Oklahoma

Oklahoma softball completes four-peat national championship at the WCWS and it was the hardest yet

Published

2 years ago

June 7, 2024

Press Room

Not one, not two, not three …

Four.

And for the Sooners, the fourth was the hardest.

Division-I college softball had never seen a four-peat national champion. Not until Thursday night in Oklahoma City, when Oklahoma beat Texas 8-4 to sweep the championship series.

“People say, ‘Let’s go win one,’” Sooners coach Patty Gasso said. “You’re like, ‘OK.’ It’s not like that. It’s very difficult. Everything has to go right. The thing about them is they’re resilient. They have a lot of pride in that.

“With that, it’s hard for me to comprehend.”

It’s been a presidential term of dominance for the Sooners. The Fab Five of Rylie Boone, Kinzie Hansen, Nicole May, Tiare Jennings and Jayda Coleman have 20 rings between them. They won as freshmen, won as seniors, won as sophomore and juniors.

“This one was the hardest one that I’ve ever had to work for in my life,” Jennings said. “This team, the adversity that we went through, we did it and we overcame everything.”

“This team has fought and fought all season long,” Hansen said.

Added Boone: “This was the most grinding one.”

A four-peat.

It’s ridiculous, really. A feat without precedence on the softball diamond. Four seasons ending in dog piles and confetti angels, of the Sooners flipping bats and raising trophies.

“We expect ourselves here, which is crazy to expect yourself winning the national championship every year,” May said.

Four-peats have only happened on other fields of play. Among the notable ones this century: Penn State volleyball (2007-10), Connecticut women’s basketball (2013-16), Oklahoma men’s gymnastics (2015-18).

In Division I, only Stanford men’s gymnastics, with five straight, has a longer active streak of national championships. Twelve teams compete in Division I men’s gymnastics compared to softball’s 291.

“We knew it was historic,” Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione said on the field after the game. “Of course we wanted to finish it off. I don’t know that I can truly verbalize how magnificent this is.”

May also struggled to describe it.

“Being a part of something that hasn’t been done before is pretty special, especially with this group,” May said. “I don’t think it’ll hit me, it never hits me for another couple weeks.”

Oklahoma softball joins Southern California beach volleyball and Virginia women’s swimming and diving in active four-peats.

Needless to stay, college softball is played on a much grander stage.

A championship record crowd of 12,324 packed Devon Park. Those who didn’t have a seat were lined up three and four deep on the concourse. Every pitch landed with a thud of anxious anticipation. Then the Sooners broke the game open with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Sooner-heavy crowd was jubilant.

In the seventh inning, Boone told herself not to cry.

“Please don’t do that,” Boone said, “because if they hit a grand slam I’m kinda screwed.”

Gasso even toyed with Texas, at least it seemed, en route to winning her eight national title — tying former Arizona coach Mike Candrea for the most in softball history. Gasso and pitching coach Jennifer Rocha tinkered with their pitching rotation like never before.

The Sooners started Liberty transfer Karlie Keeney in the circle. The only move more surprising than that was who replaced her: Wisconsin transfer Paytn Monticelli. The Sooners used their No. 4 and 5 pitchers to open a national championship closeout game.

May followed, then Kierston Deal. Finally, it was Kelly Maxwell who entered as closer. Maxwell was named the WCWS Most Outstanding Player.

“It worked exactly how it was supposed to,” Gasso said. “To a T.”

It was a difficult year for Maxwell, ostracized for crossing Bedlam lines and transferring in after four years at Oklahoma State.

The rest of the Sooners concocted obstacles if necessary.

“Everybody hates us, no one wants us to win anymore, but that’s fine,” May said. “We just got a fourth, so it’s OK.”

The three-time defending champions convinced themselves that they were underdogs entering the series against No. 1-seeded Texas – a team they had split four games against during the regular season and Big 12 tournament..

“There were so many times that we could’ve been defeated … ‘Are they gonna do it, are they not?’ But we just fought,” Boone said. “There was a lot of failure, more than what at least this class is used to and this team is used to. The adversity, I think it helped us be able to stand here and say that we won a fourth one.”

The Sooners have been crowned champs in six of the last eight Women’s College World Series. In what used to be a West Coast-dominated sport, this century has belonged to Gasso’s Sooners.

Eight national championships. Four in four years.

“Just unreal,” said Jennings, still catching her breath. “We just did the impossible.”

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma bill aims to ban obscene materials in public school libraries

Published

1 hour ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

Oklahoma bill aims to ban obscene materials in public school libraries

A local lawmaker is introducing a bill to prohibit obscene materials in Oklahoma public school libraries.

Rep. Chris Banning, R-Bixby, filed legislation this week, House Bill 2978, that would update state law and prohibit the acquisition of materials that meet Oklahoma’s legal definition of obscenity.

The bill removes references to subjective community standards and relies on established statute, according to Banning.

“This legislation provides a straightforward statewide rule that helps ensure school libraries stay within the definition of education,” Banning said. “According to Black’s Law Dictionary, education is defined as providing proper moral, intellectual and physical instruction.”

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How to watch Oklahoma Sooners: Live stream info, TV channel, game time | Jan. 7

Published

13 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

How to watch Oklahoma Sooners: Live stream info, TV channel, game time | Jan. 7

The Mississippi State Bulldogs (9-5, 1-0 SEC) will host Xzayvier Brown and the Oklahoma Sooners (11-3, 1-0 SEC) at Humphrey Coliseum on Wednesday, Jan. 7. The game tips at 7 p.m. ET.

In the article below, we’ll give you all the info you need to watch this matchup on TV.

As college hoops matchups continue, prepare for the contest with everything you need to know about Wednesday’s game.

Mississippi State vs. Oklahoma: How to watch on TV or live stream

Game day: Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Game time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Starkville, Mississippi
Arena: Humphrey Coliseum
TV Channel: SEC Network
Live stream: Fubo – Watch NOW (Regional restrictions may apply)

Check out: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Watch college basketball on Fubo!

Oklahoma vs. Mississippi State stats and trends

On offense, Oklahoma is averaging 87.3 points per game (29th-ranked in college basketball). It is surrendering 72.2 points per contest at the other end (153rd-ranked).
The Sooners are averaging 34.8 boards per game (99th-ranked in college basketball) this year, while allowing 29.1 rebounds per contest (85th-ranked).
Oklahoma is delivering 16.7 assists per game, which ranks them 67th in college basketball in 2025-26.
The Sooners are forcing 11.1 turnovers per game this year (240th-ranked in college basketball), but they’ve averaged only 8.9 turnovers per game (eighth-best).
Oklahoma is draining 10.5 threes per game (28th-ranked in college basketball). It has a 35.6% shooting percentage (94th-ranked) from three-point land.
The Sooners rank 283rd in college basketball with 8.6 treys allowed per game this year. Meanwhile, they rank 317th with a 36.1% shooting percentage allowed from three-point land.
In terms of shot breakdown, Oklahoma has taken 53.1% two-pointers (accounting for 65.7% of the team’s baskets) and 46.9% three-pointers (34.3%).

Oklahoma vs. Mississippi State Odds and Spread

Spread Favorite: Sooners (-1.5)
Moneyline: Oklahoma (-116), Mississippi State (-104)
Total: 159.5 points

NCAA Basketball odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Wednesday at 3:47 a.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.

Watch college basketball on Fubo!

Follow the latest college sports coverage at College Sports Wire.

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Oklahoma opens applications for winter heating assistance

Published

1 day ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Oklahoma opens applications for winter heating assistance

OKLA. — Oklahomans who need help paying their heating bills can now apply for winter energy assistance through Oklahoma Human Services.

State officials announced Tuesday that online applications are open for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

The federally funded program helps qualifying households cover the cost of their primary heating source during the winter months.

Applications can be submitted online at OKDHSlive.org.

LIHEAP is offered twice each year — once during the winter for heating costs and again in the summer to help with cooling expenses.

Oklahoma Human Services also operates the Energy Crisis Assistance Program, which opens in the spring, along with year-round help for life-threatening energy emergencies.

Some households already receiving benefits through Oklahoma Human Services may be automatically approved for winter assistance and do not need to apply.

Those households have already been notified. Others who receive state assistance but are not pre-approved are encouraged to apply online.

Eligible households may receive one LIHEAP payment per year for winter heating, which is applied directly to their main energy source.

A household is defined as anyone sharing the same utility meter or energy supply.

Native American households may apply through Oklahoma Human Services or their tribal nation, but not both for the same program during the same federal fiscal year.

Income limits vary by household size. For example, a single-person household may earn up to $1,696 per month, while a family of four may earn up to $3,483 per month.

Larger households have higher income thresholds.

Applicants will need their most recent heating bill, a photo ID, Social Security number and proof of income.

Officials stress that utility information must be entered exactly as it appears on the bill.

Oklahoma Human Services expects high demand during the enrollment period and encourages applicants to apply online for faster processing.

Households with shutoff notices are not given priority and are urged to continue making payments or work with their utility providers to avoid service interruptions.

Funding for the winter heating program is limited, and applications will close once funds are exhausted.

The state has also announced tentative enrollment dates for other energy assistance programs in 2026: