Oklahoma
Oklahoma Softball: Meet OU’s Opponents at the 2022 WCWS
Meet the opposite seven members within the 2022 Ladies’s Faculty World Collection because the Sooners look to defend their 2021 crown.
Danielle Williams has starred all yr as the important thing veteran chief for the Northwestern Wildcats
Picture through Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Wildcats: 45-11
Coach: Kate Drohan (656-385-1)
Workforce Batting Common: .304
Workforce ERA: 2.64
Ace within the Circle: Danielle Williams
Northwestern’s veteran chief, Danielle Williams returned this yr and was named the Large 10 Pitcher of the Yr. A powerful 31-4 on the yr, Williams enters Oklahoma Metropolis with an ERA of 1.86, recent off of firing the Wildcats to the Ladies’s Faculty World Collection with some resilient performances within the Tempe Tremendous Regional towards Arizona State. Williams, like lots of the seniors on this Northwestern staff, started her profession with a loss to the Sooners within the 2019 Norman Tremendous Regional
Participant to Watch: Rachel Lewis
The Large 10 Participant of the Yr, Rachel Lewis has blasted a powerful 22 dwelling runs to cleared the path for Northwestern. Lewis has began each single sport this yr fo the Wildcats, and likewise leads the staff in slugging proportion (.828), walks drawn (43) and on-base proportion (.495).
Texas coach Mike White returns to Oklahoma Metropolis after his controversial exit through the 2022 Large 12 Softball Match
Sarah Phipps / The Oklahoman-USA Right now Community
Texas Longhorns: 43-19-1
Coach: Mike White (591-164-2)
Workforce Batting Common: .309
Workforce ERA: 3.07
Ace within the Circle: Hailey Dolcini
Posting a 22-10 file on the season, Texas pitcher Hailey Dolcini is only one of two pitchers within the nation to file a win towards the Sooners this season. Throughout her two begins towards Oklahoma, Dolcini solely surrendered 5 whole runs, by far the perfect job completed all yr towards Oklahoma’s explosive offense. Dolcini has been implausible all through the NCAA Match, serving to the Longhorns upset Washington within the Seattle Regional earlier than Texas beat the Arkansas Razorbacks to get to Oklahoma Metropolis. Dolcini carries a 2.19 ERA headed into the WCWS.
Participant to Watch: Janae Jefferson
A unanimous All-Large 12 First Workforce choice, Janae Jefferson leads Texas in batting common (.431) and slugging proportion (.649), and she or he’s second on the staff in stolen bases (16) and third on the staff in RBIs (33). A gradual glove within the area as nicely, Jefferson holds it down within the Longhorns infield, posting a fielding proportion of .960.
Briana Perez has launched 10 dwelling runs for the UCLA Bruins this season
Michael Chow / The Republic-Phoenix
UCLA Bruins: 48-8
Coach: Kelly Inouye-Perez (717-188-1)
Workforce Batting Common: .324
Workforce ERA: 1.38
Ace within the Circle: Megan Faraimo
UCLA has two elite arms in Holly Azevedo and Megan Faraimo, however Faraimo acquired the nod for Pac-12 Pitcher of the Yr in 2022. Faraimo is 22-4 on the yr, coming into the WCWS with a 1.70 ERA. A strikeout specialist, Faraimo has fanned 278 batters whereas solely permitting 34 walks in 181 2/3 innings of labor this yr.
Participant to Watch: Briana Perez
UCLA’s most skilled participant within the postseason, Briana Perez received Pac 12 Defensive Participant of the Yr this season to associate with her exploits on the plate. Perez’s .393 batting common was second on the staff and the second finest within the convention, as she smacked 33 extra-base hits this yr.
Skylar Wallace is the offensive engine for her Florida Gators
Picture through Florida Athletics
Florida Gators: 48-17
Coach: Tim Walton (1,010-263)
Workforce Batting Common: .317
Workforce ERA: 2.36
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Ace within the Circle: Natalie Lugo
Florida platoons its pitchers, handing three totally different gamers over 70 innings of labor. Natalie Lugo has the bottom ERA of these three, posting a 1.98 mark in 77 2/3 innings of labor this yr. Elizabeth Hightower leads the way in which with 163 2/3 innings pitched this yr, however she enters Oklahoma Metropolis with an ERA of two.44.
Participant to Watch: Skylar Wallace
Florida’s solely All-SEC First Workforce honoree, Skylar Wallace leads the Gators in nearly each main offensive class. Wallace paces her staff in batting common (.406), dwelling runs (eight), RBIs (53), whole bases (117) and slugging proportion (.669) this season.
Frankie Hammoude led the way in which this season, and was an All-Pac 12 First Workforce choice for the Oregon State Beavers in 2022
Picture through Oregon State Athletics
Oregon State: 39-20
Coach: Laura Berg (243-230-1)
Workforce Batting Common: .274
Workforce ERA: 2.33
Ace within the Circle: Mariah Mazon
Named to the All-Pac 12 First Workforce, Mariah Mazon leads the cost for the Beavers within the circle. Mazon struck out 220 batters in 184 innings of motion, solely permitting 38 walks en path to posting a 2.05 ERA this season. Mazon is holding opponents to a batting common of .192 and has solely given up 17 dwelling runs in 28 appearances.
Participant to Watch: Frankie Hammoude
Oregon State’s different All-Pac 12 First Workforce honoree is slugger Frankie Hammoude. Hammoude paces the Beavers with 15 dwelling runs, additionally posting a team-high .386 batting common and .508 on-base proportion. Regardless of the facility, Hammoude solely has eight doubles and no triples this yr, however she makes up for it together with her endurance on the plate, drawing 37 walks this season.
Kelly Maxwell has anchored probably the greatest pitching staffs within the nation this yr for the Oklahoma State Cowgirls
Nathan J. Fish / The Oklahoman-USA Right now Community
Oklahoma State Cowgirls: 46-12
Coach: Kenny Gajewski (267-119)
Workforce Batting Common: .295
Workforce ERA: 1.84
Ace within the Circle: Kelly Maxwell
Oklahoma State’s ace has taken her sport to a different stage in 2022. Maxwell’s stellar season noticed her named Large 12 Co-Pitcher of the Yr alongside Oklahoma’s Jordy Bahl. Maxwell leads the Cowgirls in ERA (1.16), appearances (32), innings pitched (169), strikeouts (279) and opposing staff’s batting common (.141) as she’s helped fireplace the Cowgirls again to Oklahoma Metropolis for the third consecutive NCAA Match.
Participant to Watch: Miranda Elish
A stud pitcher in her personal proper, a late-season harm has restricted Miranda Elish’s manufacturing to simply her offense. Regardless of being restricted, Elish continues to be one of the impactful gamers on OSU’s roster. She leads the Cowgirls in slugging proportion (.605) and on-base proportion (.457) whereas additionally boasting Oklahoma State’s second finest batting common (.351) whereas driving in 31 runs this yr.
Arizona’s Allie Skaggs charges within the high 10 nationally with 24 dwelling runs this season
Picture through Arizona Athletics
Arizona Wildcats: 38-20
Coach: Caitlin Lowe (38-20)
Workforce Batting Common: .325
Workforce ERA: 3.75
Ace within the Circle: Hanah Bowen
All three Arizona pitchers have seen at the least 77 innings of motion this yr, however Hana Bowen is the staff’s strikeout specialist. Bowen has sat down 107 opposing batters this yr, holding opponents to a .256 batting common whereas rolling into the WCWS with a 3.67 ERA. The Wildcat pitcher has been identified to surrender the lengthy ball, nevertheless, as she’s allowed 26 dwelling runs off of her this season.
Participant to Watch: Allie Skaggs
Sophomore second baseman Allie Skaggs brings game-changing energy to the Arizona lineup. The All-Pac 12 Second Workforce choice has launched 24 homers this yr, posting a batting common of .371 and an on-base proportion of .460. Skaggs has additionally proved to be affected person on the plate, drawing 26 walks on the season.
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Get ready for Rocky Top After Dark.
The Southeastern Conference announced next week’s kickoff times on Saturday night, and Oklahoma gets to try to bounce back from a tough home loss to Ole Miss by playing at Tennessee — with a 6:30 p.m. at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville.
The league set all of next week’s start times following the conclusion of Saturday’s action.
Tennessee visited Kentucky in a night game and crushed the Wildcats 56-34.
OU suffered its second conference defeat at the hands of Lane Kiffin’s Rebels in a game that started Saturday morning, a 34-26 loss in which the Sooners compounded one costly mistake after another.
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Oklahoma (6-2 overall, 2-2 SEC) was ranked No. 14 last week and will surely drop after the loss to No. 8 Ole Miss.
Tennessee (6-2, 3-2) came into the weekend ranked No. 17 with losses to current No. 5 Georgia (44-41) and No. 4 Alabama (37-20).
Coached by former Sooners quarterback Josh Heupel, the Vols have a distinctive crimson and cream feel to their coaching staff. Former OU QB Joey Halzle is Tennessee’s offensive coordinator, and all-time passing leader Landry Jones is their assistant QB coach.
This past offseason, Heupel hired one of his best friends, former OU fullback and captain on the national championship team of 2000 — and Brent Venables’ offensive coordinator last year before he was fired at midseason — Seth Littrell.
The Vols beat Littrell and Oklahoma 25-15 last year in Norman in the Sooners’ very first game as a member of the SEC. Starting quarterback Jackson Arnold was benched in that game for true freshman Michael Hawkins.
OU won the previous two non-conference meetings in Norman in 2014 (34-10) and Knoxville in 2015 (31-24 in overtime). The latter, a furious fourth-quarter rally that fans called Sooner Magic, has always been viewed as the coming out party for Baker Mayfield.
Oklahoma leads the all-time series with the Vols, including a 17-0 loss in the 1938 Orange Bowl — OU’s very first bowl game — and a 26-24 win in the 1967 Orange Bowl.
Watch OKC Thunder receive NBA championship rings during ceremony
In a packed arena filled with Thunder fans, the Oklahoma City Thunder each received a hefty championship ring symbolizing their 2025 NBA Finals win.
As lawmakers in Oklahoma continue to debate how to legalize sports betting, the Oklahoma City Thunder wants to play a primary role in the potential new industry.
Oklahoma remains one of 11 states without legal sports betting as legislators, the governor, tribal governments and other industry insiders like the Thunder have failed to reach an agreement.
Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt has promised to veto any bill that is “exclusively giving a monopoly to the tribes,” while Matthew Morgan, chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association, contends that failing to include tribal governments in legalized sports betting would breach established gaming compacts.
The Thunder’s push to join the industry comes amid increased scrutiny of sports betting in the NBA after former and current coaches and players were charged Thursday, Oct. 23 with conspiring to commit fraud, money laundering, illegal gambling and extortion.
The FBI secured multiple indictments for more than 30 people related to their alleged role in the scandal, including Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier. The NBA placed Billups and Rozier on “immediate leave” after they were indicted.
A Thunder-Lakers game in January 2024 is also part of the investigation after a federal grand jury alleged in one indictment that defendant Marves Fairley placed a $100,000 bet against the Lakers after getting inside information from former NBA player Damon Jones that “one of the Lakers’ best players” was injured.
OKC Thunder would earn 0.25% of total handle under proposed model
Lawmakers in Oklahoma were already planning to discuss the future of sports betting in the state on Thursday, before details of the federal indictments came to light and immediately raised questions about the influence of gambling in the NBA and in other sports leagues.
No one who spoke at Thursday’s hearing mentioned the federal indictments.
Speaking to lawmakers, a representative for the OKC Thunder suggested authorizing the Thunder or a tribal consortium the ability to offer a single retail and mobile sports betting license to tribal and state approved operators, such as DraftKings or FanDuel.
Will Syring, vice president of corporate sponsorships for the Thunder, said any license would require all revenues generated from bets placed on the platform to be shared with the collective tribes, and 0.25% of total handle would be provided to the Thunder.
“In other markets, teams are getting direct licenses,” Syring said. “If they’re getting licenses, they are getting paid off of those bets. The league also only allows you to take a percentage off the top.”
Syring said the Thunder believes allocating 0.25% is an equitable way to ensure a healthy gaming market and allow the Thunder to remain competitive.
Every state that borders Oklahoma, except for Texas, has legalized sports betting, including Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Missouri and Arkansas.
But Morgan said the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association doesn’t believe any license can go through a non-tribal operator under terms of the State-Tribal Gaming Act.
“If we can find a way forward and work with the Oklahoma City Thunder, that’s what we want to keep in mind as we move forward,” Morgan said. “They’re a big part of the discussion and someone we want to ensure that we listen to their voice and their thoughts.”
Under the proposal outlined by Syring, the consortium or NBA team license would be geofenced to non-tribal territory in Oklahoma, and each tribal territory would be governed by any individual tribe and operator agreement where tribes could choose to operate a sports betting product within their territory.
But Morgan said lands eligible for sports betting under the Indian Gaming Regulation Act would be limited based on differing legal and treaty histories between tribes. Some tribes in Oklahoma have reservation statuses while others do not.
Under the Thunder’s model, exclusivity fees would be paid to the state under the existing compact structure, which grants the state a share of revenue generated by certain types of tribal gaming. The deal net Oklahoma more than $210 million last year, with most of the money going to education.
“At the end of the day, all Oklahomans will now have the ability to safely place bets on their phones or at retail locations anywhere in Oklahoma,” Syring said. “We would be thrilled to support the solutions moving forward.”
Oklahoma Lottery wants to sell products online
During the hearing, Jay Finks, executive director of the Oklahoma Lottery Commission, said participating in mobile sports betting doesn’t make sense for the commission, because it doesn’t fit the commission’s model on managing risk and maximizing revenue to the state.
But he said mobile sports betting could open the door for selling lottery tickets online.
“As we’re looking at this expansion into gaming and as we look at Oklahoma evolving that, don’t forget about us, because [with] the addition of sports betting, forgetting about the Oklahoma Lottery does have the opposite effect, and that could take away the revenue that we’re driving for Oklahoma education.”
On Oct. 13, a panel of media that cover the league picked Oklahoma to finish fifth and named Beers a first-team honoree.
Beers, a senior from Littleton, Colo., was named an All-SEC First Team selection last season after averaging 17.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 assists per game last season. A finalist for the 2025 Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Award, she led the SEC in player efficiency rating (35.9) and was the only player in the nation to average at least 31.0 points and 16.0 rebounds per 40 minutes. She was also a preseason All-SEC first-team selection by the league’s media and an AP All-America honorable mention.
Verhulst, a redshirt senior from De Soto, Kan., was an All-SEC Second Team selection last season when she averaged a career-high 14.9 points per game, shooting 42% from the field and 35% from deep. She was one of only two players nationally to average at least 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists in under 30 minutes per game.
Oklahoma was picked fourth by the coaches, trailing Texas, South Carolina and LSU, and ahead of Tennessee, who was picked fifth.
Led by fifth-year head coach Jennie Baranczyk, Oklahoma returns the second-highest percentage of scoring (60.3%) in the SEC, led by Beers (17.3 PPG), Verhulst (14.9) and Sahara Williams (10.6). The Sooners enter the season ranked sixth in the Associated Press preseason poll, their highest ranking to open a season since 2009-10. Baranczyk also added the nation’s No. 8 recruiting class, highlighted by the country’s No. 1 freshman, Aaliyah Chavez.
Fans can get an early look at the Sooners in an Oct. 29 exhibition vs. Oklahoma Christian set for 6 p.m. in Norman. Admission to the exhibition is free as no television broadcast is scheduled. Fans can listen to a radio broadcast on the Sooner Sports Radio Network and Varsity App.
Oklahoma opens the regular season Nov. 3 against Belmont at Lloyd Noble Center at 4:30 p.m. CT.
Season tickets are on sale now starting at just $99 for general admission. Single-game tickets and mini plans are also available. For more information, contact the OU Athletics Ticket Office at 405-325-2424, email outickets@ou.edu or visit SoonerSports.com/Tickets.
Courtside seats for the 2025–26 season are now available on the west sideline and south baseline near the Oklahoma bench. Fans interested in more information should contact the Sooner Club at (405) 325-8000 or soonerclub@ou.edu.
Stay connected with Oklahoma Women’s Basketball by following the Sooners on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Want to make an impact? Join the 3-Point Club and help power the program’s continued success.
MEDIA POLL
- Texas
- South Carolina
- LSU
- Oklahoma
- Tennessee
- Ole Miss
- Kentucky
- Vanderbilt
- Alabama
- Florida
- Georgia
- Mississippi State
- Texas A&M
- Missouri
- Auburn
- Arkansas
PRESEASON ALL-SEC (COACHES)
First Team All-SEC
Flau’jae Johnson, LSU
Mikaylah Williams, LSU
Raegan Beers, Oklahoma
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
Ta’Niya Latson, South Carolina
Talaysia Cooper, Tennessee
Madison Booker, Texas*
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
* SEC Preseason Player of the Year
Second Team All-SEC
Essence Cody, Alabama
Liv McGill, Florida
Teonni Key, Kentucky
Clara Strack, Kentucky
Cotie McMahon, Ole Miss
Payton Verhulst, Oklahoma
MiLaysia Fulwiley, South Carolina
Rori Harmon, Texas
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