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Patty Gasso Named Team USA Head Coach

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NORMAN — University of Oklahoma head softball coach Patty Gasso was named USA Softball Women’s National Team (WNT) head coach, USA Softball announced Monday. Gasso was selected by the USA Softball Selection Review panel and will lead the U.S. Olympic Team through the 2025-28 quadrennial cycle, which includes the LA28 Olympic Games.

“It is truly a remarkable moment in my career and a dream come true to be asked to coach Team USA,” said Gasso, who becomes the seventh female head coach of the WNT. “This is the highest honor I could ever receive, and I’m humbled by and thankful for the confidence USA Softball has in me. I have an intense passion to make Team USA the best it can be to help win the gold medal in 2028.”

Gasso has been involved with the USA Softball Women’s National Team program since 2018, coaching the U.S. Women’s Elite Team during the World Cup of Softball. She also contributed to numerous USA Softball training camps and selection trials, further demonstrating her commitment to fostering excellence within the sport and contributing to the development of aspiring athletes.

A National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductee, Gasso starts her 31st season as the head coach of the OU softball program this week. In 2024 she led the Sooners to a record-setting fourth straight national championship, which served as OU’s eighth under her direction in 17 trips to the Women’s College World Series. Gasso owns a 1,515-352-2 record at Oklahoma and is the Big 12 Conference’s all-time winningest coach in any sport. Her OU teams have won 15 regular season and nine postseason league titles.

“USA Softball is proud to announce that Coach Gasso will lead our Women’s National Team for the 2025-2028 quad,” said Craig Cress, Chief Executive Officer of USA Softball. “Throughout her career, Coach Gasso has made a significant impact on the softball community and has greatly contributed to the development of the sport. We are confident that her skills, knowledge, and experience will enhance our program and we look forward to supporting Coach Gasso and the Women’s National Team as they strive to represent the U.S. with pride on the highest stage in the coming years.”

At OU, Gasso has produced 84 All-Americans, 153 all-region honorees and 201 all-conference picks, as well as 16 Big 12 Player of the Year honorees and nine Big 12 Pitcher of the Year selections. The on-field success has translated to the classroom under Gasso, as the Sooners have been honored with 180 academic all-conference and 23 Academic All-America selections under her direction.
 
Gasso’s Sooners open the 2025 season this Thursday when they play against CSUN in San Diego, Calif., at 5:30 p.m. CT.

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ORU Promotes Assistant To Fill Womens Basketball Vacancy

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TULSA – Cophie Anderson has been named the 12th head coach of the Oral Roberts University women’s basketball program, Athletic Director Tim Johnson announced Monday.

Anderson, who served as ORU’s associate head coach for three seasons, helped guide the Golden Eagles to back-to-back 20-win seasons and postseason appearances in the WNIT and WBIT. The team finished 24-9 in 2024-25, marking the program’s first consecutive 20-win seasons since 2010-12.

ORU President Dr. William M. Wilson praised Anderson’s leadership, highlighting her faith and commitment to student-athletes. Johnson echoed those sentiments, calling Anderson a vital part of the program’s recent success and expressing excitement for the future under her leadership.

During her tenure as associate head coach, Anderson played a key role in ORU’s offensive success, helping the Golden Eagles rank in the top 20 nationally in scoring for three straight seasons, including top-10 finishes in 2023-24 and 2024-25. She was instrumental in recruiting and developing players, with five Golden Eagles earning Summit League postseason honors in 2023-24, including Freshman of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.

Anderson previously coached at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, where she helped lead the Lady Bulldogs to seven NCAA Division II Tournament appearances, four Great American Conference Tournament Championships, and a national runner-up finish in 2019. Under her guidance, SWOSU ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring offense in seven of nine seasons, averaging over 80 points per game five times.

As a player, Anderson competed at Fresno State from 2001-05, earning three Western Athletic Conference All-Academic selections. She graduated with a degree in Kinesiology.

A native of Arlington, Texas, Anderson is married to Wayne Anderson, and they have three children.

ORU will introduce Anderson at a press conference Tuesday, April 1, at 3:30 p.m. inside the Mabee Center.

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Sooners upended by Lady Vols In 5-3 loss

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(PHOTO: Sooner Sports Information)

NORMAN, Okla. — Kasidi Pickering extended her reached-base streak to 15 consecutive at-bats with a three-run double, but No. 2 Oklahoma fell to No. 10 Tennessee 5-3 in the series finale Sunday.

The Sooners took an early 3-0 lead in the third inning after Hannah Coor legged out an infield single and Abigale Dayton followed with a hard-hit grounder through the right side. After a walk to Nelly McEnroe-Marinas loaded the bases, Pickering delivered a first-pitch double to left-center, clearing the bases.

Tennessee responded in the fourth with five two-out runs to take control. Oklahoma pitcher Sam Landry had retired the first two batters of the inning before the Lady Vols loaded the bases with two walks and a single up the middle. Laura Mealer lined a two-run double down the right-field line to cut the deficit to one, and Ella Dodge followed with a three-run homer to right, putting Tennessee in front 5-3.

The Sooners threatened in the fifth and seventh innings, with Dayton reaching base in both frames, but Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens shut down each rally to secure the victory.

Pickering’s streak of reaching base safely in 15 straight at-bats began last weekend at Missouri with a game-winning home run. She went 1-for-1 with four walks at Wichita State and started the Tennessee series by going 7-for-7 with two free passes before her final at-bat Sunday. She also made a key defensive play in the sixth, robbing Tennessee of extra bases with a leaping catch in right-center.

Oklahoma, now 31-3 overall and 9-3 in the SEC, has suffered all three losses in conference play and by three runs or fewer. The Sooners travel to UT Arlington for their final midweek road game Tuesday at 6 p.m., with streaming available on ESPN+.

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ORU’s Kelsi Musick tapped to lead Arkansas womens program

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FAYETTEVILLE – After three successful seasons leading Oral Roberts University’s women’s basketball program, Kelsi Musick is heading to the University of Arkansas as the Razorbacks’ next head coach. The move comes after Musick transformed ORU into a Summit League powerhouse, bringing national recognition back to Tulsa’s historic basketball program.

Musick took over at ORU in 2021 and quickly elevated the program, leading the Golden Eagles to back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in over a decade. She wrapped up the 2023-24 campaign with a 24-9 record and a WBIT appearance, marking the team’s first consecutive postseason berths since 2009-12. Under her leadership, ORU’s fast-paced, high-scoring offense ranked in the Top 20 nationally in points per game for three straight years.

Beyond team success, Musick proved to be a talent developer, coaching standout players like Summit League Freshman of the Year Emily Robinson, Newcomer of the Year Taleyah Jones, and two-time Sixth Woman of the Year Jalei Oglesby. Jones and Oglesby both earned All-Summit League First Team honors this past season, leading ORU’s explosive offense.

ORU fans will remember Musick’s ability to outcoach bigger programs, securing multiple wins over SEC and American Athletic Conference teams. Under her leadership, the Golden Eagles reestablished themselves as a threat in mid-major basketball.

“I am incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead the women’s basketball program at the University of Arkansas,” Musick said. “This is a place with a proud tradition, passionate fans and a commitment to excellence in every way. I’m excited to get to work building something special. I want to thank Hunter Yurachek and his staff for their belief in me, and I can’t wait to pour into our student-athletes, compete in the SEC and represent this university with pride.”

Before coming to ORU, Musick spent 13 seasons at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, where she compiled a 259-125 record and led the team to the 2019 NCAA Division II national championship game. She was a five-time Great American Conference Coach of the Year, known for coaching high-powered offenses that consistently ranked among the nation’s best.

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