Report: Kelly Maxwell Expected to enter the Transfer Portal

[OUBeliever56A]

Bottom post of the previous page:

I just saw this. It seems to be written from an OSU perspective. Interesting.

https://pokesreport.com/s/4593/kelly-ma ... ding-to-ou

[RahOKU]

I just saw this. It seems to be written from an OSU perspective. Interesting.

https://pokesreport.com/s/4593/kelly-ma ... ding-to-ou

Author, Robert Allen, is a big-time OSU homer -- the point being he's not likely to be favorable to the Sooners unless he has to.

[TropicalSooner]

Nice acknowledgement from Kenny G

[TropicalSooner]

As much as I think Maxwell would be a big help to our team, I just really can't see her transferring to OU. I don't know if it is all those years of being a primary adversary to them or all the back and forth the fans have for each other, or what. But I think coming to Norman would just be too big a pill for her to swallow---and the backlash from the Cowgirl fanbase would be just absolutely enormous. I think she knows that and doesn't want anything to do with that. My guess is she goes somewhere way out of state.....or maybe to A&M as some have suggested.
I think she would be a big help to our young left handed pitchers as 56 has pointed out, she would have a lot less innings to shoulder, and of course have the best offense and defense in college softball to back her up. And maybe that does win out in the end. If she wants the study under the best pitching coach in America, there's no better than Rocha. If she wants to shoulder less of a burden and have the best offense and defense to back her up--can't do much better than OU.
But, in spite of all of the plusses of transferring to Soonerland, I think the price she will pay is too steep, and will probably wind up somewhere in the SEC. Not sure LA is the right fit for her culturally, but she could probably take her pick of teams in the SEC and they'd welcome her with open arms.

[MsProudSooner]

Kenny Gajewski explains why he believes Kelly Maxwell is leaving Oklahoma State softball

Jenni Carlson, Oklahoman
Sat, July 8, 2023 at 7:00 AM CDT

Kenny Gajewski spent much of Friday taking a Jeep tour in Colorado.

Yes, while the college softball world was losing its mind over the news that his ace pitcher, Kelly Maxwell, was entering the transfer portal and leaving Oklahoma State, the Cowgirls’ coach was trying to get in some vacation. So much for rest and relaxation.

But when I reached out to him hoping he might talk about her departure, he did something he didn't have to do: he paused his vacation and called me back.

Why?

“I want this to go away,” he told me.

By “this,” he meant the fervor, the uproar, the brouhaha.

“I want it to go away for our team, and I want it to go away for Kelly and just move on,” he said.

On what was arguably one of the toughest days at the end of one of the toughest stretches of Gajewski’s tenure as OSU's head coach, he decided to rip off the bandage. He wanted the story of the past few weeks to be told, so the future could become the focus.

More: What does Oklahoma State softball's pitching staff look like after Kelly Maxwell's exit?

He knows, after all, people want to know why.

Why is Maxwell leaving?

Gajewski believes it all started the day after OSU bowed out of the Women’s College World Series. The Cowgirls had exit interviews back in Stillwater, and one of the first people Gajewski saw was pitching coach John Bargfeldt.

He walked in and told Gajewski he was retiring.

“I was completely blindsided,” Gajewski said.

When he hired Bargfeldt four years ago, Gajewski knew Bargfeldt wouldn't be at OSU long term. He had already coached for many years, and when he left Tulsa after the 2019 season, retirement had been an option. But Gajewski convinced Bargfeldt to come to Stillwater in large part because he would be allowed autonomy in managing the pitching staff.

Gajewski said one of the few things he asked of Bargfeldt was some advanced notice before he was ready to retire and leave OSU.

“And he gave me none,” Gajewski said. “He just walked in and just retired. So, that was a tough one.”

Gajewski talked to Maxwell soon after. Bargfeldt, who she had grown exponentially with and become extremely close to, had already told her that he was leaving, and Gajewski remembers her emotions being strong and raw.

“At that point, it kind of crossed my mind, like, ‘Oh, crap, I wonder if she’s thinking (about transferring),’” he said. “I didn’t even broach that subject with her at that point.”

More: Oklahoma State softball: Tracking Cowgirls' arrivals, departures via transfer portal

A week or so later, though, they did talk about it.

“Well, are you thinking about it?” Gajewski said.

“No,” he remembers Maxwell saying, “but it has crossed my mind.”

“So, you are thinking about it.”

Gajewski and Maxwell continued having conversations ― “I don’t think she was ever thinking about leaving until John departed, to be very honest,” Gajewski said. “I can’t speak for Kelly ... but that would have been a total shocker to me” ― and Gajewski sensed that once the idea was planted, it started to take root and grow.

He hoped people close to Maxwell would convince her to return to OSU.

Ultimately, in the final few days of June, she told him she had decided the best thing for her to do was to enter the transfer portal.

“You’ve been very successful here,” he remembers telling her. “You’ve obviously fulfilled your agreement here. It was a four-year deal, and you’ve given us five, and so I’m thankful.

“But I’m hurt.”

[The Far Journey]

I had heard he was on the floor, hanging onto Maxwell's ankle as she was trying to get out the door, shouting, "Please don't go! You hurt me." Not exactly Patty and Jordy's parting.

[TropicalSooner]

There is more than just a little smoke on another board that the replacement Pitching Coach is going to be Carrie Eberle.
I don't know if that is anywhere close to being true or not.
If there is some reality to that though, then it would make a lot of sense for Maxwell to seek a situation where she could get more "real instruction" from a name brand pitching coach that has had success in coaching. In THAT case, and if that is all it amounts to (which is a lot actually), then it is a much more realistic scenario that Maxwell could come to Norman, and I would gladly and eagerly retract my previous post.
I can see very well how Maxwell might have serious doubts about having a coach that was only two years ago her teammate.

[Oklahombre]

If I was Nebraska I would throw the bucks to her. They already have the Denny McClain (Bahl) and need the Mickey Lolich to team up with her. Nebby would be instant contenders, IMO.

[OUBeliever56A]

If I was Nebraska I would throw the bucks to her. They already have the Denny McClain (Bahl) and need the Mickey Lolich to team up with her. Nebby would be instant contenders, IMO.

It is my understanding that Nebraska does not have any scholarship money available. So any deal to entice Maxwell to Lincoln would be strictly NIL money. That might work, but I am doubtful there is the high-level pitching coach at Nebraska that could entice Maxwell to arrive in Lincoln even with a solid NIL deal.

[AustinTXSooner]

If I was Nebraska I would throw the bucks to her. They already have the Denny McClain (Bahl) and need the Mickey Lolich to team up with her. Nebby would be instant contenders, IMO.

Wow, you are really showing your age. Sad thing is I know exactly what you are talking about.

[Oklahombre]

If I was Nebraska I would throw the bucks to her. They already have the Denny McClain (Bahl) and need the Mickey Lolich to team up with her. Nebby would be instant contenders, IMO.

Wow, you are really showing your age. Sad thing is I know exactly what you are talking about.

I figured some of us would get it.

[CorySooner214]

Someone posted on a Tennessee fan board that Maxwell may have committed to Florida during the USA tournament Tim Walton is coaching. Not sure if there is any validity to this. Hate to see him stockpiling talent again if true.

[TropicalSooner]

Yeah....he's been with her all week. Kinda hoping Alo would run interference for us, but maybe Maxwell holds a grudge for the HR's Alo hit.

[CorySooner214]

Hope so too. There have been other rumors of Vawter to Florida as well, but I cannot see both of them there with Keegan Rothrock coming in. Stranger things have happened though. They don't have Rocha anymore though and we do!!!

[TropicalSooner]

Hope so too. There have been other rumors of Vawter to Florida as well, but I cannot see both of them there with Keegan Rothrock coming in. Stranger things have happened though. They don't have Rocha anymore though and we do!!!

LOL.....and that's the whole point---we've got the best pitching coach in America.....
I kind of get Rothrock, a highschooler, being wow'd by Walton, but these Seniors, I thought they would know better....

[TropicalSooner]

Being reported on another site that Maxwell started following Rocha and JT in Instagram today.
And Rocha is following her back.
Can't help but think she's maybe a couple of weeks too late.
Interesting though....