OSU Softball: Cowgirls Reflect on Impact of 2024 Season
Oklahoma State’s season ended earlier than hoped, but the ride was well worth it.
OSU softball made its fifth consecutive trip to the Women’s College World Series this season, but losses to Florida and Stanford in Oklahoma City ended the Cowgirls’ season. After their season-ending loss to Stanford, some of the Cowgirls reflected on their time at OSU and how their time in Stillwater impacted them.
OSU star Jilyen Poullard played only one season with the team after transferring from McNeese. However, that did not prevent her time in Stillwater from being one of the most impactful years of her softball career.
“When I left the place I was at, I thought I was ready to hang up my cleats,” Poullard said. “I was perfectly fine with never playing a game of softball again. I prayed on it and I just knew that after all the hard work I put into this game, I deserved to end my career in my own way.”
This season, Poullard batted .300 while having 33 hits and 11 home runs. Poullard was not the only Cowgirl with a career-defining experience in just one season in Stillwater.
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OSU catcher Caroline Wang had a dominant season with the Cowgirls and was a significant piece of their run to the WCWS. Wang led the team in batting average, hits, RBIs, home runs and total bases while playing every game.
In her four seasons at Liberty, Wang never made it out of a Regional in the NCAA Tournament.
“I never thought I’d be in a place to say I wasn’t ready to be done,” Wang said. “I think when you play for this type of program, you can never be ready.”
Although those two will not be back in 2025, the Cowgirls and coach Kenny Gajewski have built a program to compete at the WCWS for years to come. A bitter ending to a 49-win season will take time to get over, but the future of OSU softball is undoubtedly bright.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.