2021 Oklahoma Sooners softball team explained

Sport:softball
Year:2021
Team:Oklahoma Sooners
Conference:Big 12 Conference
Short Conf:Big 12
Record:56–4
Conf Record:16–1
Head Coach:Patty Gasso
Hc Year:27th
Stadium:OU Softball Complex
Champion:National Champion
Big 12 Tournament champion
Big 12 regular season champion

The 2021 Oklahoma Sooners softball team was an American college softball team that represented the University of Oklahoma during the 2021 NCAA Division I softball season. The Sooners were led by Patty Gasso in her twenty-seventh season, and played their home games at OU Softball Complex. They competed in the Big 12 Conference, where they finished the season with a 56–4 record, including 16–1 in conference play.

The Sooners won the 2021 Big 12 Tournament, and qualified for the 2021 NCAA Division I softball tournament. They advanced to the 2021 Women's College World Series, where they defeated Florida State in three games to win their fifth championship in program history.[1] The Sooners homered in 58 of their 60 games, including 45 multi-home run games, and set the NCAA Division I single-season record for team batting average (.405), team slugging percentage (.778), on-base percentage (.490), home runs (161), runs scored (638), runs per game (10.63), home runs per game (2.68) and total bases (1,279).[2] They also set Women's College World Series records for home runs (15), runs scored (49) and hits (67).[3]

Roster

2021 Oklahoma Sooners roster
 Pitchers
  • 4 – Shannon Saile – Redshirt Senior
  • 7 – Olivia Rains – Sophomore
  • 13 – Macy McAdoo – Sophomore
  • 18 – Brooke Vestal – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 19 – Nicole May – Freshman
  • 42 – Giselle JuarezRedshirt Senior
  • 48 – Alanna Thiede – Sophomore

Catchers

Outfielders

  • 1 – Rylie Boone – Sophomore
 Infielders
  • 3 – Grace LyonsJunior
  • 5 – Taylon Snow – Senior
  • 12 – Mackenzie Donihoo – Sophomore
  • 20 – Jana Johns – Senior
  • 23 – Tiare JenningsFreshman
  • 33 – Zaida Puni – Freshman

Utility

  • 6 – Paige Knight – Freshman
  • 11 – Nicole MendesRedshirt Senior
  • 21 – Grace Green – Junior
  • 24 – Jayda ColemanFreshman
  • 25 – Raylee Pogue – Sophomore
  • 78 – Jocelyn AloSenior
 
Reference:[4]

Schedule

2021 Oklahoma Sooners softball game log
Regular season (42–2)
Post-season (14–2)

Rankings

See main article: 2021 NCAA Division I softball rankings.

Awards and honors

Weekly Awards
PlayerAwardDate AwardedRef.
Tiare JenningsBig 12 Player of the WeekFebruary 16, 2021[5]
Tiare JenningsBig 12 Player of the WeekMarch 9, 2021[6]
Shannon SaileCo-Big 12 Pitcher of the WeekMarch 9, 2021
Jocelyn AloBig 12 Player of the WeekMarch 16, 2021[7]
Jocelyn AloBig 12 Player of the WeekMarch 30, 2021[8]
Tiare JenningsBig 12 Player of the WeekApril 7, 2021[9]
Tiare JenningsCo-Big 12 Player of the WeekApril 20, 2021[10]
Shannon SaileBig 12 Pitcher of the WeekApril 27, 2021[11]
Individual Awards
PlayerAwardRef.
Jocelyn AloBig 12 Player of the Year
USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year

[12]
[13]
Tiare JenningsBig 12 Freshman of the Year
NFCA National Freshman of the Year
Grace LyonsBig 12 Defensive Player of the Year
Patty GassoBig 12 Coach of the Year
All-Big 12
PlayerSelectionRef.
Jocelyn AloFirst Team[14]
Jayda ColemanFirst Team
Tiare JenningsFirst Team
Grace LyonsFirst Team
Shannon SaileFirst Team
Mackenzie DonihooSecond Team
Lynnsie ElamSecond Team
Giselle JuarezSecond Team
Jayda ColemanFreshman Team
Tiare JenningsFreshman Team
Nicole MayFreshman Team
All-American
PlayerSelectionRef.
Jocelyn AloFirst Team[15]
Jayda ColemanFirst Team
Tiare JenningsFirst Team
Kinzie HansenSecond Team
Grace LyonsSecond Team

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sooners Capture Fifth National Championship . soonersports.com . John . Rohde . June 10, 2021 . June 10, 2021.
  2. Web site: OU Softball (Extra Frames): Sooners broke record after record, all season and at the World Series . . Abby . Bitterman . June 10, 2021 . June 10, 2021.
  3. Web site: Record Breakers . soonersports.com . June 29, 2021 . June 29, 2021.
  4. Web site: 2021 Softball Roster. soonersports.com . June 10, 2021.
  5. Web site: OU's Jennings, ISU's Spelhaug Take Opening Week Softball Awards . big12sports.com . February 16, 2021 . June 10, 2021.
  6. Web site: OU's Jennings & Saile, OSU's Eberle Earn Softball Honors . big12sports.com . March 9, 2021 . June 10, 2021.
  7. Web site: Oklahoma's Alo, Baylor's Binford take Week 5 Softball Honors . big12sports.com . March 16, 2021 . June 10, 2021.
  8. Web site: Oklahoma's Alo, Baylor's Rodoni Earn Week 7 Softball Honors . big12sports.com . March 30, 2021 . June 10, 2021.
  9. Web site: Sooners' Jennings, Longhorns' O'Leary clinch Week 8 Softball Awards . big12sports.com . April 6, 2021 . June 10, 2021.
  10. Web site: Texas Tech's Zoch and Whaley With OU's Jennings Claim Week 11 Softball Awards . big12sports.com . April 20, 2021 . June 10, 2021.
  11. Web site: Oklahoma's Saile, Texas' Burke Claim Week 12 Softball Awards . big12sports.com . April 27, 2021 . June 10, 2021.
  12. Web site: Jocelyn Alo named 2021 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year . https://web.archive.org/web/20210602004643/https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball/News/2021/June/01/Jocelyn-Alo-named-2021-USA-Softball-Collegiate-Player-of-the-Year . dead . June 2, 2021 . teamusa.org . June 1, 2021 . June 10, 2021.
  13. News: Oklahoma's Tiare Jennings named 2021 NFCA / Schutt Sports Division I National Freshman of the Year . nfca.org . June 1, 2021 . June 10, 2021.
  14. Web site: 2021 All-Big 12 Softball Awards Unveiled . big12sports.com . May 20, 2021 . June 10, 2021.
  15. Web site: 2021 Big 12 Softball National Honors . big12sports.com . May 20, 2021 . June 10, 2021.