Patty Gasso describes emotions of capping off four-peat
Unprecedented almost doesn’t cover it in regards to the four-peat accomplished by Oklahoma Softball. That’s why it was even hard to explain by the woman who has founded it herself in Patty Gasso.
Gasso discussed the achievement of the Sooners winning their fourth straight national championship following their 8-4 win and sweep over Texas in the Women’s College World Series from OKC. She almost couldn’t bring herself out of the familiar moment long enough to describe it. When she did, though, she did hope that everyone realizes that what they’ve done is much harder than it has looked for OU.
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“How do I explain this? I’m so in the moment with them all the time, it’s almost like, ‘Well, here we are again,'” said Gasso. “I think, when they’re on their own, I’ll start understanding it more.”
“It’s almost, like, let’s go – ‘Okay, let’s go. Let’s go win another one!’. People say, ‘Let’s go win one’. You’re like, ‘Okay!'” said Gasso. “It’s not like that. It’s very difficult. Everything has to go right.”
However, Gasso had a team that could handle this and, in the end, had things go right for them. That was quite a lot that they needed to have happen too considering all that happened in their program since they completed the three-peat almost a year ago to the day.
“The thing about them is they’re resilient. They have a lot of pride in that,” said Gasso. “With that, it’s hard for me to comprehend. I continue to say this one was the hardest to manage. We lost a lot in the summer. Players through the portal, brought in some great ones.
With the season now over, the Sooners went 59-7 in 2024. It was just the latest installment in an elite run for the program as they’re 235-15 since 2021.
Oklahoma has won 51 or more games in 11 of the last 13 seasons. One of those was the pandemic season in 2020 where they posted a final record of 20-4. That span also includes seven of their eight national titles after last night’s four-run victory over the Longhorns.
2016 represents a shift to even better than that. During the past nine seasons, OU has won 56 or more games in each season but that one in 2020. Of the last eight finals of the Women’s College World Series, they’ve appeared in seven and won six. That’s highlighted by five consecutive appearances in the final and, as of yesterday, their fourth straight victory in the title series.
This history has obviously been something special and emotional for everyone at Oklahoma to be a part of. It’s also just not anything that the Sooners, whether Gasso or her players, can wrap their heads around just yet, regardless of how incredible it truly is.
“It’s not anything to do about anything else except what I know happened here. I watched it, experienced it. It was amazing. Amazing,” said Gasso. “That’s just a tribute to all these names here and those who aren’t.”
“What’s really weird for me is, in four years, I’ve never had a cry up here. But I did anyway because they were all sitting here. When they’re out, it’s easier. It’s like I haven’t felt the hurt of the last loss,” Gasso said. “That is just incomprehensible at this level. It’s crazy. But it’s an honor.”