Intramurals are back and along with it is the race for the All Sports title. Oklahoma Christian University kicks off intramurals with a modified version of softball where players pitch to their own team and utilize a fourth outfielder.
Defending champions Gamma Rho will be looking to take the title once more with a newly stacked roster. They beat the upperclassmen in the final last year and picked up several names from that roster including Leah Weber, Delaney Ward and Joanna Hunter to name a few. They will be joining Katie McCullock and Natalie Smith. Gamma’s athletic director Sophie Mae Smith spoke on what it was like playing for Gamma.
“It’s really exciting because Gamma is so fun,” Smith said. “We’re always joking around, having fun and laughing a lot. Intramurals are a great place because that’s where people make a lot of memories.”
Despite a large amount of last year’s roster graduating, Smith was excited for the new additions to the team.
“Mary Ellen played softball all through high school,” Smith said. “So we’re super excited to have her. Joanna and Shaylee will also be around. We still have a lot of great players that will bring the team together for sure.”
Also looking to take charge early in the race for all-sports will be the women of Lambda Chi Zeta. Lambda also picked up finalists from last year including Maggie Overbey and Mattie Baird. They will help boost an already strong team backed by Carly Scates and Annie Davis. Lambda’s athletic director Olivia Hampton spoke on the team’s dynamic and what their plans are moving forward .
“I love our girls,” Hampton said. “They are supportive of each other no matter what and I think it’ll be a good season.”
Hampton also addressed the current intramural dynamic in the women’s division, noting how Lambda can cruise for most of the season until they face Gamma.
Hampton said. “One player I think will lead the team is Mattie Baird,” Hampton said. “She has helped us a lot in practice, helping the girls with their hitting and whatever else we need to work on. So I think she will be a big leader for us.”
Theta Theta Theta has always been a competitive club during intramurals, and this year should be no different. Allie Neilson, Theta’s athletic director and winner of multiple athlete of the week’s, explained why.
“Because the B league isn’t for points in softball, we can put all of our girls on the A team. I think it’s going to be good because we’ll get to be around each other,” Neilson said. “We have defending intramural athlete of the year Maddie H, and Tess Linderman is also very good at softball.”
The freshman class has yet to display their skills. Director of freshmen experience, Trent Dobbs, had no comment on the team.
Because softball occurs during rush season, compared to every other sport that takes place afterwards, this intramural sport provides a unique curveball for the clubs to handle. While all upperclassmen (sophomores through graduate students) at Oklahoma Christian are allowed to compete in intramurals, the softball season is the only sport that consistently fields a team.
This sport also allows the previous freshmen class to come together for one more season. Landon Parker and Josie Floyd will be reprising their roles as athletic director for the 2023-24 freshmen class as they lead the upperclassmen in softball and see how they can change up the rankings.
Looking to the men’s side, defending all-sports champions Delta Gamma Sigma defeated Chi Lambda Phi in the regular season but collapsed in the final, losing 27-6. Chi will be looking to reproduce their success, starring a squad of seniors who can compete in just about anything.
Kade Schuermann will be back as athletic director, defending intramural athlete of the year Carter Neal is on their side and Cole Klaassen is another great all-around athlete. They will be joined by Quinn Martin, new athletic director Parker Landes and Mason McDonald. Schuermann also spoke of a new star, or as he puts it, his “short little dynamite.”
“Elijah Odell didn’t want to play sports before, but he’s getting into it now, and I think he can really help us out in softball this year,” Schuermann said. “He hasn’t played in the past, but he expressed interest to me, and I think we’ll find a spot for him.”
For Delta, Garrett Webster will be returning as athletic director, but this time, he will also be joined by junior Troy Pearman. Speed demon Luke Ferguson is still around, as well as power hitter Bryce Van Tuyle. Newcomers like Blaise Clark, Alyx Logan and Jack Briton look to round out the roster. Webster spoke on the plan to avoid collapsing in the playoffs this year.
“It’s just about getting settled in,” Webster said. “I think we let the lights get a little too bright for us, let the names and everything get a little too big, and I think we just got to settle down, calm down and play our game because we know we’re a good team. We can beat anyone.”
Pearman shared his perspective on leading the defending all-sports champions as a newcomer to athletic leadership.
“It’s an honor being AD for such a historic program. I hope to leave my mark and leave a legacy behind,” Pearman said. “I’m very excited for the rest of the season and hope to continue the pattern that was set last year.”
Pearman highlighted fellow junior Jack Briton as someone he thinks will help lead the team back to the finals.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Jack in action, especially after having spent the summer playing on a nationally ranked team,” Pearman said. “I’m excited to see him hit.”
One club looking to take a step-up from last year is the men of Kappa Sigma Tau. Kappa failed to win a single game last year in softball, something which killed all-sports hopes early for the club. Buddy Lambert and Isaiah White will be looking to bounce back from that, now being led by Brayden Olson, Caleb Connor and Michael Hull. Connor spoke on the plan to change up the tradition of softball struggles.
“We’re looking to take the amount of softball losses we’ve had and flip it on its head,” Connor said. “That’s something we really want to focus on. Our fellow ADs Brayden Olson and Michael Hull will help us a lot in that regard, alongside Sam Hegeman.”
The intramural softball season will start on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Early matchups to watch include Gamma vs the Freshman class at 7 p.m., Delta vs the Freshman class and Theta vs Lambda at 8 p.m. and Chi vs the Upperclassmen at 9 p.m.
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