All Sooners

OU Softball: Oklahoma Nabs Experienced Catcher With First Transfer Portal Commitment

Patty Gasso filled her first roster spot out of the transfer portal on Friday with a two-year starter from the ACC behind the plate.

Ryan Chapman

Isabela Emerling
Isabela Emerling / North Carolina Athletics

Patty Gasso’s first transfer portal win of the offseason is officially on the board. 

Former North Carolina catcher Isabela Emerling committed to Oklahoma on Friday. 

Emerling fills the first of five spots the Sooners will have to add via the transfer portal this offseason. 

Last year Emerling hit .323 for North Carolina with a 1.103 OPS and a .685 slugging percentage. She led the Tar Heels with 14 home runs and 53 RBIs, also adding five doubles in 48 games. 

The catcher was coveted by OU’s coaching staff for her work behind the plate. An excellent defender, Emerling will fill the hole left by Kinzie Hansen’s graduation, though Hansen will still be on staff as a graduate assistant to help Emerling. 

As a redshirt freshman in 2023, Emerling made 48 starts, splitting time between catcher and first base. 

She redshirted in 2022 due to injury. 

The Martinez, CA, product will have two years of eligibility remaining for the Sooners. 

Oklahoma can now turn its attention to filling out other roster spots in the portal, as the Sooners are expected to pursue an infielder, an outfielder and a pair of pitchers to round out the roster before headed into the SEC in 2025 to defend four consecutive national championships. 

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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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