2026 recruiting rumors

[TropicalSooner]

At 12:01am tonight we can make contact with potential recruiting targets and start setting up campus visits for next weekend.

I wonder who the first calls will be made to????

Time for our campus 'spys' to get ready gather intel on who we may be wanting to become future Sooners!!

[OUBeliever56A]

In a review of last year's committment timeframe, here is what I found.

The first two "GO BOOMER!" tweets came out on Sept 5th and 6th last year. That was the Tuesday and Wednesday after the Friday Sept 1st.

• The Sept 5th tweet was Sophia Bordi.

• The 6th tweet was Kendal Wells.

• Both announced with their post on the same day as the "GO BOOMER!" tweet.

• The next was Alyssa Parker on Sept 11th.

• Lexi McDaniel on the 13th.

• Kai Minor on the 15th.

That was after the next weekend on Mon, Wed and Fri. Each posted their commit pics after the tweet.[/list]

• Berkley Zache was the final commit to the Class of 2025 on Oct 3rd on an official visit. As a bonus, we also got a commit from her older sister Riley on the same day for the Class of 2024.

I would think we will get one or two before next weekend, but I am only guessing.

Boomer Sooner!

[OUBeliever56A]

Here are my guesses (really more like close my eyes and throw a dart at a target) for the Class of 2026 recruits.

Pitchers:
1st choice: Ella Kate Smith - RHP/1B - Impact Gold - Jazz

2nd choice: Kelsie Donaldson - LHP/1B - TGA Sciara OR Keegan Baker - RHP/UT - OK A's National - Edmond, OK

Infielders:
Mia Johnson - 3B - Atlanta Vipers - Tamborra AND / OR Shayla Bahr - MIF/OF - Georgia Impact - Taylor

Outside chance of: Liv Keiter - MIF - Top Gun National 18U - (Liv is Kami Keiter cousin.)

Outfielders:
Kale'a Tindal - OF - OC Batbusters Stith AND / OR Bella Maria - OF Intensity 16U - BOD

Utility Player:
Reese Poage - C/MIF - Iowa Premier National 16U Dickel/James

[TropicalSooner]

Those look like well thought out predictions. I hope we can get some of those players to become future Sooners.
1. Do you think we only take one Pitcher or two? And I realize we will have Lowry/A Parker/Zache/Bordi on staff when they report in as freshmen? My feeling is you just can't have too many pitchers. But not many agree with that.
2. Do you think Coach Gasso uses up to all 25 allotments of Scholarships? And then only picks up incoming transfers to replace outgoing transfers?
It seems to me 21 or 22 would be the most manageable roster we would want to manage, but Missouri is showing 26 on their roster for 2025 so I guess you could load up and let the cream rise to the top?

[OUBeliever56A]

Those look like well thought out predictions. I hope we can get some of those players to become future Sooners.
1. Do you think we only take one Pitcher or two? And I realize we will have Lowry/A Parker/Zache/Bordi on staff when they report in as freshmen? My feeling is you just can't have too many pitchers. But not many agree with that.
2. Do you think Coach Gasso uses up to all 25 allotments of Scholarships? And then only picks up incoming transfers to replace outgoing transfers?
It seems to me 21 or 22 would be the most manageable roster we would want to manage, but Missouri is showing 26 on their roster for 2025 so I guess you could load up and let the cream rise to the top?

A couple of things effect how many 2026 pitchers are recruited.
1. Because Bordi is coming back from a left shoulder injury (non-throwing shoulder) and an elbow soreness on her throwing elbow she at least has some question about her after missing most of the summer.
2. We do not know if Ella Parker makes an appearence in the circle during 2025. If she does, that would reduce some need for a second pitcher in 2026, IMO.

My thought is we take two. The first will be a top pitcher like Smith and the second will be a good pitcher but can be developed maybe be a freshman red-shirt. (I think the Sooners like Donaldson as a lefty.)

I do not know how you have more than about 20 players on the active roster and play them all enough to keep them from transferring. Now if you tell me that most teams will have 25 players on the roster and that they will schedule JV games each weekend and maybe during midweek, okay, that can work. I actually would love to see the young players be able to play in JV games and not have to red-shirt. But it takes quite a few teams who are able to do that as well. I also wonder if you could schedule D2 teams or even the non-power conference teams to play mid-week games without the main 12 or so players playing and not affect your RPI or you "real record with a 25 player roster.

At this point, I do not think the roster explodes to 25 unless it is an SEC requirement.

[cclift38]

If you can get EK Smith and Stanton I say you take both. Even with a lot of pitchers in 25 class I think you can get away with somewhat over recruiting a position especially pitcher.

I’ve always kind of wondered, in California it’s midnight before here. So can you contact them on their midnight hour is it your local time? Just a curious thought.

[OUBeliever56A]

Isn't it midnight first on the east coast?

[TropicalSooner]

yep. So the contact is supposed to be at the Recruits midnight hour, not the coaches, right?

[TropicalSooner]

If you can get EK Smith and Stanton I say you take both. Even with a lot of pitchers in 25 class I think you can get away with somewhat over recruiting a position especially pitcher.

I’ve always kind of wondered, in California it’s midnight before here. So can you contact them on their midnight hour is it your local time? Just a curious thought.

In your opinion, do you think we really have a shot at Stanton?
I mean, has she been to any of our camps?

[cclift38]

yep. So the contact is supposed to be at the Recruits midnight hour, not the coaches, right?

Yeah your right, last on west coast now they o think about it.

[cclift38]

If you can get EK Smith and Stanton I say you take both. Even with a lot of pitchers in 25 class I think you can get away with somewhat over recruiting a position especially pitcher.

I’ve always kind of wondered, in California it’s midnight before here. So can you contact them on their midnight hour is it your local time? Just a curious thought.

In your opinion, do you think we really have a shot at Stanton?
I mean, has she been to any of our camps?

I think I lean more EK Smith but just a hunch more than anything.

[TropicalSooner]

If you can get EK Smith and Stanton I say you take both. Even with a lot of pitchers in 25 class I think you can get away with somewhat over recruiting a position especially pitcher.

I’ve always kind of wondered, in California it’s midnight before here. So can you contact them on their midnight hour is it your local time? Just a curious thought.

In your opinion, do you think we really have a shot at Stanton?
I mean, has she been to any of our camps?

I think I lean more EK Smith but just a hunch more than anything.

Well, then. There you go!

Thanks cclift38


Boomer!!!


Edit:
I would love to have EK. And she has been to our camps too. I just hope being from the same back yard as Avery Hodge, that nothing was said that would potentially sour Smith from coming to OU.

[1KCSoonerFan]

What would Hodge, or any other former player, have to say negatively about OUSB to a future recruit?

1.) Oh yeah, I won a Natty at OU.....but I did not play as much as I wanted.... Such a disappointment! Now, I have to have to clean this huge ring!
2.) My stats were not all that, yeah okay, and I kept going in and out of the line-up and having to share my time with another player. I mean, so what! I could not perform consistently enough on offense and defense to win the job for myself alone at the Top Program in D1 Softball...Geeze! What do they expect?
3.) EK Smith says, "Uhhh, sorry you feel that way. Can I see your ring?"

Not saying Hodge or EK feels that way or said any of that. Just wondering what a player that decides to move on would say to a Top Ten player wanting to join the team.

I wish Hodge (Bahl, Erickson, Nugent, and etc.) well....and all women who compete in sports....to have a great experience that leaves them healthy, happy, and whole. Not all of them transfer because they don't like OUSB.

[TropicalSooner]

Here we are--the day before prospects for the '26 HS class come knocking on our door.
It's time to marshall the troops...uh...spies that are nearby or on campus to see if they can gather any intel on who is making an appearance and taking tours of Love's Field and going to football games with their All American hosts.
If I remember correctly, it seems like last year we had groups of four at a time? show up on each of the first three weekends in September for official visits. I don't know if that is a level of comfort for the coaches and players hosting the prospects and their families or if it just happened that way.

Regardless, everyone has their final thoughts about who they would like to see show up and become Sooners.
Here's Mine:

Pitcher
I agree with OUBeliever on the number--I think we take two. My likes:
1. Caroline Stanton RHP Buford, GA (Atlanta)
2. Ella Kate Smith RHP/1B Katy, TX
Alternates if we miss on the above:
3. Addison Rackley RHP/OF Buford, GA (Atlanta) (is followed by Coach Gasso on X but also has interest in OSU)--- OR ---Ayla Tuua RHP Sacramento, CA (has been to A LOT of OU camps)

Infielders
1. Ki'ele Ho-Ching MIF/3B/UT Lakewood, CA (the other girl followed by Coach Gasso--also would continue Polynesian recruits--also looks up to Jennings and Alo)
2. Shayla Bahr MIF/OF Atlanta GA --- OR --- Brooklyn Gidley SS/2B College Statio, TX (blazing fast on the bases)

Outfielders
Bella Maria OF Toms River, NJ ---OR--- Jesse Shuman OF Lone Grove, OK

Catchers
Torynn Slaughter C/OF Phoenix AZ (comes from the OC Batbusters Stith/Black pipeline) ---OR---Ava Hodo C/3B/UT Orange Beach, AL


I'm really hoping we can at least get Stanton, or Smith.
Let the "Go Boomer"'s start to fly!

[navier]

Have any of you making "wish lists" actually seen any of these kid's pitch/hit/etc ??