Completed Event: Softball at #12/14 Texas A&M on May 1, 2026 , Loss , 5, to, 8
Final
Softball
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at #12/14 Texas A&M
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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Photo by: Peyton Martin/University of Oklahoma
Softball Coaching Staff Named ATEC/NFCA Midwest Region Staff of the Year
June 05, 2026 | Softball
18th Time in Program History the Staff Has Earned the Honor
NORMAN — The Oklahoma Softball coaching staff was named National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year as announced June 5. The honor marks the 18th time in program history that the staff has been tabbed as regional coaching staff of the year, all of which have come during head coach Patty Gasso's tenure with the Sooners.
The Sooners went 52-10 in 2026, winning their second consecutive SEC Regular Season Championship after going 20-4 in league play and taking all eight conference series. Oklahoma swept the Norman Regional and advanced to its 16th consecutive super regional, an active DI record. The Sooners tallied 50-plus wins for the 10th consecutive season and the 19th time under head coach Patty Gasso. Gasso would also become just the third coach in NCAA history to surpass 1,600 career wins.
For the seventh year in a row at least four Sooners were tabbed as NFCA All-Americans, while Kendall Wells earned the program's fifth NFCA Freshman of the Year honor and second Diamond Sports/NFCA Catcher of the Year award. Kai Minor was also named a top-three finalist for the NFCA Freshman of the Year honor, marking just the third time in the award's history that teammates finished as top three finalists.
Oklahoma led the SEC in conference postseason honors with 10, highlighted by Wells' SEC Freshman of the Year honor and four first team selections. Wells, Minor, Gabbie Garcia and Ella Parker all earned SEC First Team recognition, with the quartet also taking home NFCA All-American recognition.
The Sooners led the country in batting average (.384) and became the fastest program to reach 100 home runs in a season en route to a program record 187 roundtrippers. OU also became the only team in the nation with five players over 20 home runs.
NFCA Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year
Central - Arkansas
East - Duke
Great Lakes - Indiana
Gulf - UCF
Mid-Atlantic - Tennessee
Midwest - Oklahoma
Mountain - Nebraska
Northeast - Boston University
South - Alabama
West - UCLA
The Sooners went 52-10 in 2026, winning their second consecutive SEC Regular Season Championship after going 20-4 in league play and taking all eight conference series. Oklahoma swept the Norman Regional and advanced to its 16th consecutive super regional, an active DI record. The Sooners tallied 50-plus wins for the 10th consecutive season and the 19th time under head coach Patty Gasso. Gasso would also become just the third coach in NCAA history to surpass 1,600 career wins.
For the seventh year in a row at least four Sooners were tabbed as NFCA All-Americans, while Kendall Wells earned the program's fifth NFCA Freshman of the Year honor and second Diamond Sports/NFCA Catcher of the Year award. Kai Minor was also named a top-three finalist for the NFCA Freshman of the Year honor, marking just the third time in the award's history that teammates finished as top three finalists.
Oklahoma led the SEC in conference postseason honors with 10, highlighted by Wells' SEC Freshman of the Year honor and four first team selections. Wells, Minor, Gabbie Garcia and Ella Parker all earned SEC First Team recognition, with the quartet also taking home NFCA All-American recognition.
The Sooners led the country in batting average (.384) and became the fastest program to reach 100 home runs in a season en route to a program record 187 roundtrippers. OU also became the only team in the nation with five players over 20 home runs.
NFCA Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year
Central - Arkansas
East - Duke
Great Lakes - Indiana
Gulf - UCF
Mid-Atlantic - Tennessee
Midwest - Oklahoma
Mountain - Nebraska
Northeast - Boston University
South - Alabama
West - UCLA
Players Mentioned
Sunday, May 24
Saturday, May 23
Saturday, May 23
Friday, May 22
