Did Oklahoma do Enough in the Transfer Portal?

The biggest loss, by far, was Kasidi Pickering. 

In three years in Norman, Pickering hammered 50 home runs and hit .384 in 182 starts and 186 appearances. 

Pickering found a new home with Texas Tech, and the Sooners also had a handful of other departures. 

Tia Milloy’s exit was predictable, as she hadn’t really found a role for herself outside of pinch running in SEC play, and the Zache sisters — Berkley and Riley — both exited to move closer to home and suit up for Michigan. 

The Sooners needed a veteran outfielder to provide competition for Kai Minor, Ella Parker and incoming freshman Payton Westra, and OU also needed a backup catcher and could have used a starter-caliber pitcher. 

The Additions 

OU added its veteran outfielder in Middle Tennessee State transfer Macie Harter. 

She hit .346 last year, hammering seven home runs while totaling 15 doubles and four triples. Harter also added 18 outfield assists in two seasons with Middle Tennessee State, meaning she fits the mold of what the Sooners were looking to add in the outfield nicely. 

The other two transfer portal additions came out of left field. 

OU also added outfielder Adi Hansen from the College of Southern Idaho. She hit .457 last year and stole an astonishing 62 bases. If Hansen’s baserunning can translate to the SEC, Gasso will have fun working her into the offense as a specialist on the bases. 

The Sooners turned to former Loyola Chicago catcher Abbie Gregus to back up Kendall Wells. Gasso has struck gold with a veteran backup catcher before in Riley Ludlam, but Gregus’ numbers are well below what Ludlam had totaled before arriving in Norman. 

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news.

Gregus hit .195 last year as a redshirt junior, but after Isabela Emerling’s departure, OU desperately needed someone to slot in behind Wells. 

The starting pitcher market was pretty barren, leading the Sooners to roll with the arms they already have. 

Another offseason of work with associate head coach and pitching coach Jen Rocha, hopefully uninterrupted by any further health complications, will greatly benefit rising sophomore Allyssa Parker. Parker showed great promise as a true freshman, and she will have four years of eligibility remaining at OU after the NCAA’s changes to student-athlete eligibility. 

Audrey Lowry and Miali Guachino also return after both showed flashes of high-end talent, but a greater level of consistency will be needed from the entire Oklahoma pitching staff in 2027.

Gasso signed the top-rated class once again out of high school, but the biggest growth will need to come from the returning pieces up and down the roster after a quiet transfer portal window by Oklahoma’s standards.