NORMAN — For the last several years, there hasn't been much to figure out for OU coach Patty Gasso.

Her teams had been flanked by a cast of familiar names. Kinzie Hansen was the steady presence at catcher. Alyssa Brito and Tiare Jennings slotted into their spots in the infield. Jayda Coleman and Rylie Boone held things down in the outfield. Others, like Grace Lyons and Jocelyn Alo, were four-year starters.

That's just not going to be the case this season. The Sooners graduated 10 players from the most iconic senior class in softball history. There are 13 new players on this year's team, and eight of them are true freshman. Among the eight returning players, only four of them played real roles on last year's championship team.

There's a lot to figure out, and a lot of unknowns. That's exactly what Gasso is excited about.

"During the last four years, two weeks before the start of the season, I'm like, ‘OK, we're ready. Let's go. We can go now. We're good,'" Gasso said during Saturday's media day. "This team, I feel like we're going to take it to the midnight hour before we get on that plane... But I think we want it. I think we need it."

That means the figuring-out process for the Sooners will extend way best opening day on Thursday, when the Sooners begin the season against California State University Northridge.

There are a few things Gasso can count on. Ella Parker and Kasidi Pickering come into their sophomore seasons as pivotal offensive players after their standout freshman campaigns, as both players combined for 124 starts last year. Cydney Sanders returns as one of the lone seniors after starting the last two seasons at first base.

The Sooners added five veteran pieces via the transfer portal, including catcher Isabela Emerling, infielder Ailana Agbayani and outfielder Abby Dayton. Those five players can likely be counted on for significant roles this season.

But Gasso made it clear that there will be a lot of lineup experimentation, both offensively and defensively. There could be a lot of movement in both the infield and the outfield as Gasso and her staff figure out how the pieces fit, especially early in the season.

“I definitely feel I'm gonna be doing that," Gasso said. "I think we have a good opportunity to bring in, like a second crew, to come in, maybe defensively in the outfield or defensively in the infield. We do have people that can come off the benches.

"I just really want to give everybody a feel for what this feels like. We're going to take in every game. We're going to really break it down, understand it. So I guess earlier the question led me to (saying that) the early preseason is going to be probably the most important part of our season. Because if we aren't ready going into the SEC, it's too late to try to get ready."

Even with so many new players, the Sooners know the high expectations are still there after winning the last four national championships. They enter the 2025 season as the No. 3-ranked team by major media outlets. They finished third in the SEC preseason poll behind Texas and Florida, who are the championship favorites coming into the season.

No matter the circumstances, the Sooners are still expected to compete for a fifth-consecutive title. Parker, one of the few players who remain from last year's title team, embraces those expectations.

“That past group was very special, and I was so grateful to be a part of that, and just being able to soak in everything like a sponge to them was really helpful," Parker said. "And just being able to transition back into this year has been really special to be a part of. And (I'm just) taking that and hopefully being able to pass that on to our newcomers this year."

As the Sooners head into a new season, there's a lot more unknowns than usual. Gasso has to figure out the true potential of this team, where the leadership is coming from and how to move on from the seniors who shaped the last several years of OU softball.

She's ready for the challenge.

"I don't want to say (I feel) like a mom, but like a cool older sister who is watching her younger sister in college," Gasso said. "I'm fired up. I really am fired up. I am so excited because they've worked really hard. We have shared a lot of things from the personal side, as well as sharing a lot of things on the field. The way I know them right now, I'm not just coaching them. I am so rooting for them. I really, really am.

"It's just a different feel. And I'm really excited."

Not an OUInsider.com premium member? Sign up today to get loads of inside information on Oklahoma football, softball, basketball, and recruiting, all for just a few dollars a month. Click HERE to get started!

Follow us on Twitter @OUInsider and on Instagram @ouinsiderofficial!

Subscribe on YouTube by clicking here for daily video content on all things Oklahoma!