Baylor Bears

Sooners Top 2024 Big 12 Softball Preseason Poll

By Bryan Clinton

Posted on January 17, 2024

For the 12th consecutive season, Patty Gasso and the Oklahoma Sooners are the preseason favorites to win the Big 12 softball crown, as announced in a Big 12 press release.

In what has become arguably the most dominant stretch for one team in any sport, Oklahoma softball has risen to an echelon of its own over the past decade and shows no signs of faltering anytime soon.

The three-time defending national champions were the unanimous favorite to win the conference, as voted on by league coaches, getting nine of nine possible votes, as coaches are not permitted to select their own team. This marked the third straight season that the Sooners were the unanimous selection to win the Big 12.

Texas earned the No. 2 spot in the poll, its highest spot since the 2021 season. The Longhorns have been picked inside the top three in every Big 12 poll dating back to 2011 and have represented the league in the NCAA Super Regionals in each of the past four seasons.

Oklahoma State was voted third in the poll after making its fourth-straight trip to the Women’s College World Series in 2023. Kenny Gajewski and the Cowgirls had their best start in program history last season, racing out to a 40-3 record before losing 11 of their next 13 games heading into the NCAA Tournament.

Baylor was selected fourth for the fourth season in a row and are coming off their first 40-win season since 2017.

Big 12 newcomer UCF comes in at No. 5 while Texas Tech is the No. 6 team in the league heading into the year. BYU edged out Kansas by a single vote for the No. 7 spot, while Iowa State (No. 9) and Houston (No. 10) round out the poll.

The 2024 season will begin on February 8, while Big 12 play will start on March 7 and conclude on May 5 before heading to Hall of Fame Stadium for the Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship on May 8-11.