Oklahoma Adds Kelly Maxwell for 2024

Kelly Maxwell is a Sooner, and the final season of Bedlam is certainly going to be interesting. Tuesday, Oklahoma made official what was far from a secret, including former Oklahoma State All-American Kelly Maxwell in an announcement of its four-player transfer class for 2024. 

Follow all the movement in the D1Softball Transfer Tracker. 

Maxwell is the latest in an increasingly long line of high-profile pitching transfers in Norman, spanning from Kelsey Stevens through Giselle Juarez, Hope Trautwein and Alex Storako. But Maxwell’s particular familiarity with the Sooners through the heated rivalry between the schools will likely generate even more interest among the two fan bases and beyond. 

A graduate transfer, Maxwell’s lone remaining season of eligibility coincides with Oklahoma’s final season in the Big 12 and the final edition of Bedlam, at least as a conference rivalry. 

After redshirting in 2019, Maxwell went 58-20 with a 1.58 in four seasons on the field in Stillwater, including the pandemic-shortened 2020 season (the reason she still has a year of eligibility). She struck out 746 batters in 494.2 innings and held opponents to a .158 average. 

As dominant as she was for the Cowgirls, Maxwell had the same struggles as most pitchers against the Sooners. In seven career appearances in the Bedlam rivalry, she pitched 20.1 innings, allowing 28 hits and 22 earned runs. 

The 2022 Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Year and a two-time All-American, Maxwell has also pitched for Team USA.  

Following Jordy Bahl’s transfer to Nebraska, Oklahoma’s incoming portal class is heavy on pitchers, with former Liberty ace Karlie Keeney and former Wisconsin standout Paytn Monticelli joining Maxwell. Oklahoma also added reigning SoCon Player of the Year Riley Ludlam from Furman.