Oklahoma softball came as close to a perfect season as possible last year — a 61-1 season that, including an 18-0 mark in Big 12 play and undefeated postseason run, was topped off with a third straight Women’s College World Series title.

The Sooners’ pitching, spearheaded by Jordy Bahl, was a big reason their 2023 softball team will go down as one of the most dominant teams in history. On top of leading one of the nation’s top pitching staffs, Bahl was individually dominant, not only in 2023, but in both of her two seasons in Norman: She had a career 44-2 record with a 0.99 ERA.

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In last year’s Women’s College World Series alone, Bahl tossed a scoreless 24 2/3 innings across the five games en route to the national title. That production earned her WCWS Most Outstanding Player honors on top of her second First Team All-American selection.

Now, as the Sooners look to become the first time to four-peat as Women’s College World Series champions, they will do it with a redefined rotation that won’t feature Bahl. She transferred out of the program following last season to return home to Nebraska to play for the Cornhuskers.

Here’s a look back at why Bahl transferred from Oklahoma to Nebraska:

Why did Jordy Bahl transfer from Oklahoma?

Considering Bahl’s success at Oklahoma — just two losses in 71 appearances across her two seasons with the Sooners — the announcement of her decision to transfer sent a shock within the college softball world. But the reason for it was justifiable, as Bahl noted homesickness as a leading factor in her decision.