Former Louisiana Star Sam Landry and Coach Gerry Glasco Share Emotional Reunion at College World Series

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (103.3 The GOAT) — For fans of college softball, especially Ragin' Cajuns fans, one of the most emotional moments of the Women's College World Series came at the end of an electric match-up between Oklahoma and Texas Tech.

It happened at home plate in Oklahoma City, where former Louisiana softball coach Gerry Glasco embraced his former ace pitcher Sam Landry after his Texas Tech team eliminated her Oklahoma squad in a dramatic 3-2 walkoff victory. The long embrace between the former Louisiana coach and player represented the culmination of a relationship that began when Landry was in middle school and Glasco was conducting a softball camp.

"I love you," Glasco told Landry during their emotional moment. "I hated that we had to play today. I just hated it. I would've rather her finish her career against anybody besides me, and I would have rather played anybody than her to go to the championship, but we don't control that."

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How Sam Landry and Gerry Glasco Built Louisiana Softball Dynasty

The relationship between Landry and Glasco represents one of the most successful coach-player partnerships in recent Louisiana softball history. Landry committed to Glasco and the Cajuns early, giving Louisiana a verbal pledge in February of her freshman year of high school after meeting him at that middle school camp years earlier.

During her three seasons in Lafayette from 2022-2024, Landry became far more than just another pitcher on Glasco's roster. According to Sports Illustrated, she developed such a close bond with Glasco and his wife Vickie that she regularly visited their house and even took care of one of their dogs, a beagle named Beaux.

Glasco has described Landry as being "like a daughter to me," and that family-like relationship showed in her performance on the mound. As a freshman in 2022, Landry went 20-3 with a 2.15 ERA, leading all Sun Belt pitchers in winning percentage. She never had an ERA higher than 2.15 in any of her three seasons wearing the vermillion and white.

The connection went deeper than softball statistics. Landry honored Glasco's late daughter, Geri Ann, who was killed in a car accident in 2019. When playing at Louisiana, Landry wore number 12 to honor her memory. Even after transferring to Oklahoma, where number 12 wasn't available, Landry continued the tribute by writing "12" on her glove.

Louisiana Ragin Cajuns' Historic 2024 Season Against Oklahoma

Under Glasco's guidance, the Landry and the Cajuns squad would put together one of their most memorable seasons in recent history, highlighted by a stunning 7-5 victory over top-ranked Oklahoma that ended the Sooners' 71-game winning streak.

FLASHBACK: Glasco Heading to Texas Tech

Landry was dominant in the circle, while players like Mihyia Davis, Lauren Allred, and Chloe Riassetto provided the offensive support that made the Cajuns a legitimate threat against any team in the country.

Landry capped her Louisiana career with an outstanding junior season, winning 24 games and earning first-team All-Sun Belt honors. Her 117 games played over three seasons represented a level of durability and consistency that helped establish her as one of the premier pitchers in Louisiana program history.

The success of that 2024 season made what happened next particularly surprising to Louisiana softball fans who expected both Glasco and Landry to build on that momentum in Lafayette.

Louisiana Softball Legacy Showcased on National Stage

While losing both Glasco and Landry represented a significant blow to the Louisiana program, their success on the national stage reflects the strength of what they built together in Lafayette. The fact that former Louisiana players are competing at the highest level of college softball demonstrates the quality of the program Glasco developed during his six-plus seasons with the Ragin Cajuns.

Under new coach Alyson Habetz, Louisiana is working to rebuild and maintain the championship culture that Glasco established. The program's 24 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and string of Sun Belt Conference championships provided a foundation that should serve the Cajuns well moving forward.

For Louisiana softball fans, Monday's game offered a bittersweet reminder of what the program achieved and the relationships that made it special. Watching former Cajuns compete at the College World Series level validates the recruiting, development, and culture that made Louisiana one of the premier programs in the country.

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