Riley Ludlam Proving to be Valuable Addition to Oklahoma

Photo courtesy Oklahoma Softball

When Sophia Nugent and Jocelyn Erickson entered the transfer portal last spring it left Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso with a hole in her roster.

Sure, she had All-American and Johnny Bench Award winner Kinzie Hansen returning to handle the bulk of the catching duties, but the Sooners needed a backup.

“We went scrambling because a lot of good catchers were already pulled in other directions to other universities,” said Gasso.

When Gasso ventured into the portal in search of a catcher she found Riley Ludlam.

But first she had to convince her that it was her making the call.

“When I called her, she didn’t believe it was me. And it took me a while to get her to understand that I am the coach at Oklahoma.”

After Ludlam made a visit to the Oklahoma campus in Norman, Okla., she was hooked.

“And she came out on a visit. She has a wonderful and I knew I wanted her here. And it was just a blessing for her and I to find each other,” said Gasso.

Gasso, and the Sooners, knew they were getting a talented player. Ludlam, who transferred from Furman, was the Southern Conference Player of the Year in 2023 and a NFCA Third Team All-South Region selection after batting .372 with 10 home runs and 41 RBIs.

And the Sooners got a catcher who has proved to be possibly more important to the top-ranked team in the nation than they originally planned.

As Hansen has been slowed by a minor injury, the presence of Ludlam has allowed Hansen to take her time returning to the lineup.

Over her first 21 games in a Sooners uniform, Ludlam batted .387 with two homers and 12 RBIs. Since Hansen went to the bench, Ludlam has started nine of 10 games and has a home run and seven RBIs.

“And man, what a wonderful person with a great personality. So gracious, so humble and hardworking. She’ll give her right arm to this team,” Gasso said.

Hopefully, it won’t ever come to that, but the Sooners know they have a catcher that can more than fill the void until Hansen returns.

“But she is also always telling me she’s living a dream. And that just makes my year when you hear a kid say something like that. And she’s got an opportunity she never, ever in a million years thought she would have.”

That opportunity includes plenty of playing time and a potential trip to the Women’s College World Series.

𝐑𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐋𝐮𝐝𝐥𝐚𝐦.

The first as a Sooner for @riley_ludlam and it’s 1-0 in the second!#ChampionshipMindset | @FloSoftball pic.twitter.com/clSQ2QI6hA

— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) February 25, 2024

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