The O'Colly, Friday, September 22, 2023.

Friday, September 22, 2023

A second chance

Partnership between OSU and Payne County Jail prepares female inmates for success

Luisa Clausen Editor-in-Chief

Hispanic Heritage Month highlights importance of community, diversity

Jessica Pearce Staff Reporter

As a first-generation Hispanic student, Miss Hispanic Latina OSU Michelle Salazar recognized the challenges of being a student at a predominately white institution. Salazar aims to use her platform to increase the visibility of students like her and empower them to be proud of their cultural roots.

“First-generation Latinos and Hispanics are so underrepresented,” Salazar said. “To be able to showcase that and who we are and to say, ‘You know what, we’re college students, but we didn’t lose touch of our roots. We’re still a part of the community.”

At OSU, Hispanic students are planning to build community and spread awareness of their culture during this month, a time meant to honor the culture and history of individuals from Hispanic countries, which began on Friday, Sept. 15.

Through speaking engagements and cultural events, the Hispanic Student Association aims to reach out to OSU’s growing Hispanic student

population and educate the broader Stillwater community on Hispanic culture.

For Alicia Arreaga, president of OSU’s Hispanic Student Association, reaching out to OSU’s Hispanic students is paramount. She joined OSU’s HSA to help other students connect with their cultural roots and discover how connected the Hispanic community at OSU is.

“There’s so many people at the school, and when the majority is a certain race or a certain ethnicity. It’s hard to see your own kind,” Arreaga said. “I went to one of the (HSA) meetings, and I was like, ‘OK, there actually is a big group of people.’ You just have to search and you have to look.”

The desire to find community is why many students joined the HSA.

Diana Pineda, the association’s public relations officer, said she joined the club because she didn’t see many other Hispanic students in her classes.

“I didn’t really get to tap into my own community, but being Latina, that was really important to me.”

See Heritage on 3A

OSU shortens gap between students and health items

Casey News and Lifestyle Assistant Editor

As the school year progresses, college students stretch money thinner and thinner, and items that were once necessities are treated as a luxury. Deodorant can be bought next month, a toothbrush will live on for twenty uses longer than it normally would and a piece

of toilet paper can function as a Bandaid.

“So many times in the public health field, we see individuals having barriers to items or services like financial barriers, transportation barriers, et cetera,” said Macy Stokes, coordinator for health education for the department of wellness. “This machine is in a popular, central location on campus, and offering items for free alleviates many barriers we typically see.”

“The Connect” public

health vending machine, installed at the front entrance of the Colvin Recreation Center, offers students free HIV self-test kits, Narcan, fentanyl strips, condoms, lubricant, first aid kits, deodorant and toothbrushes.

Students scan a QR code on the vending machine and must answer a demographic related survey before they can select the items they wish to access. The information cannot be used to identify users and is used only for tracking and financing purposes.

Connect” vending machine offers students free HIV self-test kits, Narcan, fentanyl strips, condoms, lubricant, first aid kits, deodorant and toothbrushes. See Vending on 3A

Bella

Graphic by Sam Beebe

Student Union offices under renovation

Triton Snodgrass Staff Reporter

The Student Union is getting new additions with help from bidding on new furniture for Student Union 211.

The area will be repainted and new furniture will be moved in after it is purchased through bids.

Aleigha Mariott, the assistant vice president of campus life, said the renovations depend on bids.

“The space is getting new furniture and painted,” Mariott said. “Since OSU is a state agency, there are processes we follow for purchases. One purchasing process is a bid process… The bid process is being used to purchase new furniture for the space.”

The work will continue throughout the fall 2023 semester, though it is currently unclear when the renovation will be completed. The space, while only being home to around 30 student organizations before this semester, is planned to be a center that the over 500 student organizations on campus can utilize.

Kayse Shrum

Q: If you were to write a book, what would it be about?

A: I think I would write a book about adoption, but from a different perspective. Because I would probably write it from the viewpoint of how I’ve grown personally and spiritually through adoption.’”

Q: What is your favorite dessert?

A: Salt, vanilla, salted caramel ice cream with chocolate chunks.

Q: Where is your favorite place on campus?

A: The library lawn. It is so pretty and they (landscape services) do such a great job keeping grounds. It is amazing.

The McKnight Center for the performing arts lineup

New York Philharmonic: Sept. 22 at 6 p.m.; Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m.; and Sept. 24 at 2 p.m.

Chris Botti: Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m.

Pretty Woman: The Musical: Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Postmodern Jukebox: Life in the Past Lane Tour: Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas: In Concert with the Tulsa Symphony: Nov. 30 at 7 p.m.

Martina McBride: The Joy of Christmas Tour: Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m.

Editor-in-Chief

Editorial board

Luisa Clausen editorinchief@ocolly.com

Sports editor Braden Bush sports.ed@ocolly.com

Assistant Sports editor Ashton Slaughter sports.ed@ocolly.com

Design editor

Ben Holieway design.ed@ocolly.com

News & Life editor Kennedy Thomason news.ed@ocolly.com

Assistant News & Life editor Bella Casey news.ed@ocolly.com

Photo editor Ethan Scott photo.ed@ocolly.com

Adviser John Helsley john.helsley@okstate.edu

News & Lifestyle reporters:

Addie Wagner

Ashton Miller

Cloe Campfield

Emi Norton

Hayden Alexander

Isaac Terry

Jake Sellers

Jaycee Hampton

Jessica Pearce

Lauren King

Michael Clark

Taylor Carroll

Newsroom

The O’Colly Staff

Sports reporters: Photographers & Designers:

Alyssa Brandon Baylor Bryant

Calif Poncy

Daniel Allen

Davis Cordova

Gabriel Trevino

Garret Dutton

Gina Foster

Griff McClellan

Ivan White

Kenley Cordray

Kenzie Kraich

Kyle Ramsey

Parker Gerl

Payton Little

Savannah Chenoweth

Tessa Dorrell

Cassius Davis

Davis Cordova

Ethan Hilbert

Jaycee Hampton

Karlie Boothe

Kendall McGhee

Molly Jolliff

Michael Clark

Sam Beebe

Rebekah Cleary

Triton Snodgrass

The Student Union office spaces are being renovated with new furniture.

Graphic by Ben Holieway

By Luisa Clausen

Heritage...

Continued from 1A

Wilson Lazo-Salmeron, a graduate student studying counseling psychology and the current Mr. Hispanic Latinx OSU, had a similar experience.

“When I got here it was definitely different because the Hispanic community is a lot smaller here than I was used to,” LazoSalmeron said. “Especially in graduate school.

I didn’t see anyone except maybe one or two (other students). So it felt kind of isolating in that way.”

Salazar, uses her position to reach out to the Stillwater community.

To commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, Salazar will speak at Stillwater Middle School today for Stillwater’s Hispanic Heritage Night. She hopes her appearance will inspire other Hispanic students.

“I’m going to be presenting and showing them who I am, what I represent,” Salazar said. “I feel like it gives them a form of hope, a form of familiarity and hopefully comfort to be like, ‘Hey, you know what, that could be me’ — to not be scared to show who you are and put yourself out there.”

The HSA is also planning cookouts and workshops for

Hispanic students throughout Hispanic Heritage Month. On Sept. 30, members of the HSA will travel to Oklahoma City to participate in “Fiestas de las Americas,” a parade and festival featuring Hispanic organizations and businesses.

“You get to celebrate your culture, the Hispanic community,” Lazo-Salmeron said. “There’s gonna be a lot of food, different

issues, diversity and culture during Hispanic Heritage Month and beyond.

Ultimately, they hope HSA becomes a hub for all students looking for a community at OSU.

“It’s very intimidating to put yourself out there, especially if you’re a first-year student or it’s your first time on campus,” said Lazo-Salmeron. “It’s about slowly pushing yourself to make that next step, whether that’s following an Instagram page or joining the (Amigos de OSU) GroupMe, and then talking to someone, then making another step to go to an event.” Although joining a large organization like the HSA may seem intimidating, Arreaga says finding a place to learn about her heritage and share it with others changed everything for her at OSU.

Vending...

Continued from 1A

“The Connect” launched Sept. 7, and Stokes said students are taking advantage of the free supplies. Stokes said similar vending machines are growing popular in large cities and access to the items in the machine are important to a college living environment.

“Having access to Narcan can always be beneficial to students in community living situations or where a large population resides,” Stokes said. “We recommend keeping it in first aid kits or AEDs and ensuring students living in those spaces are aware of how to administer it.”

In fall 2022, HOPE

Testing, a nonprofit in Tulsa, partnered with OSU’s wellness department and student wellness team to install a vending machine. Stokes, Dr. Kari Pratt, associate director of campus wellness and grant manager Ryane Draper played key roles in the installation of the vending machine.

Stokes said the team hoped to decrease barriers barring students from accessing public health items.

Students’ access to first aid or Narcan dictates the outcome of overdoses or medical emergencies.

Stokes encouraged students to take Narcan and first aid from the vending machine before an emergency and store it in first aid kits or AEDs.

Colt Chandler, OSUPD captain, said an overdose is a medical emergency, and students should contact local police immediately if they encounter someone experiencing an overdose.

Narcan is stored in each OSUPD vehicle, and OSUPD has a small reserve supply.

“We felt it was important to provide this resource as we routinely respond to medical calls on campus, and we could potentially encounter the citizen in need of help before ambulance services arrive on scene,” Chandler said.

At OSU, the only thing between students and free access to public health items is a QR code.

news.ed@ocolly.com

activities, different performances. That’s one thing that we’re trying to do more of is that representation piece of showing ‘this is who we are, and this is what we stand for.”

Arreaga, Pineda, LazoSalmeron and Salazar are all proud of their platform through HSA, which enables them to promote Hispanic culture on campus and build awareness of Hispanic

“I’m in love with my culture,” Arreaga said. “We try to be here for anything—if you need help with something or you need a connection. (HSA) obviously promotes awareness for our culture and our diverse backgrounds, but it’s also making connections with each other and learning, and that’s the point.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

File Photo

Wilson Lazo-Salmeron (left) and Michelle Salazar (right), OSU’s 2023 Hispanic Latinx royalty, and are working to highlight community.

Payton Little

Students scan a QR code on the vending machine to access the items inside.

“

When I got here it was definitely different because the Hispanic community is a lot smaller here than I was used to.”

Wilson Lazo-Salmeron Mr. Hispanic Latinx OSU

Inmates...

Two years after the call, Capt. Lane proved her wrong.

“He said, ‘Hey, I saved your number, do you still want to come teach high school courses at the jail?’” Weinland said.

Weinland’s friend’s son had been released, but her heart was still in it. Capt. Lane took the professor on a tour of the women’s pod, which features a master control area in the center with cells and program areas surrounding the perimeter in a circular or pieshaped layout. At that moment, Weinland knew what she was supposed to do.

“You can have an idea of a program that you think would be good,” Weindland said. “But then you go into the jail and look at the woman in the eye. And it was less theoretical at that point. It was very real. And it became personal to me.”

Weinland said she believed empowering people who are incarcerated with education will benefit the community and the state. When she finished the tour, shaking people’s hands and familiarizing with a place she would soon spend a lot of time in, she got away from people’s views and wept while feeling confident the program needed to happen.

The program did not offer high school courses to the men because Capt. Lane said the logistics are more complicated. There is one pod for women and seven for men. There are not enough teachers to go to all the pods because of how new and project is and not enough security staff to escort all the volunteers.

During the first year, all Weinland had was the will to make it work. She volunteered her time and in exchange, she watched from the first row the female inmates gain a confidence they had not known before. The jail could not apply GED tests because those are 100% online, and inmates cannot have any access to such technology. So she took a different route.

She poured her heart into the project. Weinland wanted to empower female inmates to break the cycle of addiction; education was a strong ally to help them not end up back in jail.

Alongside

Melissa Mills, a teaching associate professor at OSU, Weinland pitched the idea of offering classes to prepare inmates for The High School Equivalency Test.

The material and the test for HiSet were on paper, so inmates would have the support needed to take the test from inside the jail. There was only one problem. Weinland needed help finding an organization with credentials to apply the test.

For months, all she heard was ‘no.’

“The first year was two steps forward, one step back,”

Weinland said. “The more people you talk to, the more people you meet that really have a heart for this. So the first year was all about navigating this.”

Weinland did not lose hope. Through a personal connection, the professor contacted Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma. Sister Catherine Martinez, the education site coordinator, was certified to apply the test. It took months for CCEOK to be on board.

However, the professors did not let that hold them back. They volunteered to teach five weeks of classes for each subject so the inmates would be ready to take the test when the logistics worked out.

From the beginning, Mills said the students were engaged and excited to participate in class. The female inmates could choose to participate in the class and the ones who did asked a lot of questions and took the time to help one another.

“Last year, their pre-test math average was 6.8/25, and their post-test average was 20/25,” Mills said. “They were excited and proud of their hard work. They may have really challenging circumstances that prevented them from being able to earn their diploma. But when they are in jail and are able to focus on their studies, they can start to turn their life in a positive direction.”

The professors kept sent the students’ improvements to CCEOK, hoping the organization would see it as an opportunity to help them get even further in their search for education.

In March, the wind was in their favor.

Weinland and Mills were awarded a grant through the College of Arts and Sciences to pay for curriculum, materials and supplies. And CCEOK decided to get on board and apply the tests every five weeks. Those two things changed the course of the program, and the female inmates could finally start the process to get their diplomas. Sister Martinez said this project was a natural fit for CCEOK and it was a way to express love, concern and care for the population at Payne County Jail.

“This program gives the women purpose, self-esteem and goals,” said Naomi Wilson, program coordinator at Payne County Jail. “It shows them things they thought they could never do. They are turning a bad situation and using it for their good.”

Capt. Lane said most of the female inmates at Payne County Jail fight drug addiction and find it hard to break the cycle when they get out.

ground level zero when they get released.

The rainbow after the storm

The classes gave Stephanie an opportunity to keep dreaming. This time Stephanie said she knows it will be different. During the past eight months incarcerated, Stephanie used the programs offered by the jail in her favor. She tried to create a routine to help her stay on track. With the goal of being a nutritionist in mind, she worked out every day, using her body weight or rolling books on her mat to help with exercises.

Wilson teaches parenting classes to the female inmates. When Stephanie was arrested in the beginning of the year, Wilson did not want to interact with her. Her actions in class were a reflection of her addiction, not her personality.

Stephanie took four HiSet courses and passed all of them. The O’Colly talked to Stephanie the week before she was released, and she only needed one more test to get her diploma.

“I still have to work on my math,” Stephanie said.

Wilson took time to brag about Stephanie’s behavior and positive attitude.

“She attempted to take the math class without us teaching it because she was about to get out and she was only a couple points away,” Wilson said.

Outside the classroom, Stephanie took time to review all the lessons to ensure she was on track for her tests. To the professors and jail employees who took the time to show her she could choose a different path, Stephanie said thank you.

“Them being supportive of me in a healthy manner has helped me and gave me the confidence to rein in my recovery and chase my dreams,” Stephanie said.

Stephanie was released on Monday and found housing at a sober living. To pursue her passion for health and wellness, Stephanie said she plans

addiction kept her from seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

“The HiSet classes meant a lot to me,” Stephanie said.

“To be able to have my education, and to have an opportunity to have security and stability and being held accountable. The professors were supportive of me in a healthy manner and gave me confidence in my recovery and in chasing my dreams.

The people behind the scenes

The HiSet classes take place every Wednesday and subjects rotate every five weeks. Eight OSU professors volunteer and take the necessary steps to teach the female inmates. Kathryn Weinland, Melissa Mills, Eric Howerton, Howard Sanborn, John Doyle, Michael Tallman, Tarosha Salpadoru and Reygan Braga.

“When we go to the jail, we usually bring some kind of treat for the detention officers, because it is a lot of work for them to support our program, and we want to acknowledge that we appreciate their hard work,” Mills said.

Security accompanies the professors at all times but there have been no incidents since the start of the program. The professors stay inside a yellow rectangle but are allowed to pass papers to the students. The material used is special to avoid harm. The pens are small, and the professors pass them out at the beginning of the class and collect them at the end.

“The students are very engaged and excited to participate in class,” Mills said. “They ask a lot of questions and help one another.”

department at OSU, to teach the writing portion of the courses, he immediately said yes. Howard plans to keep doing this and his plan is to make students feel as comfortable as they can while they are in class.

Howard chose to take a different approach than just using a textnook. He wanted the students to be free to express themselves, so he chose to use poetry.

“I was teaching them to be better readers of prose while they were reading poetry,” Howard said. “They enjoyed the literacy aspect and it showed them education does not to have to be all serious.”

Howard let the students know he was not a rule enforcer, he was there to help them break barriers. The students and Howard joked together and he gave them a safe space to share the personal experiences they felt comfortable to.

“It’s electric really to see their eyes light up, especially when they don’t believe that they know something and then you tell them you got it right or you already know that right?” Howard said. “That’s like the most rewarding thing that makes my job so much easier is when they have confidence in themselves about what they already know.”

The future of the program

The partnership among OSU, Payne County Jail and CCEOK is not ending any time soon.

Weinland is recruiting more faculty volunteers who are passionate and would be interested in helping. She said there is good to be done, and they will take one step at a time.

“We have more goals and we would love to offer it to more people at the jail,” Weinland said. “We are opening a door for them and we want to keep empowering them to walk through that door and take advantage of that opportunity.”

Capt. Lane said they are working on understanding the logistics.

During the interview, Wilson and Capt. Lane discussed different possibilities on how to make that happen.

Mills said the students might have been through challenging circumstances that prevented them from getting their diplomas, but when they are in jail, they are able to focus on their studies and start to turn their lives in a positive direction.

“Hopefully that forward momentum can be carried with them as they are released,” Mills said.

Howard Sanborn, the head of the political science department at OSU, said he wanted to be a part of something like this for a long time. When Weinland called him, he did not hesitate to help. Sanborn said he always wanted to help but never knew how.

“She (Weinland) was able to make everything easier,” Sanborn said. “As professors, we are very busy, but some things you just have to make time for.”

When Sanborn first walked into a pod, students gathered around and showed interest. He said he took time to get to know the students and explained how he would approach the class. The professors had to go back to the basics and teach without technology. All they had was a textbook and the ability to relate to the students. Sanborn said his volunteer work is a natural extension of what professors do.

“Teaching men sounds great, and we want to make it happen,” Capt. Lane said. “But I’m going to have some real security so the volunteers feel comfortable.”

Wilson and Capt. Lane will continue to work as a team to keep society safe while giving an opportunity to inmates to get a second chance.

“We’re very good at protecting people,” Capt. Lane said. “And we’re also very good at helping people better themselves. We’re very good at helping people better themselves.”

The impact of education

From the moment she started this program, Weinland looked at the inmates solely as students. That approach added calm to the classroom and created an environment where the women know they do not have to be perfect and know their professors do not expect them to be perfect.

“I tell them in class to be brave enough to be bad at something new,” Weinland said. “Because it can be intimidating for a lot of them who are doing school for the first time in years, and we remind them they are capable.”

to enroll in a few classes at OSU in fall 2024. Stephanie said she wants to travel the world and learn more languages. For the next two to five years, Stephanie plans to get her legal documentation figured out and after her name is clean the first place she would like to visit is Italy.

Stephanie did not stop dreaming, even when her

“We have this really excellent university sitting in this town with a lot of talented scholars,” Sanborn said. “It would make a lot of sense for us to reach out to the people who maybe need that education, who use that as a tool to further and better their lives.” When Weinland asked Eric Howard, a teaching associate professor in the english

Weinland said it has been wonderful to watch Stephanie grow in confidence as a student. The professor said she works hard and participates in every class while also helping classmates with their homework and preparation. Weinland is hopeful the education Stephanie has earned while incarcerated will empower her for success upon her release.

“Nothing is unachievable,” Stephanie said. “To the professors I say thank you for their time and more than that thank you for their willingness to teach us in a way that we understand. We felt their sincerity and they are genuine and that means a lot to us.”

Continued from 1A

Courtesy of OSU

Dr. Eric Howerton (left) and Sister Catherine Martinez (right) cover course work at the Payne County Jail.

“We are opening a door for them and we want to keep empowering them to walk through that door and take advantage of that opportunity.”

Kathryn Weinland

Associate professor in psychology

Luisa Clausen

New York Philharmonic returns to McKnight Center

Stringed harmonies will mark the return of the New York Philharmonic to Stillwater.

This weekend, the New York Philharmonic begins its second year of a three-year residency at OSU’s McKnight Center for the Performing Arts, expanding learning, performance and cultural opportunities for the OSU and Stillwater communities.

From Thursday through Sunday, the orchestra will hold masterclasses for students in the Greenwood School of Music and perform in three sold-out concerts.

On Friday, the McKnight Center will host its Bright Night Gala Concert, featuring a reception and performance of Barber’s Violin Concerto No. 34 and Copland’s Symphony No. 3.

Saturday’s program will pay tribute to iconic movie soundtracks, with music from “Casablanca,” “Jaws,” “West Side Side Story” and “Star Wars.”

On Sunday, the New York Philharmonic will perform at 2 p.m. with a program comprised of selections from Beethoven and Mozart. Dvořák’s New World Symphony will conclude the performance.

Although tickets to all performances are almost sold out, the McKnight Center will simulcast all performances to the McKnight Center’s outdoor plaza for free.

Bella Eneff, a music education and music performance major, attended all the New York Philharmonic’s performances last year. On the first night, she and her friends watched the simulcast on the plaza lawn.

“I got to sit there and just watch the New York Phil with my friends, but in a laidback way, which was super cool,” Eneff said.

Eneff also worked the Saturday night concert for the McKnight Center and attended a performance in the concert hall on Sunday. Although every experience was drastically different, Eneff said “each night was incredible.”

The New York Philharmonic will host masterclasses for select GSM students from

are free for students to participate in. They are also open to the public and free to attend as an audience member.

As a music student, Eneff attended several masterclasses last year. Although she did not perform in any, she said the experience was valuable.

“(Students) played the big horn excerpts that everyone ends up learning,” Eneff said. “I’m applying that information now that I’m learning those exact same etudes. There’s a lot to be learned just by listening.”

Dylan Ryan, a music education major, attended the trombone masterclass taught by New York Philharmonic’s principal trombonist, Joe Alessi. Like Eneff, Ryan still refers to what he learned during last year’s class.

“I have a whole notebook at home full of Joe Alessi notes,” Ryan said.

Both Eneff and Ryan will participate in masterclasses during the orchestra’s visit this year. Although they are nervous, they said they are thrilled to have the opportunity to learn from some of the best musicians in the world.

Eneff said it is insane to see the people in the New York Philharmonic at work.

“It’s great to see all these incredible musicians still teaching,” Ryan added. “It’s not every day you’re walking through the halls and there’s Joe Alessi or the conductor here.”

Ryan is grateful to have the opportunity to learn and perform alongside an ensemble like the New York Philharmonic and is excited to see what is next for OSU’s music community.

Thursday through Sunday, where top GSM students perform etudes and receive feedback from the Philharmonic’s musicians.

These classes, which would cost thousands of dollars if taken outside of OSU,

“It sounds crazy, but (we’re) trying to make OSU the center of the world of music,” Ryan said. “It’s exciting because it’s already so big— we have these big names coming in, and it’s just gonna keep going from here. I think pretty soon it might not seem so crazy.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

‘Airness’ to take the stage

talking about a script that was written 500 years ago.

OSU’s Department of Theatre presents its first show of the season, “Airness” this weekend.

The show, written by Chelsea Marcantel, follows Nina, a newcomer in the world of air guitar. As a trained rock musician, she enters her first competition believing it will be easy, but she quickly learns that there is more to it than playing a pretend guitar.

Visiting assistant professor, Matthew Smith, understands what it is like to shred or be shredded. Before Smith moved to Oklahoma, he studied theatre and specialized in stage combat. When OSU needed a certified teacher who could teach stage combat in the department of theatre, Smith was the perfect match.

The theatre season was selected before Smith was in Oklahoma, but that has not been an issue in terms of jumping into the action of directing the first show of the season.

“The director’s job is functionally to be the glue that brings everything together,” Smith said. “To make sure that the ideas of the sound designer, the ideas of the lighting designer, the ideas of the set designer, all are cohesive and come together in one story.”

With an intense rehearsal schedule that began Aug. 23, two days after the start of classes, the student actors and crew members have been working to create a unique experience for each audience member.

“If there’s ever a show that you that would get somebody in the door from on the fence, it’s “Airness” because it’s relatable,” Smith said. “We’re not talking about elevated text here. We’re not

“What is more fun than seeing somebody just completely commit to something absolutely ridiculous? It’s funny, it’s smart, and at the end of the day, if you just come for the air guitar, you have had a good experience.”

Zoie Kiddy, a junior, juggles a heavy workload.

Kiddy participated in theatre for the first time this spring. She has been interested in acting and decided to go to an audition, which ultimately led her to become the lead role, Nina. “I do have nerves, but something that calms me down is that I got this role for a reason,” Kiddy said. “I’m here for a reason, and I’m more than ready. I have everything that I need and am prepared to do what I need to do. I think being in the moment is the biggest thing. I’m not thinking of it all together. Just think of it as step-by-step.”

Despite initial nerves, Kiddy is looking forward to letting herself flow with the music on stage and bringing passion to the performance.

“As someone who is just getting into theatre, it’s the people (that make theatre meaningful),” Kiddy said. “Our goal is to tell the story the best that we can, and we’re all in it. Everyone, just all hands on deck.”

“Airness” will have four performances. Opening night will take place in the Vivia Locke Theatre in the Seretean Center for the Performing Arts. Showtimes are Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 23 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sept. 24 at 2 p.m.

Ticket prices are $10 for students, $12 for seniors and $15 for general admission.

Seats can be reserved online or by calling the OSU Theatre Box Office at 405-744-6094 or emailing drama@okstate.edu.

Jaycee Hampton

The first production of the season, “Airness,” will take the stage this weekend.

Jessica Pearce Staff Reporter

“It’s not every day you’re walking through the halls and there’s Joe Alessi or the conductor here.”

Dylan Ryan Music education

Jaycee Hampton

Staff Reporter

Gettin’ jiggy with world religion

Ashton Miller Staff Reporter

incorporate this background, along with breaking, to engage students in class.

“I like to focus on texts and the origins of religions, then I can use my background to put the

“ You can tell he has a real appreciation for the different topics he teaches about. He does a really good job respectfully representing the different cultures and religions discussed in class.

Nora Kummer Armstrong’s student

OKState rowing brings competitive, encouraging environment

comfort zone and to be someone that I thought I could never be before.”

It’s 5:45 a.m., and most OSU students are asleep or nearing the end of an all-night study session.

It’s a different story at Lake Carl Blackwell, where the OKState Rowing Club is gearing up for a morning of practice.

The team gets on the water in groups of eight, each equipped with an oar. The rowers practice drills and move their oars in sync with the guidance of their coxswains.

It may seem like an early start, but senior Zac Rockett said it is a great way to start the day.

“I enjoy it because when you wake up early, you practice and leave at about 7:30,” Rockett said. “I still feel like I have so much of the day left, and you also feel a really big sense of accomplishment.”

Rockett is the logistics chair for the team and has rowed since seventh grade.

The rowing team provides a chance to continue doing what he loves.

“As someone who came from a high school team, I wanted to be involved in the sport here,” he said. Rockett and his team member, senior Clare Barr, act as coxswains, steering their rowers to victory. For Barr, becoming a coxswain meant more than just a title, but a way to push her boundaries.

“Being a coxswain goes against everything that I think I am naturally,” Barr said. “It helps me get outside my

Last year Barr led the novice women to Grand Finals at the American Collegiate Rowing Association National Championships.

“We finished second in the nation,” Barr said. “The craziest memory for me was crossing that finish line and realizing I just did that.”

For Barr, rowing is an avenue for self discovery.

For junior Kaliana Gartelos, the rowing club is a new beginning. Gartelos transferred to OSU from Wichita State and said the club made the transition easy.

“It was like I didn’t even move,” Gartelos said. “I had become friends with many of the team through last year, and it hasn’t even felt like a change. It felt smooth and was definitely the easiest school swap I’ve ever done.” The rowing club makes a point to ensure every new member feels at home, and Gartelos said she is loving every minute with her new teammates.

“It is one of the most welcoming environments I have been in, and I am so glad to be around all these awesome people, I just love it,” Gartelos said.

The rowing team is nonexclusive and always looking for new members. Their chalk messages can be found all over campus encouraging students to take a chance and pick up an oar.

Junior Braxton Johnson joined in August 2022 and said he loves the

atmosphere.

“I have never been a part of a team that enjoys being around each other as much as this one,” Johnson said. It doesn’t matter if you’re a senior looking for something fun to do before graduation or a freshman trying to forge your own path.

“We have people working on their PhD on the team and people from a large variety of majors,” Johnson said. Johnson encouraged students to join the team. “Stop thinking and give it a try,” Johnson said. “I promise you will have fun. You’ll get to learn a new thing and find an awesome group of friends.”

Courtesy of Clare Barr

Early morning practices paid off for the novice women’s 4+ team, who took second place last year.

Hayden Alexander Staff Reporter

“It helps me get outside my comfort zone and to be someone that I thought I could never be before.”

Clare Barr

OKState rowing member

Courtesy of Clare Barr

Clare Barr (left) and Zac Rockett (right) competed in the ACRA national competition last year.

COVID puts theatre department on hold

Isaac Terry Staff Reporter

COVID crept back onto campus and into the theatre department.

Many theatre students felt ill at the start of last week. Those who felt sick went to the clinic only to find out that they had COVID. The theatre department began making some changes and Lee Brasuell, the interim head of the department of theatre, began sending out emails.

“As many of you know, there has been a major uptick in illness within the department and throughout the two production teams,” Brasuell said. “To help reduce the spread of infection and to help ensure a successful production we will be adjusting the schedules of both “Airness” and “Ride The Cyclone.””

On top of the schedule changes for “Airness” and “Ride The Cyclone,” the theatre department shut down the green room, a communal space where many theatre students hang out and study. These changes were effective, but Savannah Harrod said they could have come sooner.

“As soon as it was people (catching COVID) I could potentially get (COVID) from, I masked up and took tests,” Harrod said. “By that point it was too late. I got it on a Sunday and couldn’t go back until Friday, even though I was better by Wednesday night. I would have missed four days of tech for show, but the department finally decided to shut down for a bit, so I only missed one real day of tech.”

Originally, there were only a few people catching it, but the number ballooned quickly.

“Because of the timing, I think I was the last case of it,” Harrod said. “Which means the department shutting down did help. But if they had done

it sooner it could have possibly prevented such a large amount of their population to get it. It really messed up my tech schedule for my show, but it

could have been a lot worse.”

It is hard to say what exactly will happen if a major COVID outbreak happens at OSU again, but various COVID surges are demonstrating what

damage even minor outbreaks can do. Something on a bigger scale could theoretically cause an even worse delay in tech and performances or could cause cancellations of some shows

altogether.

As of now, the green room has been reopened and performance tech has returned.

COVID swept the OSU theatre department, postponing shows and rehearsals.

Bowman no fit for OSU’s QB1

Cornelius started. The next year, it was redshirt freshman Spencer Sanders’ turn, who won the job in summer camp.

Mike Gundy chose the young Sanders over the experience Brown four years ago contrasts with his allowance for Bowman to still compete to start this year. Brown wasn’t mobile, especially compared to Sanders. And neither is Bowman, compared to Gunnar Gundy and Garret Rangel. He struggles to extend plays outside the pocket and will often take a sack when Rangel or Gunnar can at least throw the ball into the stands.

The same reason Dru Brown wasn’t OSU’s starting quarterback in 2019 is why Alan Bowman won’t be in 2023.

Brown, like Bowman, was a veteran quarterback with good stats at his previous school and wanted a fresh start at OSU. But Brown never got it, at least not without injuries.

Brown transferred from Hawaii in 2019 and was redshirted when Taylor

Gundy has weighed running into past quarterback battles. Zac Robinson took over for Bobby Reid in 2007. When Mason Rudolph became the starter in 2015, OSU still used J.W. Walsh — even after multiple lower body injuries – to rush the ball in short yardage situations.

Prime Time Gundy? Sanders overhauled Colorado with portal, could Gundy do it with OSU?

not 86 strong, at least targeting ready players for areas of weakness?

Don’t count Cowboys out from bowl contention yet

ties within the roster, a path to bowl eligibility remains and may not be all that far-fetched. Gundy’s teams have previously suffered perplexing losses in nonconference play and still found a way to gain bowl eligibility, or more.

Deion Sanders pulled off something that’s never been done.

After Sanders rebuilt FCS program Jackson State, he took the head coaching job at Colorado, where he inherited a roster that managed a 1-11 record the season before. Then he obliterated that roster, all but clearing out the locker room. Then he brought in 86 new players, 53 of whom were transfers. That’s the most of any program. Ever.

“I know it’s a huge overhaul,” Sanders said in an ESPN article before the season began. “But it had to be done.” Could an overhaul be needed at Oklahoma State? If

“He certainly proved that you can get rid of your whole team and bring a new team in and play good,” said Cowboys coach Mike Gundy. The Buffs stand 3-0 and are ranked in the AP Top 25. That’s a turnaround. And Gundy has noticed, watching Sanders from afar and

acknowledging that the results are hard to argue.

Would the Cowboys coach consider such a major makeover, given his preference for developing players?

“I would like to keep my guys and train them for three years and let them play,” Gundy said. “I’m more comfortable with that because I get them in a system, and we teach them, and we coach and we bring them along, and then they learn. But that’s not going to be that way anymore based on the movement of players.”

The Cowboys have struggled early in the 2023 season after a collapse down the stretch of 2022. Many of the same culprits – inability to rush the ball effectively and pass protection – remain, and OSU is set to lose a dozen redshirt senior linemen. Sanders and Colorado have shown the power of the portal, and that could be an option for the Cowboys to fix issues quickly and rebuild numbers.

Oklahoma State’s loss to South Alabama, to put it bluntly, which fans and pundits have, was bad.

How bad? A 33-7 loss to a program only in its 10th full season of FBS.

Could OSU’s 17-year bowl game/winning season streak be in peril? Time to sound the alarm?

Not so fast.

Despite the blowout loss to the Jaguars and many uncertain-

Saturday marked the fifth time the Cowboys have dropped a game to a Group of Five opponent during the Gundy era. The others: two losses against Houston (2006 and 2009), a team then a member of Conference USA.

The Cowboys traveled to Troy and lost by 18, marking Zac Robinson’s takeover at quarterback in 2007.

See Bowman on 2B

See Gundy on 4B

Connor Fuxa

Alan Bowman’s average depth of target on completed passes vs South Alabama was 4.3 yards.

Gabriel Trevino Columnist

Column

File Photo

OSU coach Mike Gundy said he’s observed Deion Sanders at Colorado and how he proved an entire roster can be replaced through the transfer portal.

Davis Cordova

The Cowboys aren’t off to a hot start, but fortunately for them, neither is much of the Big 12.

Daniel Allen Staff Reporter

Braden Bush

Sports Editor

sports

Geoffroy bringing ‘upbeat’ personality to Cowgirls

late with each other,” Geoffroy said. “The agility of shuffling back and forth in tennis is like that in soccer.”

Ellie Geoffroy has quite the athletic resume.

Not only is she a talented soccer defender, but she has also excelled in tennis and track. Sports were a focal point in her upbringing, given that she was raised in an athletic household. Her father, Ray Geoffroy, played football at the University of Richmond, and her mother, Dara Geoffroy, played field hockey and lacrosse for the Spiders.

Ellie Geoffroy transferred from Oklahoma, where she played in 19 games in 2022, starting in seven as a freshman. Since transferring to OSU, she has brought a fun energy to the team and continued elevating her game to the highest level, thanks to her coaches and teammates.

And a little bit of tennis and track.

“Track, tennis and soccer corre -

Geoffroy was raised in Andover, Kansas, with three siblings, so competition was a natural part of life. While pursuing her soccer career in high school, her father pushed her to succeed and shaped her mindset.

“When I was a sophomore, I was getting looked at by coaches but wasn’t committed yet,” Geoffroy said. “I was nervous, but he told me to fear no one and respect everyone. It’s a quote he lived by and has now passed it down to me.”

That outlook has impressed Carmichael in Geoffroy’s first season.

“She’s a real upbeat kid,” Carmichael said. “She’s got a great personality she brings to the group. She’s a great kid on the field, super athletic, very aggressive, and a really tough defender. She’s adapted well, she’s going to continue to improve with us, so I’m happy she’s here.”

Geoffroy has produced on the field, too. Her 732 minutes ahead of Thursday’s match are the second most on the team, and she has two goals while starting each of OSU’s first 10 games.

Sophomore midfielder Chloe Wright said Geoffroy has had a big impact on the team’s chemistry and immediately brought a new mindset to the team.

“She came in with a positive mindset and was open, wanting to be friends with everybody,” Wright said. “She was always goofy, positive and funny. She was able to bring everybody’s energy up, even when she wasn’t trying to.

“On the field, we lost a lot of our starting center backs last year in both fall and spring. For Ellie to step into that role as our starting center back and do as well as she’s doing right now, that shows a lot.”

Shettron preparing for Ames, potential increased role

Talyn Shettron is facing a couple of new opportunities.

He’s making his first trip to Ames, Iowa, for the Cowboys’ matchup with Iowa State. A place that, for many reasons, is an interesting location to play for opponents.

“I asked Rashod Owens about it because I haven’t been up there,” Shettron said. “He told me how the student section is laid out, it’s weird. And I know from in the past, by watching games, it’s always a hard (place) to play.”

The Cyclones are 1-2 this season, but defensively, have been stout. They hold the top-ranked de -

fense in the Big 12, have surrendered an impressive 29 points through three games and have a strong secondary manned by cornerbacks Beau Freyler and Jeremiah Cooper.

“Three-down, and they’ve got the rover or joker in the middle,” Shettron said. “Which is similar, cause you know our defense does it and we’ve gone against it. And I know they’ve got two pretty good (defensive backs), so it’ll be a nice challenge.”

But for Shettron, he could see an increased role this weekend.

Top wideout De’Zhaun

Stribling exited OSU’s loss to South Alabama with an injury after taking a big hit, and his status for Saturday’s game is uncertain after coach Mike

Gundy said he’s progressing well with no further details.

This leaves Shettron, who has caught only three passes this year, with a chance to be on the field more often than he would if Stribling was healthy. An opportunity he believes he’s fully ready for.

He was the top recruit in OSU’s 2022 class as the eighth best receiver in the country and No. 2 player in Oklahoma.

“I’m fully confident in my abilities and what I can do for this team,” Shettron said. “It’s obviously a cool experience, but I can’t let the moment be too big. Just go out there and play football like I’ve done for years.”

Bowman...

Continued from 1B

At the end of the day, the quarterback has to be the best thrower. And Bowman, with more passing attempts than the other two, has the lowest completion percentage, quarterback rating, fewest touchdowns (0) and tied for most interceptions.

Bowman started OSU’s 33-7 loss to South Alabama and, like he had in the prior two games, got four drives. OSU only crossed the 50-yard line once, punted three times and Bowman threw an interception in the four possessions. After his pick in the third drive, Bowman was 3-9 passing and South Alabama scored on the next play to lead 16-0. Still, Bowman got a fourth drive, where OSU punted.

He finished 6-12 for 42 yards. Of his completed passes, his average depth of target was just more than four yards. He only completed one pass that he threw farther than 10 yards. Yes, one of the incompletions was a dropped pass that could have been a touchdown, but he couldn’t find rhythm after that either.

If there’s one thing going for Bow-

man, it’s that he’s got time to turn things around: as does each of OSU’s quarterbacks. Gundy is still reluctant to name a starter, and it doesn’t appear he’s in a rush to do so either.

Bowman’s started two games in a row, so if he doesn’t vs Iowa State and the run game is better by the time he enters the game, he can control the offense efficiently like Gunnar has before. But, I’m not certain OSU will run the ball with Bowman in the game. The Cowboys haven’t before.

When Bowman is taking snaps, he’s only handed the ball off 16 times. OSU only rushed the ball once in Bowman’s first two drives vs South Alabama. Gundy attributed this to the defense adding an extra man into the box at the beginning of the game, but are we sure this isn’t the game plan?

Bowman isn’t much of a creator with his legs, and if OSU is going to face loaded fronts when he is in the game, how come he’s struggling to stretch the field with passing?

If OSU is going to continue with Bowman, it needs to change its game plan for him or have what it takes to pull him from the game if it gets bad.

sports.ed@ocolly.com sports.ed@ocolly.com

Bryson Thadhani

Since transferring to OSU from Oklahoma, Geoffroy has started all 10 matches in 2023.

File Photo

Alan Bowman has only handed the ball off 16 times in 16 drives as OSU’s quarterback.

File Photo

Talyn Shettron was the No. 2 prospect in Oklahoma and flipped his commitment from OU to OSU.

Griff McClellan

Staff Reporter

Parker Gerl Staff Reporter

Game Day Preview

3 storylines: OSU-ISU

Can OSU contain Higgins?

Iowa State leading receiver Jayden Higgins is averaging 63 yards and a touchdown in his past two games, entering this weekend’s contest with a bulk of momentum. 6-foot-4 with great highpoint skills, OSU can expect the Cyclones to test its secondary with Higgins both near the end zone and on deep shots.

Roberson, Cowboys looking to leave hostile Ames victorious

Ashton Slaughter

Asst. Sports Editor

Sharing the field with more than 60,000 Iowa State fans lingers in OSU linebacker Jeff Roberson’s mind.

In 2021, No. 8 OSU lost to an unranked Cyclones squad in Jack Trice Stadium, 24-21. Pandemonium ensued, and the well-known rowdy Cyclone fans stormed the field after Brock Purdy kneeled in victory formation.

“That wasn’t very fun,” Roberson said, remembering the moment.

That October 2021 game and this Saturday’s game are unalike. Both teams are unranked. The rosters look tremendously different. The offenses are lackluster.

But one thing remains the same: it’s in Ames, which is never a gimme.

“It’s very hostile,” Roberson said. “You drive in; all the fans are out there screaming and hollering and tailgating and everything.”

Despite the fans’ continued yelling and support, Iowa State (1-2) hasn’t produced high-quality football for its diehard fans yet this season. Last week, the Cyclones lost to

Ohio 10-7 and are still searching for answers on the offensive side of the ball.

A lot of these questions began when three ISU players, including two starters — quarterback Hunter Dekkers and offensive lineman Jake Remsburg — were being investigated for underage gambiling. They have all since pleaded guilty to these charges, and none of them have been participating in football activities. Suddenly, weeks before the season, the Cyclones were without three players. Three weeks into the season, the effects are still detectable.

Like OSU (2-1), though, the Cyclones’ offensive struggles in coach Matt Campbell’s eyes align with the rushing attack.

“We’ve got to be able to have consistency in the running game,” Campbell said. “We have to find a sense of consistency.”

Sounds familiar, yeah?

OSU coach Mike Gundy has been hammering home the need for a run game in his offense, a unit that, he said, will continue rotating three quarterbacks this weekend in Ames.

With no clear starter emerging after nonconference play, the Cowboys will extend their quarterback battle into Big 12

play. This offensive approach hasn’t paid dividends for OSU three games in, as it ranks 127th in total offense (270.3 yards per game). On his weekly radio show, Gundy spelled out what OSU must do to leave Ames victorious.

“We need to average between 4 and 4.5 (yards per) rush and then be able to throw the ball effectively,” he said. “Offensively, we need to take care of the football, and that’ll help us get a little momentum offensively.”

Offense, offense, offense. That’s what both sides are worried about tightening up and taking care of in their Big 12 opener.

Even with both squads being uncertain in their offense’s approach, they know one thing: ISU has home field advantage, always.

“That place is a difficult place to play,” OSU offensive lineman Preston Wilson said. “Ultimately, we didn’t come out with a win last time, so we’re looking to go in there and compete hard and come out (with a win).”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

The Cowboys had no answer for South Alabama’s top wideout Caullin Lacy last week, who posted 104 yards and two touchdowns, so the door is open for a potential big time Higgins’ outing.

Will Stribling play after exit?

De’Zhaun Stribling exited OSU’s Week 3 loss to South Alabama early after taking a big hit near the sideline. He was able to walk off on his own power before coach Mike Gundy said he believed the wideout not returning was precautionary. A couple of days later, he said Stribling is progressing well, leaving his Week 4 status uncertain. Stribling was the Cowboys’ leading receiver through the first two weeks of the season and has caught 12 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown this year.

Will Gordon get more work?

In the Cowboys’ blowout loss to South Alabama, starting running back Ollie Gordon II got just three carries and two receptions. OSU was down big for a large portion of the contest which forced it to abandon the run, the reason Gundy gave for Gordon’s lack of usage. Gordon has carried the ball 19 times on the year. But now, the Cowboys’ game script for their matchup with the Cyclones would be in favor of a high-usage Gordon game.

Iowa State players to watch: Cooper, Freyler defensive playmakers

No. 4 Jeremiah Cooper, DB

Cooper, a sophomore cornerback, headlines Iowa State’s defense. He is coming off a freshman season that saw an honorable mention for Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and has carried that success into 2023. In three games, Cooper has recorded 14 total tackles – third on the team –and leads Iowa State and Division I FBS football with three interceptions.

Cooper has yet to give up a touchdown and he earned Big 12 Player of t,he Week after the Cyclones’ Week 1 win where he returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

No. 17 Beau Freyler, DB

Freyler has been as productive as one could be since joining Iowa State. In 2021 and 2022, he received an honorable mention for All-Big 12 team honors, and in 2023, he’s recorded 18 total tackles with a sack in three outings.

Now in his junior season, Freyler has a history of playing well against the Cowboys. In last season’s OSU-ISU matchup, he made five total tackles and picked off quarterback Gunnar Gundy, who is expected to play in Ames on Saturday.

Cowboy wide receiver

Courtesy of Iowa State Athletics

Coach Matt Campbell is navigating his team’s offensive struggles, much like Mike Gundy and Co.

Jeremiah Cooper

Beau Freyler

Both photos courtesy of Iowa State Athletics

Courtesty of Iowa State Athletics

Nick Becker

File Photo

3 storylines & players to watch by Parker Gerl

OSU-Iowa State often spoil each others’ seasons

Gabriel Trevino Staff Reporter

The play is now not talked about much because of what would happen a month and a half later, but when Brennan Presley was ruled short of a first down, OSU fans were once again cursing Jack Trice Stadium.

Oklahoma State and Iowa State aren’t major rivals. OSU usually wants to beat Oklahoma and Texas more than anyone, and Iowa State looks forward to its “Cy-Hawk” game vs Iowa the most.

But when the two play, it usually leads to wild finishes, heartbreak and shifts in the teams’ seasons.

The most infamous, the 2011 matchup, where No. 2 OSU was a 27-point favorite. The night be -

Gundy...

Continued from 1B

What Gundy would like and what must be done could be different things. OSU averaged only 92 yards during its final six games last season, a stretch in which it went 1-5. Instead of any major changes, the Cowboys stayed put and brought in just one transfer offensive lineman, Dalton Cooper.

Through three games, improvement is minute.

OSU has rushed for 118 yards a game at a pace of 3.9 yards a carry. Marginally better, but those numbers have been aided by fourth-quarter bursts.

Through the air, OSU has failed to reach 200 yards passing the past two games and has only three passing touchdowns all season. Cowboy quarterbacks have been sacked eight times and hurried many more times, too.

“We didn’t protect very good,” Gundy said after OSU allowed four sacks against South Ala-

fore, a plane crash killed four members of OSU’s women’s basketball team. The game went into two overtimes, and Iowa State hit a walk-off field goal to stun the Cowboys. The loss would cause the BCS computer system to rank OSU third at the end of the season, keeping it out of the national championship game.

The Cowboys have had moments for revenge. In 2020, after Iowa State upset OU two weeks before, the Cyclones carried momentum into Stillwater. Running backs Breece Hall and Chuba Hubbard dueled, but OSU’s defense stopped Brock Purdy and the Cyclones passing attack, and won 24-21. Sound familiar? That score would be repeated a year later.

Ten years after the 2011 game, it happened

again. OSU entered Ames as underdogs, despite being the No. 8 team in the country without a loss.

The Cowboys trailed 2421, and with a minute left, Presley caught a fourth down pass, turned up field and was tackled.

After minutes of reviews from various camera angles, the 4thand-2 play netted OSU one yard, allowing Iowa State to kneel out the rest of the game. OSU fans claimed the review was botched in anger, while Iowa State fans stormed the field, and the top-10 Cowboys got their first loss of the season. OSU would later reach the Big 12 championship game, but would lose to Baylor. With two losses, the Cowboys weren’t in the College Football Playoffs.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Roe talks routine, hobbies ahead of annual Cowboy Jamboree

The Cowgirls are beginning another season with one of their key pieces.

Taylor Roe enters Year 5 on the OSU cross-country team, and the push to another trophy finish at the NCAA Championships begins Saturday at the Cowboy Jamboree.

Q: Do you feel like the bar for the program has been raised?

A: “Yeah, I mean, every year that I’ve been here we’ve gotten better. Our men’s teams have been pretty consistently at the top. And for us, we’ve kind of had to make some bigger jumps...we definitely feel like we made some

big jumps every single year and I think this year will be no different.”

Q: What keeps you motivated during the season?

A: “We always try to keep our end-of-season goals and always try to keep those our main focus. Like this weekend is a test, but in the end, the National Championship is the final exam. We keep our eyes on the final.

Q: How’d you get into running?

A: “Both my parents were runners in college and then it’s kind of just been like a family thing, like we all are runners at some point.”

Q: What are some of your hobbies outside of running?

A: “I like to see all my friends, and I think people in Stillwater and especially our team all

just enjoy being around each other. Just fun things like watching movies at night with my roomates. It’s just taking time for little things like that to unwind and relax, because honestly, as an athlete, you don’t have much other time.”

Q: How have you seen your routine and the way you prepare change over time?

A: “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve tried to be smarter about things. Like getting more rest. I mean, I’m old, my body can’t do some things. I gotta take care of little things like stretching and sleeping, you know, real recovery things. I’ve definitely had to do a better job with that.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

bama. “That’s not one of our strengths.”

To try to patch things up on the frontlines, OSU shuffled offensive linemen against South Alabama. Just trying to spark competition and find a combination that clicked, but nothing did.

The OSU offensive line has plenty of continuity, just as Gundy said he aims for.

Jake Springfield, Joe Michalski, Cole Birmingham, Taylor Miterko and Preston Wilson are all redshirt seniors who arrived together in 2019 and have started on the offensive line but pass protection and run blocking have still struggled.

When Sanders arrived at Colorado, he downplayed continuity and unity. To him, that’s beside the point. “I don’t think you got to have unity whatsoever,” Sanders said. “You got to have good players.”

So maybe Gundy could target ready players in an area of weakness that is set to become even thinner with so many redshirt seniors. It goes against his traditional stance, but

Gundy realizes Sanders has changed the game. Other programs could start considering it.

“If coaches get frustrated at the end of the year, they’re like, ‘OK, I’m gonna get rid of him and get rid of him, get rid of him, get rid of him. Alright, these 30 guys are out,’” Gundy said. “There could be somebody do that.”

Gundy admitted he and his program are still learning how to adapt in a new age of college football where teams can be replaced in a single offseason. A complete overhaul may not be needed at OSU, but the Cowboys have been struggling for the better part of nine games, and Sanders showed a blueprint for a way out.

It might not be Gundy’s preference, but it’s something to consider.

“More players are going to move around, so I don’t think you’ll have the core that we’ve always here,” Gundy said. “We’re gonna have to find ways to supplement it.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

File Photo

The Cowboys suffered their only loss of the 2011 season at Iowa State.

File Photo

Mike Gundy prefers to build up players over several years, but said that might not be the way in the future.

File Photo

Taylor Roe said the Cowgirl cross-country program had made big jumps every year since she’s been at OSU, and she said this year will be no different.

Parker Gerl Staff Reporter

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis

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

Spacious 1100 sq. ft 2 bedroom home. Recently remodeled, CH/A, wood

floors, nice yard. 2214 E. 6th Ave., Scarlett Bus Route. 405-372-7107.

Cowboy Calendar

Friday 9/22/2023

Friday Concert in the Garden: Buffalo Jones & the Heard

The Botanic Garden at OSU @ 5:45 p.m.

New York Philharmonic: Bright Night Gala Concert

The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts @ 6 p.m. $

50+

OSU Theatre: Airness

Sereteen Center for performing arts @ 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.

$10 Students, $12 Seniors, $15 General

Painting/Ceramics w/ Pizza

StillyArts @ 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Book your tickets here: https://stillyarts.com/paintnights

Fee: $20 (8x10 canvas + pizza) / $30 (11x14 canvas +

Pizza)

OK 23 Art Exhibit

Modella Art Gallery @ 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Brewery Tours

Saturday 9/23/2023

Iron Monk Brewing Company @ 3 p.m. $15 / person

Stillwater Farmers Market

Prairie Arts Center until Oct. 28th @ 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Chase Matthew Live

Tumbleweed Dancehall & Concert Venue @ 8 p.m. $18

Chuckwagons 4 Heroes

Payne County Expo Center @ 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

https://www.facebook.com/Wagonsforsoldiers

Intro to Color Charts

Prairie Arts Center @ 1 p.m. $60.00 members; $80 non member https://artscenter.okstate.edu/adult-classes/drawing-andpainting/1247-intro-to-color-charts

9th Annual Pumpkin Patch

Highland Park United Methodist Church until Oct. 31st

Monday - Friday @ 1 - 7 p.m.

Sat - 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Sun 12 - 6 p.m.

https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/stillwaternoon/index.php

New York Philharmonic: Saturdayy Night at the Movies

The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts @ 6 p.m. $ 50+

OSU Theatre: Airness

Sereteen Center for performing arts @ 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.

$10 Students, $12 Seniors, $15 General

Pull a Print - Smart Plate Lithography

Prairie Arts Center @ 5 p.m. $20 members; $25 nonmembers https://artscenter.okstate.edu/adult-classes/ printmaking/1254-pull-a-print-smart-plate-lithography

Sunday 9/24/2023

Cowgirl Soccer vs Kansas State

Neal Patterson Soccer StadiumNeal Patterson Soccer Stadium @ 1 p.m.

https://okstate.com/sports/womens-soccer

New York Philharmonic Gala Concert

The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts @ 6 p.m. $50+

fore conditions rearrange winter travels or studies. Find new income sources next spring, and then summer collaborations get profitable. Take off for the territory ahead. 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 — The next month is about partnership, delegation, and collaboration, with the Sun in Libra. Alliances grow your enterprise. Share the load and the rewards.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Get into a busy and creative phase this month under the Libra Sun. Practice growing your physical health, fitness and vitality. Your work is energized. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 9 — Love makes everything flow easier. You’re especially creative, charming and attractive. Let your heart be your guide this month under the Libra Sun.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Domestic projects flower, with the Libra Sun for a month. Home and family take priority. Reinforce and strengthen your household infrastructure. Nurture your garden.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Transportation and communication channels flow at high speed this month, with the Sun in Libra. Create works of beauty. Share impactful messages. Express your vision.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Nurture financial growth and expansion. Pursue lucrative developments this month, with the Sun in Libra. Cash flow increases with focus and attention. Generate a surge.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — You have an advantage this month, with the Sun in your sign. Personal growth and development blossoms. Step into greater leadership. Advance passion projects.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 9 — Get productive in private this month. Sort, plan and organize, with the Libra Sun. Reflect on the past, and prepare for what’s ahead.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 9 — Share resources, opportunities and solutions. Social connections thrive this month, with the Sun in Libra. Participate with meetings, parties, public events and community projects.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 7 — Assume greater responsibility and leadership. Grow professional skills toward your passions. Focus on advancing your career this month, with the Sun in Libra. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Spread your wings and explore. Make long-distance connections. Pursue travel and educational destinations this month under Libra Sun. Study your subject in person. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is an 8 — Increase your shared financial security. This month could get especially lucrative, with the Sun in Libra. Grow family fortunes with steady action. Collaboration flowers.

Laura Dershewitz & Katherine Baicker

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

©2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

Hovland’s quick rise ‘fun to watch’

Rickie Fowler is making his fifth Ryder Cup appearance, but this one is different.

Fowler, who last competed in the event in 2018, will have fellow former Cowboy golfer Viktor Hovland with him.

“Unfortunately, I don’t know if either of us will be wearing orange over there,” Fowler said, “unless it’s not seen.”

That’s because Fowler and Hovland will be competing against each other at the Ryder Cup in Rome, beginning Sept. 29. Fowler for the United States and Hovland for Europe. Fowler has been at the top of OSU golfers in the pro ranks since joining the PGA in 2009, but now Hovland has soared up the list after a record-setting year.

“Viktor, the year that he’s had has been pretty impressive,” Fowler said.

Hovland won the FedEx Cup after three event wins and nine top 10s this season. He also

set a PGA Tour earnings record, bringing in more than $34.5 million.

But heading into the final stretch of the season, Hovland hadn’t won an event since the Hero World Challenge in December. A switch flipped for him in August.

“I feel like this last part of the season, I kinda took the last few steps mentally and put the course management together, and then just allowed my game to play,” Hovland said on the 73rd Hole Podcast Hovland won the BMW Championship and Tour Championship on back-to-back weekends, sending him to the top of the FedEx Cup leaderboard. Hovland didn’t miss a cut in tournaments this season either.

Fowler said he’s gotten to know Hovland on the Tour.

“Viktor’s a great kid,” Fowler said. “I’ve had a lot of fun getting to know him over the years from him being in school, and then turning pro. And so, to see his success, I mean, he’s just a humble kid

from Norway.”

Plus, Hovland has adopted Stillwater as his home. He and Fowler might be on different sides Saturday, but they share that.

“Anyone that goes to Oklahoma State and plays golf here, they’re part of the family,” Fowler said.

“I know they know, but they can always lean on other guys, especially myself, whenever they need something out there.”

Hovland is in his second Ryder Cup, for he competed in 2021 when the U.S. team won at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. But this time, Hovland is on another level, sitting as the No. 4 golfer in the Official World Golf Rankings.

For Fowler, it’s exciting to see another Cowboy evolve into a worldclass golfer.

“He’s, in a way, starting to learn and adjust to the position he’s in because it’s been a quick rise and fun to watch,” Fowler said. “I’m hoping this is just kinda the start of it for him.”

2023 Ryder Cup Participants

Blackmon’s Hall of Honor induction, Stillwater visit ‘good for everybody’

The first time Brandon Weeden saw Justin Blackmon make a play was at the Colvin Center. Weeden said he doesn’t follow recruiting, so the veteran quarterback had no idea who the freshman receiver on the court with him was. He did by the end of it.

Blackmon pulled off a windmill dunk that left Weeden in awe.

“I was like, ‘Good lord, who’s this guy?’” Weeden said. “And I remember some of the other guys were like, ‘This is kind of the guy they plan on taking Dez’s (Bryant) spot.’ And I’m like, ‘I hope so. This guy’s a freak.’”

Weeden went on to witness numerous freakishly athletic moments during Blackmon’s career, which included the OSU single-season catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns records. He is one of only two players to ever win two Biletnikoff Awards, given to the nation’s best wide receiver. On Sept. 15, Blackmon became the newest football player to be inducted into the OSU Hall of Honor.

“I love the guy to death, and I’m so thrilled for him to get this recognition, because in my opinion, it’s a little past due,” Weeden said. “I think a lot of people when they think Oklahoma State football, I would say from 2000 on, Justin Blackmon has got to be one of the first names to think about.”

Weeden and Blackmon connected for dozens of touchdowns at OSU. Thirty-nine, to be exact. For Weeden, his favorite is still their first.

Against Colorado in 2009, OSU trailed 21-10 before Weeden was put in at quarterback in place of Alex Cate. Weeden helped lead a comeback that ended with a 28-yard game-winning touchdown pass to Blackmon in the fourth quarter – the duo’s first touchdown connection.

That Thursday night game put Blackmon and Weeden on the map.

“I made that throw to the back right corner and I was like, ‘I think this might be my guy,’” Weeden said. He wasn’t just Weeden’s guy. OSU coach Mike Gundy said Blackmon is one of the top guys in the program’s history.

“His performance on

the field and his ability to make a play at this level, he’s probably top-five all time here,” Gundy said.

Blackmon returned to Stillwater for the OSU vs Baylor game in 2021, and Weeden threw him a signature corner-of-theend zone touchdown pass for old times’ sake. Then, Blackmon returned for the Hall of Honor ceremony this past Friday.

Blackmon turned down interview requests, but Weeden hopes to see Blackmon back around Stillwater more often.

“It’s good for everybody,” Weeden said.

“It’s good for Oklahoma State. It’s good for Justin. I think it’s just good for him to be seen.

“I’d love for him to come back to two or three of these home games and try to enjoy it, because people want him to come back. He’s just too special to this place, and he means so much to a lot of people up here… I just hope he knows that everybody that is an Oklahoma State fan appreciates what he did for this place and what he’s done for the university, what he’s done for the football program to make it better and keep us on the map.”

File Photo Viktor Hovland quickly jumped to the top of pro golf this season, and he will compete against fellow former Cowboy golfer Rickie Fowler at the Ryder Cup.

File Photo

Justin Blackmon was inducted into the OSU Hall of Honor on Sept. 15 after a career in which he became the second two-time Biletnikoff Award winner.

Davis Cordova Staff Reporter

Braden Bush Sports Editor

sports Bowl...

Continued from 1B

The fourth came on the controversial play. The Hail Mary throw on an extra down after time had expired, propelling the Central Michigan Chippewas over a top-25 OSU squad in 2016.

And yet, the Cowboys managed bowl eligibility each of those years, winning nine games and securing a Cotton Bowl berth in 2009, and winning 10 in 2016 on their way to an Alamo Bowl rout of Colorado.

Still, getting over Saturday’s setback

and moving on strong, may not look as promising. At least not yet.

“Mike Gundy has been rotating three QBs — one of them is his son — to start the season,” wrote The Athletic’s national college football writer Stewart Mandel. “The powder keg exploded Saturday against South Alabama — to be fair, a very good Sun Belt program, but still … 33-7?”

The good news: much of the Big 12 is off to a stumbling start.

Nine of the league’s 14 teams have a loss, and four have twice.

Baylor surrendered 42 points in a Week 1 home loss to Texas State. Texas Tech, widely considered to be a dark horse for a Big 12 championship game berth, lost to Wyoming on the road to open its season and fell again to Or-

egon. Iowa State, OSU’s opponent Saturday, is fresh off a loss to the Ohio Bobcats. Kansas State, as the nation’s No. 15 team and carrying CFP hopes, was upset at Missouri last weekend.

Houston lost to Rice and managed just 16 points on a shaky TCU defense. Speaking of the Horned Frogs, they were toppled at home by Colorado in their opener.

Texas and Oklahoma, each without a loss, are the only Big 12 teams in the rankings. The conference’s other three unbeatens − BYU, Kansas and UCF − haven’t moved the needle nationally, although the Cougars do own a victory over Arkansas.

So a path to an 18th consecutive bowl game isn’t out of reach for the

Finding the way: Outlook for rest of OSU’s season

Saturday : @ Iowa State

Win Probability: 59%

As always, ISU’s stronghold is its defense. Simultaneously, its offense is its vulnerability, as shown in a 10-7 loss to the MAC’s Ohio Bobcats last week.

Oct. 6: vs Kansas State

Win Probability: 19%

The thing OSU’ defense can afford to face – as of now – is a prestigious run game. That’s what they’ll get in running back Treshaun Ward.

Oct. 14: vs Kansas

Win Probability: 45%

The Jayhawks certainly look the part offensively, averaging about 38 points per game. But their 1-7 finish a season prior has sparked some questions regarding their legitimacy.

Oct. 21: @ West Virginia

Win Probability: 51%

The Mountaineers were still picked to finish last in the preseason Big 12 media poll. And their Week 3 win over Pittsburgh is looking less pristine by the day. Still, Morgantown is known for being a difficult environment for opposing teams.

Oct. 28: vs Cincinnati (Homecoming)

Win Probability: 52%

The Cowboy defense has yet to face a true mobile quarterback, which is what they’ll get in Emory Jones.

Nonetheless, some of OSU’s biggest upset wins have transpired on Homecoming.

Nov. 4: vs Oklahoma

Win Probability: 9%

We’ve seen this movie before. And 91 times out of 117 matchups so far, this game has gone the Sooners’ way. Given the fact that OU may have a legitimate defense this year, complemented by its offense which averages nearly 56 points per game, a Bedlam finale win appears to be far-fetched. Yes, even at Boone Pickens Stadium.

Nov. 11: @ UCF

Win Probability: 25%

The UCF offense has been rolling thus far. The Bounce House (FBC Mortgage Stadium) is one of the more daunting atmospheres for visiting teams. It’s hard to envision an OSU win in Orlando as of now.

Nov. 18: @ Houston

Win Probability: 66%

A narrow win at home over UTSA. A loss to crosstown rival Rice, one that saw a quick 28-0 deficit for UH. After a blowout home loss to TCU, Houston’s offense has surpassed the 17-point mark just once. Oh, and the defense isn’t great either.

Nov. 25: vs BYU

Win Probability: 55%

Sure, the win over Arkansas in Fayetteville was impressive. But a schedule with games against a Sun Belt, AAC or Mountain West squad mixed with ones against Power Five schools are no more for BYU. Its roster depth will truly be tested come Big 12 play.

Cowboys. Although with a roster lacking star quality, OSU seemingly must make the most of its matchups with similarly struggling squads.

And remember, the Big 12 is guaranteed at least eight bowl spots. Well, if it can produce that many teams with at least a .500 record.

“The Big 12 may be looking at a worst-case scenario for its final season with Texas and Oklahoma (soon-to-be SEC programs) — that being, Texas and Oklahoma may be its best teams,” Mandel wrote.

Ethan Scott

With the conference struggling, OSU’s path to an 18th consecutive bowl game is still in reach.

The O’Colly Sports Picks

Point / Counterpoint

Gabriel Trevino

At this point, I can’t say for certain. OSU still has to play high-scoring offenses Kansas State, Kansas, Cincinnati, Oklahoma and BYU at home. And may I remind you, OSU just lost to South Alabama by 26 at home. Even if the Cowboys lose three of those games, it’ll be four losses on the season. That’s not including going to Iowa State, West Virginia, UCF and Houston, which are far from gimmes.

Will OSU go to its 18th-consecutive bowl game?

Daniel Allen

As the old saying goes: when you have two quarterbacks, you have none. Right now, Oklahoma State has three. But once a starting QB is established, the offense should be more productive. And while the defense has been shaky at times, it’s played well enough. Oh, and the Big 12 stinks. Houston lost to Rice and almost to UTSA. Kansas State lost to Missouri. Cincinnati lost to Miami-Ohio. Kansas has yet to play significant competition. OSU plays all four teams. A bowl game very well could be in reach.