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OU Softball: Oklahoma Lands All-American Outfielder via Transfer Portal

Patty Gasso bolstered her outfield by landing a former Pac-12 star over the weekend.

Ryan Chapman

Abby Dayton
Abby Dayton / Abby Dayton via Instagram

Patty Gasso’s reload in Norman is off to a hot start. 

After signing one of the nation’s most talented recruiting classes to refresh the roster in 2025, the eight-time national champion coach landed an All-American out of the transfer portal. 

Former Utah outfielder Abby Dayton officially announced her commitment to OU on Sunday.

Dayton earned NFCA Third Team All-American honors in 2024 after mowing down the Pac-12. 

She led the conference with a .444 regular season batting average, and she ended the year with an on-base percentage of .510.

Though Dayton only hit two homer runs, she racked up 72 total hits including 10 doubles and six triples, while ending the year with a 1.109 OPS. 

She also earned First Team All-Pac-12 Honors in 2024.

A graduate of Norco High School in Riverside, CA, Dayton will have two remaining years of eligibility for the Sooners. 

OU lost superstar outfielders Jayda Coleman and Rylie Boone to graduation following the close of the 2024 season, but Dayton projects to start alongside Hannah Coor and Kasidi Pickering next year while a number of freshman will push the upperclassman for playing time. 

First baseman Cydney Sanders and designated player Ella Parker are slated to return to OU's lineup, paired with starting pitcher Kierston Deal.

The Sooners are returning eight total players from the 2024 roster and Oklahoma signed eight freshmen in the 2024 class.

Dayton is the second newcomer this week to join Gasso's rebuild, joining former North Carolina catcher Isabela Emerling. Gasso has been actively pursuing other transfer candidates and should expect to add more names soon.

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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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