OU Softball Kicks Off 2026 Season with Media Day

Photos capture Patty Gasso and Oklahoma Sooners players at Lloyd Noble Center

Jan. 31, 2026 at 2:07pm

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The Oklahoma Sooners softball team held its annual media day on January 31, 2026 at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Head coach Patty Gasso and several players, including Kasidi Pickering, Gabbie Garcia, Ella Parker, and Kierston Deal, spoke to the media and posed for photos ahead of the upcoming 2026 season.

Why it matters

The Sooners softball program is a perennial powerhouse, having won multiple national championships under Gasso's leadership. Media day provides an opportunity for fans and the public to get a first look at the team's roster and hear directly from the coaches and players about their goals and expectations for the new season.

The details

The media day event featured individual and group photos of the Sooners players and coaches. Gasso, entering her 31st season as the Sooners' head coach, addressed the media and discussed the team's preparations for the 2026 campaign. Several key players, including Pickering, Garcia, Parker, and Deal, also spoke to reporters and shared their excitement for the upcoming season.

  • The media day event took place on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma.

The players

Patty Gasso

The head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners softball team, Gasso has led the program to multiple national championships during her 31-year tenure.

Kasidi Pickering

A member of the Oklahoma Sooners softball team, Pickering spoke to the media at the 2026 media day event.

Gabbie Garcia

A player on the Oklahoma Sooners softball team, Garcia participated in the 2026 media day festivities.

Ella Parker

An Oklahoma Sooners softball player, Parker was in attendance at the team's 2026 media day.

Kierston Deal

A member of the Oklahoma Sooners softball team, Deal spoke to reporters at the 2026 media day event.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

The takeaway

The Oklahoma Sooners softball team is gearing up for another promising season under the leadership of longtime head coach Patty Gasso. With a talented roster of returning players, the Sooners will look to build on their past successes and compete for a national championship in 2026.