III
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 787
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 31, 2024
Mr. Lankford (for himself and Mr. Mullin) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Congratulating the University of Oklahoma softball team for winning the 2024 Women’s College World Series, the eighth national title in program history.
Whereas the 2024 University of Oklahoma softball team (referred to in this preamble as the Sooners
), under the direction of head coach Patty Gasso, swept rival University of Texas at Austin Longhorns in the Women's College World Series championship to win its record fourth consecutive National Collegiate Athletic Association (referred to in this preamble as NCAA
) title;
Whereas the Sooners, over the 50-year history of the University of Oklahoma softball program, have won 8 national championships, including an unprecedented 6 in the past 8 seasons and 7 in the past 11 seasons, and have competed in 17 Women's College World Series tournaments, including 12 of the last 13;
Whereas the Sooners opened the state-of-the-art softball stadium Love's Field on March 1, 2024 and drew an NCAA single season record of 108,156 fans for an average crowd size of 4,326 per game;
Whereas a Nation-high 5 Sooners players were named 2024 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (referred to in this preamble as NFCA
) All-Americans, including Alyssa Brito and Tiare Jennings, who received first-team honors;
Whereas the Sooners won their ninth conference tournament by winning the 2024 Big 12 Softball Championship in Oklahoma City, defeating rival University of Texas at Austin Longhorns in the title game;
Whereas Head Coach Gasso earned her 1,500th NCAA Division I win and became the first Big 12 coach in any sport, men’s or women’s, to record 400 conference victories;
Whereas the Sooners placed 9 student-athletes on the 2024 All-Big 12 teams, including a league-high 5 on the first team;
Whereas Oklahoma student-athletes received numerous honors, including—
Kinzie Hansen, who was named 2024 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year;
Ella Parker, who was recognized as a top 3 finalist for the 2024 Tucci/NFCA Division I Freshman of the Year;
Alyssa Brito, who was named College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Team Member of the Year; and
5 Sooners, more than any other team, who were among the 26 finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award; and
Whereas the University of Oklahoma 2024 senior class of softball players closed its career with the most wins in a 4-year stretch in NCAA softball history, recording 235 victories to just 15 losses, including 73 victories to 7 losses in Big 12 Conference play and 41 victories to 4 losses in the NCAA tournament: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
expresses profound appreciation to Head Coach Patty Gasso and the 2024 University of Oklahoma softball team for the excitement and pride they bring to the University of Oklahoma, the State of Oklahoma, and to Sooners everywhere; and
expresses profound appreciation for the exemplary manner in which the 2024 University of Oklahoma softball team represents the University of Oklahoma and its tradition of excellence.