OKLAHOMA CITY — After an emphatic victory over Texas on Thursday, the Sooners could finally catch their breath.

Kinzie Hansen, Rylie Boone, Jayda Coleman, Tiare Jennings, Kelly Maxwell and, of course, head coach Patty Gasso sat at the postgame press conference after their 8-4 victory, which secured the program's eighth championship. It was a moment to revel in what they've accomplished, becoming the first team in college softball history to win four straight championships.

But sentimentally, the Sooners' "core five" group of seniors could finally bask in their achievement as the most-decorated senior class in softball history, ending every season together with a championship.

It was also an opportunity to reflect on what it took to get here. And for that group of seniors, the theme was the same.

"It was just a grind," Hansen said.

That made reaching the mountain top even more fulfilling, because it certainly wasn't easy.

Despite a few key roster departures in the offseason, the Sooners were still heavy favorites to win the WCWS yet again. That pressure built early, particularly on the seniors, as they navigated the ups and downs of the regular season.

The Sooners felt adversity early, when they fell to Louisiana in their first weekend at Love's Field, ending their 72-game winning streak. Those pitfalls continued when they dropped back-to-back games at Texas, a home game against BYU and then lost two games against Oklahoma State at home to end the regular season.

Hansen, Boone, Coleman, Jennings and Nicole May posted a 235-15 record on the field together — a remarkable feat — but eight of those losses came this season.

"Honestly, the whole season was tough," Coleman said. "For me personally, I know I had very high expectations. Even right off the bat playing our first game, I felt the pressure. I felt the expectations. As we went on, if we lost one game, two games, lost to Texas, everyone had an opinion about us. It was frustrating just to see everyone on Twitter, TikTok hoping anybody else (would win) but us."

But when it came time for the postseason, the Sooners hit that familiar gear they hit the past three seasons. They swept their way through the Big 12 Tournament, regional and super regional tournament, outscoring their opponents 61-14 over eight games en route to another WCWS berth.

"I think (we put) pressure on ourselves," Jennings said. "I think for me, that was my biggest thing, trying to do everything I can for this team. But in reality I didn't have to do anything at all. I think that was when I was at my best, when there was no expectations on myself. Just to be on this team, just be present, celebrate everyone's successes. That was my biggest struggle this year.

"But going through this post-season, I felt so free, so much fun, no expectations, no pressure. Jayda was right. Listening to everybody, hearing all this stuff, we just did a great job of staying within each other. We didn't let it bother us at all. We just came out here and stuck together. This is family."

The Sooners went 5-1 at the WCWS, but they weren't done dealing with adversity. They narrowly defeated UCLA, 1-0, in the quarterfinal before falling to Florida, 9-3, in the semifinals, forcing an elimination game on Tuesday. The Gators took an early 5-2 lead, but the Sooners fought back to force extra innings.

In the eighth inning, it was Coleman who sent a walk-off home run that pushed the Sooners through to the WCWS finals, adding another memorable highlight for her career.

The Sooners made quick work of the Longhorns in the championship series, as the Sooners outscored them 16-7.

It took grit and resiliency for the senior class and their 16 teammates to stand atop the softball world once again.

"This one, to me, I definitely felt a little bit more sentimental," Hansen said. "We grew up together. I came in at 17 with Boone, then they came in freshman year after COVID. Kelly transferred.

"I'm so, so proud of this team, and everyone had their hand in it. It was never one hero at the plate or on the mound or anything like that. This was a team effort. We fought all season. Everybody had something to say about us all the time. People counted us out. It was just a grind. All in mentally, physically. We fought the whole year. It was all so worth it in this moment."

The core five finished their careers with three Big 12 regular-season championships, three Big 12 Tournament championships and four WCWS championships. They went 21-4 at the WCWS over those four seasons. Hansen, Jennings and Karlie Keeney are sticking around as graduate assistants, hoping to propel the next generation forward in Norman.

For Gasso, it's hard to comprehend what this senior class has achieved. And she knows it'll live on forever.

"What's really weird for me is in four years, I've never had a cry up here," Gasso said. "But I did anyway. Because they were all sitting here. When they're out, it's easier. It's like I haven't felt the hurt of the last loss. That is just incomprehensible at this level. It's crazy. But it's an honor.

"They all have wonderful things ahead of them. They've cemented this program in history. They've cemented themselves in history. History can change, but these guys will never, ever be forgotten."

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