OU Softball Picked to Three-Peat as Big 12 Champion

Jan. 22, 2001

NORMAN, Okla. - The University of Oklahoma softball team was unanimously predicted to win the 2001Conference title in the Preseason Big 12 Coaches' Poll recently released. The Sooners are coming off a national championship season where they compiled a 66-8 record and won their third Big 12 regular season title (1996 and 1999). This season OU will be looking for its third-straight conference crown.

Head Coach Patty Gasso returns nine starters, including four 2000 All-America selections in seniors Ashli Barrett and Lisa Carey, junior Jennifer Stewart and sophomore Erin Evans. Carey was last season's Big 12 Player of the Year and Stewart earned most oustanding player honors in the NCAA Regional and the Women's College World Series. Senior Andrea Davis was named also Big 12 Newcomer of the Year last season.

Oklahoma opens its season in the Texas-Arlington Tournament Feb. 9-11 and hosts the OU/adidas Classic the following weekend Feb. 16-18 at the OU Softball Complex. The Sooners take on Texas A&M at home on March 23 at 6 p.m. in their first Big 12 battle.

2001 Preseason Big 12 Coaches' Softball Poll

Rank  School          2000 Record

1.    Oklahoma (9)        66-8

2.    Nebraska (1)        52-21

3.    Texas               30-27-1

4.    Texas A&M           32-23

5.    Oklahoma State      33-22

6.    Missouri            34-27

      Texas Tech          19-36

8.    Baylor              27-30

9.    Kansas              30-32

10.   Iowa State          18-29

(Coaches were not allowed to vote for his or her own team.)

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU Softball Picked to Three-Peat as Big 12 Champion

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