OU Softball: Oklahoma Lands 'Monumental' Signing Class

Sooners coach Patty Gasso is pleased with the athletic ability and ball skill of her 2023-24 recruiting class.

The rich got richer on Wednesday.

Coming off back-to-back national championships, Oklahoma opened the fall national signing period by landing four incoming freshmen to the 2023 recruiting class.

“I’m extremely excited about this 2023 class and overjoyed with how our recruiting momentum continues to grow,” coach Patty Gasso said in an OU press release. “This is another highly-ranked and monumental class for the Sooners.”

Maya Bland, Nelly McEnroe-Marinas, Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickering will enroll next year and will play for the Sooners in 2024.

“They all will have an opportunity to get in the lineup immediately because of their athleticism,” Gasso said. “We look forward to bringing them into our culture and growing them into elite student-athletes and women off the field.”

All four rank among the top 15 prospects in Extra Inning Softball's 2023 Elite 100. Three of them are ranked in the top six. OU's 2023 signing class was ranked No. 2 nationally by Extra Inning Softball.

“Maya is a versatile utility player, a left-handed hitter that can do it all,” Gasso said.” I relate her to a Rylie Boone-style player. She can hit it over the fence, but can lay down a bunt and slap when called upon. She will primarily be working in the outfield with us and will be exceptional at the plate with her situational hitting.

“Nelly is a well-rounded athlete on both sides of the ball. She is strong on defense and has a great arm. I foresee her working in the infield, primarily at the corners. She has power and a strong swing, and a lot of overall strength due to her training. … She has all the tools to be a future star in the college game.

“Ella comes from an athletic family, she is a very versatile athlete who can pitch or play first base or the outfield. She's a strong left-handed hitter and can find her place somewhere in the top 3-4 of the batting order. … We worked extremely hard to get her so we are very pleased we won that recruiting battle. She can be a program changer.

"Kasidi is one of the best outfielders in the country. She's strong on both sides of the ball. Her defense is exceptional in the outfield and she's well-known for her bat and the ability to change the game in one swing. She has good power, contact, and has very few strikeouts. Additionally, one thing that attracted me to Kasidi was her ability to lead from the outfield. Her teammates look up to her and follow her as a captain.”