The Oklahoma Sooners and head coach Patty Gasso continue to stack up wins on the recruiting trail. They brought in the No. 1 recruiting class in the country in 2025 and have the No. 2 recruiting class in the 2026 cycle. Now, they’ve broken the ice on their 2027 recruiting efforts, landing a commitment from one of the top players in the nation.
Wagoner’s Juliana “Goose” Hutchens committed to the Oklahoma Sooners on Thursday. She’s the No. 2 player in the nation and the No. 1 catcher. Hutchens can also play third base. She’s a power hitter with a lot of pop, tying the Oklahoma state record with 22 home runs as a sophomore last season.
“Wow, it’s so surreal to be here now,” Hutchens wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “This is one of the moments every little girl dreams of getting to experience. Words couldn’t describe how thankful I am for the Oklahoma coaching staff. They are taking a chance on me that I’ll forever be grateful for.”
Hutchens chose the Sooners over offers from Arizona, Texas, Texas Tech, and UCLA. She’s the second No. 1 catcher in the nation to commit to the Sooners in three recruiting cycles, joining 2025 No. 1 catcher Kendal Wells.
The Oklahoma Sooners will have one of the best lineups in softball in 2026, returning 13 players from a squad that reached the Women’s College World Series semifinals. Oklahoma brings back key starters in Ella Parker, Kasidi Pickering, Gabbie Garcia, Nelly McEnroe-Marinas, and Sydney Barker.
The Oklahoma Sooners will open up fall ball with the Battle Series starting on Oct. 3 at Love’s Field in Norman.
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