oakland (5-3 on March 30, 2-1 on May 10 at the Horizon League Tournament), Youngstown State (3-1 on April 26), Northern Kentucky (6-1 on May 12 for the Horizon League Tournament Championship)

Ace in the Circle: Melissa Holzopfel

Melissa Holzopfel has pitched a vast majority of the innings for the Vikings this year, throwing 193 1/3 innings in 30 appearances. She leads the team with a 1.77 ERA, striking out 195 batters and holding opponents to a .209 average while issuing 74 walks. She’s allowed just five home runs all year, and she helps her cause as well. Holzopfel is batting .326 in 2024 and she’s tied for second on the team with four home runs and she leads all Viking batters with 31 RBIs. 

Standout Slugger: Emma Gilkerson

Emma Gilkerson leads the team with six home runs this year, and she’s third on the team with 42 hits. Gilkerson has the Vikings’ best batting average of any player who has logged at least 20 at-bats, hitting .353 on the year. She’s also totaled nine doubles and drawn a team-high 23 walks while striking out just 11 times.