To further strengthen the walls of her team, Patty Gasso has formally announced the addition of another terrifying softball witch.
NORMAN, Oklahoma—On Tuesday, Patty Gasso, the head softball coach at the University of Oklahoma, announced the addition of four student-athletes through the transfer portal.
The graduate right-handed pitcher Karlie Keeney from Liberty, the graduate utility player Riley Ludlam from Furman, the graduate left-handed pitcher Kelly Maxwell from Oklahoma State, and the sophomore right-handed pitcher Paytn Monticelli from Wisconsin will all be joining the three-time defending national champion Sooners in 2023–2024.
Keeney arrives in Norman following a standout junior season at Liberty, where she appeared in 48 games, twirled 261 innings, and finished 27-12 in the circle. She had a 2.03 ERA, 153 strikeouts, and a batting average of just.229 against her opponents. In 2023, she pitched 27 complete games and five shutouts, leading the Flames to their third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. They defeated UCLA, the No. 2 seed, and advanced to the Los Angeles Regional final.
Ludlam, who started 49 games at catcher or designated player last season and was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year and an NFCA All-Region selection for Furman in 2023, hit.372 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs. With a.309 career batting average and 117 RBIs, the Fort Myers, Florida, product left Furman ranked among the top five in school history for home runs (25) and doubles (45).
After a legendary career at Oklahoma State, Maxwell, a two-time All-American, stays in Oklahoma to join the Sooners. With a 58-20 career record, 1.58 ERA, and 746 strikeouts, Maxwell—who was named the 2022 Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Year—has helped the Cowgirls win the Women’s College World Series the last three seasons. In 2022, she was selected unanimously for the first team All-America after going 21-5 with a 1.22 ERA. In 2023, she placed second nationally with her 11.2 strikeouts per seven innings, earning her a spot on the second team All-America. For the previous two seasons, Maxwell was also named Academic All-America.
The lone undergraduate transfer to OU, Monticelli comes from Wisconsin, where she pitched 80 innings in 21 games, generating 13 starts, and earning a 7-4 record in her debut season. The Cedarburg, Wis., native finished her first year campaign with a 2.71 ERA and a team-high 82 strikeouts.
Oklahoma welcomes four true freshmen for the 2023–24 season, along with the four transfer signees, and returns 13 student-athletes from the championship squad from the previous year.
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