The Oklahoma Sooners have completely dominated NCAA softball over the past decade. The Sooners have amassed 6 national championships over that span, including an unprecedented “4-Peat” from 2021-2024.
From 2021-2024 the Sooners went a combined 245-15. In 2023 they finished the season 61-1! But their reign as the unquestioned best team in the NCAA came to an end last season. In 2025, the Sooners were a very respectable 52-9 overall, and went undefeated through the super regional, but cracks appeared in the WCWS playoff. There, the Sooners lost games to eventual champion Texas, and then to eventual runner up Texas Tech and were eliminated from contention for the first time in 5 years.
So what happened? In 2025 Oklahoma’s offense was as productive as ever– they finished the season #2 in the nation in on base percentage, 3rd in the nation in home runs, and in the top 9 in total scoring. They were led by freshman Gabbie Garcia who belted 20 home runs and finished in the top 25 in the nation in that category.
They also had a strong pitching staff led by Senior Pitcher Sam Landry. She finished the season ranked in the top 25 in the nation in ERA and strike outs.
But overall, in 2025, Oklahoma’s pitching started to decline compared to other top programs. They were only in the top 21 in the nation in overall ERA– and lagged noticeably behind Texas, Texas Tech, and others in the mix such as Oregon, Arizona, Tennessee, and Florida State. They also ranked only in the top 36 in team strike outs– with Texas and Texas Tech notable higher at #19 and #13, respectively.
Oklahoma’s pitching was good, but not great, and not dominant. Certainly not on the same level as the elite pitching we saw from 2021-2024. For 2026, the team has a stable of highly credentialed pitchers led by senior Kiersten Diel and sophomore Audrey Lowry. But will the 2026 season return the Sooners to softball glory, or will they continue their slide from dominance?
Ultimately, I think they continue their slide, and I think the reason is the NIL. With NIL, and softball as one of the few revenue positive sports in the NCAA, there is going to be a lot of competition for top players, and it’s going to be awfully hard to maintain a dynasty. The best players no longer need to choose a top team to get noticed– now they can simply play for the highest bidder. With uber pitcher NiJaree Canady earning a reported seven figure NIL deal from Texas Tech in 2025, disruption is the new normal in all college athletics. And that’s bad news for former dynasties like Oklahoma.
