If there’s one thing Grace Lyons has experienced more than any other Sooner, it’s new teammates.
Lyons has spent her five years with the Sooners alongside 49 of them. It’s one of the things OU’s shortstop enjoys most about college softball. And while each team proves to be unique, they’re bonded by one similarity — mentality.
“We still stick to that championship mindset,” Lyons said. “That's just how the Sooner program is and the legacy it (has).”
Her fifth team is no different, and its 49-game win streak, an NCAA all-time record, bodes evidence that it's the best she’s been on. OU coach Patty Gasso sees it as one of the more connected groups she’s coached in 29 seasons helming the program.
“It started as a very diverse group,” Gasso said. “A lot of different backgrounds, different cultures. (I was) almost unsure (of) what it was going to blend like. They (put) such a significant effort into creating this culture that they really gravitated to.
“I don't know (that) if they found each other on the street they would all be best friends, but when you put them in a room and put softball in front of them, they've created this connection like nothing I've seen. It's amazing because they're so different … yet they found a way to blend this entire team in.”
Lyons and the Sooners (56-1) will kick off their pursuit of a third consecutive national championship against Stanford (45-13) at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Oklahoma City. Though the Sooners defeated the Cardinal 10-1 via run-rule on Feb. 10, coach Patty Gasso knows her squad will be facing an improved Stanford this time around.
“Not a lot at all because we're two completely different teams,” Gasso said of what she took away from the first meeting with Stanford. “I know that they're so much better. … If we could remember back to our first weekend, we were looking around like ‘What's going on?’ We weren't quite ready to play. And I think a lot of teams feel that way.
“Whether we won or lost, I don't take much from it because we're all so, so different. And they look different on video and in the games we've seen lately.”
Stanford coach Jessica Allister shared Gasso’s mindset, noting how much each team has grown since the initial meeting. However, the Cardinal doesn’t share the same recent success as Gasso and the Sooners.
Stanford is making its first WCWS appearance since 2004, and is just six seasons removed from a 24-31 record and 3-21 in-conference showing. The Cardinal are led by freshman NiJaree Canady, who hones the nation’s best ERA at 0.48 and caught Gasso’s eye during her high school years.
“Stanford's done a great job with her,” Gasso said. “I've known her for a long time. She used to come to camps a lot, wonderful family, wonderful girl. I'm happy for her, and their coaching staff has done a really good job with her and developing her into a really outstanding pitcher.”
The Cardinal are the first in a long line of opponents ready to face the Sooners, who will have to battle through a bracket with No. 5 Alabama and No. 4 Tennessee to reach the championship series. While OU faces a challenging path, its camaraderie remains one of its premier strengths.
“The type of players that coach (Gasso) recruits (are) just so open and kind and welcoming to everyone,” Lyons said. “We're all competitors, but I think the human side is something that's special that we don't really give much credit to. Everyone is so unique, but we really rally around the fact that we're people too.
“Coach prepares us to turn into women after (we’re done playing), to become wives and moms and things like that, that goes way beyond this sport. So that perspective allows us to be welcoming to everyone, invite all different personalities, and everyone can be themselves in the locker room and on the field.”
This story was edited by Nick Coppola.
