Kenny Gajewski on Kelly Maxwell Transferring to OU: ‘If You Don’t Want to Be Here, Then Go Away’
Oklahoma State head softball coach Kenny Gajewski has ushered Cowgirls softball into its greatest stretch in program history, leading OSU to four straight Women’s College World Series berths, dating back to 2019.
The program in Stillwater has been among the nation’s best in that time, but they’ve also had to deal with the reality that they live in the shadow of perhaps the greatest softball dynasty in softball history just down the road in Norman.
Patty Gasso’s Oklahoma Sooners have made each of the last seven, and 11 of the last 12 Women’s College World Series. They’ve also won back-to-back-to-back national championships and five of the last seven titles.
So, it should come as no surprise that Gajewski isn’t happy that Kelly Maxwell, a two-time All-American with the Cowgirls, will spend her final college season as part of the dynasty in Norman.
According to The O’Colly, Gajewski opened up about his feelings on Maxwell’s decision to leave Stilllwater for Norman during “A Night With OSU,” an event held in Oklahoma City last Thursday night.
“I didn’t feel like that at first. I’ll just be very honest. I was upset like most of you guys were upset,” Gajewski said.
However, he then unpeeled a layer of the veil and spoke candidly about Maxwell’s decision to become a Sooner.
“If you don’t want to be here, go away,” Gajewski said. “I don’t want you here if you don’t want to be here and wear this logo and represent this school.”
While he says he’s no longer angry or upset about her transfer decision, Gajewski does say that he’s disappointed.
“My only disappointment for Kelly is that she went to OU, because now she’s lost everything here that she’s ever done,” Gajewski said. “And as long as I’m here, it’ll be hard for her to come back here. That’s just the way it is.”
In all likelihood, Maxwell will face her former team in the final series of the 2024 season, as the Bedlam series has directly preceded the Big 12 Championship in recent years. There will be plenty of talk between now and then, but its safe to say the Bedlam Softball rivalry just got a little more bitter.
