OU Softball: Why Receiving an AUSL Golden Ticket Was 'Surreal' for Oklahoma P Sam Landry

The Golden Ticket is an invitation to get drafted into the league that will tour the country this summer, including a stop in Norman, that 12 seniors will receive over the closing weeks of the 2025 softball season.

“I gotta tell you it’s the coolest, coolest thing,” Patty Gasso said after OU’s win on Saturday. “And we’ve been kind of watching it on social media and you can see the excitement from the team and also the athlete. Sam Landry came here just kind of an unassuming pitcher, let me see how I can help the Sooners. She has become an ace and been really good and worked really well. 

“… To see a dream come true for her, that’s what this was. It was like Willy Wonka or some like, I’m going to give you this Golden Ticket and you get to go to the chocolate factory where all your candy dreams come true.”

With her parents looking on, Landry got to celebrate an achievement with her team that she didn’t even know she’d pursue until arriving in Norman. 

“It's surreal,” Landry said on Sunday. “Before I got here, I was talking to coach, I probably didn't have that much interest in going pro. And then getting here and just falling in love with the sport again and being able to strengthen my strengths, I guess. It's really made me more interested in doing it. 

“So getting that was very surreal. It's a blessing and like coach always says, and had to remind me today, the end's already written. So I'm just going with the flow right now."

The way that associate head coach and pitching coach Jennifer Rocha and Gasso pour into Landry has built her up and lit a fire in her to continue playing softball at a high level. 

“They just have so much confidence in us that it just, like, you're able to go out there so loose,” Landry said. “… And I think that just lifts so much weight off of your shoulders. And you're not playing with all this pressure, feeling like you have to please everybody. 

“So, I think that has really helped me a lot and really just fall in love with this sport.”

The AUSL College Draft show will air on May 3 at 8 p.m., and the teams that drafted the 12 Golden Ticket recipients will be announced as well as the official draft order. 

Gasso believes Landry has the mental makeup to excel professionally. 

“(She’s) quietly gritty. Unafraid,” Gasso said. “Just hard working and she’ll give you everything. She’ll empty the tank for anyone she’s playing for and that’s what she’s done for us.”

Landry will have plenty of time to chase her new dreams, but for now the Sooners are content to celebrate their teammate’s accomplishment as they hurtle toward postseason play.

“I looked up at Sam’s mom in the stands and just extremely emotional, her and her father. So it meant a lot,” Gasso said. “… It was a big moment in front of our fans and the fans were excited about it. It’s really cool. I love what AUSL is doing with this and bringing in a lot of media traction for it too. It has been really amazing.”