Oklahoma State Advancing in WCWS, but that Was One Weird Press Conference

OKLAHOMA CITY – It was a great night for Oklahoma State softball! The Cowgirls ace pitcher Kelly Maxwell struggled some at the conclusion but hung in there and finished off a three-hit, nine-strike out effort in the circle. Stillwater-native and Florida transfer Julia Cottrill got the start at catcher, nullified the Gators run game, and went three-for-three at the plate. Oklahoma State is 2-0 in the Women’s College World Series and just a win away as they will play Texas on Monday night to earn their way into the WCWS final best of three series. Texas beat Arizona 5-2 in an eliminatin game on Sunday night. The Cowgirls are 4-0 against Texas this season.

NCAA

Cowgirls head coach Kenny Gajewski

“It just feels good,” Oklahoma State head coach Kenny Gajewski said at the podium in the press conference. “I’m happy for our fans, happy for our alumni, happy for our team. So many people have put into this program. I’m happy for all of them.”

That was the conclusion of the postgame press conference for the Cowgirls. However, what had transpired a little earlier in the meeting between Gajewski and three of his players in Kelly Maxwell, Julia Cottrill, and Chyenne Factor was one of the more unique postgame news conferences that I’ve attended over my 44-years of working or being a part of these kind of events.

The news conference was going as expected. Questions about former Gator turned Cowgirls catcher Julia Cottrill getting the start and having herself a night against her former teammates, including a pitcher that she caught for all of her Florida career. The Oklahoman’s Berry Tramel asked Maxwell if she is pitching the best of her career?

“No,” answered Maxwell drawing a full room of laughs at the simplicity of her answer.

Then as sudden as you could imagine the mood got contentious. It seems the New York Times made it to the WCWS and while their writer Billy Witz is described on his Twitter account as a “recovering baseball writer,” he seemed like a fish out of water at a college softball press conference smack dab in the middle of Oklahoma.

“Billy Witz with the New York Times,” he introduced himself.

He addressed his question to Cowgirls centerfielder Chyenne Factor.

“Chyenne, earlier, a couple of weeks ago Oklahoma passed an anti-abortion law, and it looks as if it will go into effect as it looks like Roe-vs.-Wade will be overturned,” Witz started in setting up his question. “I wonder if you think womens athletes, college athletes, in the next few months or so, next fall if that issue is going to resonate with college athletes in the way that we’ve seen in the last couple of years mental health and social injustice might?”

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Factor got the RBI on Oklahoma State’s first run on a bunt single.

As the question proceeded you could see Factor showing some confusion as to why she was about to be asked her thoughts on college athletes, including herself, having an opinion on the abortion issue and the intense discussion on Roe-vs.-Wade. Factor is as Witz later pointed out equipped to have opinions as she is a three-time All-Academic Big 12 selection. It’s just she was thinking more about answering questions about her bunt single RBI on a squeeze call that accounted for Oklahoma State’s first run.

The look on the face of the NCAA press conference moderator seemed to reflect an oh no. Oklahoma State head coach Kenny Gajewski was easy to read and then as Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson bounced back at each other in A Few Good Men, “crystal clear.”

“I think I will help Chy on this. I don’t know if this is the time or place to be talking about some of this stuff,” the head coach injected, and he did inject at this point. “These kids are here to play softball and represent their schools. I think one of the things we need to be talking about is student athlete welfare. I think that is one of the things we most need to be talking about here.”

Gajewski handled it well. He didn’t totally take non softball issues off the table. He just substituted one that was more relevant to him and to his team at this point.

“I think that is as big as anything that we need to be talking about in this press conference,” he continued. “We had a big game here and I had a pitcher that had to drug test after our first game (Thursday) and didn’t get home until 3:15 a.m. I think that’s what needs to be talked about here and not what you are trying to get these kids unto here. I think if we are going to try to keep growing our game, trying to grow collegiate sports, then talking about student athlete welfare would be at the top of our list.”

“Kenny, with all due respect,” Witz replied. “I think you are suggesting that she can’t play softball and have thoughts on these …”

“I think you’re wrong on that,” Gajewski answered. “I think you are wrong on that.”

Alright, that’s enough,” said the NCAA moderator. “Any other questions for our student-athletes?”

There’s something you don’t see everyday in an NCAA championship press conference. It seemed like half the room was sitting in stunned silence wondering where that came from. The other half was trying to get their game story assignment completed.

It wasn’t over. Okay, it was for Witz, who likely felt like a fish out of water. But Ashley Stevens of the University of Arizona Cronkite News and Arizona PBS was listening to Gajewski and she wanted more on Oklahoma State pitcher Kelly Maxwell’s elongated drug test process.

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Maxwell’s drug test for the NCAA after Thursday’s game was reportedly an ordeal.

“Student welfare is as important a conversation as anything,” started Stevens. “ I would like to know more about Kelly’s drug test. How long was that process? Was it random?”

“It was a random test and I have no problem. It is part of what these kids are used to,” Gajewski answered. “I’m going to tell you because I think it needs to be heard. We had five kids. She was one of them and she gave a sample immediately. Okay, but if you can imagine, these kids sweat like crazy and they hydrate all game long and so her sample was diluted. Explain that to me. I don’t know. I don’t know what we want them to be. The sample is diluted, so she has to sit there and try to pee again.

“I don’t know if you have ever had to drug test, but people are staring at you. It’s 12 o’clock and she got back to the hotel at 3:15 (morning),” Gajewski continued in describing the process. “If we have to play again the next day, if the format hadn’t changed then this is a tough deal.”

It is amazing that it hasn’t been changed. Back in 1996 in the NCAA Central Regional in Lubbock, Texas, Oklahoma State had a pitcher in baseball that took six hours to produce a sample for a drug test. It has happened.

“I’m not mad at anybody,” Gajewski added. “I’m just saying this process needs to be looked at and maybe we can do these tests on the morning of a game day. “It’s rough. She was out of gas here tonight. All of us know when you’re out till three (what happens).”

We still don’t know how Chyenne Factor feels about the current politics and process of abortion laws in Oklahoma and the country. That’s okay.

We do know Factor, Maxwell, and her teammates are 2-0 and have a great chance still at playing for a national championship. To them, to Oklahoma State fans that is more relevant for now.