Oklahoma

Oklahoma wins 48th straight game to set NCAA DI softball record

Published

2 years ago

May 27, 2023

Oklahoma wins 48th straight game to set NCAA DI softball record

Oklahoma softball won its 48th straight game to establish a new NCAA Division I record.

The 8-7 win on Saturday, May 27, to close out a super regional sweep over Clemson and clinch a 2023 Women’s College World Series berth put the Sooners past Arizona on the all-time list. The Wildcats won 47 straight games across the 1996-97 seasons.

Oklahoma’s historic victory also served as a fitting farewell to Marita Hynes Field, OU’s home stadium since 1998. Saturday’s super regional finale was the final game at the venue before the Sooners move to the new Love’s Field in 2024.

Oklahoma now takes its win streak into Oklahoma City for WCWS play. Here’s a deeper look at the longest winning streaks in DI college softball history.

DI SOFTBALL: Rankings | Scores

Oklahoma, 2023 (current)

The Sooners have currently won 48 games in a row, through May 27. That puts them alone on top, with a chance to extend further in the 2023 Women’s College World Series. Oklahoma’s only regular-season loss in 2023 came to Baylor in February. The 48th win of the season came in Game 2 of the super regionals — the Sooners trailed 7-4 in the seventh and down to their last out and last strike when Kinzie Hansen sent an 0-2 pitch over the fence for a three-run bomb. OU then came back to take the lead in the top of the ninth and hold off Clemson to advance to its seventh-straight trip to the WCWS. The record-breaking win, that beat Arizona’s record set in 1997, was even more significant because of what was likely the Sooner’s last game played on Marita Hynes Field.

Arizona, 1996-1997

The Wildcats owned the longest streak in NCAA softball history until 2023 Oklahoma came around. Arizona won 47 games in a row from April 5, 1996 to March 23, 1997. The team took home the championship in both seasons, and finished with a combined 119-16 record in those two seasons.

Oklahoma, 2019

Oklahoma’s win streak ended at 41 games after the Sooners lost to Wisconsin in their third NCAA tournament game. OU was creeping up on Arizona’s all-time streak of 47 but fell six short. Oklahoma’s finished conference play with a pristine 18-0 record. The Sooners’ 41 consecutive wins is the longest win streak in the span of a single season.

Oklahoma, 2021-2022

Oklahoma put 40 wins together, a run that started in the 2021 WCWS Finals, including winning the national title, and extended to a 38-0 start in the 2022 season — breaking the record to best start to a season. Star Jocelyn Alo also broke the career home run record during the streak as OU won 31 of their 38 games in 2022 by run-rule. But Texas halted the streak with a 4-2 win on April 16.

Oklahoma, 2020-2021

The Sooners won 40 games in a row, starting when they won their last seven games of the 2020 season, which got halted due to COVID-19. OU then continued to win in 2021, not falling until Georgia upset the No. 1 Sooners on April 20. Oklahoma would end the season 56-4 with a national championship.

South Carolina, 1997

The Gamecocks went 38 games without a loss or tie right around the same time Arizona was on its own streak. South Carolina went 63-5 that season. After securing its first SEC regular season and tournament championships, the Gamecocks advanced to their first ever Women’s College World Series, where they bowed out after losing to Washington and Michigan.

Florida, 2008

Florida’s 37-game win streak from March 12 to May 18 helped the team make its first Women’s College World Series. The Gators went 70-5 overall and 27-1 in SEC play. In a show of just how much talent this group had, Stacey Nelson, Kim Waleszonia, Aja Paculba, Francesca Enea, and Ali Gardiner all made the All-America team.

Princeton, 1996

The Tigers notched what was then an NCAA record with 37 wins in a row from March 20 to April 28 before losing 3-1 to Brown. Of course, Princeton wouldn’t hold onto this record for long. But only a few teams have passed them in the 20-plus years since. The 1996 team also finished the year ranked No. 1 in the Northeast Region for the second straight year. Before that, the Tigers had been the top ranked team only once before in 1985.

Oregon’s great diving grab headlines this week’s softball top plays

Oregon, 2017

The most recent team on the list got here with a 35-game win streak that lasted from February 9 to April 4. The Ducks tied an NCAA record because their win streak came in the first 35 games of the season. They didn’t register a loss on the year until April 7, when UCLA handed Oregon the first of back-to-back losses. The Ducks finished 54-8 on the season.

DUCKS WIN! Oregon run-rules PSU, 8-0, and ties the NCAA record for the best start to a season at 35-0!! WOW! #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/0ryUwXUBMp
— Oregon Duck Softball (@OregonSB) April 5, 2017
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UCLA, 1999

UCLA’s 35-game win streak is one of only a few on this list to come in a championship-winning season. The Bruins broke school records for wins, runs, total bases, home runs, RBIs, doubles, hits, walks and steals. They ended the season with a 63-6 record.

Canisius, 1993

Under coach Mike Rappl, Canisius ripped off a then-NCAA record 35-game win streak that put both the coach and the team on the map. The team went 36-3 that season. The Golden Griffins also had their win streak come in the first 35 games of the season. After losing game two of a doubleheader against UMass on May 8, the team went 1-2 the rest of the way.

Cal State Fullerton, 1987

Cal State Fullerton was the first team in NCAA softball history to get to 35 consecutive wins. The Titans were no strangers to the spotlight by then, having won a national championship in 1986. They’d get there again in 1987 after going undefeated from March 6 to April 21.

SOFTBALL CONFERENCE TOURNAMENTS: Brackets, automatic qualifiers

Florida, 2015

Another recent winner, the Gators had a 34-game winning streak. They didn’t match their 37-game win streak from 2008, but this Florida team outdid its predecessor where it counts: these Gators took home the national championship with a win over Michigan in the Women’s College World Series final.

Arizona, 2000

Arizona’s own 34-game win streak was bookended by losses to Washington. The Wildcats went on to rip off a 13-game winning streak before losing in the opening round of the Women’s College World Series. It was only the second time since 1990 that the Wildcats didn’t make the national title game.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners add SEC wideout via transfer portal

Published

6 hours ago

December 20, 2024

Press Room

Oklahoma Sooners add SEC wideout via transfer portal

The Oklahoma Sooners are continuing to rebuild their wide receiver room through the transfer portal. After the 2024 season saw the top five wideouts miss all or the vast majority of the season due to injuries, and three of those five players decided not to come back, Brent Venables and his coaching staff have been hard at work building back the wide receiver depth chart in stronger, healthier fashion.

Oklahoma has now added former Arkansas Razorbacks wideout Isaiah Sategna in the transfer portal, marking the third WR that will be transferring to Norman.

Javonnie Gibson (Arkansas Pine-Bluff) and Keontez Lewis (Southern Illinois) will have some work to do when it comes to playing in the SEC, but Sategna will be right at home in college football’s toughest conference. That trio will join returners Deion Burks and Jayden Gibson to try and help the wide receiver room rebound.

Sategna is a smaller receiver at 5’11 and 185 pounds, but he managed to haul in 37 receptions for 491 yards this season. He also had a punt return touchdown for the Hogs.

There’s still plenty of work to be done when it comes to remaking OU’s wide receiver depth chart, but three additions in a few days is a good start.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X @Aaron_Gelvin.

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Oklahoma

Why Doesn’t Oklahoma Have An OTA-Run Train System

Published

15 hours ago

December 19, 2024

Press Room

Why Doesn’t Oklahoma Have An OTA-Run Train System

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has been in operation for 77 years with the goal of creating and maintaining Oklahoma’s turnpike systems.

Executive Director Joe Echelle spoke with News On 6 about various topics surrounding the OTA including why it hasn’t invested in a high-speed rail system despite having the authority to do so.

Has the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) considered implementing train systems or parking garages?

According to Joe Echelle, Executive Director of the OTA, there are provisions in state statute that allow for the potential development of parking garages or train systems under the agency’s purview. However, these concepts have not materialized due to their immense costs and logistical challenges.

What are the challenges of building a train system between Oklahoma City and Tulsa?

Echelle explained that constructing a high-speed rail system between the two cities would cost billions of dollars. Beyond the upfront expense, the operational logistics make it difficult to justify such a project.

“In order to affect the number of vehicles that travel the Turner Turnpike, which is north of 40,000 vehicles on a weekday, you’d need to get thousands of people on a train. That’s just not feasible,” said Echelle.

Factors like frequency, ridership demand, and infrastructure costs all contribute to the challenge.

Could other forms of transportation, like buses, be more feasible?

Echelle believes there is potential for alternative solutions, such as an express bus service connecting Oklahoma City and Tulsa. He pointed to the success of the OSU bus system, which transports students between campuses in Stillwater, Tulsa, and Oklahoma City.

“As we get the Turner Turnpike widened, I think it’s a real possibility to get an express bus service. But first, we need to address congestion by separating truck traffic from commuter lanes,” Echelle said.

To be clear, OTA wouldn’t have any role in creating or maintaining a bus service, but Echelle believes the expanded turnpike would be able to facilitate one.

Why is expanding the Turner Turnpike prioritized over alternative transportation?

Echelle said the Turner Turnpike currently handles traffic effectively, but ongoing efforts to expand it to six lanes aim to improve flow and address future congestion. Echelle emphasized that widening the turnpike will allow truck traffic to remain in the outer lanes, giving commuters smoother travel options in the inner lanes.

Could parking garages still be part of OTA’s future?

While state law includes provisions for parking infrastructure, the focus for the OTA remains on improving roadways and exploring more viable transportation alternatives.

What is OTA’s overall vision for transportation in Oklahoma?

Echelle stated that a well-rounded transportation network, which includes trains, buses, and rapid transit, is essential for the state’s growing metropolitan areas. However, practical solutions like express bus services are more likely in the near term, especially as the Turner Turnpike widening progresses.

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Oklahoma

Report Card: Oklahoma moves to 11-0 with an 87-86 win over Michigan

Published

23 hours ago

December 19, 2024

Press Room

Report Card: Oklahoma moves to 11-0 with an 87-86 win over Michigan

The No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners are now 11-0 after a wild 87-86 win over No. 24 Michigan, erasing an 11-point second-half deficit. Freshman Jeremiah Fears was the star down the stretch, finishing with 30 points, including a game-winning four-point play in the final seconds, to push OU to victory.

Fears wasn’t alone. Duke Miles contributed 17 points, with three big three-pointers, including a clutch shot during a 9-0 run that gave the Sooners their first lead of the second half. Jalon Moore also had 16 points before fouling out late.

The two seven-footers for Michigan — Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf — were a tough matchup for OU, as they are for most teams. Goldin dropped 26 points, while Wolf added 15. Both grabbed 10 rebounds for double-doubles.

Tre Donaldson (14 points) and Roddy Gayle (15 points) also had solid performances for Michigan. But in the end, it was Fears’ late heroics that sealed it for the Sooners. Now, let’s dive into the Report Card from Oklahoma’s ranked win:

MVP: Jeremiah Fears

It was a slower first half for Fears, but he continued to get to the line, drawing fouls at a high rate and racking up points from the free throw line. In the second half, though, he broke loose, scoring 20 of his career-high 30 points, including the game-winning four-point play.

In 34 minutes of action, Fears also recorded five turnovers and four assists. He shot 8-12 from the field, 3-4 from behind the arc, and 11-13 from the free throw line—making his 30-point performance even more impressive.

Oklahoma needed big-time shot-making from their guards if they were going to pull this one out, and Fears delivered, showcasing why he’s likely a future NBA lottery pick.

Fears has proven to be the biggest difference-maker in Porter Moser’s tenure at Oklahoma. The Sooners simply haven’t had a player who can do what he does. He showed the clutch gene that could make a huge impact as OU heads into SEC play.

Starting Five: A-minus

Fears was phenomenal, but Miles’ impressive play down the stretch cannot be overlooked. Oklahoma starts three guards, and we’ve seen each of them have their nights scoring-wise. The recipe for success, though, is having two of those guards clicking at once, and tonight, Fears and Miles delivered.

Miles totaled 17 points — 15 of which came in the second half — on 5-11 shooting from the field, 3-6 from behind the arc, and a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line. He hit several clutch shots, including one three-pointer that gave Oklahoma their first lead of the night.

Moore also contributed, adding 16 points on 4-12 shooting from the field and 3-5 from deep, despite being in foul trouble for much of the night. He ultimately fouled out late in the second half.

Sam Godwin chipped in with 6 points and 7 rebounds on 3-6 shooting, while Kobe Elvis added 5 points on 2-7 shooting, including 1-4 from behind the arc. With Fears going for 30, Miles putting up 17, and Moore adding 16, the starters had a strong night overall.

Bench: B-plus

Glenn Taylor stepped up in a big way for Oklahoma. Playing 29 minutes — second most on the team — Taylor totaled 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. He shot 3-5 from the field and 2-4 from behind the arc.

Taylor was a key defensive presence throughout the entire game, but he also contributed offensively, particularly in the first half. He scored 8 first-half points and hit two timely three-pointers. His all-around play, making several small but important contributions, helped Oklahoma secure the win.

In other bench news: Luke Northweather scored 2 points on 1-2 shooting in 14 minutes, while Brycen Goodine added 2 points on 1-2 shooting in 11 minutes. Dayton Forsythe had a solid 5-minute stint, and Mohamed Wague played just two minutes.

Rebounding: B

It’s important to note that Michigan’s two seven-footers posed a tough matchup for Oklahoma, and heading into the game, it was expected that the Wolverines would win the rebounding battle. They did, 37-32, but the Sooners kept it close, losing the battle by just five. Given the size disparity, losing by just five on the boards is a solid effort for OU.

Three-Point Shooting: A-plus

The Sooners were red-hot from beyond the arc, shooting 6-12 (50%) in the second half and finishing 12-25 (48%) for the game.

This sharp shooting played a huge role in their comeback win. With Michigan building an 11-point lead with just over eight minutes remaining, OU knew they needed to keep knocking down shots from deep—and they did just that. Miles, Fears, and Moore each hit three three-pointers, while Taylor contributed with two of his own.

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