Jayelle Austin’s Big Debut: How Oklahoma State’s Freshman Phenom Announced Herself to College Softball
It didn’t take long for Jayelle Austin to introduce herself to the college softball world - and she did it with authority. In her very first weekend wearing an Oklahoma State uniform, the freshman outfielder made it clear she’s not here to ease into the spotlight. She’s here to own it.
Austin launched a home run in her collegiate debut - against a ranked opponent, no less - then followed that up with a grand slam two days later. By the end of the weekend, she had racked up five hits, four runs, seven RBIs, and earned herself Big 12 Co-Freshman of the Week honors. Not a bad way to start your college career.
And the moment she found out about the award? Pure freshman charm.
“I was at the car wash and I got a notification,” Austin said. “I was like, let me check this out. And then I was like, ‘wow, that’s me.’”
That kind of wide-eyed excitement is endearing, but don’t let it fool you - Austin’s game is already mature beyond her years. In just 13 at-bats, she collected a double and two homers, and her performance was so convincing that the coaching staff bumped her into the leadoff spot by the end of the weekend. That wasn’t the original plan, but her bat forced the issue.
Head coach Kenny Gajewski explained the initial hesitation: “Stanford game (opener) is going to be interesting, opening up a new stadium, really good team, first day of the year. Like, do we really want to put that on her?”
So they eased her in - and she responded by lighting it up.
“She just went crazy,” Gajewski said. “And we finally just said, ‘screw it, let’s move her up.’ That’s where we want her to be.”
That Stanford game became a milestone moment, not just for Austin, but for the venue itself. Her sixth-inning home run was the first ever hit in Stanford’s brand-new stadium.
It cut the Cardinal’s lead to one and gave the Cowgirls a chance at a late comeback, though they ultimately fell short, 4-2. Still, it was a swing that etched her name into the record books on day one.
But even before the ball cleared the fence, Gajewski had already seen what he needed.
“She didn’t get a hit in her first at-bat, but she took the best at-bat,” he said. “I think it was a seven or eight-pitch at-bat, and none of our at-bats up into her were any good. Her and Jayden (Jones) both took the best at-bats, and it just parlayed for her into the weekend.”
That kind of plate discipline - especially from a freshman - doesn’t go unnoticed. Sure, there were a few strikeouts along the way, but Gajewski chalked most of those up to typical freshman eagerness.
“She’s a kid that we think can be at the top for a long time,” he said.
And that belief didn’t just come from one hot weekend. Gajewski had a hunch about Austin from the very beginning - back in fall practices, he saw the potential for her to be a long-term leadoff hitter.
Power, speed, poise - the tools were all there. But like many freshmen, she hit a rough patch once games started.
“It kind of went south,” Gajewski admitted. “And I was like, oh, we may have to kind of baby her into this.”
Then came winter break. And something clicked.
“Since we’ve been back from Christmas, she’s been really good,” Gajewski said. “Like, it’s almost like she went home, caught her breath, remembered that she’s really good, and she came back here and was, like, locked in.”
Austin echoed that sentiment. She didn’t shy away from talking about her early struggles - in fact, she embraced them.
“I also think that the fall prepared me, like a lot for this,” she said. “I went through a whole lot of downs in the fall.
… I was prepared for what could happen. And I was like, you’ve been through it, so you’ve got it.”
That resilience isn’t surprising to her coach. Austin came to Stillwater with a strong pedigree - a multi-sport athlete from Owasso and a product of elite travel ball. She’s been in pressure-packed situations before, and it shows.
“When you’ve been in those spots where people count on you, I think you know how to weather the storm,” Gajewski said. “I think there were some tough moments here in the fall. I think there was some questioning, maybe the first time, if I’m good enough.
“And we just kept trying to assure her, reassure her that she’s plenty good enough. That’s why you’re here.”
Now, with five games under her belt and a conference honor already to her name, Jayelle Austin isn’t just proving she belongs - she’s showing she might be the spark that powers this Cowgirls team forward. And if this weekend was any indication, she’s just getting started.