TN Sooner wrote: ↑Sun Sep 17, 2023 6:34 am
I have a question - of all the players that left OU to transfer to another school, who has been the most successful softball players? There are certainly players to point to that have had some success, but have any of them gone on to be elite? All-Americans? All Conference?
Puni and Donahue are both playing well enough to be starters in the sec, but both were sort of “middle of the pack” players. I know we’ve had some others, but I don’t recall many that have gone on to greatness. We certainly expect greatness from Jordy Bahl at Nebraska. And I wish her well. But I can’t look at her situations and believe she will achieve more at NU than she could have at OU. But she went “home” for different reasons and I wish her all the best.
On the other hand, there are several transfers to OU that have been elite or near-elite players and instrumental to OU titles.
Shelby Pendley. Hope Trautwein. Paige Lowary. Alex Storako.
My point is - Patty is going to win the transfer war. Patty is also going to win the high school recruiting war, too.
Near Elite status (Big Contributors to the Sooners) of transfers into OU: Let me add these names - Giselle Juarez, Shannon Saile, Taylon Snow, Jana Johns, Alyssa Brito, Haley Lee. Maybe Cydney Sanders, Alynah Torres, Kelly Maxwell, Karlie Keeney in 2024.
As for the players that went on to be successful in the years 'MontOUfan' mentioned. I have this list:
Alexa Shultz (Top 30 player as a recruit)- Started three years at San Diego State after two years at OU.
Elijah Flores (Top 30 recruit)- Started 2 years at Boise State after 3 years at OU. Her sister,
Alycia Flores (Top 30 recruit) - Has started for 2 years at Boise State.
Kinsey Koeltzow (early enrollee in 2019 as 2nd catcher)- After two years at OU, she went on to Grand Canyon U to start for 3 years.
Donihoo and Puni were mentioned above but to start at an SEC school (Tennessee) is a tough thing. Puni (1 year at OU) has had two much better than average seasons. Donihoo spent 2.5 years at OU.
Paige Knight (unranked Oklahoma High School player)- After one year at OU, she has moved to New Mexico State and started for two years.
Turiya Coleman (Top 15 recruit)- after 1 year at OU, she has started at Houston and played very well there. I expect that
Sophia Nugent and
Jocelyn Erickson will play well at Tennessee and Florida also.
Jordy Bahl will be very good at Nebraska and only time will tell what she can do for the Nebraska program. I expect it will perhaps be more than we think.
Now, I will address the transfer item addressed by 'MontOUfan' and the remainder of the players on the list of transfers, etc.
- Seven players since the Class of 2017 have been Oklahoma High School player recruits that have ended up transferring. Those were, Audrie LaValley, Kinsey Koeltzow, Olivia Raines, Mackenzie Donihoo, Paige Knight, Alexx Waitman and Emmy Guthrie.
LaValley (Top 55 recruit)- transferred to Arkansas in Dec in her 2nd season at OU. If she would have been patient, playing time would have opened up in 2020. She maybe left before she could contribute at OU.
Raines (Top 45 recruit)- was a good prospect as a pitcher but after to seasons and pitchers coming in to OU sent a message. Trautwein in, Raines out. Raines may still help Texas Tech.
Waitman (Top 20 recruit)- never took the field in practice at OU. What happened here, I do not know. She will probably only be a backup at OSU.
Guthrie (Top 90 recruit)- had medical issues and red-shirted her only season at OU. She is now playing at OCU and is healthier. (The other OK players were addressed above or below.)
Three others since the Class of 2017 have retired from softball. Sammi Skelly (unranked as a recruit and from Oklahoma)- had some talent to offer OU as a hitter. After one year she decided D1 softball was not for her. Macy McAdoo (Top 35 recruit and OK player)- dabbled with success at OU, but control was an issue for her. After two hip surgeries, she retired. Raylee Pogue (unranked as a recruit but was ranked early in her career and a OK player)- had leg issues persist from an early injury as a teenager. She retires as well from softball.
That leaves a two players to address.
Brooke Vestal, the mystery of OU recruiting. Highly ranked and former #1 recruit, red-shirted as a FR and pitched limited innings for two years at OU. Velocity was probably her issue to earn more innings. At Ole Miss she pitched two years with a few more innings than at OU. Now she is at A&M.
Alanna Thiede, a LHP pitcher that had some talent. she has landed at UNLV and got to start regularly and contribute. I am not sure how much she would have pitched at OU due to not having a strikeout pitch.
I really do think that two things have affected this at OU in a big way. #1 was Covid and the extra year. That cannot be denied as a symptom of two many players with better players above you. #2 is the loosening of the transfer rules in a big way. that has made it easier for players to move on and find a place to play closer to home. Look above at all the California players that moved west to finish their career. I know that applies also to Turiya Coleman and to Jordy Bahl to Houston and Nebraska.
In the 2023, 2024 and 2025 recruits the players are highly ranked and very good. I will not be surprised if some of them decide that OU is just not the place for them at some point. That is not a fault of the program or by them. It is just what happens. It is tough to have 20 Top 20 players on a roster and fit them into 13-ish spots that play regularly. Very tough!
Boomer Sooner!
