Love's Field is the perfect representation of OU softball's greatness
Marita Hynes knows all too well how far the OU softball program has come.
Hynes, 76, was the program’s second coach, from 1977-1984. And she helped hire now-coach Patty Gasso in 1995 as the deputy athletics director. Her teams, over 40 years ago, played at Reaves Park, which only had around 100 seats. Then, she helped the program build Marita Hynes Field in 1998, which eventually had a capacity of almost 2,000. And on Friday, she was in attendance for the opening of Love’s Field, which is now the largest on-campus softball stadium in the country, with a capacity of 4,200.
If anyone knows how far the softball program has come and the legacy it’s built, it’s Hynes.
“To me, so many emotions because I go back and I think about how hard it was just to — we didn’t even have any staff,” Hynes told SoonerScoop.com. “Like I said, we played at Reaves Park. And then we built Marita Hynes Field, I thought it was state-of-the-art. This tops everything. It’s the best facility in the nation. And so I’m excited for them.”
Hynes built the OU softball program from the ground up, literally. And Gasso has since carried the torch, winning seven national championships and arguably the most dominant team in sports, which is currently on a 67-game winning streak and searching for its fourth consecutive national title.
There is no greater representation of the program that they built than the stadium Gasso’s team will now play in. It will last generations, becoming the mecca of college softball.
“We’ve seen the love of the game grow,” OU athletics director Joe Castiglione said. “And now we’ve taken the love of the game to put love into something that’s going to set the softball world on fire… You’ll be watching them from new seats, a new vantage point, and a new stadium. But you’re going to be watching the legacy of strong women with a championship mindset that also stands humbly on the shoulders of the players that came before them.”
Love’s Field is breathtaking. From the unique Oklahoma-shaped scoreboard to the crimson seats behind home plate to the still-not-finished locker rooms. Soon, Gasso’s life-sized statue will welcome fans into the softball arena, sitting in the middle of the Gate 1 concourse.
None of it would’ve been possible without the help of the Love family, which donated $12 million to complete the stadium. But it’s the players that inspired the Love family to donate. Their consistent success on the field and contagious personalities off it, have made it a program worth rooting for. Oklahoma fans have fallen in love with the program.
For a school that’s forever been known for its football success, softball has quickly become a sport some fans take the most pride in. That’s evident in the way fans helped raise money for Love’s Field and have since sold out the stadium for its opening weekend.
“Just to see the support that softball’s had, that Oklahoma brings and the support for women’s sports is — our price is going up. Definitely excited for the girls,” said Jocelyn Alo, who played for the Sooners from 2018-2022. “It means everything. It means they see a product and they know that it’s going to succeed. For the University of Oklahoma to support us and this decision and knowing that we’re going to bring in revenue year after year, I think OU might be a softball school now.”
Football is still king at OU, just like most Division I schools across the country. But there’s no question that softball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country. Just last season OU and Texas broke the record for softball attendance at USA Hall of Fame Stadium with 8,390 fans. And OU has recognized that by investing in the sport.
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Investing in women’s sports has been a constant theme in Norman, dating back to Hynes’ time in the athletic department.
“When I first came in, none of our women’s programs were strong at all,” Hynes said. “And I was lucky enough to hire our women’s basketball coach, Sherri Coale, and she built that from having 50 people in the stadium to 10,000. I’ll never forget that. And to see the growth of women’s gymnastics, tennis, softball – every women’s sport now is starting to elevate. And it means a lot to me.”
That’s why Friday’s celebration of Love’s Field is much larger than just the OU softball program. It’s sure to send waves across the sport. But it’s also a statement about what investing in women’s sports can do for a program.
“This is the theme of OU softball. Something larger than ourselves,” OU President Joe Harroz said. “This is March first — and March 1st is the first day of Women’s History Month. There is no better way to celebrate the progress of women in this country than to look at this softball team and celebrate this opening today.”
Runs will be scored. Strikes will be thrown. Home runs will be hit. And championships will be won at Love’s Field. That’s a guarantee.
Just like at Reaves Park and Marita Hynes Field, a legacy will be left — a legacy greater than the program and the sport itself.
“This is the final piece to complete the OU softball program,” Gasso said. “This is it, right here. And everyone is going to follow the lead. Our team is honored to represent over 300 alumni, some that are here today on this field. We will give our best to make all of you proud.”