Entire Oklahoma Team Glorifies God Live on ESPN After Historic National Championship Win
Oklahoma softball capped off a historic, record-breaking season on Thursday night, and the players gave all the glory to God on national television.
In a 3-1 victory, the Sooners swept Florida State in a best-of-three series to win the their third straight national title live on ESPN.
𝐃𝐀𝐖𝐆PILE 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/hkhNXGEIf1
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) June 9, 2023
𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐓 🏆🏆🏆#ChampionshipMindset pic.twitter.com/4AMu6guKUs
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) June 9, 2023
Oklahoma ended its one-loss season on a 53-game win streak, which is good enough for the winningest season in NCAA history.
The team has won six championships in the last 10 seasons while head coach Patty Gasso has won seven titles in total at the helm of the program since the year 2000.
But there was something extra special about this year’s team, which went 61-1 and took a lot of flak from critics for its attitude.
The ladies spent the season celebrating walks with the same enthusiasm as home runs — of which there were plenty. Given their on-field dominance, those celebrations from this Sooners team always felt justified.
But after Oklahoma beat up its conference rivals in the regular season and run-ruled others out of the park in the 2023 WCWS, the players always ended each game with a humble prayer.
On the biggest stage on ESPN Thursday and after its grittiest victory to date, the team didn’t flinch in regard to showing where its priorities were.
The Sooners and the Seminoles came together for a prayer that ESPN cameras caught some of:
Sophomore pitcher Jordy Bahl was asked later about being named this year’s WCWS most outstanding player after the game.
Bahl passed on taking a personal victory lap and instead credited God.
“It doesn’t matter how it really ends because all of the efforts and the glory is given to the Lord all the same,” she said. “I’m speaking on behalf of our entire team. We all feel that same exact way.”
Later, catcher Kinzie Hansen was asked how she is able to constantly deliver, given the sky-high expectations of her and the rest of the team.
“I know I have Jesus on my side,” she said. “All of us do.”
Gasso, a vocal Christian, has put together an amazing program with a talented roster that is made up of women who put Christ first and let everything else fall into place where it may.
Just look at how three Oklahoma players addressed the media earlier this week when they were asked about facing a talented team in Florida State:
This is what happens when the joy of the Lord is your strength. #BoomerSooner #WCWS pic.twitter.com/bCye4GHqef
— Virgil Walker (@VirgilWalkerOMA) June 7, 2023
Shortstop Grace Lyons was asked by ESPN on June 6 how the team remained joyful and anxiety-free with a target on its back.
Lyons responded, “The only way that you can have a joy that doesn’t fade away is from the Lord. Any other type of joy is actually happiness that comes from circumstances and outcomes.”
These ladies aren’t just winners on the field, nor can they be defined simply by their penchant for breaking records or for being fun to watch.
This historic Sooners team is made up of extraordinary young women who each witness for Christ at every opportunity.
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