Kilfoyl and Wang Earn NFCA All-American Honors, Gajewski Addresses Gambling on Softball

(Oklahoma State University Athletic Media Relations and Serg Thomas contributed to this story.)

OKLAHOMA CITY – Lots of news going on as the teams came to Devon Field at OG&E Enrgy Stadium to practice and speak with the media on the even of the 2024 NCAA Women’s College World Series. Softball popularity has been exploding and we know that well in Oklahoma with the success of the two major schools and OKC becoming the permanent host of the NCAA WCWS. Now comes news that odds are out there and betting is happening on the top event in college softball. One adminstrator told me he thought that Las Vegas put out odds and took bets last year. 

More on the odds and what Oklahoma State head coach Kenny Gajewski said of gambling on softball, but first two more All-American honors for the Cowgirls.

Oklahoma State softball’s Lexi Kilfoyl and Caroline Wang both received NFCA All-America honors, it was announced today. Kilfoyl was named a first team selection and Wang picked up third team honors.

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Lexi Kilfoyl at the press conference on Wednesday.

Kilfoyl now boasts three first team All-American selections this season from the NFCA, D1 Softball and Softball America. The Big 12 Pitcher of the Year’s was also given first team All-Big 12 honors and she’s a finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. She is the only player in Cowgirl Softball history to be named a top three finalist for the prestigious award. The Land O’ Lakes, Fla., native has been dominant to open postseason play. Kilfoyl is the only pitcher in the country to go 5-0 throughout NCAA Regional and Super Regional play, dominating with a 0.75 ERA to go with 27 strikeouts and only one walk issuede in 28 innings pitched. This season, Kilfoyl has set single-season career-highs in wins (26), shutouts (17), saves (3) and is also on-pace to post career-bests in ERA (1.06) and OBA (.172).

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Wang has shown tremendous power at the plate all season long.

Wang, the Cowgirl backstop, picked up the first All-America honor of her career while leading the Cowgirls in batting average (.380), home runs (17), hits (68), total bases (130), OPS (1.135), and slugging (.726). The senior catcher has been the offensive catalyst for the Cowgirls much of the season, ranking in the top-10 in home runs, RBIs, hits, slugging, and total bases in the Big 12. In postseason play, the Paris, Tenn., native holsters a .467 batting average with three RBIs and two runs scored. Wang reached base safely in all five contests.

I was driving back to Edmond from Stillwater on Tuesday when I heard on a national college sports radio show on Sirius-XM, the hosts start reading off odds that you can bet on for this year’s NCAA Women’s College World Series. I was taken back as I didn’t know softball had become a sports bettors opportunity. It has and my research showed odds and betting began openly last year.

Explanation: If there is a plus then that is the amount you would win on a $100 wager. If there is a minus then that is the amount you would need to wager to win $100. 

I asked the question and Oklahoma State Cowgirls head coach Kenny Gajewski wasn’t totally shocked, mildly surprised, and kind of flattered. 

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Gajewski at the press conference on Wednesday.

“I did not know that, but I’m not shocked,” Gajewski said. “I’m not a bettor, so it doesn’t really interest me a whole lot. I will tell you that I think it’s cool as long as these guys (he pointed to his players Lexi Kilfoyl, Jilyen Poullard, and Caroline Wang) are staying away from it and that kind of stuff. What it is going to do is drive more interest and more people will be watching. I think what it tells you is the trajectory of this sport, the trajectory of the female student athlete. I know I think I have the best job coaching softball and these student-athletes. It is just crazy and our sport is just really growing. Whether this (gambling) is good stuff or bad stuff is not for me to say. The only negative that I see in it is there is no reason for these guys (players) to be involved in that kind of stuff.”

I agree. I wouldn’t bet and by my contract with Learfield Sports, I can’t bet on college sports. I do see the increased popularity for the sport. I agree with Gajewski, the players need to be kept out of it. That said, they are adults, but I hope are smart enough and have seen enough to know to stay out of it.