‘This was my dream school’: Kelly Maxwell on growing up an Oklahoma Sooners fan

While most of her career was spent at an in-state rival Oklahoma State, Kelly Maxwell admits Oklahoma was always her dream.

Not everyone’s path to the University of Oklahoma is the same. Some people come there right out of college, but others make it through the transfer portal.

The latter is how [autotag]Kelly Maxwell[/autotag] found herself playing for the Sooners.

Maxwell spent five seasons with the Sooners in-state rival, the Oklahoma State Cowgirls. She received several accolades while playing for the Cowgirls, including selection to the USA Softball Women’s National Team in 2022 and 2023, 2023 NFCA Second Team All-American, 2023 All-Big 12 First Team, 2022 NFCA Unanimous First Team All-American, 2022 Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Year and 2022 All-Big 12 First Team among many others.

Maxwell did an interview with KREF in Norman, in which she said while she spent five years at Oklahoma State, Oklahoma was always her dream school.

“Actually, from a young age, I was an OU fan,” Maxwell said. “My dad’s family actually all went to school here, and this was my dream school. I had always admired watching OU football and Adrian Peterson. So whenever 27 was taken (on her travel ball team) my coach at the time, he was an OU fan, he was like, ‘Hey why don’t you wear 28, it’s Adrian Peterson’s number and it’s just one above 27?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, sure!’ So, then it kind of stuck and I’ve been 28 ever since.”

That is just another example of how everyone’s path is different in how they come to Oklahoma. Maxwell was once a feared pitcher for the rival school but now is helping her “dream school” win another national championship.

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