'Our Team Loves Jesus'—Oklahoma Softball Players, Coach Patty Gasso Flourish in Culture of Faith – ChurchLeaders

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The powerhouse that is Oklahoma softball never quits—and the players and coach credit that persistence to the team’s culture of faith in Jesus.
At the first day of the 2025 Women’s College World Series (WCWS) on Thursday (May 29), fans began leaving during the final inning, with the Sooners down 3-1 to Tennessee. “People thought we were done,” said longtime Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso. “If you’re watching us through the season, we’re never done.”
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Ella Parker belted a three-run walk-off home run. After sealing the victory for her team, Parker told a reporter, “I knew our fourth man was in the fire”—referring to God protecting Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace.
Parker, who’s been battling a foot injury, also hit a solo home run in the first inning. Her two homers Thursday were only the seventh and eighth surrendered by Lady Vols starting pitcher Karlyn Pickens this season.
Next up, the No. 2 seed Sooners play rival Texas on Saturday (May 30).
Oklahoma, which had a regular-season record of 51-7, is vying for its fifth-consecutive national championship. Because of what she’s accomplished with that program, Gasso, 63, is widely regarded as softball’s GOAT.
During her 31 years coaching the Sooners, Gasso has led the team to eight national championships, made 17 WCWS appearances, and been named Big 12 Coach of the Year 15 times and SEC Coach of the Year once. (Oklahoma joined the SEC last summer.)
At this year’s K-LOVE Fan Awards, which will air on May 30, Gasso is this year’s recipient of the Sports Impact award. On the show’s red carpet earlier this week, the outspoken Christian talked to ChurchLeaders about the award and her faith.
Gasso said she listens to K-LOVE every day and contributes to their fundraisers whenever she can. “At times when it’s been really hard, I’ve sat in my car and I just listen to K-LOVE and cry my eyes out,” she said. “Then [I] get out of the car and get back at it. So [the music has] changed my life. It’s changed my players’ lives as well.”
The coach added, “Our team loves Jesus. We work really hard on the field to give him the glory.”
When ChurchLeaders asked why Gasso thinks more sports figures—at all levels—now seem bolder about witnessing for Jesus, she replied:
I do think it has something to do with coaches opening the door for that. And that’s something that I’m very proud of, even though I’m not at a Christian university. But our players are very bold and unapologetic about sharing their faith, so when they’re in press conferences they’re giving glory to God. Nobody’s wanting to write these [faith comments] down. [Reporters are] waiting for the juice, you know, but [the players] keep praising God for their talents.
When players like hers are bold in their faith, other athletes are watching, Gasso added. “I’ve seen Ohio State do it this year in football, and our team has done it quite a bit at the World Series,” she said. Throughout this school year, faith events and baptisms on U.S. campuses made headlines.
For Gasso, being a faith mentor brings fulfillment, a word she uses to describe her program and its success. In a previous interview with Sports Spectrum, the coach said the key is asking, “Who are we becoming?…How do we grow in our faith, and how do we find that path that we’re supposed to take?”
Tune in this Friday, May 30, at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. E.T. on TBN to watch the K-LOVE Fan Awards.
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