​In case you've missed our NCAA season previews so far this year, we've already broken down the top teams in the SEC, Big Ten, and Pac-12. This week we're moving the Big 12 and letting you know what to expect from the best teams in the conference. First up is defending Big 12 champion the Oklahoma Sooners.

The university of Oklahoma’s softball program has not always been the dominating force softball fans today know it as. Having begun in 1975, the Sooner softball program experienced only minor success in the shadow of the early dominance by powerhouse schools on the west coast. It wasn’t until the hire of current head coach Patty Gasso in 1994 that Oklahoma Sooner softball began its rise to preeminence.

Entering her 22nd year at the helm, Gasso has never missed a postseason with the Sooners. Ever. She needed only five seasons to turn the team around and guide Oklahoma to their first ever national championship in 2000. Following the title in 2000, the Sooners made four more consecutive trips to the Women’s College World Series. Oklahoma rose to the top again in 2011 with four more consecutive appearances in the WCWS and a second national championship in 2013.


Patty Gasso is responsible to making Oklahoma's softball program a national power

Though missing the WCWS last season, the Sooners still dominated the Big 12, winning their unprecedented fourth straight conference championship and sweeping the four major end-of-season awards for Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, and Big 12 Coaching Staff of the Year. All in all, under Coach Gasso Oklahoma has made nine WCWS appearances and won 12 Big 12 championships.

If Oklahoma is going to continue its reputation as one of the best programs in the country, it has quite a bit of offensive firepower to reload, starting with the NCAA career record holder for home runs, Lauren Chamberlain. Chamberlain was selected No. 1 overall in the National Pro Fastpitch league draft by the USSSA Pride and for good reason. Besides holding the NCAA home run record with 95, Chamberlain also leads the NCAA in all-time career slugging percentage (.960). Last season, the right-handed slugger hit .399 on the season and paced the Sooners in runs batted in (65) and slugging percentage (.993) while blasting 23 home runs on the season.


The dynamic duo of Lauren Chamberlain and Shelby Pendley will be a difficult one to replace

If having to replace Chamberlain isn’t enough, Oklahoma also loses the No. 2 overall pick in the NPF draft and the NPF Rookie of the Year, Shelby Pendley. The two-time Big 12 Player of the Year (2013, 2015) had nearly identical stats to Chamberlain last year, batting .413 with 24 home runs and 65 runs batted in. The three-time All-American also posted a 2.33 ERA and 12 wins in the circle.

The Sooners also graduated Georgia Casey, Jessica Vest, and Callie Parsons from their 2015 roster.

Despite significant losses from the 2015 class, the Sooners bring back some top talent. Leading the way for Oklahoma this season will be sophomore pitcher Paige Parker. Named Big 12 Freshman of the Year and Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, Parker had a breakout freshman season, tossing 28 wins and posting a 1.65 ERA. Offensively, Parker batted .394 with nine home runs and 43 runs batted in.


Only a sophomore, Paige Parker will be the key returner for the Sooners in 2016

Also returning for Oklahoma are outfielders Nicole Pendley and Erin Miller. Pendley, sister to standout Shelby Pendley mentioned earlier, had a solid freshman campaign last year, starting 54 games for the Sooners in centerfield. The speedy lefty batted .364 on the season with seven home runs, 35 runs batted in, and eight stolen bases. Miller, another Sooner with wheels, led the team with nine steals and six triples while batting .409 and knocking in 52 RBIs.

In addition to their top returners, the Sooners bring in a class of seven for the 2016 season. Leading the way for the Oklahoma rookies is infielder Sydney Romero, sister of Michigan All-American Sierra Romero. As FloSoftball's Hot 100 No. 3 player, Romero goes into Oklahoma with high expectations from Coach Gasso, "Sydney is a very complete player and has all the tools necessary to become a collegiate superstar...I’m confident Sydney will become a legendary Sooner during her four years at OU." Romero was also a member of the USA Junior National team this summer. 


Freshman Sydney Romero will likely make an immediate impact for the Sooners in 2016

Another key freshman for the Sooners will be FloSoftball's Hot 100 No. 4 player Shay Knighten. As one of the 10 best hitters in the nation, Knighten was invited to the Louisville Slugger Hit Club last summer. Oklahoma also adds three other Hot 100 players, No. 18 pitcher Brittany Finney--a two-time FloSoftball All-American, No. 53 infielder Kylie Lundberg and No. 60 outfielder Fale Aviu. Rounding out the 2016 rookie class are pitchers Jayden Chestnut and Brittany Finney along with infielder Caleigh Clifton.

Expect the Sooners to remain dominant in the Big 12, and if some young stars can step up to fill the shoes of departed veterans, the WCWS won't be out of reach for Oklahoma this season.