22 years later, OSU committed to Remember the 10

Now more than two decades later, OSU students may have little or no knowledge of the crash. The school considers it a duty to “Remember the Ten.”

On January 27, 2001, the Cowboys were flying back to Stillwater after a road game at Colorado. The team flew in three planes. The last plane, a Beech- craft Super King Air 200 crashed in a Colorado field after its pilot became disoriented in the blustery winter night. All 10 on board were killed. Players Nate Fleming and Daniel Lawson, student manager Jared Weiberg, radio broadcaster Bill Teegins, pilots Denver Mills and Bjorn Fahlstrom, and director of basketball operations Pat Noyes, trainer Brian Luinstra, media relations coordinator Will Hancock, and television/radio engineer Kendall Durfey.

“I really think that’s when we became the OSU family,” Larry Reece, OSU’s longtime public address announcer, said.

“This is a part of OSU history that has affected many lives,” said Carolyn Huffman, wife of athletic trainer and crash victim Brian Luinstra. “It honors their memory when people take time to pause and reflect on their lives and what their loved ones have lost.”

The game against Missouri, a 69-66 OSU win that coach Eddie Sutton called “One of the most important games I’ve ever coached in,” was OSU’s first game since the crash.

The annual Remember the Ten effort has been a key part of the healing process at OSU. There is an annual Remember the Ten game, with the 2023 installment set for Saturday when the Cowboys face Ole Miss, as well as a 5/10K charitable race every spring.

James Halligan, OSU’s president at the time, was one of many to ensure the 10 are not forgotten.

“(Halligan) said we will always remember,” said Chad Weiberg, OSU’s athletic director and Jared’s brother. “Well those weren’t just words. I think everyone, the family at that point, was like that’s what we’re going to do. It is incredible. I remember hearing that, but not having a full understanding of what that would mean 22 years later.

“I don’t think I would have imagined it would have been like it is.”

Reece said it is a duty and an honor to tell stories about the 10 men, in an effort to share their legacy with a new generation.

“The emotions are still real to this very day as I think about what it used to be like around here when when those guys were around,” Reece said. “They were just great people and they were our friends. They were our future leaders.”

When walking around campus or attending games, Chad said he often sees students wearing Remember the Ten shirts. He is thankful the next generation has embraced the importance of the event.

“This happened 22 years ago and most of our students here at OSU right now weren’t even born, you know, when that that happened,” Chad said. “There’s no way that they have any kind of firsthand knowledge or account of it.

“They know about it, they’ve learned.”

Paula Cole, Teegins’ sister, said the students’ embrace is impactful to the families.

“It’s important for (students) to know the history of what happened with that, but for the families I can speak of, that it’s important for us to know that you guys still remember.”

Despite many changes in university leadership, the memory of the 10 has not waned. Chad said it is a testament to the passion of leaders and students at OSU.

“The passing of time can change things,” Chad said. “People change. Administrations change and basketball coaches change and all of those things but I think it’s just really, it’s because we’ve got good people.”