Oklahoma Sooners lose All-American to the transfer portal

[ASFN Admin]

The Oklahoma Sooners suffered their most significant loss of the offseason on the first official day of the transfer portal. Outfielder Kasidi Pickering is leaving the team, according to D1Softball's Justin McLeod. According to McLeod, Pickering is in the portal with a "no-contact" tag.

The tag could indicate that Pickering wants to reach out to teams that she's interested in or that she already knows where she wants to go.

Pickering has been an everyday outfielder for the Sooners since her true freshman season back in 2024. She has been big in the Sooners' postseasons each of the last three years, helping Oklahoma win the 2024 national title, the team's fourth straight. She was a freshman All-American in 2024 and an All-SEC and All-American selection in 2025.

At Oklahoma, Pickering hit .384 and averaged 16.67 home runs and 56.33 RBIs per season with the Sooners. Despite a bit of a slump in the month of May, Pickering finished with career highs in home runs, RBIs, doubles, and runs scored.

Oklahoma is expected to return outfielders Ella Parker and Kai Minor and will bring in five-star outfielder Peyton Westra in the 2026 recruiting class. The Sooners will have an answer for Pickering's departure in the portal.

2027 Roster Outlook​

Transfered Out​

• Tia Milloy, UTIL
• Berkley Zache, P
• Riley Zache, UTIL
• Kasidi Pickering, OF

Incoming​

• Payton Westra, OF - No. 2 overall player by Softball America
• Ella Kate "EK" Smith, P - No. 15 player overall, No. 5 pitcher
• Ki'ele Ho-Ching, IF - No. 18 overall, No. 7 infielder
• Malaya Majam-Finch - No. 54 overall, No. 16 pitcher
• Keegan Baker, P - No. 20 player overall, No. 6 pitcher

This is a strong class that also included the signing of No. 4 overall player and No. 1 infielder Ori Mailo, who was on campus for the 2026 season. She'll have a chance to take over at second base for the departing Ailana Agbayani, while Payton Westra could factor into an everyday role in the outfield or designated player role.

On a pitching staff that is losing a pair of seniors and a talented freshman, there will be an opportunity for the incoming trio to earn innings in the circle this fall.

Out of Eligibility (5)​

• Abby Dayton, OF
• Isabela Emerling, UT
• Ailana Agbayani, 2B
• Sydney Berzon, P
• Kierston Deal, P

Oklahoma is losing big-time talent from its position players due to eligibility. Abby Dayton was a good left fielder and provided energy in the lineup over the last couple of seasons after transferring from Utah. Isabela Emerling had an incredible 2026, hitting 20 home runs and improving her batting average by nearly .200 points. Ailana Agbayani is heading to the AUSL after a strong run at second base for the Sooners.

Sydney Berzon didn't live up to expectations as a transfer addition from LSU. Neither did Kierston Deal, who was considered the No. 1 player in the 2022 recruiting class by Extra Inning Softball. Deal was a big part of Oklahoma's national championship runs in 2023 and 2024. As a reliever in her freshman year, she posted a 0.77 ERA. As a sophomore in 2024, she became a big part of the starting rotation, going 14-1 and earning All-Big 12 second team honors. Her ERA rose to 3.42 in 2025 and to 7.50 in 2026.


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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma OF Kasidi Pickering entering the transfer portal

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