Oklahoma State University Athletics
Gajewski and Cowgirls Preview 2022 Season
February 07, 2022 | Cowgirl Softball
Head Coach Kenny Gajewski
On the value of retaining players who have been with Oklahoma State for their entire collegiate career:
"You have to have it. We can't survive on the portal. The portal, for us, has become a tool. Whether we've been good at it or not, that's for you all to decide. We're going to continue to use it because it's an important tool; it's there. So I'm going to use it until we don't need it or whatever it is, but you have to have these kids like [Sydney] Pennington and [Kiley] Naomi and [Chyenne] Factor and [Chelsea] Alexander; you have to have them. The Oklahoma kids, this is the place they've thought about their whole life. It was either OSU or OU, right? That's the first two that those kids think about. For Pennington, she'll go down as one of the greatest players ever here and it has nothing to do with the numbers. It has everything to do with taking a chance and sticking it out."
On expectations to make it to the Women's College World Series:
"You're going to have to ask them. I'll speak for me: yeah. Yes, that's the expectation. It's not getting to OKC. It was getting to OKC our first years. That's not the expectation. From my perspective, I personally would say that not being in that last game would be a disappointment. I can live with that because as long as they've done everything and we've done everything in our power to put ourselves in our spot, then you just live with whatever comes. The expectation for this team is to be in that final game."
On how this year's team influences the DNA of the program:
"This is a player-run program, I can tell you that. Do the coaches have the final say? Yes, but for instance with [Miranda] Elish, I went to Kelly [Maxwell], and Kelly was very honest and she said, 'Hey look, I'm all about this team and winning, but I do want to have the legitimate shot to be an ace and to be an All-American.' In my talk with her I said to her, 'I think it enhances your ability to do that.'"
On working with John Bargfeldt:
"He's just so good and so calm and helps me think in some different ways. I think we've been good for him too... His brain is really good. It's just wild. He's got some really good experience on his hands, so I can look down there and feel pretty good about who is there."
OF Hayley Busby
On practicing while the field is under construction:
"We've been practicing at Allie P. [Reynolds Stadium] on the side fence, which is only maybe like three feet tall... In terms of Stillwater High School, that fence is not one you'd necessarily want to run into... It's a little difficult to judge, but we're not going to play on the same field every single game of the year. So, it's kind of preparing us for almost any circumstance."
On her season last year:
"I'd love to have the season that I had last year, I think that obviously that is going to benefit our team. You know, I'd love to be an All-American again, that would be amazing but most importantly, I want to win the World Series.Â
OF Chyenne Factor
On the team's expectations for the season:
"That kind of our motto: the time is now. You all saw our rankings, where we're at in the preseason. I mean it is just a ranking, but that's what people think of us, and that's what we think of ourselves. We think we're number one."
On teammate Kelly Maxwell:
"She redshirted her freshman year when we came in and then – I don't know – when we came back our sophomore year, she was just mowing everybody down and it really hasn't stopped. She's one of the best in the country. She is big for Team USA. She's made that team to go to Japan in the summer so that says a lot about her."
P Kelly Maxwell
On embracing the idea of being the ace:
"I think I've had my time to learn and to grow as a person and as a pitcher. I think I'm ready, I think I got some new tricks in the bag so I'm hoping I can pull those out this weekend."
On the depth of pitchers:
"That's awesome because when one of us isn't going good, I mean, we have options. I think we'll all see probably equal amounts of time and I think it will be good for this unit to be able to be fresh in our games."
IF Sydney Pennington
On Julia Cottrill's immediate impact:
"She has added so much. She's also got a lot of energy. She's fit in from day one... We felt like we were just missing something, and Julia kind of filled that spot for us. We're really excited to have her."
On Gajewski taking the team to Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City:
"That was the fall of my sophomore year. We had lost in that Regional my freshman year and didn't make the Super Regional or anything. He comes back and I know he posted on Instagram and we found it actually sitting in the locker room or something and it was like 'We'll see you in June.' We were like, 'Oh my gosh, what did he just do?' So as that year kind of progressed we figured out this could be real. I think that is kind of the turning point of our program; the risk he takes kind of propels us and just helps us know that we can do it."
Â
On the value of retaining players who have been with Oklahoma State for their entire collegiate career:
"You have to have it. We can't survive on the portal. The portal, for us, has become a tool. Whether we've been good at it or not, that's for you all to decide. We're going to continue to use it because it's an important tool; it's there. So I'm going to use it until we don't need it or whatever it is, but you have to have these kids like [Sydney] Pennington and [Kiley] Naomi and [Chyenne] Factor and [Chelsea] Alexander; you have to have them. The Oklahoma kids, this is the place they've thought about their whole life. It was either OSU or OU, right? That's the first two that those kids think about. For Pennington, she'll go down as one of the greatest players ever here and it has nothing to do with the numbers. It has everything to do with taking a chance and sticking it out."
On expectations to make it to the Women's College World Series:
"You're going to have to ask them. I'll speak for me: yeah. Yes, that's the expectation. It's not getting to OKC. It was getting to OKC our first years. That's not the expectation. From my perspective, I personally would say that not being in that last game would be a disappointment. I can live with that because as long as they've done everything and we've done everything in our power to put ourselves in our spot, then you just live with whatever comes. The expectation for this team is to be in that final game."
On how this year's team influences the DNA of the program:
"This is a player-run program, I can tell you that. Do the coaches have the final say? Yes, but for instance with [Miranda] Elish, I went to Kelly [Maxwell], and Kelly was very honest and she said, 'Hey look, I'm all about this team and winning, but I do want to have the legitimate shot to be an ace and to be an All-American.' In my talk with her I said to her, 'I think it enhances your ability to do that.'"
On working with John Bargfeldt:
"He's just so good and so calm and helps me think in some different ways. I think we've been good for him too... His brain is really good. It's just wild. He's got some really good experience on his hands, so I can look down there and feel pretty good about who is there."
OF Hayley Busby
On practicing while the field is under construction:
"We've been practicing at Allie P. [Reynolds Stadium] on the side fence, which is only maybe like three feet tall... In terms of Stillwater High School, that fence is not one you'd necessarily want to run into... It's a little difficult to judge, but we're not going to play on the same field every single game of the year. So, it's kind of preparing us for almost any circumstance."
On her season last year:
"I'd love to have the season that I had last year, I think that obviously that is going to benefit our team. You know, I'd love to be an All-American again, that would be amazing but most importantly, I want to win the World Series.Â
OF Chyenne Factor
On the team's expectations for the season:
"That kind of our motto: the time is now. You all saw our rankings, where we're at in the preseason. I mean it is just a ranking, but that's what people think of us, and that's what we think of ourselves. We think we're number one."
On teammate Kelly Maxwell:
"She redshirted her freshman year when we came in and then – I don't know – when we came back our sophomore year, she was just mowing everybody down and it really hasn't stopped. She's one of the best in the country. She is big for Team USA. She's made that team to go to Japan in the summer so that says a lot about her."
P Kelly Maxwell
On embracing the idea of being the ace:
"I think I've had my time to learn and to grow as a person and as a pitcher. I think I'm ready, I think I got some new tricks in the bag so I'm hoping I can pull those out this weekend."
On the depth of pitchers:
"That's awesome because when one of us isn't going good, I mean, we have options. I think we'll all see probably equal amounts of time and I think it will be good for this unit to be able to be fresh in our games."
IF Sydney Pennington
On Julia Cottrill's immediate impact:
"She has added so much. She's also got a lot of energy. She's fit in from day one... We felt like we were just missing something, and Julia kind of filled that spot for us. We're really excited to have her."
On Gajewski taking the team to Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City:
"That was the fall of my sophomore year. We had lost in that Regional my freshman year and didn't make the Super Regional or anything. He comes back and I know he posted on Instagram and we found it actually sitting in the locker room or something and it was like 'We'll see you in June.' We were like, 'Oh my gosh, what did he just do?' So as that year kind of progressed we figured out this could be real. I think that is kind of the turning point of our program; the risk he takes kind of propels us and just helps us know that we can do it."
Â
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Cowgirl Softball
C
/ Cowgirl Softball
OF
/ Cowgirl Softball
P
/ Cowgirl Softball
IF
/ Cowgirl SoftballFriday, June 05
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Wednesday, May 27
Monday, May 18
