The Cowgirl Way: Vanessa Shippy

You always find your way back home.

This sentiment rings especially true for Cowgirl softball alumnus Vanessa Shippy (now Shippy-Fletcher).

Growing up in north Idaho, Shippy's dream schools were the University of Washington and the University of Oregon. While she was lucky enough to visit those schools during her recruitment, she also promised her travel ball coach that she would make a trip to Stillwater and Oklahoma State University, even though she had never truly considered OSU.

Shippy's reaction to Stillwater? It felt like home.

"I came out here, and it obviously kind of captured my attention and felt like home," Shippy said. "Here in Stillwater, it's more of a hometown feel and I'm from a small town."

Of course, she also wanted to be somewhere with other successful sports programs, especially baseball and football programs, to enhance her experience. Shippy's visit to Stillwater happened to be during one of the most magical times that OSU has to offer: America's Greatest Homecoming.

"Once you come to homecoming here, I don't think there is any way that you don't come to Stillwater," Shippy said. "My parents and I were walking around and it was probably nine or 10 at night and they had Garth Brooks' "Ain't Going Down 'Til the Sun Comes Up" playing, like blasting music. People are welding and having a good time, and I was just like 'Man, I could see myself here,'" Shippy said.

Shippy ended up choosing to attend OSU and play for the Cowgirl softball program and would ultimately place her name amongst Cowgirl softball royalty. However, despite her love for the town and the program, after a challenging freshman year and an upcoming coaching transition, Shippy almost left.

"I was going to leave," Shippy said. "And I hate saying that because, especially now, it's crazy that I almost left this town. But, I wanted to win and I worked really hard in high school and had really lofty goals, I guess you could say, in softball that I didn't feel like were going to be able to be accomplished here."

However, once she talked to her new coach and now colleague, Kenny Gajewski, she decided to stay and work to bring the program back to where it belonged.

"He called me the second he got the job, I think, and we just had an incredible conversation," Shippy said. "It was probably an hour and a half conversation in my driveway and he just said we want to win."

Despite never making it to the Women's College World Series in her four years as a Cowgirl, Shippy takes personal pride in knowing that what her team and her class did over their four years helped get OSU to the point of returning to the WCWS, which they did in 2019.

Staying in Stillwater paid off for Shippy in numerous ways, both on and off the field. Not only did she become a three-time All-American on the field, but she met her now-husband, Matt, while at OSU and fell in love with coaching.

"My last three years here, I met my husband, which was incredible and all of our friends that came with that and I got a degree," Shippy said. "I got to know this coaching staff and they made me fall in love with coaching again, and ultimately then I decided to get into coaching."

Once her playing days ended at OSU, Shippy was playing professional softball and was working with a financial company – her initial plan had been to become a financial advisor – when Gajewski called with a coaching opportunity at Syracuse. Believing it would be a good move for her career, she and Matt moved to New York.

However, after two years, a spot on the OSU coaching staff opened up and the decision to come home was easy.

"I'm really glad that I left just to gain some new perspective," Shippy said. "I think it was good for Matt and I to go and see something new, and realize how much we loved Stillwater."

Now that they are back in Stillwater, Shippy says she is truly living her dream.

"It's everything to me," Shippy said. "I mean, I know it's super cheesy to say, but this was the goal I had for my life when I was in college and when Matt and I got engaged my senior year. I was like, if we could live here together, start a family and I could coach here, that would be the ultimate goal."

Now, Vanessa and Matt are expecting a baby boy later this year to add to the Cowgirl softball and OSU family.

"We're super thankful to be here and bring a little boy into this world that has no idea what to expect with how loved he's already going to be and how he's probably going to have to wear orange every single day of his life," Shippy said. "We couldn't be more excited about that."

Listen to the full interview here: Vanessa Shippy Interview

Oklahoma State University Athletics

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