All Sooners

OU Softball: Three Sooners Named Preseason All-Americans by Softball America

With the 2025 softball season under a month away, awards have begun to come in for Patty Gasso's Sooners.

Ryan Chapman

Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso
Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso / Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

Preseason honors have started to roll in for Patty Gasso’s new-look Sooners. 

Oklahoma, who will have to replace a lot of production after capturing its fourth-straight Women’s College World Series crown in June, had three pieces named to Softball America’s Preseason All-American teams. 

Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickering, who are two key returners, both earned First Team honors from Softball America. 

Parker, who primarily served as the Sooners’ designated player as a true freshman, mashed 13 home runs last year while batting .415. 

She drove in 62 RBIs, and closed her freshman campaign with a .722 slugging percentage, and she drew 34 walks and was hit by five pitches while striking out 24 times. Parker also swiped 17 bags for the Sooners. 

Pickering, who was also a freshman a year ago, was an excellent addition to Gasso’s outfield. 

She started 64 of OU’s 66 games, hitting .389 while hammering 12 home runs and closing the year with 51 RBIs. Pickering ended with a .705 slugging percentage and she drew 42 walks while only striking out 21 times. 

Abigale Dayton, a transfer from Utah, was named a Second Team Preseason All-American by Softball America. 

Last year, she closed the year earning NFCA Third Team All-American honors as a sophomore for the Utes. 

Dayton started all 57 games for Utah, hitting .431 while ending the year with 10 doubles, six triples and two home runs. 

She drove in 28 runs, walked 27 times and only struck out on 12 occasions while finishing the year with a .510 on-base percentage and 10 stolen bases. 

Dayton improved in virtually every category from her freshman season, and she is hoping to make another leap forward under the guidance of JT Gasso, OU’s associate head coach and hitting coach. 

The 2025 campaign will begin for the Sooners on Feb. 6 when Oklahoma heads west to open the season against CSUN. 

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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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