It's Gold for Patty Gasso in her first international event as the head coach of Team USA.
The U.S. women's national softball team secured its fourth straight World Games gold medal in Chengdu, China. The team was coached by Gasso and led by former Sooners Tiare Jennings and Jayda Coleman, who were both named to the All-World Team. Eight countries were represented across the event, with the U.S. competing in Group A against the Netherlands, China and Chinese Taipei. Group B consisted of No. 1 Japan, No. 3 Puerto Rico, No. 4 Canada and No. 8 Australia.
Ranked as the No. 2 team in the world, Team USA made easy work of the group play to earn a 3-0 record. In the semifinals, USA took a 7-6 win over No. 1 Japan in a 10-inning contest on Sunday. Gasso's squad then defeated No. 4 Chinese Tapai 5-0 later that day to win the gold medal. The Red, White and Blue went 5-0 in Gasso's first big test as the head coach. USA outscored its opponents 32-6 en route to the gold medal. It's Team USA's fourth consecutive World Games title, adding to previous golds in Santa Barbara (1981), London (1985), and Birmingham (2022), according to Team USA.
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— USA Softball Women's National Team ?? (@USASoftballWNT) August 17, 2025
Oklahoma alum Tiare Jennings played outstandingly as she earned the Most Valuable Player for the World Games. She batted 8-for-20 (.400), with five RBIs, two home runs and crossed the plate seven times throughout the tournament. Jennings was the deciding factor in the USA taking down Japan. After opening the game with a two-run home run, the star infielder delivered again in the late innings. She hit a bases-loaded walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning. Jennings topped the leaderboard in hits (8), runs scored (7), and at-bats (20).
Former Sooner outfielder Jayda Coleman, went 2-for-4 from the plate against Japan, and 1-for-3 against Chinese Taipei.
Team USA features many players and coaches with OU connections as alums Kelly Maxwell (pitcher) was on the United States' 15-player roster while Kinzie Hansen (catcher) served as an alternate. OU's assistant coaches JT Gasso and Jennifer Rocha were also on the coaching staff. They were all victorious in the first big challenge, as Gasso earned her first gold medal as the head coach.
Gasso was named as the head for Team USA softball on Feb. 3, 2025. Selected by the USA Softball Selection Review panel, Gasso is set to lead the WNT to LA28 through the 2025-28 quadrennial cycle. Gasso has since overseen the selection of players and staff, which she did while also guiding the Sooners to the final four of the Women's College World Series this past season. In her first outings as head coach of USA, she guided the national team to two exhibition wins over an All-Star team in the All-Star Showcase at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. Team USA and the All-Stars played close matchups, with Team USA taking both wins 5-4 and 10-9.