Oklahoma outfielder Maya Bland announced that she will enter the transfer portal on Wednesday.
Bland made the announcement on her Instagram account, saying, “Thank you Sooner Nation for the love and support that you’ve shown me these past two years, I greatly appreciate it. God has a new path for me, but I will cherish my time as a Sooner.”
Bland was a major prospect out of high school, batting .528 with 16 home runs as a junior at Argyle High School in Texas as a junior. Extra Inning Softball ranked her as the No. 11 recruit in the Class of 2023.
As a true freshman in 2024, Bland played in 52 games, primarily serving as a pinch runner. She finished the season with eight stolen bases. In 15 at-bats, she logged a .333 batting average, four RBIs and two doubles.
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Bland played in fewer games — 39 — as a sophomore in 2025, but she started seven games in the outfield. She finished the season with a .250 batting average and three home runs in 32 at-bats.
Bland would’ve had to compete with other quality players in the outfield if she stayed.
OU is set to return all three of their usual starting outfielders — Kasidi Pickering, Abby Dayton and Sydney Barker — in 2026. Barker came to Oklahoma as an infielder but primarily played in right field in 2025, with Cydney Sanders, Ailana Agbayani, Gabbie Garcia and Nelly McEnroe-Marinas holding down the infield for most of the season. It's possible that Barker will compete for the first base position with Sanders recently graduating.
The Sooners will also have Hannah Coor, who batted .329 in 45 games in 2025, returning for her redshirt senior season.
Outfielder Kai Minor, rated the No. 1 overall player in the Class of 2025 by Softball America, will also be on the Sooners' roster in 2026.
Bland is the second Sooner to announce her intentions to transfer, joining Corri Hicks. Hicks played in 23 games in 2025, finishing the season with a .261 batting average, three home runs and eight RBIs.
The Sooners also lost three players — pitcher Sam Landry, pitcher Isabella Smith and Sanders — to graduation after the 2025 season.
Oklahoma’s 2025 season ended on Monday, as the Sooners lost 3-2 to No. 12 Texas Tech in the Women’s College World Series semifinals. The loss ended Oklahoma's four-year national championship streak.
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