After a 2026 season that ended earlier than anyone in Stillwater wanted, the Cowgirls entered the transfer portal needing to strengthen several important areas of the roster.
Apparently, the experts like what Gajewski found. D1Softball ranked Oklahoma State's transfer class No. 9 nationally, giving the Cowgirls their second major top-10 portal ranking of the offseason.
Another outlet likes the group even more. Softball America previously ranked Oklahoma State's five-player transfer class No. 3 in the country.
Different rankings. Same message. OSU added some serious talent.
It Starts in the Circle
The biggest addition might be former Mississippi State pitcher Delainey Everett. Everett went 17-4 with a 2.55 ERA and 95 strikeouts across 126.1 innings last season in the SEC.Oklahoma State fans should probably remember one particular performance. Everett threw a complete-game shutout against Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament, becoming the first pitcher in 399 games to hold the Sooners scoreless. That's certainly one way to introduce yourself to people in this state.
Pitching depth was an obvious area Oklahoma State needed to address, and Everett provides Gajewski with an experienced arm who has already proven she can handle elite competition.
There's Power Coming Too
Then there's Maddie Hartley, who Oklahoma State fans already know from her time at Houston. Hartley was a second-team All-Big 12 selection last season and hit .303 with a 1.087 OPS during her two seasons with the Cougars.She also produced 25 home runs and 75 RBIs during that stretch. That's immediate power for an Oklahoma State lineup that needed more consistency offensively.
Hartley's versatility makes her even more valuable. She's logged innings in the circle in addition to what she provides with the bat.
OSU Added One of the Big 12’s Best Catchers
Don't overlook Kennedy Proctor, either. Proctor arrives from Utah after establishing herself as one of the conference's better catchers.She was a D1Softball First Team Freshman All-American in 2025 and hit .329 with a 1.053 OPS across two seasons, adding 20 home runs, 23 doubles and 69 RBIs. That gives Gajewski another proven Big 12 bat at an important position.
Throw Payton Kennedy and into the mix, and it's easy to understand why two different outlets view Oklahoma State's portal haul among the best in the country.
The Big 12 Arms Race Isn't Slowing Down
Of course, Oklahoma State isn't the only Big 12 program loading up. D1Softball has Texas Tech No. 1, while Arizona is No. 6 and Arizona State No. 8, meaning four Big 12 programs sit inside the top nine. That's important context.OSU improved. So did some of the teams it'll have to beat. And Nebraska — the program that eliminated Oklahoma State from the NCAA Tournament last season — sits one spot ahead of the Cowgirls at No. 7.
Final Thoughts
A No. 9 ranking is nice. A No. 3 ranking is even better. But the bigger story is who Oklahoma State added and why.Everett gives the Cowgirls an experienced SEC pitcher. Hartley brings proven Big 12 power. Proctor gives OSU an established catcher who can hit.
Kennedy and Lewis provide even more options for a roster trying to get Oklahoma State back where this program expects to be.
Last season ended earlier than Gajewski wanted. He responded by going into the portal and addressing the problems.
Now we'll find out whether one of the country's highest-rated transfer classes can help get Oklahoma State back to Oklahoma City.
