Jordan Doggett Finds New Home, Old Friend At Oklahoma State

For a student-athlete, entering the transfer portal isn’t the easiest or most comforting thing to do. Add in doing so during a global pandemic, resulting in a lost season and not being able to make visits, and there’s a lot to think about.

For Jordan Doggett, playing her last season of softball somewhere other than Georgia felt like the right decision. Despite not being able to visit Stillwater, Okla. before making her decision, Oklahoma State offered Doggett the culture of a program she was looking for.

“They’re a great program and have a great coaching staff,” Doggett told Softball America in a phone interview. ”I just felt like what I can bring to the table for them and vice versa is a better fit for me at this point in my life...The way that they play and the way they look like they have genuine fun while they’re playing, that’s what I was looking for, for my last season.”

The Cowgirls also have something no one else could offer to Doggett, and that's Alysen Febrey. The fellow former Georgia Bulldog and Doggett are best friends. They’ve known one another since eighth grade, but their friendship flourished during their sophomore year at Georgia.

“She’s legit one of my best friends,” Doggett said. “We got really close sophomore year and we hang out all the time. She’s not just someone I’m friends with when we are on the field. At Georgia, we were always together...She’s literally like my sister and I would trust her with my life.”

When Febrey found out about Doggett’s decision to enter the portal, the pair joked about playing together again for their final seasons. Febrey then discovered Oklahoma State coach Kenny Gajewski had reached out to Doggett, and she knew Doggett was going to be a perfect fit in the black and orange.

“I know how she is as a player, the type of player she is and the way our program is run,” Febrey said. “I know she is going to love Oklahoma State. I’m just excited for her because she is going to thrive.”

Febrey made the decision last year to transfer to Oklahoma State from Georgia for what was supposed to be her final season. She’s been in the shoes that Doggett wore just weeks ago when she entered the transfer portal, and whether or not she landed at Oklahoma State, Febrey was able to give her advice about the process.

“She talked to me a lot about it,” Febrey said. “Even before she went into the portal she came to me, telling me that she was thinking about it. I explained how it went for me...She weighed her options and had a lot of thought behind it. It’s a hard transition because you go from being somewhere for three years and that’s your life. Then it’s like you’re a freshman all over again. Looking back on it, it was the best decision I ever made and I explained that to her.”

There are plenty of student-athletes who will change schools in a very different way at this time. Doggett had an advantage that even without touching campus, she had a feel for what it was like. Not only did Febrey have career numbers in the shortened 2020 season, but she also said she was simply happier this season in general.

“She just knew that would be a great fit for me,” Doggett said. “I have a lot of trust in her, in the things that she said and how everything is. She was there for me regardless of what school I chose to go to. Her being there and experiencing it herself, she was able to give me a lot of advice.”

Gajewski and the Cowgirls are getting a veteran player who has played a lot of games in her four years at Georgia, both in the infield and outfield. Doggett’s versatility is one thing that will make her transition to Oklahoma State even easier.

Georgia went to the Women’s College World Series in 2018, the year Doggett and Febrey became best friends. Both players decided to head to Oklahoma State to have fun and Doggett wants to enjoy it by heading back to Oklahoma City.

“I want to go to the World Series,” Doggett said. “Softball, I know there’s a pro league, but it’s not something women can make that much of a living off of. For me, I play because I love it. I want to enjoy playing what I love because I feel like I can have fun my last year and go out with a bang.”

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