Oklahoma spent an entire year trying not to think about it.
From the moment the Sooners walked off the field as champions at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium on June 10, 2021, they were surrounded by chatter that their next season could be the best in the history of college softball. They had just finished one stellar campaign. But with much of their core returning and even more impressive talent incoming, their next year seemed poised to be better still. Anything less than a second consecutive title—which would be four in seven years for Oklahoma—would be considered a disappointment. The questions chased them everywhere: Where will this rank among the all-time great seasons? How impressive is this dynasty? What would it mean for a team this good to possibly lose? The Sooners heard it all, and they turned their focus inward, looking instead at the work that was in front of them. They tried not to think about it.
But when the final out was recorded for this second consecutive championship—when Oklahoma finished its historic season by defeating Texas, 10–5, in Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series on Thursday—the calculus shifted there somewhat. If they wanted to think about their greatness, their legacy, their impact on the sport—perhaps here was a moment to do so.
