Oklahoma to Tennessee softball pipeline continues: catcher Sophia Nugent transfers to Lady Vols

Cora Hall, Knoxville News Sentinel
·2 min read
10

The Oklahoma to Tennessee softball pipeline is alive and well.

Former Sooners catcher Sophia Nugent has signed with the Lady Vols out of the transfer portal, Tennessee announced Wednesday. This marks the third straight season that Tennessee has welcomed an Oklahoma transfer to the team. Last summer, former OU infielder Mackenzie Donihoo transferred to Tennessee and the summer before that, former OU infielder Zaida Puni transferred to UT.

Both Puni and Donihoo immediately started and made a significant impact on Tennessee's success.

Nugent has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Tennessee coach Karen Weekly said she wanted add another catcher to the roster this offseason, and she filled her need with a champion. Weekly worried during the season about starting catcher Giulia Koutsoyanopulos getting hurt and not having a backup.

Oklahoma's Sophia Nugent (17) runs home after hitting a home run in the second inning of a college softball game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Weber State Wildcats at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Saturday, March 18, 2023.
Oklahoma's Sophia Nugent (17) runs home after hitting a home run in the second inning of a college softball game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Weber State Wildcats at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Saturday, March 18, 2023.

Nugent, who is from Seal Beach, California, was ranked No. 3 overall and the No. 1 catcher in the 2021 class by Extra Inning Softball and Weekly said they recruited her in high school.

"We recruited Sophia when she was in high school and knew then what a great fit she was for our program," Weekly said in a school release. "Her character, work ethic and team-first attitude are the attributes we look for in the process. I couldn't be more thrilled for the opportunity to coach her and watch her finish her college career in the Orange & White."

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Nugent won two NCAA championships with Oklahoma during her two seasons as a Sooner. She appeared in 73 games, starting in 19. During the 2023 season, she hit .274, scored 19 runs, hit five doubles and seven home runs and recorded 23 RBIs. In the field, she recorded 153 putouts with seven assists and zero errors.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee softball signs Sophia Nugent, a former Oklahoma catcher

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