OU Softball Tradition | Awards & Honors

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Individual Awards & Honors  All-Americans  38  All-Region  84  All-Big 12 First Team  64  WCWS Most Outstanding Player  1  WCWS All-Tournament  7  All-Regional Tournament Team  22  Regional Coaching Staff of the Year  5  NCAA Coaching Staff of the Year  1  Academic All-Big 12  73  Academic All-Americans  7  Academic All-American of the Year  1  Academic All-District  12  Big 12 Player of the Year  7  Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year  4  Big 12 Newcomer of the Year  1  Big 12 Freshman of the Year  2  Big 12 Players of the Week  49  Big 12 Pitchers of the Week  30

With team accomplishments comes individual recognition. That adage has held true with the Oklahoma softball program, which has raked in just about every honor out there.

Start with the coaching staff. OU head coach Patty Gasso, the architect of the Sooners' move to the top of the softball world, has been named the Big 12 Coach of the Year four times - 1996, 1999, 2000, 2009. Gasso and her staff were named Speedline/NFCA Division I National Coaching Staff of the Year in 2000 after claiming the National Championship.

The OU coaching staff has also garnered the NFCA Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year award on five occasions - 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004.

Since the start of Big 12 play, OU players have accumulated more honors than any other conference member. The list starts with All-Americans, of which OU has 38. At the regional level 84 players have landed on the all-region team. Among the Big 12 ranks, 64 softballers have notched first team conference awards.

Add in seven Big 12 Players of the Year, two Freshman of the Year, one Newcomer of the Year, four Defensive Player of the Year, 49 Players of the Week and 30 Pitchers of the Week and the list becomes overbearing.

The softball program has always produced well-rounded athletes and the academic honors don't take a backseat. In 2000, Lana Moran became the first Sooner in any sport to garner the Academic All-American of the Year.

Seven student-athletes have been named Academic All-Americans. Eleven have earned Academic All-District recognition. A total of 36 were named Academic All-Big Eight and already 73 have earned Academic All-Big 12 acclaim.