Oregon Softball Coach Melyssa Lombardi’s Emotional Message To Season End: Contract Year

The Oregon Ducks softball team had their season come to an end in the Women’s College World Series on Sunday night to the Oklahoma Sooners, 4-1. Oregon’s bats were no match for Oklahoma’s lights out pitching. 

The Sooners were the defending national champions and had won four straight Women’s College World Series. There will be a new champion this season after Oklahoma was eliminated by the Texas Tech Red Raiders in their next game after beating Oregon. The championship will be between Texas Tech and Texas.

Melyssa Lombardi "Proud" Of 2025 Oregon Ducks

With the season ending, Ducks coach Melyssa Lombardi had a very emotional postgame interview following the 4-1 loss to Oklahoma on Sunday. She spoke at length about this 2025 Oregon team and what they meant to her. 

“They have my heart, and they will always have my heart. They left a blueprint for our teams to come. And it’s not about how to come to the World Series and win a national championship,” Lombardi said. “It’s about how to be a group of people that know how to love each other to the absolute fullest and praise each other to the absolute fullest and for us all to see our potential.”

Lombardi credited this team chemistry for being a reason why Oregon was able to reach the heights they did this season. 

“We saw our potential because of the way we go about things,” Lombardi said. “I just can’t say enough. I’m so proud of this group right here, and I’m just thankful, and I love them.” 

Lombardi is under contract through June 2026. Will she and Oregon agree to a new contract? Time will tell.

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Oregon Ducks' 2025 Season

2025 was Coach Lombardi’s seventh and best season with the Ducks. Prior to taking the Oregon job, Lombardi was an assistant coach for her alma mater, the team that just knocked out Oregon, the Oklahoma Sooners. 

The Ducks had an incredible run this season. They finished with a record of 54-10 overall and 19-3 in Big Ten conference play. Oregon won the Big Ten regular season title in their first season as a member of the league. At the plate, the Ducks were lead by the Luschar sisters; Kedre and Kai. They were No. 1 and No. 2 on the team in batting average with Kedre hitting .426 and Kai hitting .416. The Ducks leading home run hitter was Rylee McCoy with 20 deep flies.

On the mound, Oregon was led by Lindsay Grein. Grein had an earned run average of 2.17 and threw 193.2 innings. Grein finished with a win loss record of 31-3.

The Ducks made the NCAA tournament as the No. 16 overall seed. They hosted the Eugene Regional and Super Regionals, winning both and advancing to the Women’s College World Series for the first time under Lombardi. Prior to this season, Oregon’s last appearance in the World Series was in 2018.