Oklahoma
OU Softball: How Oklahoma’s Kelly Maxwell Went from Good to Great to Elite to National Champion
OKLAHOMA CITY — From her old coach telling everyone she would not be welcome in Stillwater to her former fans’ relentless vitriol on social media, Kelly Maxwell probably wanted to say so many things.
Instead, she stayed on the high road and always let her pitching do the talking.
And today, Maxwell woke up a national champion, a Sooner legend, a pitching workhorse, winner of one game in the championship series of the Women’s College World Series, and saver of another, and ultimately Most Outstanding Player of the 2024 WCWS.
“It’s been awesome,” Maxwell said Thursday night after the Sooners dispatched Texas 8-4 in the clincher. “This whole team, they’re special. I’m just thankful that I got to be a part of this. We’ve been through a lot this year.”
Maxwell was a star at Oklahoma State, a softball savant who, with the guidance of coach Kenny Gajewski and her OSU teammates, forged the Cowgirl program to sustained excellence.
But Maxwell wanted more. She wanted a national championship. So she stepped across Bedlam lines and transferred to OU.
Mission accomplished — but not without significant consternation.
Last August, for instance, Gajewski said at an OSU fan function, “As long as I’m here, it’ll be hard for her to come back here.”
As might be expected with any good collegiate rivalry, she was also the target of constant ridicule on social media.
“I received a lot of hate, a lot of doubt,” Maxwell said. “But I’m just thankful for these girls and this team and this staff, just to pick me up and have my back. Everything that I’ve been through, to have God right by my side working in my life. I’m grateful that I’m here.”
OU coach Patty Gasso hinted repeatedly this week at Devon Park that Maxwell has “been through so much,” and that the whole situation has been weighing on her. Something was off, Gasso said, and she felt for Maxwell on a personal level.
But then, before an elimination game against Florida, Maxwell “flipped a switch,” Gasso said, and she began to pitch freely, her mind perhaps unencumbered by the hate, untainted by the toxicity.
The fact that Oklahoma State was also in the WCWS bracket may have played a part early. What would that have looked like, to transfer to OU to win a national title, only to potentially meet the Cowgirls in the championship series with everything on the line?
Maybe it was mere coincidence, but Maxwell’s game seemed to elevate after OSU was eliminated with two quick losses in OKC.
The most difficult thing about it all, she said, was not what you might expect.
“I think just through hard work, staying true to myself,” Maxwell said. “Just kind of keeping my head down. Even though, like, you don’t want to see it, you still see it, it still kind of gets to you.
“Not being able to, you know, say something back — just being able to go to work every day. I don’t know, just have fun, to be honest.”
Maxwell threw 130 pitches to beat Florida and get to the champ series, then threw 119 pitches and went the distance as OU beat the Longhorns 8-5 on Wednesday night.
On Thursday night, she came back in relief — the Sooners’ fifth and final pitcher — and worked the last 1 1/3 innings to collect her third save of the season.
How good was she in relief? She only needed 14 pitches, and 12 of those were strikes.
And, it turns out, Maxwell was the alert mastermind of the Sooners’ biggest defensive play, getting second baseman Avery Hodge to quickly forget her fielding miscue and turn and flip to first base to get Texas’ Mia Scott with a crucial out.
“It was huge,” Maxwell said. “I mean, they definitely had the momentum in that moment. So, just being able to try to stop it. I saw Mia Scott kind of come off the bag. I was just telling Avery ‘Turn around, turn around, let’s get her, c’mon.’ She finally heard me. We got it done. It was pretty cool to see, to be able to get out of that.”
After Maxwell beat Texas on Wednesday, catcher Kinzie Hansen offered her insights on Maxwell’s journey this season.
“Kelly has always been a phenomenal pitcher,” Hansen said, “but I feel like she’s taken it to the next level just in her mental state of mind.”
Gasso said then that Maxwell had been “pushing herself internally to places I don’t think she’s ever been before. It’s beautiful to see really.”
As OU went 59-7 this season, Maxwell finished a team-best 23-2 in the circle with a 1.94 earned run average. She led the Sooners with 164 strikeouts and 155 1/3 innings pitched (almost twice as many as any of her teammates), but also led the team with 64 walks (nearly three times as many as anyone else). Her skill, power and guile were always front and center, but control and location were occasionally off.
Even in the WCWS opener against Duke, Maxwell went 3 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and four walks.
It was after that game that Gasso had a conversation with Maxwell that Maxwell described as “eye-opening.”
“The conversation was really faith-based — ‘Just hand it over to the Lord and let Him guide you, just be free,’ ” Gasso said as she began to get emotional. “She has not pitched free. That’s what’s been going on. So to see her do that today (against UCLA), something I’ll never forget.”
Maxwell beat UCLA 1-0 that day to get to the semifinals, and ahead of two games with Florida, Gasso began to reveal just a little more of where Maxwell had been — and maybe where she would be going.
“There’s some things stirring in her internally that’s just hard to explain,” Gasso said. “Just feels at peace about what’s going on. She’s not chasing. She’s not feeling nervous. She’s got a peace with her team about what she’s doing, how she’s doing it.
“She has been going through a lot. She’s been through a lot. This (UCLA) was a big game for her. It was really getting it off of her. It’s been hanging on her since she got here. It’s been hard to watch her not be able to break through.
“There’s so many negatives coming. It just is. It’s everywhere.”
Thursday night, after the Sooners locked up their fourth consecutive national championship, the conversation returned to Maxwell’s faith.
“Like (Rylie) Boone said, God was here. He’s present,” Maxwell said. “I can feel that. I know wherever we go after this, we’ll be taken care of.”
Gasso nearly teared up again Thursday talking about the Sooners’ ace. After Maxwell and her teammates left the postgame press conference, the Sooners’ legendary head coach revealed a little more about her star left hander.
“I can tell you that Kelly this season — but this post-season, especially the World Series — Kelly will be changed forever. That is the greatest gift she could give us. Not the championship, but watching this young lady break out of her shell and smile and laugh and just enjoy being a good pitcher with good players who really appreciate and respect her.
“It’s not anything to do about anything else except what I know happened here. I watched it, experienced it. It was amazing. Amazing.”
Today on the Spotlight, our crew explored why Winter Park Resort is so much more than a snowy winter destination. Nestled in Colorado’s breathtaking Fraser Valley along the Continental Divide, this mountain escape transforms into an outdoor paradise once the snow melts—offering cool temperatures, endless sunshine, and adventures for every kind of traveler.
Just 70 minutes from Denver and one of the closest major mountain resorts to Denver International Airport, Winter Park makes it easy to trade city life for alpine views. Surrounded by towering 13,000 and 14,000-foot peaks, the resort delivers postcard-worthy scenery with summer temperatures that rarely climb above 80 degrees. Add in more than 300 days of sunshine each year, and it’s easy to see why so many visitors are discovering Winter Park as a perfect warm-weather getaway.
The resort village itself offers plenty of charm, with lodging, dining, shopping, and activities all conveniently located in one walkable area. Whether you’re looking for high-energy thrills or a laid-back mountain retreat, there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy the outdoors.
One of the most popular summer attractions is the scenic gondola ride, which carries guests up to 10,700 feet for unforgettable panoramic views of the Continental Divide, colorful wildflowers, and towering aspen groves. Adventure seekers can race down Colorado’s longest alpine slide or hit the trails to explore more than 3,000 acres of scenic hiking terrain. For those wanting to relax, Sunspot Mountain Lodge offers mountaintop dining with incredible views.
As the sun begins to set, the mountain comes alive with happy hour gatherings and live music on Friday and Saturday evenings, creating the perfect atmosphere to unwind after a day of adventure.
Winter Park is also home to the legendary Trestle Bike Park, one of the top downhill mountain biking destinations in the country. Opening Memorial Weekend, the park features more than 40 miles of gravity-fed downhill trails designed for riders of all skill levels. Advanced bikers can tackle technical terrain, while beginners can ease into the sport with mellow trails, rental gear, and lessons available onsite. Visitors who prefer a more relaxed ride can explore the area with e-bike rentals and guided mountain tours.
Beyond the resort, Winter Park serves as an ideal base camp for exploring some of Colorado’s most iconic outdoor destinations. The quieter west entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park is only about 35 minutes away, offering fewer crowds and incredible opportunities to spot wildlife like moose and elk.
And for travelers wanting to spend time on the water, Grand Lake, Lake Granby, and Shadow Mountain Lake are all within about an hour of the resort, offering boating, fishing, paddling, and even more mountain recreation opportunities.
From scenic gondola rides and alpine slides to mountain biking, hiking, lakeside escapes, and national park adventures, Winter Park truly lives up to its reputation as Colorado’s gateway to summer fun. Visitors looking to plan their next mountain getaway can find lodging deals, trailside stays, and a full calendar of summer events at Winter Park Resort.
Convicted felon Robert Morris — a megachurch pastor who abused 12-year-old Cindy Clemishire in 1982 — walked out of an Oklahoma prison in the early hours of March 31.
But time is running out to get legislation aimed at helping abuse victims such as Clemishire — and a bill named for her unanimously passed by the Oklahoma House of Representatives— to Gov. Kevin Stritt’s desk.
The Cindy Clemishire Act, HB 4227 would eliminate Oklahoma’s statute of limitations for prosecuting child sexual abuse and prohibit the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in related settlement cases.
The NDA provision is also known as “Trey’s Law” in remembrance of Trey Carlock, who was sexually abused at Camp Kanakuk, a Christian retreat in the Ozarks. Part of his legal settlement included a restrictive NDA that prohibited him from speaking about his abuse or Kanakuk’s role.
Carlock died by suicide, aged 28, after having told a therapist, “they will always control me, and I’ll never be free.”
Your tax-deductible gift supports our mission of reporting the truth and restoring the church. Donate $50 or more to The Roys Report, and you can elect to receive our featured offer, “Kiss and Tell: The Innocent Moment That Shattered Mark Driscoll’s Cult” by Vince Manuele – click here.
Yet for unknown reasons, the Oklahoma Senate’s leadership hasn’t yet brought the measure to the floor, and the legislative session is slated to end this Thursday (May 14).
“I’ve just been told they’re not going to hear it. No reason,” Oklahoma state Sen. Darrell Weaver (R-Moore) told online news outlet NonDoc.com on May 5. “I am baffled. Disappointed and baffled.”
Apparently standing in the way are state Sens. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, the Senate floor leader, and Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, Senate pro tempore. Daniels, according to the NonDoc.com report, won’t schedule a hearing for the bill, and Paxton reportedly is deferring to her on the matter.
The Roys Report (TRR) has contacted Daniels and Paxton for comment, as well as state Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore. None immediately responded.
In a statement, Clemishire admonished Oklahoma lawmakers to get the bill passed.
“For decades, predators like Robert Morris have hidden behind outdated laws to evade justice, but the time for silence is over. To the members of the Oklahoma Senate: you have the power to ensure no other child is forced into the shadows, but your work is not done until these protections are sent to the governor,” she said.
Elizabeth Phillips, sister of Trey Carlock and founder of No More Victims, was also emphatic about the need for passage.
“Predators rely on silence and time–the law shouldn’t reward either,” said Phillips. “We are calling on Oklahoma Senate leadership to stand with survivors by ending the forced silence imposed on them by NDAs, like the one that silenced my brother to his grave, and remove the criminal statute of limitations for child sex crimes just as 44 other U.S. states have done. Please, don’t let the clock run out on survivors.”
Oklahoma is one of six states — along with the U.S. House of Representatives — where measures aiding victims of clergy sexual abuse have been filed. Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, and West Virginia are the others where legislation has been introduced.
In 2025, similar legislation was enacted in Texas, Missouri, California, and Tennessee, while Alabama and Georgia did so this year.
Mark A. Kellner is a reporter based in Mesquite, Nevada. He most recently covered statewide elections for the New York Post and was for three years the Faith & Family Reporter for The Washington Times. Mark is a graduate of the University of the Cumberlands and also attended Boston University’s College of Communication.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Authorities say a man charged with murder is now bound over for trial.
Around 9 a.m. on January 2, Oklahoma City police were called to a home in the 500 block of Helm Pkwy, near S.E. 89th and Shields.
When officers arrived, they found the body of 51-year-old Willie Cook inside the home.
Investigators say Cook and 53-year-old Ryan McIntosh were inside the home when McIntosh allegedly pulled out a gun and shot Cook.
McIntosh left the scene but was later arrested for the crime.
McIntosh is now facing charges for first-degree murder, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm after a former felony conviction.
He is currently being held on a $10 million bond.
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McIntosh’s formal arraignment is set for June 17, 2026.
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