‘Going into the SEC is just a different animal,’ says Patty Gasso

It’s realignment time for the Oklahoma Sooners, as the entire athletics program moves from the Big 12 to the SEC. The move became official at midnight on Monday morning.

For the softball team, that means defending their four-straight national championships from a different conference. But with Patty Gasso calling the shots, OU has a better chance than anyone to capture a five-peat.

Gasso joined ESPN’s Paul Finebaum on his show Monday, as the SEC Network celebrated the Sooners’ move to the conference. She remarked on the excitement level of the fans and of her team moving to the SEC.

“Going into the SEC is just a different animal,” Gasso said. “I’m really excited. I think everyone here at Oklahoma is very excited. But we love competition. We never are afraid of it. We face it in the eye and that’s why our team has been so successful and most teams here on campus have as well, so we’re looking forward to it. I know it’s gonna make us better, but I know it’s gonna make this university flourish even more than we have already.”

The softball roster has been under construction since winning the national title last month. A historic group of seniors leaves after four-straight championships. Three players have departed in the transfer portal, while Gasso has replenished the depth chart with new additions, both in Recruiting and the transfer portal. But, there’s little doubt that Oklahoma will be stocked with talent to chase the program’s ninth ring in 2025.

Gasso’s comments on “The Paul Finebaum Show” illustrate the competitive nature of both the softball team and the entire athletic program. Sure, the SEC will be more difficult (especially for football). But, the resources and prestige of the conference, along with that elite competition that the SEC offers, will help improve OU Athletics in the short, medium and long-term.

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