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Reigning NCAA champion Sooners are No. 1 in D1Softball preseason rankings
The Sooners' quest for a third straight NCAA softball title will start from a familiar spot — ranked first in the country.
Oklahoma (No. 1), Oklahoma State (No. 3) and Texas (No. 14) were voted in the 2023 D1Softball Preseason Top 25 rankings that were released Monday. The 42.9% of the Big 12's teams in the top 14 marks the highest percentage of any conference.
The Sooners are looking to become just the second program to win three consecutive NCAA Division I Championships after titles in 2021 and 2022. OU has five returning players in the top 15 of the D1Softball Top 100, led by Tiare Jennings (No. 1), Grace Lyons (No. 4), Cydney Sanders (No. 6), Jordy Bahl (No. 9) and Jayda Coleman (No. 15).
No. 3 Oklahoma State returns ace pitcher Kelly Maxwell, who helped lead the Cowgirls to the semifinals of the 2022 Women's College World Series and OSU's first-ever Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship.
No. 14 Texas hopes to build off a thrilling postseason run from a season ago that saw the Longhorns become the first unseeded team to reach the WCWS championship series.
The Big 12 advanced a nation-high 42.9% of its teams to the 2022 WCWS and tied for first among leagues with the number of teams to make it to Oklahoma City. It was the highest percentage of teams the Conference has ever placed into the WCWS and the most teams for the league since 2011.
The season gets underway Feb. 9 with non-conference games while league play begins March 24. The 2023 Phillips 66 Championship returns to USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City on May 11-13.
More:Tramel: Mississippi State makes a special hire in Zac Selmon, who could one day be OU's AD
Oklahoma State leads Big 12 teams in D1Baseball preseason poll
No. 9 Oklahoma State is the highest-ranked Big 12 team in the D1Baseball preseason poll released Monday.
Oklahoma, fresh off an NCAA runner-up season, was not ranked. No. 15 TCU and No. 24 Texas Tech were the Big 12's other teams ranked in the poll.
LSU was ranked No. 1, followed by Tennessee, Stanford, reigning champion Ole Miss and Texas A&M.
OU women's gymnastics beats LSU
In a tough road environment, the reigning NCAA champion Oklahoma women'sgymnasticsteam edged LSU, 197.600-197.450 on Monday afternoon inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.
Freshman Jordan Bowers had a strong meet, earning a share of the beam title with a 9.950 and matching a career-high 39.650 in the all-around. In her first career all-around appearance, freshman Faith Torrez posted a 39.325, which ranks third in the Big 12 behind Sooner teammates Bowers and Audrey Davis (39.500). Junior Kat LeVasseur added her fourth career title on vault and first on the season with a 9.925. Senior Ragan Smith added her fourth career bars title and 28th overall with a career-high 9.950.
OU opens its home slate at 6:45 p.m. Sunday against No. 6 Utah inside Lloyd Noble Center.
More:Big 12 football schedule release delay exposes issues that reflect poorly on league
Investigators: Darius Miles provided gun in fatal shooting
Authorities said a University of Alabama basketball player charged with capital murder provided the gun used in the fatal shooting. Investigators wrote in a court document that Darius Miles admitted to providing the handgun immediately before the shooting.
Another man is accused of firing the gun and killing a young woman near the university’s campus, according to court documents filed in Tuscaloosa. Miles and Michael Davis are charged with capital murder in the shooting death of Jamea Harris early Sunday.
The University of Alabama said in a statement that Miles is no longer on the team. Defense lawyers for Miles released a statement saying Miles maintains his innocence and that he and his family “are heartbroken” over Harris’ death.
More:How OU basketball leaned on guards Grant Sherfield, Milos Uzan to beat West Virginia
Extra points
NFL: Brandon Staley will be back for a third season as the Los Angeles Chargers head coach. The same can not be said for some of his offensive staff. The team on Tuesday announced that offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and quarterbacks coach Shane Day have been fired after two years.
GOLF: David Feherty, the golf analyst who moonlights as a comedian, told the crowd at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, Florida,thatLIV Golfis close to securing a deal with a network known for teen dramas and superhero shows. The CW Network, with 220 affiliates nationwide, is next in line as LIV attempts to secure a television contract. Feherty hinted an announcement could be coming soon, possibly this week.
—Staff and wire reports
