[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 124 (Wednesday, July 19, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S3154]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 304--CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 
 SOFTBALL TEAM FOR WINNING THE 2023 WOMEN'S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES, THE 
               SEVENTH NATIONAL TITLE IN PROGRAM HISTORY

  Mr. LANKFORD (for himself and Mr. Mullin) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 304

       Whereas the University of Oklahoma Sooners softball team 
     (referred to in this preamble as the ``Sooners'') swept 
     Florida State University on June 8, 2023, to win the 2023 
     Women's College World Series hosted in Oklahoma City, 
     Oklahoma;
       Whereas the victory is the third straight national title 
     and the seventh overall national championship for the 
     program;
       Whereas the Sooners defeated ninth seed Stanford and third 
     seed Florida State to win a fifth championship in 7 seasons;
       Whereas the 2023 national championship is the third 
     consecutive for the Sooners, making Oklahoma one of just 2 
     schools to have accomplished this feat;
       Whereas the Sooners--
       (1) finished the regular season with 61 wins and just 1 
     loss, resulting in a winning percentage of .984, the best 
     winning percentage of any team in NCAA Division I softball 
     history; and
       (2) extended the NCAA Division 1 record winning streak to 
     53 games;

       Whereas, over the past 3 years, the Sooners have a record 
     of 176 wins and 8 losses;
       Whereas the Sooners became the first team in history to 
     lead the Nation in batting average, earned run average, and 
     fielding percentage in the same season;
       Whereas, under the leadership of Coach Patty Gasso, the 
     Sooners have won the Big 12 Conference regular season title 
     15 times, been to the NCAA Tournament 28 times, been to the 
     NCAA Women's College World Series 16 times, and won 7 
     championships;
       Whereas Jayda Coleman was named Big 12 Player of the Year, 
     which marks the fourth consecutive season a Sooner has won 
     the award;
       Whereas 7 Sooners were awarded National Fastpitch Coaches 
     Association All-American Honors, including 5 on the first 
     team; and
       Whereas the University of Oklahoma finished number 1 in the 
     NCAA women's softball final ranking: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the University of Oklahoma women's 
     softball team for winning the 2023 Women's College World 
     Series;
       (2) recognizes the exemplary standard set by Coach Patty 
     Gasso, staff, and the student athletes;
       (3) celebrates alongside the students, faculty, and staff 
     at the University of Oklahoma and all fans of the University 
     of Oklahoma Sooners softball team; and
       (4) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate 
     send a copy of this resolution to--
       (A) the president of the University of Oklahoma, Joseph 
     Harroz, Jr.;
       (B) the athletic director of the University of Oklahoma, 
     Joe Castiglione; and
       (C) the head coach of the women's softball team, Patty 
     Gasso.

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