An OU alum is giving a voice to student-athletes with “Sooner Girl Sports Pod,” a one-woman podcast covering all things OU sports.
Larissa Holquin, who graduated in 2003, created the podcast in January 2025 after being a frequent guest on Sooner Sports reporter Chris Plank’s radio show.
“He was like, ‘Hey, come get on the radio show with me, and we'll talk football.’ … So for several years in a row, I would join him for five or 10 minutes on his radio show,” Holquin said. “I realized that was something I really enjoyed. I had some friends who told me, ‘You sitting here talking at the table with us, or talking on the radio with Chris Plank, that’s a podcast. You could do this.’”
Larissa Holquin and Sooner Sports reporter Chris Plank.
Holquin said she’s had an interest in sports her whole life despite it being a male-dominated field, a gender divide she believes is less intense than people think.
“I just remember myself back in my 20s, in my college days, I was the one that was often around the TV with the men. All the women are in the kitchen, doing their kitchen things, cooking and all that. That's not my jam, …” Holquin said. “I think that there's more women that could do that, or maybe want to do that.”
Being a woman in a male-dominated interest is something Holquin said she is used to but is often misconstrued as having ulterior motives.
“I do feel like as women, when we show interest in those things, we are often questioned as to the motive behind it,” Holquin said. “‘Well, are you just doing this for your husband or because you're trying to get male attention?’”
According to Holquin, assumptions like this caution women away from sports communities but she hopes to encourage women to join the conversation.
“Women don't want to ask men questions about sports or about what’s going on because they feel stupid, and they don't want to be looked down on,” Holquin said. “If another woman is talking about it, then we can learn and ask questions and feel more comfortable.”
Holquin said because she’s put herself online, she receives negative comments on her work and has to have thick skin. She said she wishes more women did what they wanted despite this feedback.
“I'm going to do what I want to do. I don't care what other people think, and I really wish that more people have that audacity in their life, regardless of what it's for, just because I feel like as women, we can fit in if we want to,” Holquin said. “You're always going to have people, regardless of the scenario, that are going to say something about you or make fun of you or think you should be different, and that's definitely prevalent as someone like myself trying to be in the world of sports.”
Holquin’s message to women wanting to follow in her footsteps is to take the leap.
“If you're interested in sports and you want to take up that space and make that adventure to be a journalist, whatever that capacity may be for you, do it, try it,” Holquin said. “Even if it doesn't work out, at least you'll know, ‘I tried that and I did that,’ and you'll be proud of yourself.”
“Sooner Girl Sports Pod” covers all sports, as Holquin wants to share as many stories as she can.
“I'm truly thankful for anybody that gives me their time to share their story,” Holquin said. “I think what I like to focus on — what's most important to me — is just giving people a platform to share their voice.”
Holquin enjoys being able to give a voice to women athletes.
“I don't want to say I just focus on giving a platform for women because that's not the case,” Holquin said. “But I do enjoy giving women that space to talk about sports and other athletes that often get overlooked.”
For the future of her podcast, Holquin said she wants to continue to highlight undercovered athletes and sports like women's lacrosse.
“I want to maintain what I continue doing, and just keep making connections and giving people a platform to give their relatable story so that fans can relate and attach themselves to them and get out and support more OU sports,” Holquin said. “Not just the typical ‘headliner’ ones like football, basketball — the ones that everyone kind of goes to.”
More information on “Sooner Girl Sports Pod” is available online.
This story was edited by Madisson Cameron. Larkin Bock and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
