Sam Landry spent just one season at Oklahoma, transferring in from Louisiana. Her coach there was on the opposite side in this year’s Women’s College World Series semifinal, Texas Tech‘s Gerry Glasco. He maintains a special relationship with Landry, extending further than just softball.
On Landry’s glove, you will find the name Geri Ann, Glasco’s late daughter. The ESPN broadcast spoke on the matter during Monday’s game between Oklahoma and Texas Tech. But during her postgame press conference, Landry expanded on the matter and explained why she decided to honor Geri Ann throughout the 2025 season.
“I met Gerri Ann a few times while she was a volunteer coach at Louisiana under Coach Glasco,” Landry said. “I got to know her a little bit before she passed away but I was very close with Coach Glasco all those years. Just seeing how he was dealing with, wearing No. 12, in my opinion, kept him going. So that’s why it was so important to me and carrying on her legacy. She was an amazing person.
“When I got here, No. 12 was taken. I knew I had to figure out somehow to keep her going. So, I got it on my glove.”
Maya Bland wore No. 12 this season for the Sooners. Landry did not stray too far away, just flipping the two numbers for No. 21. Still, not exactly what Landry was going for as she felt like something else was needed. And although Glasco was not there on a daily basis, everything came full circle in Oklahoma City.
Glasco was originally going to recruit Landry with him to Texas Tech, hoping to coach her for a fourth season. There was only one team he knew was worthy of playing for, instead of going to Lubbock. Once Oklahoma made the call, Glasco actually advised Landry to go to Norman.
“She first met Coach Glasco in eighth grade and then played for him for three seasons at Louisiana,” ESPN’s Taylor McGregor said during the broadcast. “Last summer, when he decided to take the Tech job, he originally told her to come with him. But then Oklahoma came in with an offer and he said ‘You have to go there.’”
No matter where Landry landed, finding a way to remember Geri Ann was going to happen. And when the jersey number was not a possibility, the next best thing took place with her glove.
