Softball Coaches Named NFCA Staff of the Year

NORMAN — The Oklahoma softball coaching staff was named the 2023 ATEC/NFCA Division I National Coaching Staff of the Year, announced Thursday by the NFCA.

The Sooner coaching staff, consisting of head coach Patty Gasso, associate head coach Jennifer Rocha, assistant coach JT Gasso and volunteer assistant Hannah Sparks, helped guide the program to its third consecutive and seventh national title in 2023.

It marks the second straight and sixth overall national coaching staff of the year honor for Gasso and her staffs, also receiving the award in 2000, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2022. Additionally, the staff claimed the NFCA's regional honor for the 15th time in Gasso's 29 years at the helm.

Under the coaches' tutelage, the Sooners capped a national championship season with a 61-1 record, the best win percentage in NCAA Division I softball history (.984) and Big 12 regular season and tournament titles while pacing the country in a plethora of categories including ERA (0.96), batting average (.367) and fielding percentage (.988).

The dominant run included an NCAA-record 53-game win streak, a nation-best and program record 35 shutouts, 29 wins by run rule and a 28-0 record vs. ranked opponents.

Additionally, OU ranked No. 1 over the final 11 weeks of the 2023 season in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll and had held the top spot in 42 of the last 43 polls dating back to 2021.

A nation-high five Sooners were named NFCA First Team All-Americans, eight Sooners earned All-Big 12 accolades and five were tabbed WCWS All-Tournament Team selections, including the Most Outstanding Player, pitcher Jordy Bahl.

The National Coaching Staff of the Year award is voted on by NCAA DI member head coaches.

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