Cowgirls' Coach Revisits Kelly Maxwell's Transfer

Kenny Gajewski addressed Maxwell's transfer to the Sooners again and had more to say on his former player.

Former Oklahoma State pitcher Kelly Maxwell’s transfer to Oklahoma remains a fresh wound for the Cowgirls’ coach.

OSU softball coach Kenny Gajewski talked to the media on Wednesday and addressed the former Cowgirl’s transfer to an in-state rival. Maxwell transferred to OU in the offseason after four seasons pitching for OSU.

Maxwell’s move to the Sooners was unexpected, and Gajewski’s team will now have an added layer when facing one of the most dominant teams in all of sports. OU went 61-1 on its way to winning a national championship last season and has added another weapon to that team.

“I wish she would’ve gone somewhere else,” Gajewski said. “I mean, we’re trying to beat those guys, and now we have to face her? That sucks.”

Gajewski revisited the comments he had previously made regarding Maxwell’s decision. Gajewski said that Maxwell had lost her legacy at OSU and that as long as he was the coach, it may be difficult for Maxwell to return to Stillwater.

“Yeah, I mean it hurt,” Gajewski said. “Because I just, like I said, I got absolutely demolished. I was Twitter famous for two or three days with OU fans that were upset with an excerpt of what they read.”

While Gajewski did not necessarily back away from his comments, it is important to remember Maxwell’s contributions to OSU will have a lasting impact. With Maxwell’s help, OSU advanced to four straight Women’s College World Series and won the Big 12 Tournament in 2022.

Maxwell was a first-team All-Big 12 selection for her final three seasons with the Cowgirls, including a unanimous first-team All-American selection in 2022. Last season, Maxwell played in 33 games and went 16-7 while throwing 229 strikeouts.

The Cowgirls will miss Maxwell, but as a team with four consecutive WCWS appearances, they will likely still find success. Just as Maxwell used the portal to her advantage, Gajewski is optimistic the portal will be a positive for the Cowgirls.

“It’s just life, it’s where we’re going, it’s not gonna change, it’s gonna happen again,” Gajewski said. “I’ve been very frank; we’ve benefitted out of the portal. And as long as that’s here, we’re gonna try to continue that."

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