The O'Colly, Friday, March 29, 2024.

Former Marine, business owner pursues doctorate

At 18 and living on his own, Tony Montgomery had nothing to look forward to in his career.

As a recent high school graduate living by himself and sitting in his apartment alone, Montgomery was lost in life. With no school, job or future endeavors to look forward to, Montgomery had to make a choice.

He decided to join the Marine Corps, hoping for a change.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and I didn’t know what to do,” Montgomery said. “And I thought, you know, serving my country and being able to go overseas and go to war and all that stuff would give me a different perspective and force me to grow up faster. That’s exactly what it did, and it gave me a different perspective on life.”

He served four years in the Marine Corps, with part of that time stationed in Iraq. After his service, Montgomery spent some years in the business world before settling in as a graduate assistant and doctorate student at OSU.

After owning two gyms, founding a sports supplement company and being a highly competitive powerlifter, Montgomery

wanted to become a teacher to impact others. He said the research and business side of things wasn’t appealing anymore, and he wanted to make a difference in a different way.

Montgomery now has the chance to learn how the profession of exercise science works in a college setting with an entry-level class called “Theory and Practice of Coaching.”

With previous business experience, Montgomery has knowledge some doctorate students do not.

“It’s really nice, actually, to have someone with that experience because he comes back with a background that I don’t know a lot about, and that’s business,” said Coleman Honea, a graduate student.

Montgomery’s drive and passion as a doctorate student come from his time spent in the military.

“When you go overseas, and you fight in combat, you see things a lot differently,” Montgomery said. “It gives you this idea that life is very short, and you got to make the most of it, and I think that helped me really hone in on my goals and what I wanted to achieve in life.

Still to this day, it gives me that internal drive to continue to be better and put my foot forward in a way that represents the Marine Corps and that represents my friends that are no longer with me.”

See Doctorate on 6A

Oklahoma ranked worst state for women, domestic violence in play

Women in Oklahoma face almost unmatched violence. It’s been that way since 1996. In March, WalletHub, a

OSU food pantries ask for donations

Hayden Alexander Staff Reporter

Donations and charity are bountiful on and off campus during the holidays, but even as the last of the cold weather fades away, the need doesn’t stop. The holidays bring in some significant donations for the food pantries at OSU. After the holidays, the donations lessen, trickling in slowly.

“There is a little bit of a lull after Thanksgiving and Christmas,” said Brian Blevins, basic needs coordinator for OSU. “We haven’t really received any large donations.” Blevins assists with Pete’s Pantry, OSU’s on campus food bank. He says that most of their donations are from outside partners and previous fundraisers.

“Right now, the majority of our Pete’s Pantry inventory comes from Our Daily Bread, the items that OSU purchases and we also have harvest carnival donations we’re still going through as well,” Blevins said. Without donations,

Pete’s Pantry and other food resources on campus are stretching their budgets for the end of the year.

“When we’re not getting donations, that means we’re having to spend our budget to cover those,” Blevins said.

Pete’s Pantry is always looking for donations, but the best donations are monetary. The pantries across campus know what they need, and a little bit of money goes a long way.

“Sometimes, monetary donations actually stretch farther because we can go in and purchase the items needed,” Blevins said.

finance company, released a study that ranked Oklahoma as the worst state for women. The study found that for women’s economic and social wellbeing, Oklahoma ranked 50. In women’s health care and safety, the state ranked 51. Washington, D.C., was included with the 50 states.

Lindsey Smith, the president of Oklahoma College Democrats and a student, grew up in Oklahoma. She watched the state, year after year, continue to rank in the top 10 for women

murdered by men in single/victim, single/offender incidents. As a college student, these statistics can be rattling. “For me personally, that is my current scare, is being in college and being exposed to dangerous traditions of drinking and drug abuse in college,” Smith said. “And the normalization that we have around sexual violence here and how a lot of it gets swept under the rug; that scared me because that shouldn’t be the norm.”

See State on 4A

Courtesy of Tony Montgomery Tony Montgomery served in the Marine Corps for four years before returning to school. He is currently a Ph.D. student at OSU.

Bryson Thadhani

Wings of Hope Family Crisis Services serves victims of domestic violence, abuse, sexual assault and stalking to five counties. It combats Oklahoma’s high levels of domestic violence through its services.

Gannon Blankenship O’Colly Contributor

Kennedy Thomason News & Lifestyle Editor

Sister Cindy visited campus on Wednesday, speaking to students and sharing her message of the “Ho No Mo revolution.”

Are students ready for rest of semester?

Kelton Turner

“I’m feeling pretty confident. I have three exams in the next two weeks, so I’m jumping right back into it. I didn’t really have a chance to be burned out; I had to jump right back into it.”

Ryanne Ford

“I feel like there was a lot of information shoved into my brain right before the break, so trying to catch back up with all the information is a little hard, but I think it’ll be fine.”

Kira Morris

“I feel like I am prepared for the rest of the semester. Just doing my work, making myself pick a spot and not move until I’m done with the work. I like to sit in the Union or Nancy Randolph. I make sure I get enough sleep and try to stay ahead of stuff and not wait until it’s due to do it.”

All photos by Bryson Thadhani

Conquering the mid-semester slump

After spring break, it’s harder for some students to focus on studies or college life when summer is getting closer.

With less than half the semester left, it’s not time to give up yet. Here are five tips to get out of that mid-semester rut and finish strong.

Take a break

As exams approach, it can be tempting to cram study sessions late into the night. Taking short breaks can make you more productive and give you more motivation.

Don’t scroll trends on TikTok or Instagram. Do something that refreshes you, such as calling a friend or going on a walk.

Find a new workspace

Sometimes it can be hard to study in your dorm or bedroom. This is probably because your brain associates these surroundings with rest.

Some students lack motivation for their classes, homework or campus involvements after spring break. Taking breaks can help.

Consider switching up your study location. The library, local coffee shops or the tables outside the Student Union are perfect places for this.

Don’t forget your physical health

When life gets busy, our physical health is often the first thing to go. Drinking enough water, moving your body and getting enough sleep will give you the energy to do your best.

Taking care of your body may

help you feel happier and feel more like yourself, which is important for getting out of a slump.

Choose a “done is better than perfect” mentality

Perfection is an unattainable goal. Often, the pressures of being perfect comes with procrastination and stress.

Tribune News Service

Hozier’s surprise ‘Unheard’ EP features previously unreleased songs

he nearly seems to create his own genre. He weaves together notes of blues, folk, soul and alternative, and carries a grounded, earthy mood in most songs.

and lyrics that, combined with the acoustics and soft drums, create a warm image of springtime in the country.

Although doing your best is always

the way to go, a realistic mentality is to focus on getting the task done. This is especially true when there are multiple things on your to-do list.

Be kind to yourself

It’s not easy being a college student juggling school, work and a social life. So, go easy on yourself. Don’t expect perfection, but work hard.

news.ed@ocolly.com File

How to celebrate Easter in Stillwater

the Lord’s Supper, which was followed by the Eucharisitic Procession. The church walked across campus in honor of Jesus and his walk on Holy Thursday.

To say Hozier’s surprise EP is unreleased genius would be an understatement.

Hozier’s new EP “Unheard” is composed of songs he chose not to include on his previous album. Through only four songs, he is able to showcase the widely different shades of his music style and reinforce exactly why his fans love him.

Hozier is a rare artist who is able to successfully combine gut-wrenching imagery through lyrics and raw, soulful tones through vocals. Since his 2015 debut single, “Take me to Church” hit No. 2 spot in Billboard’s Top 100, Hozier has gained increasing popularity.

Throughout his career,

The leading song of his EP is incredibly pretty and titled, “Too Sweet.” Hozier first teased this song on TikTok, singing of a man who takes his whisky neat and coffee black. The song quickly began to trend on the app. It depicts Hozier longing for a woman who seems to be “too sweet” for him. The song is upbeat, yet heavy in its meaning. It’s smooth, catchy and groovy, which is probably why it’s the most popular of the four tracks.

The second song, “Wildflower and Barley,” features Allison Russell, a Canadian singer-songwriter. It is an entirely different vibe than the first, slower and jazzy. It highlights Hozier’s use of harmonies in the way he layers his vocals with Russell’s. There are plenty of nature metaphors

“Empire Now” is the third track and leans more into alternative rock. In contrast to the first two tracks, it sets a more violent mood. With cinematic orchestral movements, he sings of a seemingly dystopian world, surprising fans once again with his range.

Finally, Hozier wraps up the EP with “Fare Well.”

The song begins with slow but sentimental acoustics, and quickly rises to a more upbeat, folky tune. He makes it hard to go wrong with this song by pairing sentimental, bittersweet lyrics with upbeat acoustics. It closes out the EP gently, with notes for a hopeful tomorrow.

Although on the surface it may seem like an assorted collection of unreleased tracks, Hozier’s new EP greatly enhances his repertoire and leaves fans eager for more.

news.ed@ocolly.com

Although many students go home for Easter, many others stay in Stillwater not knowing what to do for the holiday weekend. Knowing this is the case for many students, pastor Kerry Wakulich of St. John Catholic Church planned a busy weekend for those in town.

After opening its doors last spring, St. John Catholic Students Center is celebrating its first Easter in the new building located directly off of campus. St. John is welcoming everyone for the weekend’s festivities, not just Catholics.

“There are lots of nonCatholics that attend Easter Vigil,” Wakulich said.

The church got an early start to the weekend on Thursday when the congregation had its Mass of

For Good Friday, Wakulich is providing a Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion service open to all at 3 p.m. A free fish fry will follow it at 5:30 p.m. Finally, at the end of the night, the church is having a screening of “The Passion of the Christ” at 6:45 p.m.

On Saturday, Wakulich is encouraging anyone to come to St. John for the end of Lent. At 8 p.m., the church will have its Easter Vigil mass.

Immediately after the conclusion of mass, the church is throwing a huge party on its front lawn. The party starts at 10 p.m. that night and will have food and drinks.

On Easter Sunday, St. John is having its Easter Mass at 10 a.m. for anyone to participate in.

news.ed@ocolly.com

Hozier surprised his listeners with a range of sounds on “Unheard,” his latest EP.

Ava Whistler Staff Reporter

Ava Whistler Staff Reporter

Review

Jake Hernandez Staff Reporter

PICRYL

St. John Catholic Students Center is celebrating its first Easter.

SGA continues to recommend improvement for security on campus

Luisa Clausen Editor-in-Chief

The Student Government Association passed a recommendation to install security cameras and increase the number of lights on residential parking lots across campus during a Senate meeting on Wednesday.

Joshua Wilson, a freshman and SGA senator, started working on recommendation S24RC005 in the fall after multiple auto burglaries happened in parking lot 2, north of Bennet Hall, and three in the 4th Avenue parking garage. The lack of cameras in the parking lot made it difficult for OSUPD to identify the perpetrators.

Wilson talked to students who lived on campus and several expressed fear of walking alone at night because of the lack of better lighting and cameras. He met with the emergency services captain, Dan Ray, and said he showed interest in helping.

“They were willing to hear what I had to say,” Wilson said. “This bill is bittersweet, in a sense that students have had to deal with this for so long but it’s a good thing we’re doing something about this now.”

Wilson said cameras would help prove several incidents such as stalking and car break-ins.

Over the past three years, 37 cases of stalking were reported on campus.

Wilson’s bill addressed OSU’s annual security report where it states that burglary and larceny are the highest reported crimes on campus.

“Many of these incidents that are reported do not find justice due to lack of evidence ot the inability to identify a perpetrator,” the bill stated.

This is not the first time

SGA passed a recom-

New recommended site for Animal Welfare Facility announced

Emma Haley O’Colly Contributor

Stillwater’s Animal Welfare Facility was built in the 1980s with a 1960 mindset.

The new $6.75 million Animal Welfare Facility is planned to be behind Sanborn Lake on the Stillwater Regional Airport’s property, Stillwater City Council said.

The original site for the facility was recommended to be by the airport on Knoblock Street in a wooded area across from Boomer Lake. Some Stillwater residents opposed this because of the proximity to their neighborhood.

Stillwater’s Animal Welfare Facility was constructed in 1984. Rachel Wasserman, Stillwater Animal Welfare supervisor, said there is no natural light in the building. The “cat room” is a garage, and the limited space demands a new location.

“In 2023, we turned away 700 animals because we have nowhere to put them,” Wasserman said.

She said it can take in more than 1,000 dogs and 500 cats a year at the minimum.

Wasserman stressed that

a new facility would aid staff in helping more animals and also be a more welcoming environment to potential adopters.

Dawn Dodson, director of communications for Stillwater Animal Welfare, said some criteria must be met when choosing the new site. She said there are between 130-140 Stillwaterowned properties that were sifted through to choose the new Animal Welfare Facility property.

“So, there has been criteria and a process that they went through a couple of years ago to get to this property,” Dodson said. “So, this is where we’re at, and now we’ve picked it up, and we’re pursuing it.”

At the City Council meeting on March 6, engineering manager Candy Staring presented a series of six Stillwater city maps. The first one showcased 132 city-owned properties. The property criteria are that it must be city-owned with 2.5 acres available, no parks, no significant floodplains and no current city facilities with usable land to build.

Dodson said Staring and the Engineering Committee narrowed those properties down to the Stillwater Regional Airport property because it

doesn’t border residential areas. This was an important additional criterion.

“The first criteria was that the architect from the initial planning, plans to have the Animal Welfare Facility and a potential exercise area,” Dodson said. “So, we need about 2.5 acres to cover this project.”

The new Animal Welfare Facility is planned to provide more amenities for the animals. For instance, residents can expect more space, trails and possibly an exercise center. Dodson said she believes Stillwater, as a city, inherently cares about animals.

She said that because this is a Together Investing in Municipal Excellence project, taxpayers will pay a total of $6.75 million over 10 years for the facility. The new site recommended still needs Federal Aviation Administration approval, which takes about 2-3 weeks. Dodson said the plan is to present this recommendation to The City Council again in April for resolution.

The presentation in April will also hold community recommendations. The goal is for the new Animal Welfare Facility to be on the Aug. 27, 2024, ballot.

news.ed@ocolly.com

mendation with students’ safety in mind. In April of 2023, SGA passed a bill recommending OSU to improve lighting across campus, install security cameras in residence halls and campus parking lots, replace blue light emergency phones with a more sustainable system and increase promotion of the RAVE Guardian App.

Mackenzie Steele, an SGA senator, collaborated on the bill last year because she said she could relate to it and there were changes she wanted to see on campus. A year later, not much has changed.

“I haven’t noticed much of a change after the bill,” Steele said. “Our idea was to increase security measures across campus, but it seems like lighting is still an issue, unfortunately.”

When SGA passes a bill, it is then introduced to the administration and to the offices responsible for specific actions. Steve Spradling, the director of parking and transportation services, said he is an advocate for cameras on campus and his team is constantly working on adding them across campus.

“I am currently coordinating with dining services to add cameras to the outside of the new Central Marketplace which will be directed at the parking lots around it,” Spradling said.

Housing and Residential Life has cameras in place at Iba, Parker and University Commons.

Spradling said installing cameras in existing buildings is expensive because there is not only the price of cameras but conduit, data cable and large recorders to provide enough storage space for the cameras. Spradling said the cost to equip a garage with a camera system is over $100,000.

State

Continued from 1A

In Oklahoma, one of the main contributors to safety concerns is domestic violence. The state falls second in the U.S. for women killed by men, according to the recent rankings reported from the Oklahoma Attorney General’s website.

The 2024 Oklahoma Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board, a report from the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, found 43.4% of domestic violence homicide victims were women.

Brandi White, the executive director of Wings of Hope Family Crisis Services, said Oklahoma is often behind the curve when it comes to reform.

In areas such as domestic violence, there seems to be a gap between action and reaction.

“Unfortunately, I think our state is pretty focused on prosecution and things after the fact instead of prevention,” White said.

Domestic violence involves any violent altercation between family members or romantic partners. Wings of Hope provides shelter, counseling services, victim advocacy and family support, among other programs, to combat domestic violence in Payne, Noble, Pawnee, Logan and Lincoln counties.

In 2023, Wings of Hope served 896 victims of domestic violence, which made up 77% of the cases it saw.

White said the causes of domestic violence include mental health, poverty, substance abuse, lack of opportunities for women, women having autonomy in their bodies and families and equal partners in relationships.

“I think all of that lends to an environment where a woman could be subjugated and can find herself in an unhealthy situation where she doesn’t feel like she has a voice or has the right to stand up for herself or to remove herself from those situations,” White said.

White, who has worked in the nonprofit sector for more than 15 years said she has noticed positive cultural shifts. However, Oklahoma has seemed slower to adapt than other states.

She said men are beginning to break stigmas about domestic violence, members of the LGBTQ+ community are more willing to talk about their domestic violence experiences and citizens are less prone to make excuses.

These improvements don’t change the fact that Oklahoma, statistically, can be a dangerous place for women.

“We also just don’t have a culture that values women the same way that other areas do,” White said.

Although there are many factors to Oklahoma’s continued problem with domestic violence, culture and politics play an influential role.

Beth Furnish, a member of Stillwater’s chapter of the League of Women Voters and board of directors member for Wings of Hope, said the state’s

political landscape contributes to its low rankings. She pointed to the lack of voter turnout, especially for women, and the limited field of candidates as areas of concern.

The Oklahoma Attorney General’s fatality board report recommended three items to quell the high rates of domestic violence. It proposed an increased budget for Oklahoma Attorney General certified domestic violence/sexual assault programs; improved statutes to hold domestic abusers more accountable in court; and requiring 911 operators to take domestic violence trainings.

“These (certified domestic violence/sexual assault) services literally give a lifeline to survivors,” Furnish said. “So when we as a state choose not to provide adequate funding, people are going to get killed.”

One of the ways Furnish takes action is through her civic duty: voting. Smith also turns to state politics for answers. As an intern with the Democratic Caucus in the Senate of the state legislature, Smith has frequent talks about women who are displaced because of violence.

Engaging with the state legislature is a primary way Smith said constituents can help improve circumstances for women across Oklahoma.

“Legislators don’t like to listen to statistics,” Smith said. “They take stories on the floor.

“If you’ve been through something that can affect people for the better, take it to your legislator.”

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Kennedy Thomason

Alexis Higgins

SGA passed a recommendation to increase the number of lights and cameras in parking lots across the university.

Columbian-born professor brings relatability to his classes

Isaac Terry Staff Reporter

With a wide smile and cheerful “Hola, cómo estás?” assistant professor Juan Carlos Rozo happily greets his classes.

Rozo remembers what it is like to be a student, despite not being born in the United States.

“I was there once,” Rozo said. “I relate to their experiences, to their lags and preoccupations of the time. Many of them are mine as well, as much as that age gap increases with the years.”

Throughout various visas, Rozo has been in and out of the U.S. and Colombia for 20 years. For the last two years, he has taught at OSU.

Rozo also taught at the University of Houston and Texas Southern University. He attended the University of Houston, earning his master’s degree and doctorate.

Rozo arrived in the United States when he was 19, leaving his hometown of Bucaramanga on a tourist visa. When he got to the U.S., things such as people wearing pajamas to class, sunlight at 8 p.m. and the nation’s diversity shocked him.

The visit started a two-decade journey that led to Rozo’s U.S. residency. However, he does not forget his roots.

“You can enjoy here more financial stability definitely; you can enjoy more safety,” Rozo said. “There are many, many good attributes that I would relate to what I call quality of life. Now, lifestyle is a more the leisure aspect of life, the less formal version of it, and in that, I do miss the Columbian lifestyle.”

Rozo also got a taste of high school in the U.S., spending four months honing skills he said were invaluable to his understanding of English.

“(I had) an intermediate grasp, the one

Building a foundation

Payne County Drug Court serves community despite funding challenges

Bella Casey News and Lifestyle Assistant Editor

The Payne County Drug Court marks life-altering changes for many, but one thing stays the same: its budget.

“We’re on our third year of flat budget, just not much change,” said Noel Bagwell, executive director of the Payne County Drug Court.

“You know, the big deal was supposed to be drug courts, we’re gonna get money for providing services and doing things in the criminal justice reform, really save it on the Department of Corrections side and transfer. I don’t think they’ve (the state) accomplished that, in my opinion.”

The Payne County Drug Court is a nonprofit that offers a program to help those with substance abuse issues overcome addiction. Those eligible to participate must have a pending criminal case in the district court involving substance abuse.

information from only Metropolitan areas when evaluating the needs of Oklahoma drug courts. He said he thinks funding mechanisms for Oklahoma drug courts need to be revisited.

Oklahoma drug courts experienced major changes with the beginning of criminal justice reform and when medical marijuana was legalized in Oklahoma in 2018.

Payne County Drug Court was one of seven counties selected to establish a misdemeanor program during that time. Bagwell said it was hard to start the program.

“I think we’ve got to build a foundation to the substance abuse issues before we build the house,” Bagwell said. “If you’ve got nothing to support it, it’s going to crumble.”

Many crumbled.

The Payne County Drug Court’s misdemeanor programs is one of the few drug courts with a surviving misdemeanor program. Bagwell said funding is one of the reasons the misdemeanor programs shrank.

you would have towards the end of, lets say, the second year of Spanish,” Rozo said. “I did have some knowledge, but not adequate enough I would say.” Although being a Spanish professor was not always clear to Rozo, his goal of teaching was always clear, even as a kid. Clear even to those around him, said Rozo’s brother, Sergio Rozo. “I knew my brother was going to be a professor,” Sergio Rozo said. “One day, I was trying to go to the restroom, and he was in the restroom, and he was taking forever. After then. . . I walked into the restroom and saw a

is really, dare I say, my excuse to talk about philosophy, which is my, I guess, hidden passion,” Rozo said. “Something that I dream is teaching a class which is in Spanish but is a formal philosophy class.”

The profound isn’t something only Rozo has an interest in; it is always the affect he has on his students. Many of his students look at Rozo as both a professor and a friend because of how he relates to students.

“I think students react great to his teaching style because he is authentic, and therefore students engage in thinking about class issues and ideas beyond the classroom.”

Carolina Sitya Nin Assistant professor

dictionary, one of those big dictionaries – De La Rose. The big, big dictionaries.

“So I questioned my brother, ‘What was a dictionary doing in the restroom?’ And he told me he didn’t have anything else to read. Since that moment, I knew my brother was going to be a professor.” Although he chose to be a Spanish professor, Rozo initially struggled to decide among different majors. He looked at mathematics, philosophy and even computer science, but his native language and literature always brought him back. He still hangs on to some of those original interests in his favorite teachings today. “I think literature

“I think that I haven’t detached from my own experience as a young student, as a student that had all the hassles and the normal life of a student,” Rozo said. “From falling asleep and not going to class or forgetting about an assignment and not turning it in. It’s easy to detach from that experience and then become, I don’t know, strict or demand from students what you as a student didn’t provide.”

Faith Pratt, a senior, said her favorite part of her class with Rozo is Rozo.

“I took this class mostly because he was the professor,” Pratt said. “I just like the way he teaches, and the stuff he teaches about is usually very unique and niche. . . his classroom is really a friendly environment, so it makes learning better and easier.”

Alicia Saldana, a senior, is another student in of Rozo’s “Colonial

Misfits and Outcasts in Latin America” class.

“He lets me bounce off ideas and chat about (readings),” Saldana said. “I don’t know if a different teacher were teaching this class if it would be as entertaining, especially because he just kind of nerds out about it.”

Students are not the only ones who feel his classroom is a friendly environment. Assistant professor Carolina Sitya Nin works closely beside Rozo every week.

“Juan Carlos is a fun and engaged great colleague,” Sitya Nin said. “I think students react great to his teaching style because he is authentic, and therefore students engage in thinking about class issues and ideas beyond the classroom.

“As an example of this, we recently received the visit of a group of high-school students, and he was extremely effective in talking with them about the fears associated with the use of foreign languages and how to be effective communicators.”

Rozo’s teachings go beyond the average college-level classes. He is teaching “An Accidental Myth: ‘Discovery’ and Explorations of the Amazon River,” a class hosted by OSU’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute for people aged “50 or better.”

There is another reason Rozo feels as if he relates to students so strongly. He does not think of his class’ teachings as a one-way street, especially when it comes to culture.

“I think the most satisfying thing is, whether students know it or can guess it or not, is how much I learn from students,” Rozo said. “About culture, about what is going on in the world and the new generation. This is one of the most satisfying, if not the most satisfying, part of this profession for me which is to be in contact with people with fresh ideas.”

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Participants undergo a 13-month program that involves one-on-one and group counseling sessions and frequent drug testing. Bagwell described the process as something that gives participants the tools to be successful, but it is participants’ responsibility to change.

“It’s like raisin’ a bunch of kids,” Bagwell said.

Oklahoma has drug courts in 77 of its counties. Although each drug court aims to help those with substance abuse issues recover, not every drug court is equipped with equal resources.

“As far as funding goes, it absolutely goes to Oklahoma City and Tulsa more than it does the rural areas,” said Dane Lemmons, clinical director of the Payne County Drug Court. Bagwell acknowledged Oklahoma legislature and senators are busy people, but he said he feels they consider

Bagwell said between his experience and communication with the district attorney and other county judges, the Payne County Drug Court’s misdemeanor program stayed afloat.

“There’s no tradition; we’re here to do what’s right,” Bagwell said.

Despite the funding issues the Payne County Drug Court faces, Bagwell and Lemmons are committed to what they do.

“I think it takes a particular calling, and plus, we can both get paid a lot more doing this elsewhere,” Lemmons said.

Yet, they don’t plan on leaving. They agreed that at the end of the day, their jobs are not about themselves. It is about helping clients.

“I truly do believe our program has helped a lot of people,” Bagwell said. “And I think it can help a lot more.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

Isaac Terry

Juan Carlos Rozo, an OSU professor and Colombia native, arrived in the United States at 19.

Doctorate . . .

Continued from 1A

Montgomery served four years in the United States Marine Corps with 2nd Recon Battalion before returning to school to get his bachelor’s in exercise science at Florida Atlantic University in 2008. He then went back to school in 2020. He got his master’s degree at the University of South Florida before coming to OSU to pursue his doctorate in health, leisure and human performance.

Montgomery owned an online coaching company called Team Phoenix Performance, as well as Subject Zero Supplements and Coaches Corner University. After the business side of training got less appealing, Montgomery decided to make a career change.

“Training and owning a gym and doing the business side of things

wasn’t as appealing or fulfilling,” Montgomery said. “So I thought that being a professor would give me an opportunity to mentor people and then also to help people on a more broader scale.

“Growing a business became less and less important, and it was more like the impact that I could have on shaping the generations to come with mentorship, and then also my research can be impactful towards other people.”

Kirk Harrison, Montgomery’s former student, credited Montgomery for helping influence his life.

“He challenged me and everyone else to achieve their goals, no matter how big they were,” Harrison said. “I would say his actions have a role in my life and they make me want to be more successful, and he was able to challenge me in unique ways to meet my goals that I wouldn’t have been challenged like without him.”

Standing at more than 6 feet tall, Montgomery competed in the

242-pound weight class, where he was able to hit a 2,001-pound total at one meet.

That’s not an experience many of his classmates can relate to.

“He trained full time as a powerlifter, so he brings a lot of unique experiences that he can share with the students in terms of career paths,” said Taylor McNeely, a kinesiology, applied health and recreation professor. “I think it’s an advantage to our undergrad students, and mostly because sometimes he’ll be able to help us see situations or scenarios differently just based on what he did experience.”

Montgomery went through a lot of highs and lows in life, including losing most hearing in his left ear. Through it all, Montgomery persevered.

“I was doing a mission overseas, and we had an IED go off, and I was the driver of the vehicle, and it impacted about 30 people in front of us,” Montgomery said. “It was huge, and a couple of weeks later, I had this ring-

ing in my ear, which is something you normally get with this kind of stuff, but it just never went away. A couple of weeks later, I got vertigo really bad, and couldn’t see straight.

Montgromery has Meniere’s disease. His ear canal, which holds fluid that helps with equilibrium, was damaged from the IED. He doesn’t have hearing in that ear.

Even after the challenging times he faced in the Marine Corps and being stationed overseas for a couple of years in Iraq, Montgomery still likes to challenge himself through the discipline and mental toughness that he learned in the military. Montgomery runs 100-mile ultra races as he continues to enjoy new challenges.

“Obviously I get to choose this situation, but I didn’t get to choose them in the military,” Montgomery said. “What in life is going to allow me to do these races and these challenges that push you mentally and physically, and these races do that.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” (Is.30:15 NIV) This is what God was saying to his people, but their reaction was to reject his counsel, then struggle and try to work out their troubles in their own way.

God was telling them to turn to him (repentance), stop your fretting, quiet yourselves and look to me; trust me! Let God be the objective of your faith. God never gets tired, but he strengthens the tired and weary. (Is.40:28-29) It is so easy to go the way of his ancient people; trying to work things out ourselves.

When we talk of quieting ourselves; this is not passiveness or inactivity, but a turning in our thoughts to the one who has promised so much to those who will trust him. Look at Ps.123:2, “As the

eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master...so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy.” How about Ps.131:1-2 “...I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother.” Our activity is turning and quieting ourselves before the one who is truly our helper.

Returning to Is. 30; verse 18: Here is God’s attitude toward us; “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.” Isaiah finishes by saying; “Blessed are all who wait for him!” God is good toward us because of Christ. He wants to take action, so He says stop! (seems contrary) Spent some time with him and trust him in the challenges of life. He will lead and work his way! Trust him; you will not be ashamed! (Ro.10:11)

TRUST THE LORD! (Part #2)

Courtesy of Tony Montgomery

Tony Montgomery turned to fitness after his service with the Marine Corps. He competed in the 242-pound weight class, where he was able to hit a 2,001-pound total at one meet.

Courtesy of Tony Montgomery

Tony Montgomery owned two gyms and founded a sports supplement company before deciding to return to school.

Courtesy of Tony Montgomery Tony Montgomery participates in 100-mile ultra races to keep his mind and body sharp.

Donations . . .

Continued from 1A

Justin Sharp, director of the Student STACHE Network on campus, said monetary donations impact more people.

“In general, most of the items that go on our shelves are purchased with money that has been donated to the Student STACHE Network,” Sharp said. “A small percentage of the food comes from food donations.”

The Student STACHE Network is a Student Government Association-run food pantry program with locations in the Student Union, Edmon Low Library and Family Resource Center. The program is currently in the process of rebuilding.

“Since the inception of the

Student STACHE Network, there has been a lot of turnover between directors and volunteers,” Sharp said. “We are currently working on adding members to the SGA Food Insecurity Committee to spread out the workload and add consistency to the program.”

Pete’s Pantry, the Student STACHE Network and other pantries across campus are all working toward the same goals: feeding students and battling food insecurity.

Cassidy Davis is a graduate assistant working with OSU Basic Needs. She heads Pete’s Pantry and Pete’s Eats, a food recovery program providing free hot lunches to students.

Davis emphasized the openness and understanding of campus resources.

“Remember, it’s a resource, and you’re here to use our resource, so please come out,” Davis

said. “Please remember we’re here to support and provide for you.”

The key to providing a safe space for students is volunteers who create a welcoming environment.

Pete’s Pantry and OSU Basic Needs are working on building a better structure for students to get involved, but students can still donate. “Reach out at okstate.edu or email OSU Basic Needs, and we can connect and send them a list of items to donate,” Blevins said. “We also have an Amazon wish list you can find through our Instagram link tree.”

There is only a month and a half left of the semester, but the need in the pantries continues to grow. For students who want to get involved, donating, volunteering and doing research are ways to help other students.

news.ed@ocolly.com

A balancing act: The reality of working students

Ava Whistler Staff Reporter

From corporate jobs to working at a country club as a valet or in customer service, Macie Coate has done it all.

“I try to be financially independent,” Coate said. “But it definitely adds an extra level of stress.”

For Coate and other working college students, there are certain realities they face that friends and family do not always consider. This includes balancing studies, a social life and finances.

For some students, it becomes harder to visit family and friends at home when there are time or financial constraints.

“I feel like they don’t really understand that I don’t have a lot of free time,” said Baylee Stearns, another working student. “I think that’s something that a lot of people don’t think about.”

Whether their jobs are not flexible, or they need the extra hours to support themselves, working students may feel burdened when they cannot visit loved ones.

Saying ‘no’ to friends is not always easy, either.

“I think that’s one of the biggest realities, is that you have to say

‘no’ to certain things whenever it comes to your friends,” Stearns said. “It’s always hard missing out on things, but I’m comfortable saying no because I have other priorities.”

Coate said that as time goes on, saying ‘no’ to friends is not as awkward as it was in the beginning.

Chelsea Spearman, who is a barista, knows the balancing act all too well. She consistently picks up co-workers’ shifts when needed and will occasionally work double shifts in a day. But it’s more than just getting by.

The three students agreed that the balancing act will help them postcollege.

“Especially being self dependent,” Spearman said. “(It will) help me with budgeting and being in charge of finances, also the stress that finances bring.”

Balancing studies, a social life and finances may be difficult for some, but it is possible.

“Everything kind of works out,” Spearman said. “Things can get very overwhelming and stressful, but as long as you’re smart and intentional with your work and time, you’ll be OK. Nothing is the end of the world.”

Myah Shoemake

Pete’s Pantry is one of many food banks across campus. Other banks include the Student STACHE Network.

Lutz reported top target for OSU’s vacancy

Oklahoma State has narrowed in on a candidate for its men’s basketball coach.

On Thursday morning, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports reported that Steve Lutz, coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance in his first season at Western Kentucky, emerged as a “serious candidate”. Later, ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Pete Thamel reporter Lutz as the “focus” of OSU’s search.

This comes two weeks to the day of former coach Mike Boynton’s firing after seven seasons,

highlighted by one NCAA Tournament appearance.

Although at lower levels, Lutz has succeeded in his three seasons as a head coach. In 2021-22 he took over the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi program following a 5-19 season and led the Islanders to a First Four game. The following year, they made The Big Dance again, and Lutz capitalized off the two tournament appearances and two-season 47-23 record, elevating to the WKU position.

In one season coaching the Hilltoppers, they won their conference tournament and nabbed a 15-seed in the NCAA Tournament before losing 87-69 to a two-seed Marquette team last Friday.

Before becoming a head coach, Lutz grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and played one basketball season at Ranger Junior College before playing three seasons at Texas Lutheran and serving as the team

IX Lives

How OSU’s first female scholarship basketball players set program’s future

They had to sweep the stands to play in Gallagher Hall. They changed into their uniforms in classrooms. They were even taught how to play basketball out of a book.

Through it all, the Title IX Team — the Fall 1975 Oklahoma State women’s basketball roster — and the teams for the next several seasons never gave up on each other. Not when they were treated as inferior athletes. Not when the program’s coaching turnover was unmatched. Not when they revolted against OSU.

The Title IX Team, the first to grant select OSU female athletes scholarships, and the squads that followed laid the groundwork for Cowgirl athletics, particularly the women’s basketball program. Their names remain in the record book (even though some statistics were poorly taken, if recorded at all), and their careers help kickstart a program.

Nearly 50 years later, the Title IX Team and the founding females of OSU basketball recognize the history that they were a part of, even if they didn’t know it then.

More than anything, though, they are grateful that they created history together.

Even if they had to sweep those stands.

Most of the women came to Stillwater after successful high school basketball careers in their small Oklahoma towns.

Sharon Voskuhl from Hennessey, Donna Ridling (now Donna Ridling Yanda) from Sentinel and Terre Reese (now Terre Reese McDonald) from Deer Creek; the majority of them grew up on halfcourt six-on-six basketball, with girls basketball being one of (if not the only) female sports offered.

Towns would shut down if their team made the state tournament. Storefronts decked out in support, main streets closed up shops — you name it, the towns did it. Their high school careers were legitimate, and they were treated as such. Even still, some reflect on their state titles, while the bitter thought of defeat hasn’t quite abandoned their mind.

“I don’t even want to talk about the state tournament cause we lost in the semis my senior year,” Voskuhl said with a laugh while brushing over the topic.

OSU, OU and Missouri recruited Voskuhl, but OSU gave her a full four-year scholarship. An offer that was predominantly unheard of in the mid-70s.

So she decided to stay in Oklahoma and became one of the three women — along with Ridling (who received a scholarship for three seasons since she started her collegiate career in 1974) and Reese (who received a scholarship for two

seasons since she transferred from Northern Oklahoma College) — who were granted scholarships in the fall of 1975.

Voskuhl admits she was unaware of the gravity of receiving a scholarship. In Hennessey, the girl’s team received more support than the boy’s team. When she got to Stillwater, she was “oblivious” to her distinction as a scholarship athlete.

“I feel kind of ignorant on that part, really.

“When you start asking the other players, ‘Aren’t you on scholarship?’ (and they said) ‘No.’ It’s like, ‘Wait a minute. I just thought everything would be equal like it was in high school.’ So it was kind of a shock to me to not be equal,” she said.

This was only the beginning of things not being “like it was in high school.” While the men’s basketball team practiced and played in Gallagher Hall, the women practiced in the Colvin Recreational Center — on courts that are now primarily used by OSU students to play pickup basketball games. Before the ‘75 season, the Cowgirls played all their games there, too. They were told a “scheduling conflict” was the reason for the men’s team getting to practice in Gallagher Hall while they were neglected to the Colvin Center.

captain his senior season.

Following his playing career, Lutz was an assistant coach at Incarnate Word, Garden City Community College, Stephen F. Austin, SMU, Creighton and Purdue, with his assistant coaching-career spanning from 1995-2021.

Lutz would enter Stillwater with one player — Brandon Garrison — in the transfer portal. Javon Small was reported to be in the portal, but posted on X that he was “not officially in the portal.”

Otherwise, he’d inherit several talented, up-and-coming players and join a university that was once crowned a basketball school and is looking for its men’s basketball program to be revived.

Lutz’s contract buyout at WKU is $2 million, meaning OSU would spend at least $11.2 million on this coaching search in just contract buyouts — between Boynton and Lutz.

Gajewski wants to extend Texas series

Southwestern softball is generally highlighted by three Big 12 programs. Oklahoma is one of the brightest dynasties in sports, but the Sooners’ dominance doesn’t overshadow the success of Texas and Oklahoma State. The latter rivals will play a three game weekend series for the last time in the Big 12 before Texas moves to the SEC this summer. Meetings between the Longhorns and Cowgirls in recent seasons have had it all — bad blood, personal clashes, ejections and as much emotion sports is capable of producing.

Yet, unlike football, OSU coach Kenny Gajewski wants to keep playing Texas. He’s not afraid of competition, and has

shared similar opinions about scheduling OU in the future; wanting the best possible matchups for his team even if it were to be a nonconference game.

“They are important to us,” Gajewski said about Texas on Wednesday. “I’ve been talking to Mike (White) about possibly playing a three-game series at some point in time, or even just playing when we’re coming through (Texas). I want to keep those games up. They’re not far away and one of the best programs in the country. We want to play those teams.”

OSU and Texas’ beef peaked two seasons ago. Miranda Elish was the former National Player of the Year for the Longhorns before a number of issues led to her quitting softball for a year. She eventually returned from retirement and transferred to OSU for her final season in 2022.

Elish and her former team reunited for the Cowgirls’ final home series of the year.

Edie Allen joined in the fall of 1976 and remembers she had to buy orange shirts to practice. She taped her ankles before games and ordered cheese sandwiches from Hideaway Pizza because it was the only thing she could afford when she missed a meal. Connor Fuxa

Western Kentucky coach Steve Lutz has taken his teams to the NCAA Tournament the past three years in his only three seasons as head coach.

Courtesy Holly Greneir Bright

Members of OSU’s 1977-78 women’s basketball team, including some of the first female athletes who were on scholarship.

Ashton Slaughter Assistant Sports Editor

Ashton Slaughter Assistant Sports Editor

Gabriel Trevino Staff Reporter

Texas...

Continued from 1B

OSU won with a walk-off home run in the first game, Elish pitched her best game of the season in the second — striking out 10 Longhorns in a shutout — and crushed a home run in the third inning. A statement performance that defined her season. And Elish knew it, taunting Texas’ dugout throughout the series.

That would just be the first time they clashed.

In the Big 12 Tournament semifinals three weeks later, emotions ran high. OSU scored two runs in a long first inning, and after multiple replay reviews that went the Cowgirls’ way, Texas coach Mike White screamed at the umpires, got ejected and flipped off OSU fans before heading to the clubhouse in a game OSU would win on a way to a conference championship.

During the tournament, though, a story published in The O’Colly detailed Elish and Texas’ frayed relationship and moments that led to their falling out. Texas players who shared the field with

Elish who were involved in the story and other team officials noticed, publicly mocking the it on social media.

Their anger probably made the outcome of the final matchup that year more glorious.

In the Women’s College World Series semifinals, OSU needed to win one more game to advance to the Championship series — something it had yet to do despite numerous appearances to the tournament. Of course, their opponent was Texas, who needed to beat OSU twice.

The Cowgirls dropped the first, leading to a winor-go-home game. OSU led 5-3 in the fifth with ace Kelly Maxwell in the circle.

Hayley Busby collected a routine ground ball, fired to second for a double play, but overshot Kiley Naomi. The ball rolled all the way to the left field wall, allowing three runs to score. Texas held on and stole OSU’s best shot at a championship.

“It hurts,” Gajewski said after the loss. “Had it right there, you could feel it... It’s gonna hurt, it’s gonna hurt for a long time, and it should hurt.”

OSU had won four straight against Texas to that point, and now it was the

Longhorns’ turn to start a winning streak. In the middle of a stretch where the Cowgirls lost 11 of 13 games, Texas swept OSU in Austin. In the second game, Maxwell took a nohitter into the final inning, walked two batters and allowed a walk-off home run as the only hit of the game.

This season, Texas is the No. 2 team in the country with a five-game win streak against the No. 10 Cowgirls. The Longhorns still have some of their stars from past seasons, while OSU is led by new players facing Big 12 action for the first time in their careers.

OSU’s biggest series of the season will always be against Oklahoma, but its rivalry with Texas is far more competitive. Gajewski hopes to schedule each for a series or just one game every year when OU and UT dart to the SEC. The recent years have made it one of the best rivalries in softball — with one more chapter to be written this weekend.

“We have had a lot of really good games.” Gajewski said. “We had a stretch where we won most of them, now they’ve had a stretch where they’re winning. It’s time for us to turn that tide.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Bowman ‘should improve’ in year 2 as OSU’s starter

Braden Bush Sports Editor

Oklahoma State has one of its oldest returning rosters this season, and at the forefront is seventh-year quarterback Alan Bowman.

A season ago, OSU rotated between quarterbacks Garret Rangel, Gunnar Gundy and Bowman for three games before Bowman won the job. This year, there’s not much uncertainty. The job is Bowman’s.

OSU coach Mike Gundy has had experienced quarterbacks before. Before the 24-year-old Bowman, Spencer Sanders was the guy for four seasons. Before Sanders, Mason Rudolph held the reins for more than three seasons. Brandon Weeden was 27 when the 2011 season began. The Cowboys have had luck with older, experienced QBs, and as spring practice began Tuesday, Bowman brings that element.

“We had a lot of success with (Brandon) Weeden, and he was 28ish, somewhere in that area,” Gundy said. “So, these guys bring a lot to the table from an experience standpoint.”

A season ago, Bowman completed 60.7% of his passes for 3,460 yards and 15 touchdowns in the best statistical season of his career. That was with partial snaps to begin the season, which was his first season with meaningful snaps since 2020.

He also had nearly as many interceptions as touchdowns, 14, but he now has a full year of the OSU offense under his belt. Bowman has also developed in the weight room in that time, losing six to eight pounds, Gundy said.

“Hairline is fading back a little bit, but (strength and conditioning) coach (Rob) Glass is doing a good job with

him,” Gundy said.

Behind Bowman is a slew of younger quarterbacks. Gunnar Gundy transferred out in the offseason, but Rangel, a redshirt sophomore who attempted 32 passes last year, returned to the competition. Freshman Maealiuaki Smith came to OSU early and is participating in spring ball but doesn’t figure to be in the mix early on.

Redshirt freshman Zane Flores didn’t appear in any games but was one of the Cowboys’ top recruits a season ago. He also returns.

“We didn’t really see Zane last year. I mean, he was on the scout team, and he practiced with our young guys at the end of practice, and every day they got team reps,” Gundy said. “Much different than the setting he’ll be in now.”

But Bowman will be the main guy. In front of him will be a group of returning offensive linemen with an average age of older than 22. And on the outside, senior Brennan Presley and redshirt senior Rashod Owens return after a year of building chemistry with Bowman. So does De’Zhaun Stribling, a Washington State transfer who was out with a wrist injury most of last season.

Bowman became the consistent guy the Cowboys could count on who ran the offense smoothly with the help of running back Ollie Gordon II. Gundy said that should continue with Bowman again in 2024.

“Our systems don’t really change much, so the more we do something, the better we get at it. Familiarity will be good,” Gundy said. “We’ve got quite a few wide receivers coming back, so (Bowman should) have a little feel for working with those guys. So we should see improvement.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Bedlam Cup win propelling Cowgirls into rest of season

Gina Foster Staff Reporter

The Cowgirls celebrated a successful trip to Norman but must prepare to return in a few weeks.

Although the Oklahoma State women’s golf team continues to reminisce on its Bedlam Cup win, there are plenty of improvements to be made before it travels back to Norman on April 8 and 9, beginning at the PING/ASU Invitational in Phoenix, Arizona, which began Thursday.

But the team responded well under pressure in Norman and defeated the Sooners after trailing. Ellie Bushnell sank a clutch putt to win the four-ball round in the morning. Angelica Pfefferkorn buckled down in her final two holes to win 1-up, while Thitaporn Saithip battled with unclear drop rules, which delayed her finish.

However, the mix-up did not affect her finish. Saithip went on to win her matchup, 1-up, and clinched the team win.

“I feel like we work well together,” Saithip said. “We cheer on each other every single hole. Before we went to the tournament, we did practice together and play against each other and make each other more confident.”

This confidence in themselves paid off, and OSU coach Greg Robertson said

he also believes in his team and hopes to see more improvement in the remaining tournaments.

“Anytime you get a win, it’s exciting, and of course, to do it in Norman against OU probably made it a little bit more special,” Robertson said. “We’ve been a bit up and down this year, and to have some success hopefully gave them a good feeling going into the rest of this year. All of them really handled those close matches and the whole tournament well, and I think we took a step forward.”

With another match play tournament in Norman in the beginning of April, their performance made the Cowgirls’ confidence grow as they return.

“We will have 54 holes that we’ll have played before we play in that other tournament between our two practice rounds and then the tournament Friday, so we should have a pretty good feel for the course,” Robertson said. “We know a couple of holes they’re going to adjust, especially when it comes to match play.”

Although the experience at Jimmie Austin Golf Club will help in the next match play event, there is still room for improvement.

Saithip said she is working on her putting, along with the mental aspect of the sport. With putting as her strength, it’s important that she continues to make as many putts as possible.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

File Photo

Miranda Elish (40) hit a two-run home run and pitched a shutout against the Longhorns in 2022 after transferring from Texas.

Courtesy of OSU Cowgirl Golf (X)

The Cowgirl golf team plays in the PING/ASU Invitational this weekend after a win in the Bedlam Cup.

Gordon setting bar higher with all offensive linemen returning

Parker Gerl Staff Reporter

Coming off a prolific sophomore season, Oklahoma State star running back Ollie Gordon II has a couple of goals he’s looking to reach in 2024.

“I’m gonna average 6.5 yards (per carry),” Gordon said Tuesday after OSU’s first spring practice. “And as a team, we got to go back to the Big 12 (Championship) and actually take it this time.”

Gordon burst onto the scene in 2023 and has become the face of OSU. He led the country in rushing yards, finished seventh on the Heisman Trophy ballot and took home the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s best tailback.

As Gordon looks to top a season that was filled with records and accolades, and ultimately hit his individual and team goals, he’ll need all the help he had last season. The Cowboys welcomed back their top seven offensive linemen from a year ago, keeping the head of their run game intact.

Dalton

Joe Michalski, Jason Brooks Jr., Jake Springfield, Taylor Miterko and Preston Wilson each followed suit and came back to block for Gordon.

“Traditionally, the group of offensive linemen, those guys kind of do things together,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said of the O-line’s return. During the heart of Gordon’s monster 1,732yard campaign last season, after each game in which he put up a hefty performance on the ground — like 282 yards against West Virginia and 271 on Cincinnati — he credited the linemen for his success.

Every single time.

Even when he could have patted himself on the back just once. And to add to it, Gordon would treat his blockers to steakhouse dinners, too.

“Those are the guys,” Gordon said.

“I’m glad they stayed, because we’ve got great bonds, and they showed me the way.” OSU followed Gordon

to a 10-4 season that ended with a TaxAct Texas Bowl win against Texas A&M. OSU wrapped up its year with major improvements to its rushing attack after a dismal season the year prior.

In 2022, the Cowboys averaged 3.4 yards per carry and totaled 1,633 rushing yards, ranking ninth in a 10-team conference in both categories.

With Gordon’s rise, and improvements up front, OSU turned an Achillies heel into its bread and butter. The Cowboys jumped to 4.8 yards per rush and grounded 541 more total yards than the year before.

That massive flip came to fruition despite Gordon getting just 19 rushes through OSU’s first three games. Don’t think the Cowboys’ rushing attack can still get better? Gordon does.

“I was happy that all of them are coming back and (that) nobody left,” Gordon said. “Off the season we had last year, I feel like we can’t do anything but get better this year.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

What the Cowboys see in new defensive line coach Randolph

Gabriel Trevino Staff Reporter

Oklahoma State’s defense is adapting to a new face in the room for a second consecutive spring practice season. It’s not as drastic of a change as when the Cowboys hired DivisionII defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo last January, but in this cycle, OSU snagged who it considers to be a game-changer for the defense.

Coach Mike Gundy did not extend defensive line coach Greg Richmond’s contract when it expired last season. He played at OSU when Gundy was an assistant, before playing in the NFL and coached in Stillwater for the past seven years following his playing days.

Gundy is often criticized for his infrequent coaching changes. Following OSU’s 7-6 season and loss in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in 2022, when he was asked if he thought about possible changes to his staff, he lashed out at a reporter.

Before the team’s first spring practices on Tuesday, and after his first change in years, Gundy opened up about his phi-

losophy and reasoning not to retain Richmond.

“We just needed a change there,” Gundy said. “In my 20 years as a head coach, I haven’t had to change coaches much. I feel like I’m responsible for coaching the guys I hire here, and they’re responsible for coaching the players. Every once in a while, we need to change. Greg Richmond is a great football coach and a great human being. We just needed a change. It’s one of the most difficult things to do in my position. I haven’t done it a lot because I feel like I’m responsible for them. We just needed a change of pace and some new blood.”

In January, OSU hired former Indiana defensive line coach Paul Randolph, a 27-year defensive line coach who has been around top programs and carries pedigree and a new aura to the Cowboys’ defense.

Randolph’s name was a constant when Gundy connected with others around the country to find a replacement. The 58-year-old former Canadian football linebacker has coached at Alabama, Pittsburgh, Arizona State and Texas Tech before

moving to Stillwater.

“He’s seen a lot of things, been through a lot of things, and he can bless that to his players and other coaches,” said nose tackle Justin Kirkland. “Seeing the things he’s gone through, I can apply it to myself. He’s got something for everybody.”

Randolph preaches a new mentality that matches with where OSU wants its defense to go. The Cowboys switched to a hybrid front with the option to play three or fourdown defensive lineman at any time last season. That switch wasn’t always the cleanest in their first season with the scheme. OSU hopes Randolph can be the refiner it’s looking for while teaching the bigmen up-front to be faster, more athletic players.

“(Randolph teaches) the little things, and that’s what football is — you repeat yourself; whether it’s quicker hands, faster hips, better feet or all the above,” Kirkland, 315 pounds, said. “He brings the energy, and the defense has to have that energy to run around and be violent.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

Davis Cordova

Ollie Gordon II is preparing for his junior season after winning the Doak Walker Award last season.

Cooper, Cole Birmingham,

Davis Cordova

Paul Randolph was hired in January to replace Greg Richmond as OSU’s defensive line coach.

Smith optimistic after 10th place NCAA finish

Daniel Allen Staff Reporter

John Smith stood by the arena entry tunnels of the TMobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, and tried to assess the year.

Smith, Oklahoma State’s wrestling coach, searched for the words to describe his 32nd season at the helm.

“Kind of had a good breakthrough this year as a team,” he said. “In the end, we moved forward as a program. I’m pleased with the season, and I’m pleased with our team.”

OSU finished the season with a 10th-place finish at the NCAA Championships this past weekend, marking the third consecutive season where the Cowboys finished 10th or lower in the final standings. That, Smith said, he wished could have been better.

The season overall, however, Smith deemed a success.

Coming off the worst twoyear stretch in program history, including a program-worst 18thplace in 2023, Smith knew once the offseason commenced that he needed to adapt. He’d fallen behind in the transfer portal and NIL. He knew that had to

change.

So, he reeled in reigning All-American 165-pounder Izzak Olejnik, a five-year standout at Northern Illinois. Shortly after, former Minnesota prospects Troy Spratley (125) and Tagen Jamison (141).

Months later, longtime associate head coach Zack Esposito accepted a position as the National Freestyle Development and Resident coach. Shortly after, Smith poached former OSU All-American Coleman Scott, who had spent the prior eight seasons as the head coach of North Carolina, to replace Esposito.

As Smith said, “we got rid of the distractions.” But a sense of anxiousness loomed within Smith.

It’s one thing to formulate a roster. It’s another to witness it pan out.

From OSU’s season-opening win on Nov. 10 to the postseason, Smith’s Cowboys were divergent to their form over the past two seasons. More bonuspoint wins. More gritty match victories. And more ranked dual triumphs.

OSU logged 12 ranked wins, three of which came against top-10 opponents. Its 14-1 regular season finish marked its best

since the 2018-19 season.

Albeit a 22-9 setback against No. 4 Iowa in the regular season finale, the Cowboys still were back where they had been for much of college wrestling’s history – among the nation’s elite.

OSU’s Big 12 title drought extended, but that had a lot to do with Iowa State. The Cowboys’ 141.5 team points marked the highest scoring total for a runner-up in Big 12 Championships history, 11 short of the Cyclones’ 152.5. And while Smith pointed toward the program’s upward trajectory with this season’s top10 finish, he took responsibility for an up-and-down showing in the postseason.

OSU 133-pounder Daton Fix became the first four-time NCAA runner-up in a 5-3 finals loss to Cornell’s Vito Arujau. Shortly after, 184-pounder Dustin Plott fell via a 14-5 major decision to Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen.

OSU’s individual title drought extended to three years. The Cowboys haven’t produced a national champion since AJ Ferrari in 2021.

But Smith said there’s reason to believe that might end relatively soon. And it starts with experience.

Wisconsin All-American Hamiti transfers to OSU

Braden Bush Sports Editor

Oklahoma State has its first wrestling portal commitment of the offseason, and it’s a big one.

Dean Hamiti, the 2023 Big Ten Champion at 165 pounds and a two-time All-American at Wisconsin, announced his commitment to OSU on Wednesday afternoon. He entered the portal Monday after three seasons with the Badgers. A junior this season, Hamiti has a year of eligibility remaining, as well as a redshirt year.

Izzak Olejnik was the Cowboys’ 165-pound starter this season and placed fifth at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. Olejnik exhausted his eligibility, leaving OSU with that spot to fill.

Coincidentally, Hamiti wrestled Ole -

jnik in the Blood Round of the NCAA Championships this past Friday. Hamiti built a big lead on Olejnik, then Olejnik forced sudden victory and won, 9-6, with a takedown 19 seconds into extra time, eliminating Hamiti from his third All-American placing.

Hamiti went 81-14 in three seasons at Wisconsin and placed sixth at 165 pounds at NCAAs in 2022 and 2023. He won the Big Ten title in 2023 but placed second this season behind Penn State’s Mitchell Mesenbrink, who was runnerup at the NCAA Championships.

Hamiti was 28-4 during the season but lost to eventual NCAA champion David Carr in the Championship bracket, then to Olejnik in the consolation bracket.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

OSU will miss the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row barring a Big 12 Championship.

Smith said there is a stark contrast between a productive dual team and a tournament team. Team scoring is different and more complex. A year under a system is paramount for a prospect’s development. Not to mention, OSU had six new starters in its lineup this season, four who were freshmen and five of which were first-year starters.

But with that, Smith said he expects another notable jump in the 2024-25 season.

“It’s (all about) experience,” Smith said. “We had (six) of our guys that hadn’t been here. Four of them were freshmen. But I think the experience of being in it will make a difference. The quality of guys that we’ve got (and) got coming in is going to real opportunity. But I do believe they helped us bounce in a direction that we needed to go in. Much better than the past two years.

“Oklahoma State wrestling is in a good place right now.”

149-pounder Alvarez enters transfer portal

Oklahoma State’s wrestling season has been over for less than a week, and the Cowboys have their first transfer portal entry.

Sammy Alvarez entered the transfer portal on Monday, according to the FloWrestling transfer tracker. Alvarez, a graduate transfer who wrestled at 149 pounds for the Cowboys, has one year of eligibility remaining.

Alvarez transferred from Rutgers midway through the 2022-23 season and was ineligible to wrestle until the second semester of the 2023-24 season because of NCAA transfer rules. He made his first dual appearance with OSU at 149 pounds on Jan. 12 at Pittsburgh and beat No. 26 Finn Solomon by major decision.

For the next two weeks, Alvarez fought for the starting job at 149 with redshirt freshman Jordan Williams. Alvarez wrestled in three more duals in January and rose to as high as No. 17 in the rankings.

Williams eventually won the starting job, and Alvarez didn’t appear back in the starting lineup after an 8-2 loss to No. 10 Casey Swiderski in the Cowboys’ home dual against Iowa State on Jan. 27. Alvarez went 15-5 at OSU with a 2-2 dual record.

After Williams took OSU’s 149-pound spot, he went on a run to the Big 12 title bout at 149, including a semifinals win against top-seeded Swiderski. Williams injury defaulted in the finals, then made the NCAA Wrestling Championships as the No. 20 seed and went 2-2 with an upset of No. 13 Caleb Rathjen of Iowa. Alvarez enters the portal with an impressive résumé. He went 50-14 in four seasons at Rutgers, spending three years at 133 pounds and a year at 141. He made several appearances in the top 10 while with the Scarlet Knights and was the 10-seed at 133 pounds as a freshman in the 2020 NCAA Championships before it was canceled because of COVID.

Davis Cordova

Marcus Conrad

Sammy

Courtesy @HamitiDean (X)

Braden Bush Sports Editor

Classifieds

Business Squares

Come check out the wide variety of elegant clothing at Formal Fantasy!

Located on 121 E. 9th Ave, Downtown Stillwater

The best selection of beer, wine and liquor that Stillwater has to offer! Perfect for all your game day needs, come to Brown’s Bottle Shop located on 128 N. Main

“The Original Hideaway, located on the corner of Knoblock and University. Serving quality pizza and more since 1957.”

Murphy’s Department Store

815 S Main, Downtown Open 10-6

Monday thru Saturday

Houses for rent

O’Colly Media Sales Manager Needed

The O’Colly Media Group is now accepting applications for a full time summer Account Manager, Media Sales. This position is responsible for contacting and selling local, University and Oklahoma businesses OMG advertising opportunities. Specifically print, online and mobile and video streaming service.

Job duties include developing sales, marketing and promotional strategies and create materials to support this effort and propose additional special issues and revenue streams and implement said issues and revenue streams.

Qualified applicant should be able to work with and train students, develop advertising and agency expense budgets, create and monitor daily revenue goals, determine credits and adjustments for advertising errors, serve as liaison between O’Colly and local retail community, university advertisers and other college newspapers. Serve as part of a long term strategic planning to further determine marketing strategies and additional revenue opportunities. Build relationships with prospective clients by attending local Chamber of Commerce meetings and making non sales calls.

Send resume to Lori@ocolly.com for consideration.

Cowboy Calendar

Friday, March 29

Art Under Glass Pastel @ 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Location: Prairie Arts Center

Admission: $135 (16+)

https://artscenter.okstate.edu

Cowgirl Softball: Oklahoma State vs. Texas @ 2 p.m.

Location: Cowgirl Stadium

https://okstate.com/sports/softball/schedule

Dairy Heifer Extravaganza Show & Sale @ 8 a.m.10 p.m.

Location: Payne County Expo Center

Admission: $20 per head due at check in, cash if possible

Downtown Funk @ 8 - 10 p.m.

Location: Em Curators of Craft

Admission: $5.00 Cover Charge

https://curatorsofcraft.co/pages/on-stage Karaoke @ 9 p.m.

Location: The Midnight Bar

Friday Flix @ 2:20 - 4 p.m.

Location: OSU Museum of Art

https://museum.okstate.edu

Grillin’ & Chillin’ At The Varsity Shop @ 1 - 3 p.m.

Location: Em Curators of Craft

https://curatorsofcraft.co

Karaoke @ 9 p.m.

Location: The Midnight Bar

Tulsa Rabbit Breeders Show @ 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Location: Payne County Expo Center

https://pcexpocenter.com/event/tulsa-rabbitbreeders-show-move-in-day/

Saturday, March 30

Cowboy Tennis: OSU vs. TCU @ 1 p.m.

Location: Greenwood Tennis Center

https://okstate.com/sports/mens-tennis/schedule

Cowgirl Softball: OSU vs. Texas @ 12 p.m.

Location: Cowgirl Stadium

https://okstate.com/sports/softball/schedule

Aqua Fire Live @ 9 p.m.

Location: EM Curators of Craft

Admission: $10 Cover

Saturday Jazz Brunch @ 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Location: Em Curators of Craft

https://curatorsofcraft.co/pages/weekly-events

Art Under Glass Pastel @ 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Location: Prairie Arts Center

Admission: $135 (16+)

https://artscenter.okstate.edu

Baking Fresh Macaroons Workshop @ 1 - 3 p.m.

Location: Round House Bakery

Edited by Patti Varol

1 Blue-green

5 Short form of a name that means “merciful”

9 Lass

13 Jessica of “Sin City”

14 Eta follower

15 Shape the narrative?

16 *Diner’s entitlement to savory flavor?

18 __ therapy

19 *Reason yellowfin tuna are wallflowers at a school prom?

21 “Easy-peasy”

24 In __ of

25 Contacts list no.

26 NHL great Bobby

27 Little dog

29 Michelin product

31 Planner division

33 Q neighbor

35 Yapped like a dog

36 *Pal who seconds whatever one says?

40 Lopsided

42 Cozy room

43 The Emerald Isle

46 Ill-fated

49 “Need I go on?” abbr.

51 Sister

52 Pump part

53 Said, informally

55 Roamed freely

57 *Not-very-straight shooter?

60 Half-moon tide

61 Sound added to everyday speech, and what’s been added to create the answers to the starred clues

65 Intl. alliance joined by Finland in 2023

66 First-year law students

67 Sunburn soother

68 Pub pours

69 Gift on “The Bachelor”

70 Gripe

DOWN

1 __ cross

2 Bark beetle target

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency

Linda Black Horoscopes

By Lisa Senzel & Will Nediger

3 Old hoops gp.

4 Pulitzer-winning rapper Kendrick

5 Fashionable

6 Pad size

7 Of a particular culture

8 Country singer Kathy

9 Bigger than big

10 Naming

11 Heartfelt

12 Girded (oneself)

14 Ozzy Osbourne album in memory of Randy Rhoads

17 “Let’s put a smile on your plate” chain

20 Garment that preserves hair waves

21 This instant

22 Mine find

23 Communicating with pictograms, perhaps

28 Dog’s attentiongetter, maybe

30 Loyal

32 Scottish wedding garb

34 eBay action

37 Nabe that might have an H Mart

Today’s Birthday (03/29/24). Rake in a healthy harvest this year. Guard regular schedule space for daydreaming, meditation and planning. Springtime partnership and romance flower, inspiring personal renewal this summer. Organize and recharge this autumn, before navigating winter shifts with your partner. Grow and build for the future. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 9 — Profit potential motivates action. A lucrative opportunity requires teamwork. Lay the groundwork. Solid foundations provide important support. Avoid risky business. Collaborate and share.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Pursue a dream shared with your partner. Put your heart into your efforts for lasting benefits. You can achieve what you go for.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 9 — Go for the gold! A physical goal or dream beckons. Use finesse rather than force. Anticipate resistance. Gently stretch. Relax and treat yourself lovingly.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 7 — Get creative to realize a heart-felt dream. Disciplined efforts win your prize. Patiently practice your arts. Express your love. Let it propel you.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Your dream home approaches reality. Discuss the possibilities, and great ideas arise in conversation. Handle practical matters first. Choose what’s best for family.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Speculate. Let your imagination run wild. Practical demands control the outcome. Consider structures and logistics. Envision a dream come true. Share your views.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 9 — You can profit from a dream or vision. Uncover the underlying motivations. Avoid conflicting interests. Disciplined efforts can be especially lucrative. Step lively.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 9 — Imagine a personal victory. Follow your heart to realize a dream. Practical plans are best now. Listen and learn. Practice. Do the homework.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 6 — Peaceful relaxation soothes your spirit. Dreams reveal a hidden truth. Let go of what you no longer need. You can see creative possibilities everywhere.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Teamwork brings a seemingly distant opportunity into reach. Others can move more quickly, knowing they can depend on you.

Communicate privately and respectfully.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Stay on task at work. New facts dispel old fears. The impossible seems accessible. Don’t take things personally. Focus on hitting your marks.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is an 8 — Dream big. What’s on the other side of the horizon? Expand your territory. Keep things simple. Explore new views. Make a long-distance connection.

3/29/24

Thursday’s Puzzle Solved 3/29/24

©2024

38 Get the picture

39 Main courses

40 Vehicle’s shark fin, maybe

41 Uncomfortably close to home

44 French street

45 Sew up

47 Request, as table food

48 Los Angeles neighborhood near Reseda

50 Quarterback Derek

54 Lore

56 Muslim honorific from which “nabob” is derived

58 Wall St. debuts

59 Fr. title for 9-Across 62 Flamenco shout 63 Sushi topper

Level 1 2 3 4 3/29/24

Solution to Thursday’s puzzle

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk

Title IX...

Continued from 1B

“I missed my meal ticket dinners cause we had to wait for all the boys to get off the court for us to practice,” Allen said. “But sometimes we’d look up and see Mr. Iba sitting in his chair watching us practice, or we’d watch one wrestler try to haul Jimmy Jackson (former Cowboy wrestler) up the steps when they ran steps. I mean, it was so cool to be in that building and play there.

“It was really special.”

The Cowgirls went 4-0 in their games at Gallagher Hall during the ‘75 season. The women were offered to play at Gallagher Hall under one condition: that they had to sweep the stands.

Reese recalls they didn’t have to “spit polish” the bleachers but vividly remembers picking up trash after games.

But it was all worth it. Anything to play in the big arena.

*****

Voskuhl and her teammate Susie McKenzie were both engineering majors, so they often worked on homework together on van rides to away games.

That’s how Voskuhl remembers it, anyhow.

“Let me just clarify that. Sharon tutored me. I was not tutoring Sharon,” McKenzie said with a laugh.

Nevermind who was teaching who; everyone to this day remembers their road trips fondly.

The Big Eight Tournament in Manhattan, Kansas, in winter 1976. The Big Eight Tournament in Boulder, Colorado, in winter 1977. The Regional AIAW Tournaments in Louisiana both those years, once in Baton Rouge and another in Monroe.

No matter the hardships, everyone reflects on traveling with their teammates as a core memory. Naturally, people befriended some teammates closer than others, but there were no cliques, no badmouthing; they all got along.

Some even got to fly in planes.

But those memories aren’t looked at as fondly.

“I’m not sure I would get in those planes today,” Ridling said.

Nevertheless, they would do everything together, on and off the court.

Until the team fell apart.

The coaching turnover and quality of coaching for the women’s basketball program were unfathomable.

Jacy Showers’ final season as coach was the 1975-76 season before being replaced by Brenda Johnson.

Johnson coached for one season before Judy Bugher took over coaching duties.

Voskuhl and the other girls who entered the program in ‘75 had three different coaches in three seasons. The program was like a “stepchild.”

One coach — who sev-

eral players requested not be specified by name — had “never touched a basketball” and had no coaching experience within the sport.

Most of the roster that came from strong small-town schools with strict, detail-oriented coaching was faced with uncertainty about who would be calling timeouts and drawing up plays offseason after offseason. Even then, she may not know much, if anything, about coaching basketball.

During a standout practice, the inexperienced coach began to teach the team how to play a press defense via a book.

“‘We’re gonna do this press on Page 83,’” as Allen recalls the coach saying. “I’m thinking, ‘Do I have to go buy this book? Can she not teach us the press?’”

Even when a coach, like Bugher, did stick around (she coached from 1977-83), she brought her own baggage.

Before her hiring, multiple members of the team were placed on a hiring committee with the athletic department to give input on the best fit for the coaching job. One candidate in particular, who some remembered to be John Keely — who is now in the University of Central Oklahoma’s Hall of Fame for his 24 years of coaching the women’s program — caught the attention of several players and sat atop their list for the preferred next women’s basketball coach.

Whether the job was offered to Keely or not is unclear, but Bugher was rewarded with the job. The women felt like they were only there “for looks.”

“It was kind of frustrating that they wanted to engage us and include us in that, but then they didn’t really listen to us,” Ridling said.

“We felt like we never had a voice.”

After taking over, Bugher asked multiple women on the

team to not return, which, as Allen puts it, “she had the right to do that, but it was really sad.”

Some girls weren’t asked to leave but instead quit. Better yet, they revolted. They revolted against the system and the unfair treatment they were receiving. They felt voiceless.

Voskuhl transferred to Phillips University, a private university in Enid that closed in 1998, and she tore her ACL before the start of her senior season. She returned to OSU to finish out her schooling but gave up her basketball scholarship. Reese went on to play AAU ball. McKenzie and several of her teammates created intramural teams after opting out, often dominating whatever sport they

played.

“Everybody quit, and I didn’t want to continue,” Voskuhl said. “Kind of a sad ending, isn’t it?”

Most of the team may have quit or been replaced, but their history cannot be replaced.

Ridling still holds the single-game scoring record in Cowgirl basketball history, when she scored 51 points against Tulsa on Feb. 24, 1978.

Andrea Riley got the closest to her record — scoring 45 points — but Ridling and her teammates agree that if her record is broken, it’ll happen during a completely different game.

With no 3-point line until 1987-88, she scored 51 on strictly two-point field goals and free throws.

Eight 3-pointers would be almost half of her record total, making her more than 46-yearold record much more attainable.

“If (someone broke the record) with 3-pointers, to me, that’s not the same record,” Ridling said.

Her scoring efficiency, Voskuhl’s dominant postplay, and Reese’s ability to impose her physicality on opponents are still highly regarded by their teammates today.

Now, Cowgirl basketball players practice and play all their games in Gallagher-Iba Arena. They have strict training and dieting, high-level coaching and state-of-the-art facilities.

A lot has changed.

“I went back to a reunion maybe five years ago and toured the facility where the women’s team has their locker room and all that now, and it was just so exciting to see how far things have come,” Holly Greneir (now Holly Greneir Bright) said.

“We used to go into our games at the Colvin Center or even at Gallagher, and we’d be changing in the women’s bathroom and never really showering there because they didn’t have

any showers in the women’s bathroom in a lot of places we played. So to see their facilities now, it was just such a joy.”

The consensus among the mid-70s Cowgirls is that they are appreciative of their time at OSU, good and bad. The growth of women’s sports, particularly women’s college basketball — which Michael Mulvihill, president of insight and analytics at Fox Sports, posted on X (formerly Twitter) in early March that the sport was averaging more viewers per game than men’s college basketball games — not only excites them but also makes them ecstatic. There is still work to be done and strides to be made, but the difference between their era and the modern world of women’s collegiate athletics couldn’t be more distant.

Which leaves them feeling envious, too.

“I’m happy they don’t have to sweep the stands. I’m glad they have more than one jersey. I’m glad they probably buy their shoes for them. I’m glad they have a really high-quality coach today and a staff,” Voskuhl said.

“There’s so many things that they have today that I’m envious over, but I’m happy for them.”

The missed meals, substandard coaching and forgotten athletic achievements don’t linger in the minds of the spearheading Cowgirls. What sticks around are the bonds, friendships and camaraderie that being a member of a team brings.

They paved the way and overlooked what they were enduring because all they wanted to do was play basketball. The mostly Oklahoma-made roster was rooted in hoops and helped construct a program.

And not only with brooms in the stands.

“Somebody had to set the stage,” McKenzie said. “And yeah, I was a part of that group, but there were ladies before me and a lot of them after, and I think everybody should be proud.”

Monday

Thursday

Courtesy Holly Greneir Bright

The first Cowgirls in the mid-70s helped pave the way for the future of the program.

Courtesy Holly Greneir Bright Players warming up in Gallagher Hall before a game against OU.

Stout’s passion for golf evident in freshman year

Dalton Arredondo Staff Reporter

One night, Chris Stout was playing tennis when he saw a little shadow using the court lights on the putting green.

“So I got a little closer, and I’m like, ‘Preston, is that you?’” Chris said. “Because I couldn’t see. It was too dark. And you just hear from the darkness, ‘Yes, dad,’ to me. ‘Oh my God, you gotta go home, it’s 9:30.’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, I’m just practicing my putting.’

“That’s when I knew this is something he is passionate about.”

The same passion Preston Stout was carrying back then, has carried over to Oklahoma State as a freshman on the men’s golf team. He has three top-25 finishes, including a third-place finish in The Clerico. Staying in the present has helped him perform well this season.

Stout grew up in Rich-

ardson, Texas, 15 miles from Dallas. He first started playing baseball and football, then he picked up golf at 11 when his mother, Kelly Stout, signed him up for a tennis and golf summer camp at Canyon Creek Country Club. Stout immediately connected to the game, and he said he loves the sport because of the uniqueness it brings.

“I liked the individual aspect of golf and the challenge of you’re never perfect,” Stout said. “And you’re kind of working at it every day to master it, even though you never really will.”

In high school, he competed in the Byron Nelson Junior, an amateur tournament hosted by the Texas Golf Association, and won it three years in a row. 2015 Masters champion Jordan Spieth is the only other golfer to ever pull of that feat. Those performances earned him offers from OSU, other Big 12 schools, SEC programs and others across the country.

Stout ultimately chose OSU because of the history, the tour players it has produced and coach Alan Bratton.

“I just noticed how genuine of a guy he was, and I’ve always heard from everyone that he knows a lot about golf, and he knows what he’s talking about,” Stout said. “He’s one of the best coaches, if not the best coach, in college golf. So that always attracted me to him and Oklahoma State.”

Bratton wanted Stout in Stillwater because he had qualities that stuck out.

“I really liked his swing, he’s a really good athlete,” Bratton said. “He’s a smart kid. He’s a competitor and he’s talented.”

The college town feel and setting of Stillwater played into Stout’s decision, too, because he is a big outdoorsman. When he is not on the course, he can be found in the woods or by the pond, as he is passionate about hunting and fishing. It helps him take his mind off of golf, and he considers it his therapy.

OSU teammate Gaven Lane, who competed against Stout in amateur golf and won the Byron Nelson Junior in 2019, said the transition from being rivals to teammates has helped in the long run.

“(It’s) good for the both of us because we’re both super competitive,” Lane said. “Then growing up competing against each other, kind of take that same energy now on the same team, make each other better and feed off of it.”

In the first tournament in the spring semester, Stout opened with a 62 at the Amer Ari Collegiate Championship in Hawaii. Sophomore John Wild said the performance speaks volumes to who Stout is as a golfer.

“(It’s) pretty easy to let nerves get the better of you in some situations, but clearly, that wasn’t the case for him,” Wild said. “He’s always been a player with high belief in himself with a lot of confidence, a big testament to his character and his

level of play.”

Kelly said the performance was a good reminder that Stout can compete with the best golfers. “You can compete with these people, look at how you’ve done,” Kelly said to him. “He knows he has the confidence that he can compete with the best, regardless of his scores reflecting it or not.”

Just as he has been since that night on the putting green, Stout is dedicated. One of the biggest things he has learned from his father is the mindset to have when stepping foot on the course.

“Play to play great, not play not to lose,” Stout said. “That’s stayed with me for a while because I think it’s easy, especially in golf, to kind of play scared and kind of play conservative, which there’s a time for that, but just playing to play great and win the golf tournament instead of playing not to lose. That’s always stuck with me for a while.”

Courtesy of OSU Athletics

OSU freshman Preston Stout has three top-25 finishes, including a third-place finish in The Clerico.

Cowgirls using season as learning opportunity in pursuit for Big 12 title

Braden Bush Sports Editor

Sitting on shelves on the wall in Larry Sanchez’s office are hand-shaped ring holders making the Oklahoma State “pistols firing” gesture. Lots of them.

Each hand has a Big 12 Championship ring on it. One for 2009. A three-peat from 2012-14. 2016 and 2018. Most recently, another three-peat from 2021-23. After the 2024 Big 12 Equestrian Championships, which the Cowgirls begin Friday against Fresno State in the semifinals, Sanchez, OSU’s coach, could have a fourth in a

row – the conference’s first.

“I’m not really even focused on the fourth straight,” said Sanchez, who has led the program since its launch in 1999. “I’m focused on Fresno State and making that impression on the judges in the semifinals and then having as good a round as we possibly can.”

The No. 7 Cowgirls haven’t had a perfect season, but they’ve had one that has helped prepare them for the postseason, which matters most. They are 6-6, and after a loss at topranked TCU in February, they closed the season with wins at Fresno State and No. 9 UC Davis.

The win at UC Davis was

the tightest. The Cowgirls and Aggies were tied at 10, so the meet went into tiebreakers, with OSU winning, 1,534.501533.25.

“Out of all those points that were possible, (1.25 points) is what separated us,” Sanchez said. “And so, I think that was a great lesson for the girls to see how we’re always talking about every point counts, but it really came to light during the finish of that meet.”

Sanchez said he preaches to his team that the season is a marathon, not a race. It doesn’t matter to him that they went 2-5 during the fall or that they have two losses to the Horned Frogs, who the Cowgirls could face in

the Big 12 finals should they beat the Bulldogs and TCU beat Baylor.

In fact, that’s part of it. Sanchez said he wants his teams to learn how to get better from the down moments and navigate their way back to where they want to be.

In 2022, the year the Cowgirls won the national title, they lost two meets, including a 16-4 loss to TCU in the final two weeks of the season. Those are opportunities to prepare for the postseason. “We had some key losses (in 2022) that were big learning opportunities for us, and this year is no different,” Sanchez said. “It’s that little ol’ cliché –

it’s not about where you start, it’s about where you finish.”

And where they started, Sanchez hopes, can better prepare them for where they want to be. That’s at the top of the conference for a fourth consecutive season, and beyond that, their ultimate goal of making another run at the NCEA title.

“But we’re only going to get there by taking care of business one meet at a time,” Sanchez said.

“A lot of things have to happen in order to win championships. And we just need to make sure we keep our minds right through the entire process.”

Payton

Although OSU had some key losses this season, OSU coach Larry Sanchez said even his 2022 national championship team had some low points.