Patty Gasso Responds to Texas HC Mike White's Comments on Oklahoma's WCWS 'Advantage'

The Texas coach hopes to one day see the Women's College World Series rotate around the country, but Patty Gasso said it's not Oklahoma's fault the event is in Oklahoma City.

SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

OKLAHOMA CITY — Nothing quite signals the return of the Women’s College World Series like the revival of coaches around the country complaining about playing for a championship Oklahoma in its own backyard. 

This year, Texas coach Mike White took his turn. 

“It is a huge advantage obviously for Oklahoma,” White said in Austin before taking his top-seeded Longhorns to Oklahoma City. 

The talking point was nothing new to OU coach Patty Gasso, nor was it a surprise when shew as asked about it at Wednesday’s WCWS Media Day. 

“Well, it's no doubt that Sooners fans come out,” Gasso said with a smile. “If you have it in Omaha, Nebraska fans are going to come out. Where are you going to take it? Who has a 15,000-plus stadium to have it?”

Devon Park, formerly USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, has hosted the WCWS since 1990, with only the 1996 WCWS being played elsewhere. 

The NCAA also signed a contract extension with Oklahoma City and USA Softball to keep the event entrenched at Devon Park through 2035.

But none of that, Gasso said, is Oklahoma’s problem.

“There's nothing we can do,” she said. “It's not our fault. It's no one's fault. It's the people of Oklahoma City that put in the money to make this happen. It's a celebration of that.

“You can look at it any way you want. Someone's going to have to put up big bucks to try to get it somewhere else. I know this is a long-term contract, as well.”

The Sooners aren’t the only ones who benefit from the geographical proximity of the WCWS. 

Devon Park is situated 59 miles from Cowgirl Stadium, the home of Oklahoma State softball. 

Kenny Gajewski has his Cowgirls back in Oklahoma City for the fifth-straight time. 

Oklahoma State has only appeared in the WCWS five other times since 1990. The Cowgirls have never made it past the semifinals in Oklahoma City. 

Over that same span, the Sooners have made 17 appearances in the WCWS and OU is hunting the program’s eighth national title in 2024. 

Gasso has never shied away from the atmosphere created by the droves of Oklahoma fans at the WCWS. 

And she won’t have to worry about losing that support anytime soon. 

“Everybody has their opinions,” Gasso said. “As long as it's here, we're going to take advantage of it, just like anybody else would.”