2 days ago
Transfer portal targets for the Oklahoma Sooners
Transfer portal targets for the Oklahoma Sooners
The Oklahoma Sooners have already made a splash in the softball transfer portal with the addition of former LSU pitcher Sydney Berzon. Berzon gives the Sooners a frontline pitcher to deploy in the circle after the departure of Sam Landry.
The Sooners have a young, talented team, and Patty Gasso mentioned striking a balance between adding talent in the transfer portal and not recruiting over some of the young talent on the roster. At the same time, OU may add one or two more pieces to a team that contended for the national title in 2025.
The Sooners don't have a lot of needs with a stacked roster coming back, but if Gasso and her staff were interested in making another move or two, here are three players that could be of interest.
Maya Johnson, P - Belmont
If Fisher isn't in the cards, the Oklahoma Sooners could go back to the mid-major ranks, a strategy that landed OU Hope Trautwein and Sam Landry in recent years. Johnson was 24-6 with a 1.52 ERA in 2025. She recorded 366 (!!!) strikeouts in 207 innings and allowed just 22 walks for a Belmont team that made the NCAA tournament.
No other pitcher on Belmont's staff threw more than 62 innings last season. Johnson was key in the Bruins Missouri Valley Conference tournament title, which secured Belmont a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Though she was roughed up by a good Virginia Tech lineup for five runs in two different outings, she performed well earlier in the year against power competition.
In a game against Arizona State, Johnson threw eight innings and recorded 12 strikeouts, allowing just two hits and an earned run. Johnson would have just one year of eligibility remaining but has some intriguing tools for Gasso and Jennifer Rocha to work with.
Grace Jenkins, C - UConn
If the Oklahoma Sooners are looking for more production from the catcher spot, there are a couple of players that make sense. Grace Jenkins, the former catcher from UConn hit .424 last season with 21 home runs and 68 RBIs. She had a slugging percentage of .906 and an on-base percentage of .906.
In the NCAA Tournament, Jenkins recorded two walks vs. Nebraska and went 1-for-2 vs. new Oklahoma pitcher Sydney Berzon.
Jenkins was the Big East Player of the Year in 2025 and would be an asset in anyone's lineup.
Brooke Wells, C - Houston
Another catcher option is Houston's Brooke Wells. Though Houston finished last in the Big 12, Wells led the Cougars in home runs, RBIs, walks, batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage. She hit .341 with 10 HR, 47 RBIs and 35 walks. On the season, she recorded a .645 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .478.
Wells was just a true freshman in 2025 and would have three more years of eligibility.
Does Oklahoma Need to Do Anything Else?
To keep it short. Not really. The Sooners are bringing in the No. 1 pitcher (Allyssa Parker), the No. 5 pitcher (Berkley Zache) and the No. 1 catcher (Kendall Wells) in the 2025 recruiting class. They also have Audrey Lowry and Sophia Bordi (presuming she's coming back for 2025-2026) waiting to take on a bigger role in the circle. At catcher, Riley Zache is also coming back. She was 2-for-4 with an RBI and appeared in nine games this season.
The Sooners won't be devoid of talent. Though the Sooners will still be young, everyone will be a year older. That was a team that was just a few plays away from getting back to the championship series of the WCWS.
If any school can afford to trust their evaluations and let that talent compete for opportunities, it's Oklahoma.
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