When you talk OU softball, you hear a lot of goat talk. GOAT, of course, meaning the Greatest Of All Time.
That could be head coach Patty Gasso, who just earned national championship No. 8. Or it could be the senior class, that just finished going back-to-back-to-back-to-back.
Four seasons, four national championships.
Athletic director Joe Castiglione went a different route, though. At the championship celebration event at Love’s Field? Castiglione brought out actual goats.
“Real recognizes real,” he joked.
Indeed, Saturday evening in Norman was a time for celebration and reflection. Just two days removed from accomplishing the historic four-peat.
“These guys have taught me a lot about coaching and the word unapologetic,” Gasso said of her team. “They play hard. They care about the University of Oklahoma. They care about this program. They care about the past. But they really showed me that they care about each other.”
There was no massive announcement this year. Last year was when it was announced a Patty Gasso statue would be created.
It’s done, just hasn’t been unveiled to the public just yet.
Instead, this was more about honoring the legendary senior class one more time.
“Thank you Sooner Nation for the best four years of my life,” co-captain Tiare Jennings said. “This team, what a ride it’s been. You guys are crazy. … The championships are really nice but the relationships mean even more and I love you guys from the bottom of my heart.”
After the Women’s College World Series video recapped the journey to No. 8, it was time for the tradition to come to Love’s Field.
The outfield wall officially has the 2024 national champions plastered on it.
Gasso sums up 2024 journey
“This is a high-energy group,” Gasso said. “All of ’em. For me, as I’m getting older, and they have so much energy, it gets exhausting for me because I just can’t keep up with them.
“I think what they’re going to be known most of is just records, winning and records, breaking records, winning streaks. We lost one game last year. We lost one game. We lost seven this year, and you would think, oh, man, they’re going down.
“Wait a minute, wait a minute. We have to keep resetting. I have to keep resetting. Our coaching staff has to keep resetting. I will tell you also, this is not your question, but I have to shout out to my coaching staff is unbelievable. I’m sitting here. It’s like pitchers, they get the glory, but the catchers make the pitchers great. They are phenomenal catchers.”
Gasso continued.
“I’m proud of JT Gasso, my son,” she said. Jen Rocha was a former athlete of mine, who is now the best pitching coach in the country. And Fale Aviu. Fale Aviu Steele is now back on staff.
“It’s just been an amazing coaching experience with great coaches who help create this greatness that you see on the field. A lot of hard work goes into this.”
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