The University of Oklahoma Sooners softball team continued their unprecedented reign of dominance on Thursday after securing the program’s fourth consecutive national championship.
The Sooners defeated the top-seeded Texas Longhorns 8-4 in Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series, capping off a historic season that saw Oklahoma post a sterling record of 59-7.
As ESPN notes, the Sooners are now tied for sixth on the list of most consecutive national championships won by a college sports team.
However, as brilliant as the Lady Sooners were on the field, what the players did after their victory was just as, if not more, impressive.
Just moments after the final out, ESPN reporter Holly Rowe spoke Sooners pitcher Kelly Maxwell, who made it known who she attributed the victory to.
“I knew I was gonna give all the glory to God,” Maxwell said.
But it wasn’t just Maxwell who put her faith on display. Her teammate, outfielder Riley Boone, made sure to give praise to God during the post-game press conference.
Commenting on the season, Boone said she felt God’s “hand over this program” more than ever.
“People are watching us, and they’re asking questions about, why do you do what you do? How are you even able to do this? And the answer is always God,” she added.
Speaking on what the program’s fourth straight title means, Boone said that “it matters, but it doesn’t matter.”
She clarified that “Spiritual-wise, this is unsatisfying.”
Boone said that, regardless of the team’s achievements, she’ll always remember what God has done for her and her teammates.
“You remember the breakthroughs that God moves inside, Jada, Tia, Kelly, the baptisms. That’s what matters,” she explained.
And earlier in the week, outfielder Jayda Coleman said that win, lose or draw, she will always have Christ.
“Even though I hit a home run, Jesus still loves me. If I would have struck out, Jesus still loves me.”
So good from OU softball’s @jaydac00pic.twitter.com/l9hnBC7PvK
— Jason Romano (@JasonRomano) June 5, 2024
This display of faith isn’t anything new for the Sooners. They gave all glory to God after their national championship victory last year, too.
You can’t help but admire these women. After winning four straight national titles, it would be easy to give yourself and your team all the glory.
But, as Boone noted in the press conference, God is greater than the successes that we can have in this life. As Jesus said in John 18:36, His kingdom “is not of this world,” so we can’t expect the things in this life to come close to the glory we can encounter through God.
Everyone should adopt the sentiments of these women, and remember that, in the end, God is what truly matters.
