Oklahoma’s historic softball dynasty came to an end on Monday as No. 2 Oklahoma lost to No. 3 Texas Tech in the Women’s College World Series semifinal. The Red Raiders’ 3-2 victory marked a turning point for college softball, as the school spent $1 million to lure top player NiJaree Canady to Lubbock, Texas.
Canady, a junior transfer from Stanford, led Texas Tech to its first-ever Women’s College World Series appearance. Oklahoma’s coach Patty Gasso praised her opponent, saying “Tip of the hat to Oklahoma. What they’ve done — historic, legendary.” Despite their loss, Gasso expressed pride in her team, acknowledging that she built a program focused on teaching life skills rather than just winning.
Oklahoma’s historic streak of four consecutive national championships came to an end. The Sooners had not been held scoreless in over 300 games since June 2025, but Texas Tech’s redshirt sophomore Lauren Allred hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win.
Gasso was emotional as she addressed her team post-game, saying “Losing is not fun, but losing is life.” The coach emphasized the importance of having players who are “100 percent bought in” and willing to give everything they have. With a new era of college sports emerging, where NIL deals reign supreme, Gasso expressed determination to rebuild and compete.
The loss marks the end of an era for Oklahoma’s softball dynasty, but with the right players and mindset, the Sooners might be able to take down top opponents in the future.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6398780/2025/06/02/oklahoma-texas-tech-womens-college-world-series-semifinals-2025