Oklahoma softball will open the 2024 college softball season with four early-season tournaments, and FloSoftball will be broadcasting two of them: the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge and the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. 

Right now, in college softball, there is no equal.

Consistently in the national spotlight since the turn of the century, Oklahoma softball, over the past decade, has turned from a strong program into the best of the best.

And, currently, the Sooners are on the best run in program history.

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Few stretches in any college sport have been as dominant and decorated as OU’s three-year stretch, which has seen the Sooners smash records and opponents left and right en route to more accolades, more achievements and more national championships.

Oklahoma, simply put, is college softball’s gold standard, and until someone else comes along and takes the Sooners off their perch, the shine will not be fading anytime soon.

Here’s everything you need to know about Oklahoma softball ahead of the 2024 season.

How Did Oklahoma Softball Do In 2023?

For a program that has made multiple claims in recent memory of pulling off the greatest college softball season of all time, Oklahoma’s 2023 season might’ve been the greatest the sport has ever seen. 

Ranked as the nation’s No. 1 team for nearly the entire season, the Sooners started the year on an eight-game winning streak, before losing to Big 12 Conference foe Baylor for just their eighth loss in three years. 

After that misstep, OU turned into a ruthless machine. 

The Sooners never lost again, with a Super Regional win over Clemson seeing the Sooners break the sport’s all-time record for consecutive victories (previously 47 from Arizona from 1996-1997). 

By the time the Sooners swept Florida State in the final round of the Women’s College World Series for their third consecutive national championship, the win streak was still going at 53 games straight. 

At 61-1, the team’s .984 winning percentage in 2023 closed as the highest in college softball history. Pure greatness.

Who Coaches Oklahoma Softball?

Many consider Sooners coach Patty Gasso to be the sport’s greatest coach in history, and it’s hard to argue with that claim. 

Entering her 30th season in Norman this year, Gasso’s teams have reached the WCWS in over half of those seasons (16) and have captured seven national championships, with her career .808 winning percentage at OU (1,456-345-2) being the highest ever among Division I college softball coaches with at least 1,000 wins. 

Winners of 11 consecutive Big 12 titles, with appearances in every WCWS held after 2015, the Sooners should be the favorite to take home yet another national championship this season, and if they were to pull it off, Gasso would stand alone as the only coach in college softball history to lead a program to four consecutive national titles.

Has Oklahoma Ever Won The Women’s College World Series?

Yes, seven times. 

Only UCLA (12) and Arizona (eight) have more national championships in softball than the Sooners. 

However, especially in recent years, OU has looked downright unbeatable whenever it plays at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in nearby Oklahoma City, usually joined by a hefty contingent of Sooner fans showing up and cheering them on during each of their WCWS runs.

Notable Returning Players

Tiare Jennings, INF

One of college softball’s best hitters ever, no player in history has more RBIs at the WCWS than Jennings’ 29–and that’s with a season of eligibility still left to go. 

A three-time NFCA first-team All-American and a United States’ national team member, Jennings should be the preseason favorite for numerous national player-of-the-year awards. The infielder produces at the plate like few others before her, and that’s saying something, considering the amount of firepower that has graced the Sooners’ lineup over the years. 

Jennings has finished all three of her seasons in Norman with a batting average over .400 (holding a career average of .427) and has accumulated 73 home runs and 245 RBIs. 

A fourth consecutive national championship would give her an accolade no current or former player, besides her fellow four-year teammates, could claim.

Jayda Coleman, OF

It's ludicrous that Jennings is not the Sooners’ only three-time first-team All-American on the roster, but that’s just how stacked the roster is down in Norman. 

Like Jennings, Coleman has tallied three consecutive seasons with a batting average above .400 and is known more for being a threat on the basepaths and in the field—like when she robbed Florida State’s Kalei Harding of a homer at the wall in Game 2 of the WCWS finals—compared to Jennings’ raw power at the plate. 

Coleman led the Sooners in runs (71) and stolen bases (18) last season, starting all 62 games in center field. She also picked up her second consecutive perfect season in the field in the process and parlayed it all to win the Big 12 Player of the Year Award. 

Jennings’ power and Coleman’s all-around game is a devastating 1-2 punch to handle, and if they’re both firing, it’s difficult to see OU losing.

Notable Newcomers

Kelly Maxwell, LHP

When two-time NFCA first-team All-American pitcher Jordy Bahl made the seismic announcement that she was transferring from OU to home-state program Nebraska in the offseason, the Sooners’ pitching staff looked as if it could have a vulnerability. 

That is, until Maxwell made the near-equally seismic switch from Bedlam rival Oklahoma State to Oklahoma.

The 2022 Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Year, a past NFCA first-team All-American and the Cowgirls’ career leader in strikeouts per seven innings (10.6), Maxwell was the ace on three straight OSU teams in the WCWS from 2021-2023, tossing a career ERA of 1.58 along the way. 

It’s difficult to see her getting much of a warm reception from OSU when the program visits Norman for each team's final regular-season series in early May, but OU will take the seamless transition from Bahl to Maxwell.

Maxwell will be paired with returning right-hander Nicole May (48-3, 1.47 ERA in Sooners career) for yet another stacked duo of starters on the mound.

Ella Parker, UTL

The niece of Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Parker was a decorated high school player in California—she batted an incredible .651 during her final prep season—and already has been turning it into production in flashes with the Sooners, impressing in OU’s fall Battle Series with a homer in the finale of scrimmages. 

With two decorated senior mentors in Jennings and Coleman, don’t be surprised if Parker shines right away in Norman this year and earns the right to be one of their successors, once the two established superstars move on from the college game.

2024 Oklahoma Softball Roster

Oklahoma Softball Schedule 2024

2024 Puerto Vallarta Challenge Tournament Schedule

Session 1 Schedule

All Times Eastern

Feb. 8

• 11:30 a.m. – Utah Valley vs. Oklahoma
• 2 p.m. – Duke vs. Oklahoma
• 5 p.m. – Iowa State vs. Utah Valley
• 7:30 p.m. – Nebraska vs. Washington

Feb. 9

• 11 a.m. – Duke vs. Iowa State
• 1:30 p.m. – Duke vs. Nebraska
• 4 p.m. – Long Beach vs. Nebraska
• 7 p.m. – Utah Valley vs. Washington
• 9:30 p.m. – Oklahoma vs. Washington

Feb. 10

• 11:30 a.m. – Nebraska vs. Utah Valley
• 2 p.m. – Oklahoma vs. Long Beach
• 5 p.m. – Washington vs. Iowa State
• 7:30 p.m. – Duke vs. Long Beach

Feb. 11

• 10 a.m. – Iowa State vs. Long Beach

Session 2 Schedule

All times Eastern

Feb. 14

• 1 p.m. – Clemson vs. Wichita State

Feb. 15

• 11 a.m. – UC San Diego vs. Clemson
• 1:30 p.m. – UC Davis vs. Auburn
• 4 p.m. – Utah vs. Auburn
• 7 p.m. – Wichita State vs. South Carolina
• 9:30 p.m. – Utah vs. South Carolina

Feb. 16

• 11 a.m. – Mississippi State vs. UC Davis
• 1:30 p.m. – South Carolina vs. UC Davis
• 4 p.m. – UC San Diego vs. Mississippi State
• 7 p.m. – Clemson vs. Utah
• 9:30 p.m. – Auburn vs. Wichita State

Feb. 17

• 11 a.m. – South Carolina vs. UC San Diego
• 1:30 p.m. – UC Davis vs. Wichita State
• 4 p.m. – Clemson vs. Auburn
• 7 p.m. – Mississippi State vs. Utah
• 9:30 p.m. – Mississippi State vs. Clemson

Feb. 18

• 11 a.m. – UC San Diego vs. Utah

How To Watch the 2024 Puerto Vallarta College Challenge

Watch the 2024 Puerto Vallarta College Challenge on FloSoftball and the FloSports App.

Mary Nutter Softball Tournament Schedule 

Thursday, Feb. 22:

All times Eastern

Wrigley Field

• Rutgers vs. Hawaii, 3 p.m.
• Rutgers vs. BYU, 5:30 p.m.
• Oregon vs. Central Florida, 8 p.m.
• Oregon vs. Baylor, 10:30 p.m.

Yankee Stadium

• Bethune Cookman vs. BYU, 3 p.m.
• Bethune Cookman vs. Oregon State, 5:30 p.m.
• San Diego State vs. Missouri, 8 p.m.
• Wisconsin vs. Missouri, 10:30 p.m.

Fenway Park

• Oregon State vs. Wisconsin 2:30 p.m.
• Central Florida vs. Mississippi State, 5 p.m.
• Baylor vs. Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m.
• Mississippi State vs. Notre Dame, 10 p.m.

Mary Nutter Softball Tournament Schedule For Feb. 23

All times Eastern

Wrigley Field

• San Diego State vs. Nebraska, 1 p.m.
• UCLA vs. Nebraska, 3:30 p.m.
• UCLA vs. Northwestern, 6 p.m.
• Oklahoma vs. Mississippi State, 8:30 p.m.
• Oklahoma vs. Wisconsin, 11 p.m.

Yankee Stadium

• Hawaii vs. Fresno State, 1:30 p.m.
• Hawaii vs. California, 4 p.m.
• Notre Dame vs. Oregon, 6:30 p.m.
• Long Beach State vs. Oregon, 9 p.m.
• Central Florida vs. Oregon State, 11:30 p.m.

Fenway Park

• Rutgers vs. Loyola Marymount, 1 p.m.
• Tennessee vs. Loyola Marymount, 3:30 p.m.
• Tennessee vs. CSU Fullerton, 6 p.m.
• Missouri vs. Central Florida, 8:30 p.m.
• Missouri vs. CSU Fullerton, 11 p.m.

Des Moines Field

• Cal Poly vs. California, 1 p.m.
• Cal Poly vs. Utah, 3:30 p.m.
• Bethune Cookman vs. San Diego State, 6 p.m.
• University of San Diego vs. Wisconsin, 8:30 p.m.
• University of San Diego vs. Utah, 11 p.m.

Pawtucket Field

• Illinois vs. CSU Northridge, 1:30 p.m.
• Seattle University vs. CSU Northridge, 4 p.m.
• Long Beach State vs. BYU, 6:30 p.m.
• UC Riverside vs. Rutgers, 9 p.m.
• UC Riverside vs. Baylor, 11:30 p.m.

All times Eastern

Wrigley Field

• Oregon vs. Nebraska, 1 p.m.
• Oklahoma vs. San Diego State, 3:30 p.m.
• UCLA vs. Illinois, 6 p.m.
• UCLA vs. Baylor, 8:30 p.m.
• Missouri vs. Baylor, 11 p.m.

Yankee Stadium

• Illinois vs. Hawaii, 10:30 a.m.
• Oregon State vs. Notre Dame, 12 p.m.
• Oregon State vs. Tennessee, 2:30 p.m.
• Central Florida vs. Tennessee, 5 p.m.
• Central Florida vs. University of San Diego, 7:30 p.m.

Fenway Park

• Bethune Cookman vs. Loyola Marymount, 10 a.m.
• Northwestern vs. Loyola Marymount, 12:30 p.m.
• Northwestern vs. University of San Diego, 3 p.m.
• Wisconsin vs. Utah, 5:30 p.m.
• Rutgers vs. Cal Poly, 8 p.m.

Des Moines Field

• Cal vs. Seattle University, 10:30 a.m.
• Utah vs. Seattle University, 1 p.m.
• Mississippi State vs. Fresno State, 3:30 p.m.
• CSU Northridge vs. Rutgers, 6 p.m.
• CSU Fullerton vs. Mississippi State, 8:30 p.m.

Pawtucket Field

• Fresno State vs. Long Beach State, 10:30 a.m.
• Wisconsin vs. Long Beach State, 12 p.m.
• CSU Northridge vs. Bethune Cookman, 2:30 p.m.
• BYU vs. Cal Poly, 5 p.m.
• BYU vs. UC Riverside, 7:30 p.m.

Mary Nutter Softball Tournament Schedule For Feb. 25

All times Eastern

Wrigley Field

• Notre Dame vs. Oklahoma, 12 p.m.
• Loyola Marymount vs. Oklahoma, 2:30 p.m.
• UCLA vs. Tennessee, 5 p.m.

Yankee Stadium

• Nebraska vs. Utah, 12 p.m.
• Nebraska vs. CSU Fullerton, 2:30 p.m.
• University of San Diego vs. UC Riverside, 5 p.m.

Fenway Park

• Oregon State vs. Northwestern, 12 p.m.
• Tennessee vs. Hawaii, 2:30 p.m.
• Fresno State vs. Cal Poly, 5 p.m.

Des Moines Field

• CSU Fullerton vs. Seattle University, 4:30 p.m.
• UC Riverside vs. Seattle University, 7 p.m.

Pawtucket Field

• California vs. Illinois, 12 p.m.
• California vs. Long Beach State, 2:30 p.m.

How To Watch The Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic 2024

The Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic is streaming on FloSoftball and the FloSports app. Replays of the games, highlights and more breaking news will be on both platforms.