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 Juarez – Redshirt Senior 48 – Alanna Thiede – Sophomore Catchers 1 – Kinsey Koeltzow – Junior 9 – Kinzie Hansen – Sophomore 22 – Lynnsie Elam – Senior Outfielders 1 – Rylie Boone – Sophomore		Infielders 3 – Grace Lyons – Junior 5 – Taylon Snow – Senior 12 – Mackenzie Donihoo – Sophomore 20 – Jana Johns – Senior 23 – Tiare Jennings – Freshman 33 – Zaida Puni – Freshman Utility 6 – Paige Knight – Freshman 11 – Nicole Mendes – Redshirt Senior 21 – Grace Green – Junior 24 – Jayda Coleman – Freshman 25 – Raylee Pogue – Sophomore 78 – Jocelyn Alo – Senior
Reference:^[4]

Schedule

2021 Oklahoma Sooners softball game log
Regular season (42–2)
February (12–0) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record Big 12 Record February 11 No. 4 29–0 ^(5) Juarez (1–0) Salazar (0–1) Rains (1) 0 1–0 – February 11 No. 4 Helen of Troy Field 9–0 ^(5) May (1–0) White (0–1) — 0 2–0 – February 12 vs Abilene Christian No. 4 Helen of Troy Field 11–0 ^(5) Juarez (2–0) Sinnott (0–1) — 0 3–0 – February 12 at UTEP No. 4 Helen of Troy Field 21–2 ^(5) May (2–0) Collins (0–1) — 0 4–0 – February 21 No. 2 12–4 ^(6) Juarez (3–0) Hertenberger (1–1) — 120 5–0 – February 21 at Houston No. 2 Cougar Softball Stadium 5–3 May (3–0) Lee (0–1) Saile (1) 120 6–0 – February 22 No. 2 Cougar Softball Stadium 13–0 ^(5) Saile (1–0) Bridges (0–3) — 0 7–0 – February 26 No. 2 8–0 ^(5) Saile (2–0) Guindon (1–3) — 147 8–0 – February 26 No. 2 Farrington 5–3 Juarez (4–0) Royalty (3–1) Saile (2) 285 9–0 – February 27 vs. New Mexico State No. 2 Farrington 33–4 ^(5) May (3–0) Hannappel (0–1) — 0 10–0 – February 27 No. 2 14–0 ^(5) Saile (3–0) Hambrick (2–4) — 65 11–0 – February 27 No. 2 GCU Softball Stadium 8–0 ^(5) Juarez (5–0) Grey (1–1) — 45 12–0 –
March (13–0) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record Big 12 Record March 5 No. 1 7–0 May (5–0) Billmeier (0–1) — 184 13–0 – March 6 No. 1 OU Softball Complex 5–2 Juarez (6–0) Krings (3–1) — 0 14–0 – March 6 No. 1 OU Softball Complex 9–0 ^(5) Saile (4–0) Chavarria (1–2) — 216 15–0 – March 7 No. 18 Missouri No. 1 OU Softball Complex 11–0 ^(5) Saile (5–0) Weber (5–1) — 150 16–0 – March 7 Sam Houston State No. 1 OU Softball Complex 17–0 ^(5) Thiede (1–0) Fitzpatrick (0–2) — 200 17–0 – March 10 No. 1 OU Softball Complex 14–0 ^(5) May (6–0) Gardiner (1–1) — 405 18–0 – March 12 Houston No. 1 9–1 ^(5) Saile (6–0) Lee (2–4) — 0 19–0 – March 12 No. 1 Hall of Fame Stadium 6–2 Juarez (7–0) Hoveland (5–3) — 0 20–0 – March 14 No. 1 Hall of Fame Stadium 5–4 May (7–0) Wagoner (2–2) — 550 21–0 – March 14 Liberty No. 1 Hall of Fame Stadium 16–0 ^(5) May (8–0) Kirby (4–3) — 1,083 22–0 – March 26 No. 1 9–7 Juarez (8–0) Charles (10–3) — 527 23–0 1–0 March 27 at Iowa State No. 1 Cyclone Sports Complex 10–2 ^(6) Saile (7–0) Swain (1–2) — 560 24–0 2–0 March 28 at Iowa State No. 1 Cyclone Sports Complex 22–2 ^(5) May (9–0) Charles (10–4) — 0 25–0 3–0
April (14–1) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record Big 12 Record April 1 No. 1 OU Softball Complex 14–0 ^(5) Saile (8–0) Goff (7–3) — 449 26–0 4–0 April 2 Kansas No. 1 OU Softball Complex 6–2 Juarez (9–0) Mills (1–2) — 445 27–0 5–0 April 3 Kansas No. 1 OU Softball Complex 10–1 ^(5) Juarez (10–0) Hamilton (3–6) — 465 28–0 6–0 April 10 No. 1 9–0 ^(5) Juarez (11–0) Williams (3–4) — 500 29–0 – April 10 No. 1 Dr. Billy Bundrick Field 10–0 ^(5) May (10–0) Hernandez (6–6) — 500 30–0 – April 16 No. 1 OU Softball Complex 11–1 ^(5) Juarez (12–0) O'Leary (9–1) — 459 31–0 7–0 April 17 No. 7 Texas No. 1 OU Softball Complex 10–2 ^(5) Saile (9–0) Jacobsen (11–3) — 484 32–0 8–0 April 18 No. 7 Texas No. 1 OU Softball Complex 9–0 ^(5) May (11–0) O'Leary (9–2) — 497 33–0 9–0 April 20 No. 1 6–7 ^(9) Mary Wilson (15–5) May (11–1) — 400 33–1 – April 20 at No. 21 Georgia No. 1 Jack Turner Stadium 12–3 ^(5) Saile (10–0) Cutting (6–5) — 400 34–1 – April 24 No. 1 OU Softball Complex 15–0 ^(5) Juarez (13–0) Zoch (9–10) — 766 35–1 10–0 April 24 Texas Tech No. 1 OU Softball Complex 5–0 Saile (11–0) Edmoundson (7–9) — 766 36–1 11–0 April 25 Texas Tech No. 1 OU Softball Complex 20–0 ^(5) Juarez (14–0) Zoch (9–11) — 752 37–1 12–0 April 27 No. 1 7–1 Juarez (15–0) Rodoni (9–7) — 600 38–1 13–0 April 27 at Baylor No. 1 Getterman Stadium 11–0 ^(6) Saile (12–0) Mansell (7–4) — 600 39–1 14–0
May (3–1) Date Opponent Rank Site Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record Big 12 Record May 4 No. 1 14–3 ^(5) Saile (13–0) Lange (19–6) — 730 40–1 – May 7 No. 1 4–6 Eberle (19–1) Juarez (15–1) — 609 40–2 14–1 May 8 at No. 9 Oklahoma State No. 1 Cowgirl Stadium 6–4 Saile (14–0) Maxwell (14–3) May (1) 652 41–2 15–1 May 9 at No. 9 Oklahoma State No. 1 Cowgirl Stadium 11–8 May (12–1) Eberle (19–2) — 663 42–2 16–1
Post-season (14–2)
(3–0) Date Opponent Rank Site Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record B12T Record May 14 vs. Baylor No. 1 Hall of Fame Stadium 10–2 ^(5) Saile (15–0) Binford (5–4) — 3,839 43–2 1–0 May 14 vs. Texas Tech No. 1 Hall of Fame Stadium 8–2 Juarez (16–1) Edmoundson (7–11) — 3,839 44–2 2–0 May 15 vs. No. 9 Oklahoma State Final No. 1 Hall of Fame Stadium 10–2 ^(6) Saile (16–0) Eberle (21–3) — 3,879 45–2 3–0
(3–0) Date Opponent Rank Site Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record Regional Record May 21 No. 1 OU Softball Complex 19–0 ^(6) Juarez (17–1) Rundlett (12–8) — 1,555 46–2 1–0 May 22 vs. Wichita State No. 1 OU Softball Complex 7–5 Juarez (18–1) Lange (22–6) May (2) 1,556 47–2 2–0 May 23 vs. Wichita State No. 1 OU Softball Complex 24–7 May (13–1) Lange (22–8) — 1,668 48–2 3–0
(2–0) Date Opponent Rank Site Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record Super Reg. Record May 28 No. 1 OU Softball Complex 4–2 May (14–1) Plain (32–4) — 1,758 49–2 1–0 May 28 vs. No. 16 Washington No. 1 OU Softball Complex 9–1 ^(5) Saile (17–0) Plain (32–5) — 1,800 50–2 2–0
(6–2) Date Opponent Rank Site Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record WCWS Record June 3 vs. James Madison First round No. 1 Hall of Fame Stadium 3–4 ^(8) Alexander (17–1) Saile (17–1) — — 50–3 0–1 June 5 vs. Georgia First round No. 1 Hall of Fame Stadium 8–0 ^(6) Juarez (19–1) Wilson Avant (20–12) — — 51–3 1–1 June 5 vs. No. 2 UCLA Second round No. 1 Hall of Fame Stadium 10–3 Juarez (20–1) Garcia (18–3) — — 52–3 2–1 June 6 vs. James Madison Semifinals No. 1 Hall of Fame Stadium 6–3 May (15–1) Alexander (18–2) — — 53–3 3–1 June 7 vs. James Madison Semifinals No. 1 Hall of Fame Stadium 7–1 Juarez (21–1) Alexander (18–3) — — 54–3 4–1 June 8 vs. No. 10 Florida State Final – Game 1 No. 1 Hall of Fame Stadium 4–8 Watson (12–1) May (15–2) — 12,173 54–4 4–2 June 9 vs. No. 10 Florida State Final – Game 2 No. 1 Hall of Fame Stadium 6–2 Juarez (22–1)) Sandercock (27–4) — 12,115 55–4 5–2 June 10 vs. No. 10 Florida State Final – Game 3 No. 1 Hall of Fame Stadium 5–1 Juarez (23–1)) Watson (12–2) — 10,830 56–4 6–2

Rankings

See main article: 2021 NCAA Division I softball rankings.

Awards and honors

Weekly Awards

Player	Award	Date Awarded	Ref.
Tiare Jennings	Big 12 Player of the Week	February 16, 2021	^[5]
Tiare Jennings	Big 12 Player of the Week	March 9, 2021	^[6]
Shannon Saile	Co-Big 12 Pitcher of the Week	March 9, 2021
Jocelyn Alo	Big 12 Player of the Week	March 16, 2021	^[7]
Jocelyn Alo	Big 12 Player of the Week	March 30, 2021	^[8]
Tiare Jennings	Big 12 Player of the Week	April 7, 2021	^[9]
Tiare Jennings	Co-Big 12 Player of the Week	April 20, 2021	^[10]
Shannon Saile	Big 12 Pitcher of the Week	April 27, 2021	^[11]

Individual Awards

Player	Award	Ref.
Jocelyn Alo	Big 12 Player of the Year USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year	^[12] ^[13]
Tiare Jennings	Big 12 Freshman of the Year NFCA National Freshman of the Year
Grace Lyons	Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year
Patty Gasso	Big 12 Coach of the Year

All-Big 12

Player	Selection	Ref.
Jocelyn Alo	First Team	^[14]
Jayda Coleman	First Team
Tiare Jennings	First Team
Grace Lyons	First Team
Shannon Saile	First Team
Mackenzie Donihoo	Second Team
Lynnsie Elam	Second Team
Giselle Juarez	Second Team
Jayda Coleman	Freshman Team
Tiare Jennings	Freshman Team
Nicole May	Freshman Team

All-American

Player	Selection	Ref.
Jocelyn Alo	First Team	^[15]
Jayda Coleman	First Team
Tiare Jennings	First Team
Kinzie Hansen	Second Team
Grace Lyons	Second 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.