Back-to-back champs Oklahoma captures NFCA’s 2017 NCAA Division I National Coaching Staff of the Year award
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – 2017 National Champion University of Oklahoma was voted by its peers for the second straight year as the NFCA Division I National Coaching Staff of the Year, announced the Association Wednesday. Under the guidance of head coach Patty Gasso, associate head coach Melyssa Lombardi, assistant coach JT Gasso and volunteer assistant Andrea Gasso, the Sooners captured their third national title in five years and fourth overall.
Oklahoma swept Florida in a WCWS championship series that featured an epic 17-inning game one, the longest contest in finals history, and a 5-4 nailbiter in game two. On their way to the title, the Sooners (61-9) rebounded from a regional-opening loss to North Dakota State to win their final 11 games of the postseason, including four elimination contests in the Norman Regional and a two-game Super Regional sweep on the road at No. 7 seed Auburn.
Becoming just the fourth program to repeat as champions, Oklahoma’s four crowns are the third most behind UCLA and Arizona. They became the lowest seed (10th) to win a title and reached the 60-win plateau for the second time in program history.
Capturing its fourth straight NFCA Central Regional Coaching Staff of the Year plaudit, Oklahoma was joined by 13 other programs that received regional honors- Minnesota (Great Lakes), Notre Dame & Fordham (Mid-Atlantic), Marshall (Mideast), Oklahoma State (Midwest), James Madison (Northeast), Oregon, Washington & Utah (Pacific), Texas A&M and Ole Miss (South), Florida (Southeast) and Arizona (West).