Patty Gasso explains 'Lioness' approach for Oklahoma softball in 2025

Patty Gasso and the Oklahoma softball team are inspired by the television show Lioness and want to be on the hunt this season.

Winners of four straight national titles, Oklahoma should be the hunted. But, the Sooners refuse to be on the defensive and want to make sure they all buy into the program established by Gasso.

Arguably the greatest college softball coach in the sport’s history, it’s hard to argue with Gasso’s logic.

“It’s interesting because this year is something I’ve never experienced before,” Gasso told Sirius XM. “One, going into the SEC, two, losing 10 seniors and bringing in 14 newcomers. So I’ve never experienced this in my 30-plus years of coaching at OU. So this has been really exciting for me. I’m not caught up in the end, I love the process, and so the process with this team has been quite new, quite different. 

“A lot of learning, a lot of mistakes, but still a lot of learning. What’s really important for me is that we go into every game like you said, hungry, fighting. We kind of are taking on that lioness (approach). Really love that Lioness show on Paramount, so we’ve watched it. And it’s that kind of female toughness that you’re bringing a lioness in the jungle. She is the hunter. She’s the one that brings the food back for the family.” 

Gasso might be taking that mentality to USA Softball, which she was just named the head coach of ahead of the 2028 LA Olympics. So if she’s going with the “lioness mentality,” you better watch out for Oklahoma, again.

“It’s really taking on that attack, aggressive, fighting mentality that’s going to give us a chance to win a lot of games,” Gasso said. “If we go in any other way, we’re going to fall behind. And then we’re going to scramble to find a way to get it done. We have a plan, and may not always work but we’re going to have to know how to be off course and get back on course.”

Gasso has coached the Sooners since 1995 and career record is 1,515-352-2. She has led Oklahoma to eight national titles, including four straight going into the 2025 season.

Gasso and Oklahoma open the season Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET against Cal State Northridge and San Diego State in a doubleheader out in San Diego.