SOONERWIRE - Former Oklahoma Sooner softball pitcher Payton Monticelli announced she was committing to the LSU Tigers on Monday. Monticelli arrived in Norman following the 2023 season and spent two years with the Sooners, helping Oklahoma win its fourth-straight title in 2024.

Monticelli appeared in 34 games over two seasons and held a 2-0 record in her time with Oklahoma. After posting a 1.09 ERA across 19.1 innings in 2024, the former Wisconsin Badger had a down year in 2025. She had a 3.94 ERA in 21.1 innings this season and threw just one inning in the NCAA Tournament.

She’ll join an LSU Tigers squad that lost pitcher Sydney Berzon to Oklahoma via the transfer portal.

In addition to Berzon, the Oklahoma Sooners will also welcome the No. 1 pitcher in the 2025 recruiting class, Alyssa Parker, as well as the No. 5 pitcher in the cycle, Berkley Zache. Senior Kierston Deal and sophomore Audrey Lowry will be back for 2026 as will redshirt freshman Sophia Bordi, who took some time away from the team toward the end of the season, but will be back with the team this fall.

Monticelli joins an LSU squad that finished ninth in the SEC in 2025. She provides the Tigers with a veteran arm out of the bullpen and brings heat to the circle.

She released a statement on social media thanking Sooner Nation for the memories. Monticelli said, “Thank you, Sooner Nation, for supporting me these past two years. This was not an easy decision to make. I have loved everything about being a Sooner and am so grateful for every single person I have met along my journey with this program. Norman will always be a special place to me.”