Friday, May 5, 2023

Friday, May 5, 2023

Dean Dilemma

Main figures at OSU give space to a new generation of leaders

Luisa Clausen and Kennedy Thomason News and Lifestyle Editor and Assistant Editor

Five deans. Five colleges. Five legacies.

The ultimate farewell.

Oklahoma State University faces a period of change with five of its deans, as well as the director of accreditation, exit ing their positions and leaving Jeanette Mendez, OSU’s provost and senior vice president, facing a search to find replacements for paramount figures on campus.

It’s a challenging time. And potentially an exciting time, as the school moves forward with realigned leadership in the early stages of President Kayse Shrum’s tenure. The loss of several key figures has created curiosity, and some concern, on and off campus. The O’Colly’s effort to secure an interview with Shrum were unsuccessful.

Mendez said she respects the decision and honesty from the key departures as they made this decision thinking about OSU’s new strategy and the importance to make the lead ership change before the strategy advances.

Resigning, retiring or already gone are: Tom Coon, vice president and dean for the Ferguson College of Agriculture.

Ken Eastman, dean for the Spears School of Business.

Paul Tikalsky, dean for the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology.

Sheryl Tucker, vice provost and dean of the graduate college.

Glen Krutz, dean for the College of Arts and Sciences; and Brenda Masters, director of

accreditation.

For Coon, Eastman and Masters, stepping down emerged from a desire to retire, rest, enjoy the presence of loved ones and give new leaders an opportunity to start working with the new administration. Tikalsky’s decision came from a satisfaction of accomplishment with CEAT and an acknowledgement it’s time to give Shrum a

job during COVID,’” Mendez said. “So, what happened is, the market was kind of really thin, and everyone kind of stayed on through COVID and then COVID didn’t go away.”

The University of Cincinnati finds itself searching for four deans, while Texas Christian University completed 10 dean searches in three years. Mendez said after the pandemic, some deans evaluated all possibilities and decided it was either time to retire or to step down.

“They also talked about it in terms of OSU, and they said that this is an important time for OSU,” Mendez said. “We have launched this strategy, and they feel it would be better for their college and their (the incoming deans) opportunity of getting in on this strategy to make that leadership change now, and to me, I can’t respect that decision any more than I do.”

Mendez said each dean approached her individually about leaving OSU and said any decision to retire or step down was not a result of pressure from Shrum’s new administration, or a new structure that now places Mendez as the central power, where previous deans had multiple avenues to reach out in case of questions.

“There was no conversation between myself and the deans as a group, or one on one, that said I want to move in a different direction,” Mendez said.

college in a great financial state, with great facilities.”

Mendez said the pandemic played a role in leadership shifts, not just at OSU, but elsewhere.

“During COVID a lot of administrators stayed on because they just thought, ‘I’m not going to retire or look for another

First-timer’s guide to Calf Fry

Hampton Staff Reporter

As Stillwater’s largest country music event begins, first timers wonder what they are going to experience. On its 31st annual year at Stillwater’s Tumbleweed Amphitheater, Calf Fry is a threeday outdoor red dirt and country music festival in which musicians from all over come to sing, dance and join the Cowboy community for a weekend.

Many artists have lined up performances for the weekend, which started Thursday. Popular artists such as Parker McCollum, Larry Fleet, Kaitlin Butts, Wyatt Flores and an after party with Cam Allen rocked opening night. Many students will be attending this year’s Calf Fry for the first time, which can be overwhelming. Concerts and other events are still making their way back after the pandemic, and not everyone has been able to enjoy a lively group setting like this in years. Many students on campus have attended in previous years and are looking forward to kicking up the dust again.

Artificial intelligence, a new foe for higher education

an AI bot the whole time and not actually putting in the work, that undermines the integrity of the university, the integrity of the degree itself.”

Stephanie Landaverde Staff Reporter

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence threatens the credibility of educational institutions like Oklahoma State University.

Joshua Jansa, an associate professor of political science and an academic integrity facilitator at OSU, said there have been cases of OSU students using AI to complete their schoolwork, and these acts of plagiarism undermine the credibility of the degrees and the institutions that certify them.

Jansa said while the tools for detecting AI are not as advanced as AI yet, they’re catching up quickly, and educational institutions in particular are interested in incorporating them to ensure students are turning in work that is theirs.

Alexandra Williams, a sophomore in physiology, said those on campus who use AI to plagiarize do so because they find themselves lacking the time to complete the assignment themselves or out of laziness.

The deans who spoke with The O’Colly agreed.

“The pandemic expedited the decision,” Eastman said. “Me and my wife were at home working and we kind of reconnected and realized, ‘Oh well, we could do this.’”

See Leaders on 4A

“We’re saying that they’ve gone through the coursework, they’ve read, they’ve been tested, they’re written, and we certify them in having a degree,” Jansa said. “If in reality they’ve been querying

“I think one of the benefits is that it helps produce new ideas,” Williams said. “But I know the disadvantages are things like plagiarism, and you’re stealing other people’s work. And that can lead to a lot of things that hinder your career down the road.”

See Intelligence on 5A

Rivalry put aside at OU, OSU mock powerlifting meet

He gets into starting position with both hands on the bar. He pulls on it, his muscles straining against the bar’s weight. His face turns red, his veins become visible and he clenches his teeth. His teammates scream for him to continue encouraging him to give it everything.

Finally, his knees lock and the official’s hand drops, signaling a clean lift. As the final lifter of the day, Rocky Hensley secured a Bedlam win for the Oklahoma State Powerlifting team.

See Powerlifting on 6A

File Photo

Makenzi Maddox, a junior at OSU, tells first timers to make sure they stay hydrated and with a group.

The bar is loaded, and the stage set. Everybody is watching as the last lifter of the day steps onto the podium. The 6-foot-2 tall, 242-pound giant stares down the 578 lbs weight.

Hayden Alexander Staff Reporter

Jaycee

Hayden Alexander

From left to right: Cale Hartman, Tommy Hosty and Duncan Ille celebrating an OSU win.

Continued from

Makenzi Maddox, junior marketing major, said this will be her second year attending. She is anticipating a great performance from McCollum because she has never seen him perform live. Despite all the excitement of McCollum and getting to have that experience with friends, she is preparing for the weather and other factors that play into assuring a good time. “Make sure to stay hydrated and go with a group,” Maddox said. “It can be overwhelming because there is a lot to see and do, but try to have as much fun as possible. Bring a small portable charger if you can because there’s a lot to take pictures of and things you’ll want to remember.”

The weather in Oklahoma is unpredictable, so when prepping for the weekend, be ready to adapt to heat, especially in crowded places. Drinking water should be your best friend in the days leading up to Calf Fry, through the weekend and into Sunday recovery.

Emily Robinson, junior nursing major, has also attended the event before. Aside from staying hydrated and safe with a group of friends, Robinson said stashing extra cash for food trucks is essential. She also said wearing the proper worn-in shoes will be a life saver,

especially for those in cowboy boots so your feet won’t suffer through the night.

“It does get crowded at Calf Fry, but mainly toward the stage,” Robinson said. “For someone who doesn’t like crowds or gets overwhelmed, I would advise to stay toward the back. If someone is wanting in the crowd or near the front of the stage, I would say to always have someone with you so you do not get lost and if you need out of the crowd you have someone to go with you.”

Robinson is most excited to see The Johnnie Thomas Band and Mike Ryan on the main stage, since he is her all-time favorite red dirt artist. Despite her excitement, she knows Calf Fry is falling at an inconvenient time for some OSU students.

“With Calf Fry falling the weekend before finals, it is kind of stressful,” Robinson said. “Thankfully most of my finals are toward the end of the week so I plan to study the week before and the beginning of finals week.”

Other students attending will not be as lucky with finals later in the week, so using Sunday to rest and recover is indispensable. Stillwater is full of exciting events everyone should get to enjoy at least once, but stay strong with your studies as the semester is coming to an end.

Tickets are still available online at https://www. calffry.com/calffry

Guide to Calf Fry fashion

cally point out at Calf Fry.

Get with the Calf Fry fashion trends for the last party before the semester ends.

Celebrating a long semester of hard work, cowboys and cowgirls will run to Tumbleweed Dancehall & Concert Venue this weekend for the largest annual outdoor red dirt and country music festival, which began Thursday night.

The energy is high as the spring semester classes are coming to an end. With Calf Fry being the last big party for OSU students before summer break, last minute outfits and preparations for the festival are coming together. Staying with the common theme of country western vibes, past Calf Fry festivals have been filled with Midwest charm from the cowboy and cowgirl hats all the way down to the boots. You can expect to see big shiny belt buckles, flowy blouses and dresses and a sea of blue jeans.

OSU students are excited to make a statement at this year’s Calf Fry, where they will showcase their personal styles with midwestern fashion trends.

Sophomore animal science major, Cadence Dare, said there are different types of country styles you can typi-

“Majority of what you see people wearing will have that typical country vibe,” she said. “Real cowboys will usually wear the dirty blue jeans, boots and fancy cowboy hats. But then you have the people who have a more citycountry vibe, like girls with the ripped-up shorts, crop tops and cowgirl hats they got from Walmart.”

Dare plans on sticking with the flare jeans, belt buckle and cowgirl boots this year, but no hat so she can show off her curls. She said cowgirls at Calf Fry typically spend time perfecting their hair with braids, voluminous curls, ribbons and other accessories to make them stand out.

Important to note is the handful of up-and-coming Calf Fry fashion trends that have been rumored to make an appearance this year.

Glitter and sequins are making its way into western hearts and can be seen enhancing clothing items like bandanas and wild rags.

Maci Hartsell, a freshman applied exercise science major pre-med, said she is excited to see the trends.

“I definitely love seeing the vintage stuff, throwbacks, like I’m wearing a pair of my mom’s old boots,” Hartsell said. “I’ve totally been into the brush poppers lately and the girls kind of using those as shirts. But I also love seeing a brush popper on a guy,

it automatically catches eyes, especially the vintage ones.”

Hartsell plans to stay true to her agricultural roots and said there are many western customs that she values and expresses through her fashion.

“Thursday it’s supposed to rain so I haven’t really decided yet, probably like a dress or something cotton, maybe a skirt, but something that I don’t mind getting rainy and will dry off quickly,” Hartsell said. “But Friday, I’ve got more of a black denim and silver thing going on. I have a shirt with some fringe and then some of my mom’s old college rodeo boots that are custom black and silver.”

She said although she will be sticking to the respected western apparel, she appreciates all of the unique looks that can be seen at Calf Fry. Hartsell said the reason she loves attending Calf Fry is because of how unique the outfits can get, and is excited to see everyone’s personal style.

“I think one of the reasons I like Calf Fry so much is because you can kind of go any way with it,” Hartsell said. “It’s like Thursday, I’ll probably wear something more chill, more midwestern vibes. But then you can also wear one of the tops that has the dazzled fringe, and so I think that it’s really cool.”

Courtsey of Paige Ely

Left to right: Madison Goswick, Morgan Cox, Paige Ely, Alexea Burroughs, Taylor Bordenkircher. Midwest charm from cowboy and cowgirl hats all the way down to the boots take over Calf Fry.

Emi Norton Staff Reporter

File Photo

Makenzi Maddox, a junior at OSU, tells first timers to make sure they stay hydrated and with a group.

Continued from 1A

The provost said she does not have a deadline to hire replacements because she wants to find the right person for each position. Tikalsky will remain in place for another year, however interim deans will take over the offices of Eastman and Coon in July.

Changing of the Guard

Eastman, who began working at OSU as a professor in 1989, was hired as dean in 2014, overseeing the rise of the new Spears School of Business building. Spears students consider him a strong leader,

nor bad; simply different. The new administration has created different approaches to achieve its strategies, such as centralizing the provost’s power. Eastman said he is not used to that model, yet he recognizes it takes time to fully adjust.

“When you reach a certain age, change is sometimes hard,” Eastman said. “I didn’t know if I could bring the energy I needed for the new stuff that was coming along, so I think, to be honest with myself and fair to the college, it made sense to retire sooner and let the administration hire people who will fit the new system.”

Among Coon’s most significant accomplishments, and best memory, was the public announcement of the Ferguson gift. It launched the fundraising campaign for the New Frontiers Agricultural Hall.

Now, he said he wants his successor to be able to transition in stride with the Ferguson College of Agriculture.

Years active: 11 years, 2012-23 Plans for the future: Tikalsky is resigning but will remain part of CEAT’s faculty as a professor. He plans to return to Wisconsin with his wife. They are building a house along Lake Michigan.

administration has in store.

“I think that the administration here has defined a strategy they want to move forward with,” Tikalsky said.

“This is a new direction for the university. I think they’re spending time and effort on that (strategic planning), I think, maybe more time and effort on the political leanings of the university. So all of those things is how a leader chooses, you know, what avenues to move after.”

Years as the dean: Three years, 2019-23

Plans for the future: Krutz is working at the University of Colorado Boulders as the dean of Arts and Sciences and professor of political science.

and also popular, friendly and engaging, characteristics that could be difficult to replicate.

Eastman said he is proud of the way he is leaving the school, where he left resources created for students. As much as the goodbye is bittersweet, he said he will miss seeing and interacting with students every day.

The dean said he built a team that complemented his weaknesses, leaving him feeling fortunate to work with people who stepped up and went along with the team.

“This job does get tiring after making tough decisions for a while,” Eastman said. “You’re doing it for the right reasons, but it still takes a little bit of your soul every time you have to do it. And I think if it doesn’t, you’re probably not OK.

“I mean, these are people’s lives you’re dealing with, and if it doesn’t cause you to take a little pause or a little angst, then you probably have lost part of your soul.”

Eastman originally planned to retire after the next academic year, marking his 10year mark as dean and 35 years as an OSU employee, when he would be 65. But with the pandemic, he said he realized he needed to spend time with his wife.

After analyzing his finances, Eastman realized staying a year wouldn’t make a difference financially and said that after he got the idea to retire, it was hard to get it out of his mind.

“I’m not running screaming from the building,” Eastman said. “I haven’t reached that point, ‘Oh, my God, I’m outta here.’

“I’m excited for the next phase, but I really will miss this place. I’ll miss the people. The people I’ve interacted with on a daily basis, that will be hard to walk away from.”

Eastman said every president has the right to set their own style and strategy, which he accepts. After working under Burns Hargis, former OSU president, for 13 years, Eastman said adapting to a new administration is neither good

Mendez said the idea of centralized power around the provost comes from a want to modify the previous structure where the deans would go to different departments to talk about specific problems, such as financial or academic matters. Mendez said Shrum wanted to expand the provost’s role, allowing the provost to have five divisions and a stronger structure.

“I don’t think that there’s anything in a stronger provost model at this point in time in the transition that is interfering with anything that had been done, but it is just a different way that also is giving the provost an easier time to do the job,” Mendez said.

Once he retires, Eastman plans on going back to Iowa — where he is from — and enjoying time with his wife and family.

“Buildings come and go,” Eastman said. “Other things come and go. But I hope that our culture is able to maintain and that people support each other. There’s a friendly competition, but people do celebrate the victories that we each have here, and so I hope that is the lasting legacy.”

Coon always felt connected to OSU’s land-grant mission.

“It’s who I am,” Coon said. “It starts with a sense of service and that knowledge is wealth, and it’s wealth to be

After nine years at OSU, Coon will retire this summer, with plans to move back to Michigan. He is ready to be a full-time grandfather.

“It’s real easy — I’m 68,” Coon said. “For me, personally, it’s the right time. My wife and I are blessed with four grandchildren, who were born since 2019, so I’ve got a lot of grandparenting I want to be involved with.”

Coon’s successor is expected to be hired during the summer, in time to be in place for the fall semester.

When Masters started her freshman year at OSU in 1974, women had only been allowed to wear pants in public on campus for seven years. She said she thought they were under huge freedom at that time, but reflecting back now, she realized how much things changed and how far she has come.

OSU hired Masters in 1987 as a business statistics professor. Teaching 1,000 students per semester, Masters decided to stay at OSU and build a career at the university. Masters watched the institution go through six administrations and said transitions are always significant, not necessarily just a presidential one.

“The recent transition from Hargis to Shrum has been smooth and nice compared to some of the other presidents,” Masters said. “But in my area, a change of provost is even more important because I work directly with the provost to do the accreditation.”

In 2003, Masters worked as the director of university accreditation at OSU, where she reviewed for the university, a “self-study” where she learned everything about the institution to write an accurate accreditation review every 10 years.

Masters said. “I can’t quite figure out what could provide the same rush.”

Tikalsky keeps the memories he’s built through the last 11 years as the dean in his office. Gifts from students, books from the classes he taught and even chemically reacted stone cut in a diamond shape that was part of one of his studies 40 years ago.

Working keeps Tikalsky busy, and he does not have an issue with that. Although he is stepping down, he does not plan to stop working any time soon.

Tikalsky spent 11 years supervising the care of 4,000 students and raising money to help them graduate. Among his several achievements, Tikalsky was responsible for raising more than $250 million to support world-class learning facilities and programs, scholarships, endowed chairs, industry research partnerships and K-12 STEM education programs. Growing up as one of eight siblings, Tikalsky was a first-generation student and paid his way through college. As his time as dean comes to an end, Tikalsky reflects on his engineering career and the reasons why he is still passionate about his profession.

Tikalsky grew up in Wisconsin and that’s where he and his wife will go after he steps down. The couple bought land on the coastline of Lake Michigan, where they plan to build a home and spend some time looking at the lake.

Two others leaving, Sheryl Tucker, vice provost and dean of the graduate college, Pam Fry, who retired as the president of OSU-Tulsa last year, declined interviews for this story.

Finding who’s next

The loss of all within a short period of time will be significant for OSU. Mendez said OSU’s new strategy will be an important part of the next phase of leadership.

“We’ve had very clear discussions on this is the direction that we’re going with this strategy and we’re trying to make sure that everyone’s empowered to get on board with that,” Mendez said.

Krutz took the position as the dean of Arts and Sciences and professor of political science at the University of Colorado at Boulder in July 2022. Keith Garbutt stepped in as the

Years as the dean: 2011-23

Notable accomplishments: She has been nationally recognized for her scholarly endeavors focusing on access and opportunity for underrepresented groups in STEM and spectroscopic investigations of macro and supramolecular media.

Years active: Nine years, 2014-23 Plans for the future: Coon is retiring and will return to Michigan with his wife to spend time with his grandchildren.

shared. And so as we create new knowledge through research, we have as much obligation to create that knowledge as we do to make it relevant for people to use in their lives.”

Since playing alongside streams as a child, Coon felt a calling to work in this field.

After spending 25 years at Michigan State University, working as a professor and then as the director of cooperative extension, Coon decided to take a chance on OSU. The support for the Ferguson College of Agriculture drew Coon in.

“Working on those has been absolutely wonderful,” Masters said. “But there is another review coming in 2025, and I decided I don’t have the energy to do the whole thing. It’s a huge job and by the time the analysis and the report would be completed, I would be 70.

“I think people wait too long to retire, and I don’t want to do that.”

Mendez said as a shortterm plan, the vice provost will take on some of Masters’ duties while looking for a replacement.

“I heard on NPR someone talking about this concept of wonder,” Tikalsky said. “If you stare at the leaf of a tiny flower and if you put it under a microscope, or just under a magnifying glass, you just see how complex it is. And this gives you an idea of wonder, gives you a rush, right? And so you think about that every day. And I think that’s true. I think that’s exactly the way I see the world every day as a dean.”

interim College of Arts and Sciences dean and will remain in the position until Mendez is successful in her search for a replacement.

Mendez said she recognizes that change can be intimidating for students and faculty. With the loss of six key administrators, change will be a part of the process. However, she said she remains hopeful about OSU’s new strategy and the leadership the new deans will bring.

Years active: 20 years, 2003-23

Plans for the future: Masters is retiring and will stay in Stillwater with her husband. She is looking forward to spending more time with friends and tending to her historic greenhouse.

“It was clear from the outset that we have alumni and industry support that’s really unique,” Coon said. “I’ve been at other land grants, I’ve had support at those land grants, but there’s a difference here.”

Masters and Shrum were on a task force together in 2011, where their job was to write a vision of the university. Before the new strategy came out, Masters went back and read what the president wrote at the time. Masters said she could see the strands of her thinking of what the future president was going to do.

“I just think her leadership will be incredible,” Masters said. “That is my only regret about retiring before writing the accreditation and not staying to emphasize her leadership and the strategic plan.”

When the semester ends and Masters completes her duties, she plans to stay in Stillwater with her husband and enjoy the company of friends in town while taking care of the yards at her historic greenhouse.

“I will miss the excitement of deadlines the most,”

The decision to step down was his, as Tikalsky realized 11 years is a long time to serve as a dean. A dean’s typical term length lasts three to five years. When the new administration started, he said it was only right to give the new president a chance to select her own leaders. The previous OSU president, Hargis, and Tikalsky had a close relationship, where Hargis trusted the dean and gave him the freedom he needed to help the engineering department grow.

“I think there’s so much in it (OSU’s new strategy) that’s about Oklahoma, and our mission, and extending out our research and our knowledge and improving lives,” Mendez said.

“But for our students that

with his wife and spend quality time with the people he loves.

are here, (Shrum)

Tikalsky said the more he learned about leadership, the more he understood that it is supposed to change because it is healthy for faculty and students. The dean said the previous administration didn’t believe in strategic planning, but he does, and that makes him excited to see what the new

so committed to making that experience the best it can be and to make sure students have the skills to go off into the world. So to me, there is zero to be afraid of.”

Ken Eastman

Paul Tikalsky

Brenda Masters

Tom Coon

Glen Krutz

Sheryl Tucker

Kerr-Drummond construction creates concern among OSU students

In front of the Kerr-Drummond Hall complex and in the middle of the Villages dorms, construction has begun on Central Market Place to take KerrDrummond’s place.

“They’re removing one building they already have that so many students use, just to build it again in a different spot,” Village A resident Anna Baustert said. “It would save time and resources to just revamp Kerr-Drummond that is already there.”

Home to Twenty-Something and 405 Deli, Kerr-Drummond is a spot on campus to grab a quick meal or go grocery shopping. Kerr and Drummond Hall have been closed for housing for about eight years.

“We already have Kerr-Drummond, which has a few restaurants and a quick-mart for us,” Village B resident Lillian Banks said.

The construction is currently surrounded by steel barricades, around what used to be a parking lot for RH Parking Pass Holders. More parking has become available in the meantime.

“The loss of parking is slightly annoying, but I believe that there is enough parking to facilitate the students,” Village B resident Ilya Dzialendzik said. “I have not had issues with parking since the construction, and I

have been utilizing new parking spaces that have been opened up for residents.”

Not only did students lose a parking lot, they also lost a path to class, having to weave around buildings and add several minutes to their walk.

“The construction has been a nuisance. But recently with the rain and wind it has been genuinely frustrating,” Banks said.

Students in Village F face the most issues with the barricades com-

pletely blocking one side of the entrance to their building.

“I know it affected many other students, especially the residents of Village F,” Baustert said. “The construction is right at their front door and I can only imagine the inconveniences this has caused them for the past couple of months.”

The Market Place will hold a new restaurant, a second Caribou Coffee (the first found in the Student Union), a

Courtesy of

rehoused 405 Deli, and another convenience-store-like shop.

“I believe the construction will be worth it, because it will open up more dining options and community areas in the future,” Dzialendzik said.

Taylor Carroll Staff Reporter

Sheyenne Mitchell-Brown wants words to fight for change.

A final class project inspired Mitchell-Brown to create a poetry website to inspire and empower others. She encourages users to submit their work to be featured on the website.

Mitchell-Brown will host a poetry reading Friday at Starbucks on 6th Avenue at 7 p.m. to showcase the work of OSU students.

Mitchell-Brown decided that she wanted to be a high school English teacher to help students achieve their dreams. Two weeks before her junior year started, she called her student adviser crying, wanting to change her major to English.

She said it was a vulnerable experience in changing majors and starting all alone.

Mitchell-Brown took Lisa Hollenbach’s class, Poetry Is Not a Luxury. The final project in the class prompted Mitchell-Brown to create a website of poems.

Lux Kickapoo-Johnson, one of Mitchell-Brown’s friends and classmates, describes her as a fun,

comforting, no judgment, welcoming and driven person. She said she likes the website Mitchell-Brown created and thinks it is a great place to learn about poetry.

“It’s a really wonderful space for people to publish their poetry to get their word out there,” Kickapoo-Johnson said. “It starts giving people a voice if they feel like their voice is small because enough, if there’s enough whispers, there’s it’s shouting. So even if you start somewhere small, it’s a place where you can create a space that pushes for change.”

Hollenbach is in her sixth year as a professor at OSU and has a doctorate in English and a master’s in creative writing. Her class discusses American poetry in the 20th century as well as the relationship to protest and political movements.

Hollenbach said she likes the progress Mitchell-Brown made on the website for her class’ final.

Hollenbach offers her students an option for their final, a traditional essay or to create a project of any design to connect their class’ focus on poetry and politics in the 20th century.

“The website highlights some of her own writing and potentially other people’s writings, and she also has made a lot of progress on it,” Hollenbach said. “It connects this interest in poetry, politics, or poetry and social change, but also highlighting some poets from the

Courtesy of Sheyenne Mitchell-Brown

past. So, historical poets who have done important work, so she’s been writing her own blog posts for it and posting poems and trying to solicit interest in it.”

Ryan Slesinger, a teaching assistant professor at OSU, supported Mitchell-Brown. He met her through his American Literature Survey class, which discusses literature from the civil war to the present.

Slesinger said he is happy with how Mitchell-Brown is inspired enough to go headfirst toward her project and make this website happen.

“You know, as the adviser, I spend a lot of time with these students and, and I see that this encouragement is working that these people you know, it’s a very personal thing to share your poetry to share those inner thoughts with the world around you,” he said. “And Sheyenne has a way of encouraging her peers to do that, and to take ownership of their voices and say what they want to say to the world around them, and it’s very empowering.”

All work placed on the website is copyright-protected and fair use of the law. She also said the website is for everyone in the community and encourages others to write for it.

More information is on https://www.poetsforprogress.com/.

news.ed@ocolly.com

Williams said committing plagiarism can result in an “F” streak on one’s transcript, and this would stay on the transcript for future educational institutions to see.

The oppositional methods to AI are also advancing quickly. TurnItIn, a plagiarism checker that educational institutions commonly use, can find AI-generated material in work with 98% confidence, according to a press release from the software service.

Matthew O’Neill, a teaching assistant professor of Spanish, said he has not had any confirmed cases of AI use in his classes.

“Anytime in the last two semesters that it’s come up, I’ve sent a message to the student and the student has just submitted another paper,” O’Neill said. “We didn’t get into ‘did you do this or did you not do that?’ I suggested that this looks very much like AI, and so they sent me a new version of the paper that looked much more like their writing.”

O’Neill said he thinks AI use for plagiarism is dangerous.

“We’re coming out of a time, like the COVID time, when everyone was used to using digital tools to help them do school,” O’Neill said. “And so it becomes normalized, I think that’s probably the big threat.”

Jansa said despite the focus on the consequences of AI, there are ways it can be beneficial and improve education.

“For any student or faculty member doing research, AI can be a way to generate research ideas,” Jansa said. “It could be a way to double check to make sure you’ve covered the relevant literature (...), but using AI to write something for you or to do the work for you definitely crosses a line to where we’re not being honest and forthcoming about where ideas are being generated.”

When students are alleged to have committed plagiarism, there is a set policy at OSU. There are three levels of violations: the first results in a zero or “F” for the assignment, or exam. The second results in a grade of “F” for the course, signifying the student failed because of an academic integrity violation. The third results in transcript notation of “Administrative Withdrawal for Academic Integrity Violation,” dismissal from the graduate or professional program and dismissal from the university, according to OSU Policy and Procedures.

To read the full violations and penalties, visit the OSU Academic Affairs page.

news.ed@ocolly.com

of Flickr

Sheyenne Mitchell-Brown is the creator of poetsforprogress.com, a poetry website.

Intelligence... Continued from 1A News news.ed@ocolly.com

Powerlifting...

Continued from 1A

Last weekend the Oklahoma State and the University of Oklahoma powerlifting teams organized a mock Bedlam meet at Brewhouse Barbell in OKC. After a morning of lifting, OSU came out on top with the best team total, the top male lifter, and the top female lifter for the day.

The meet is not the first mock Bedlam meet in OSU’s and OU’s history.

“We have done this event in years past, and it has been a while, so we decided to bring it back,” sophomore, and Vice President of OSU powerlifting, Rocky Hensley, said.

It has been a minute, but it’s also not the first time OSU has won. Hensley said OSU has five other times in the past. However, the meet had little to do with who won and everything to do with building an atmosphere to foster sportsmanship, community, awareness and a friendly environment for lifters, new and old.

“We decided to put on the event to get the members that can’t afford to compete but have the desire to compete involved with something that is fun, friendly and importantly competitive,” President of OSU powerlifting, Ethan Winn, said. President of the OU powerlifting team, Daniel Malone, said he was more than happy to help put on the meet if it meant removing the obstacles of travel, money and equipment for his lifters.

“The starting cost in your first competition is $155,” Malone said. “We recognize as college students this is not realistic for a lot of individuals, so we sought other avenues to help our members compete without this financial burden.”

The clubs shared a strong

relationship and were excited to bring the rivalry to OKC.

“While there is certainly a rivalry between our two clubs, we have an incredible relationship with each other,” Malone said.

Planning for the event included organizing equipment, coordinating with Brewhouse Barbell, putting together a tech setup, finding volunteers, figuring out awards and other things. Still, the clubs got the job done.

“We shared a mutual desire to get our lifters involved,” Winn said. “I believe the relationship we have with the club in Norman allowed us to hold this meet.”

The ‘mock’ setting of the meet allowed for all members of each club to have a shot at experiencing the regular proceedings of a USA Powerlifting certified meet without paying entry costs. Junior Tommy Hosty from OSU said the lack of fees made a difference.

“I think the fact that the meet is free helps out because that’s a big barrier to entry,” Hosty said. “Normally, it’s $50 for a USA PL Membership and then about $85 for a meet fee.”

The opportunity to compete for fun without the fees or the pressure brought in a lot of new lifters. With three meets already in the books for the year, senior Kate Tickle added a couple of new

personal records to her list of accomplishments and took home the award for best female powerlifter of the day. Tickle is proud to set the standard for women looking to join the sport. “We got to show up for both our gender and for our school,” Tickle said. “As the only female lifter at most competitions, I take it very seriously.”

Tickle is not the only one looking to impact the sport of powerlifting. Members from OSU powerlifting and OU powerlifting are excited about what the mock meet means for the teams and the respective schools. OU sophomore Joey

Talaoc, having competed in the recent national competition, coached and encouraged several of his teammates through their lifts. He said he hopes the teams will work to foster a healthy environment and community for college lifters.

“I think, on each school, it’ll help grow the community and hopefully entice more members to come and be part of our clubs,” Talaoc said. “We’re actually making an impact within each other and trying to grow each other’s physical and mental health.”

The infamous rivalry between OSU and OU is one for the ages, but these lifters know it’s in good fun. Sophomore Cole Hunter, like all fans

on both sides, said he loves to trash talk, but when it comes down to it, he understands that it’s more than just a sport.

“As much as I like to say ‘I hate OU,’ I love the brotherhood between us,” Hunter said. ”It’s great to compete against them.”

Both teams want to bring the community of powerlifting and what their members do to the forefront of the athletics conversation.

“I think this could have a really big impact because powerlifting isn’t a very wellknown sport,” Tickle said. “Bringing it into a Bedlam setting has the potential to expose it to the rest of the student population.”

The teams plan to host the event annually and bring in more colleges.

“We have talked about creating a separate, sanctioned event in the form of a Big 12 Championship or Oklahoma Collegiate Championship,” Malone said. “Either would require extensive planning, but I know we can accomplish whatever we set our minds to.”

Hayden Alexander

OSU powerlifting team celebrates victory against OU. From left to right, Robert Paddack, Tommy Hosty and Scot Sigler.

Hayden Alexander

Kate Tickle on squat. Later on Tickle was awarded best female lifter.

Hayden Alexander Vice president of OSU powerlifting team, Rock Hensley, lifts 578lbs in a cowboy hat.

Taylor Carroll Staff Reporter

Safety is a serious concern during Calf Fry, one of Stillwater’s largest events.

Rockford Brown, Payne County Sheriff’s Office’s Public Information and the Offender Registration Officer, graduated from OSU and has worked at the Payne County Sheriff’s Office for more than 20 years.

In the past decade, Brown said that the number of people attending Calf Fry has significantly increased. It has caused a lot of foot traffic and the area has not improved for pedestrians.

There were 10 deputy patrol cars on Thursday, and there will be 12 deputy patrol cars on Friday and 13 deputy patrol cars on Saturday. Brown said the Payne County Sheriff’s Office patrol cars will have saturated patrol, which means driving around the area. He said they would assist the Oklahoma Highway Patrol with DUI checkpoints on Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m.

Brown said the biggest misdemeanors he has seen at Calf Fry are public intoxication and transporting an open container. He said that public intoxication is a misdemeanor that can go on your criminal record with a ticket and night

in jail. Brown also said that transporting an open container gets individuals a citation on their licenses, a ticket and insurance agencies can see it in a person’s driving history, which could negatively affect their insurance.

There was an event several years ago where someone impersonated a police officer at Calf Fry and harassed women. He was arrested for it and sent to jail because he had several DUIs, including that night.

Brown said he encourages people to park as close to the venue as possible and have a designated driver or use a shuttle service, Lyft or Uber.

“I think we’ve had a pretty good last couple of years, and I think the event coordinators do a pretty good job,” Brown said.

Payne County Sheriff Joe Harper said the department’s biggest issues are people walking on the road. People have been hit walking on the side of the road with objects such as mirrors because of how hard it is to see in the dark near Tumbleweed.

Harper said there have been many instances of people making poor decisions at Calf Fry, such as people hanging on the backs of cars.

Harper said he encourages people to walk in the ditches and get a designated driver or driving service. Although Calf Fry has calmed down over the years, Harper said everyone should be safe.

“There’s ample opportu-

nity there for everybody to be safe,” Harper said. “It’s just a matter of people taking those opportunities and liberty and being safe.”

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is responsible for patrolling significant highways in Oklahoma, and Brown said they have jurisdiction over all the roads. The OHP will also be assisting at Calf Fry every day to ensure roadway safety, and Brown said they have a bigger presence during the event.

Steve Burrows is a trooper for the OHP assigned to Payne County and has been a trooper for 26 years. He said that during Calf Fry, they would have seven to 10 extra troopers a night doing saturation patrols. He said it looked like troopers around the area look for drunk drivers, underage drinking and alcohol possession violations.

On Saturday, the OHP will have a sobriety checkpoint at Lakeview and Western from 6 to 9 p.m., and the Payne County Sheriff’s Office and Stillwater Police Department will be helping. The extra patrols are happening because Calf Fry has gotten bigger over the years, and many accidents because of it.

Since Burrow’s arrival at Payne County, he has worked

around Tumbleweed and the event for nearly his whole career. One of his most memorable stories during Calf Fry is pulling over a pickup truck with 19 people in it with alcohol, and some were underage.

Burrows said that since people have been using the shuttles, Lyft, and Uber,

Fry

Public Information Officer, said the department will also enhance their patrol. There will be two to three more officers doing traffic stops and DUI checkpoints, which is required to be announced within 24 hours of it taking place.

the number of traffic stops has decreased because fewer cars are out. He said the misdemeanors he sees the most is underage possession and will stop people with alcohol who look underage and ask for their IDs. He said he wants people to be safe and not overindulge in alcohol.

“There are plenty of shuttles available like Uber; if you choose to listen to country music and go to the venue, take one of those options and have fun,” Burrows said. “Don’t drink and drive, but if you’re going to drive have a designated driver. Plan ahead, and don’t just at the spur of the moment just go out there with no plan.”

Lieutenant TJ Low, the Stillwater Police Department

Low said college game days are much worse than Calf Fry, but since it is the end of the school year for students, they tend to be more rowdy. Low said people get drunk early on Saturday, and he thinks it is the chaotic day because students and adults have nothing to do. While mainly doing social media for the department and rarely patrols, Low will be helping with the DUI enforcement on Friday.

“If you choose to attend any of the Calf Fry Festival, be responsible,” Low said. “Plan ahead and have a ride or utilize one of the many rides share programs if you choose to drink. Let’s be safe and have a great weekend.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

There will be 12 deputy patrol cars at Calf Fry on Friday and 13 on Saturday.

Stillwater authorities advise students to be responsible, plan ahead for Calf

“There’s ample opportunity there for everybody to be safe,” Harper said. “It’s just a matter of people taking those opportunities and liberty and being safe.”

Giovannie and the Hired Guns attracted instant success from its latest album, “Tejano Punk Boyz” in October, a venture into alternative rock and pop-punk after its start in Texas country. The band hits Calf Fry in Stillwater amid a run of 43 shows since Jan. 1.

The O’Colly caught up with bassist and tubist Alex Trejo ahead of the band’s show Friday night at the Tumbleweed Dancehall and Concert Venue.

Editor’s note: This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: Walk me through the band’s development. You guys released your

first record in 2017 and have had a lot of success with the latest album.

Trejo: “It’s been cool. We started out playing at a bunch of small honkytonk, Texas country bars. There are still quite a few of them we still play but we got our start in Texas country. Our sound kinda evolved into more like a modern alternative rock sound. Those are bands we’ve listened to our whole lives. System of a Down. Everclear. We also still hold to our country roots but we added that alternative rock flavor to it. Everyone caught on to it. Really enjoyed it.”

Q: What was the reason for the style change?

Trejo: “It wasn’t any kind of decision we made. We were just writing songs and we used to play our instrumentals and everything to what the song sounds like. We wrote a couple of songs where it sounded like we needed to be a little heavier and it just kinda worked out like that. Everyone ended up liking it. It worked.”

Q: Your band is playing a lot of festivals this time of year. How does that impact the type of show or set list you play?

Trejo: “We keep our bangers

pretty much in the forefront and kinda make sure the show is really hyped up. Make sure the fans are dancing the whole time. Make sure they are rocking it the whole time. We like to bring a really high-energy show to the people who paid to be there.”

Q: You guys write a lot about relationships and things like that. Why do you feel like that might resonate so well with the college-aged crowd?

Trejo: “I think it’s definitely the sound and the emotional relatability to our songs. Stuff we’ve been through when we were their age and it’s still relevant today. I think it’s just an honest storytelling of what we’ve been through and people resonate with that.”

Q: What is it about Calf Fry and Stillwater that keep you guys coming back?

Trejo: “We really like Calf Fry. The people out there. It gets packed out there. People seem to have a good time and we really have a good time. The staff and everything at Calf Fry treat us really well. We’re happy to be back.

I like the location of Stillwater. I feel like every time we go up there, we see some of our fans from Kansas and

some of our fans from around Oklahoma. We just have a really good time out there.”

Q: Could you just speak a little bit about the band’s success with Tejano Punk Boyz?

Trejo: “This last album, we were in the process of recording right before everything kinda took off. We ended up joining Crush Music right when we got done writing “Ramon Ayala.” That was the first single we did with them. It took off. Hit No. 1 on the charts. Then we got signed with Warner Music and since then, they have been advertising our songs and our album. It just took off on social. We’re real blessed and thankful to have all these guys helping us out. Warner Music, Crush Music and Red 11 Music who are with WME now. We’re in the process of recording album four now. Can’t wait to get that out to y’all.”

Q: What can fans expect on that new album?

Trejo: “If you catch a show now, we are actually playing one of the songs off that album live. If you want a sneak peak, come out to a show. You might hear a song or two off the new album.”

Courtesy David McClister

Alex Trejo (second from right), Giovannie and the Hired Guns bassist, said the band enjoys performing in Stillwater because of the fans and the staff.

Giovannie and the Hired Guns talk latest album, Calf Fry, Texas country roots

Adam Engel Editor-in-Chief

The Cowboys baseball team’s team ERA is 5.29, and have allowed many teams to steal games from OSU late. With only three series remaining, OSU looks to fix its problem before the postseason.

SEE MORE ON PAGE 7B

Strawberry Fields Forever

Kenny G’s heart behind OSU’s rise in softball

catch before the ball landed. In a real game, it likely would have been an extra-base hit if the ball landed.

“You had to run a long way to get that one, huh, grandma?” Gajewski joked to his fifth-year centerfielder.

“Yeah, yeah,” Factor sighed in response.

“Yeah, yeah,” he repeated back.

Practice is Kenny Gajewski’s favorite part of coaching. There’s no distractions. Just time for him and his players. One-on-one and all together.

During fielding drills, he fired a ball off his fungo bat in the perfect spot of left-center field. Chyenne Factor, who will be 24 in May, sprinted almost 60-feet to make a running-

Not all his interactions are lighthearted, though.

In a drill for his infielders to practice rundowns, freshman third baseman Claire Timm didn’t communicate with her teammates, allowing a different runner to advance. When the mock play ended, Gajewski walked from home plate to Timm and got close, told her

OSU struggling as Bedlam softball matchup approaches

Stillwater, and Cowgirl head coach Kenny Gajewski knows what their logo means in the world of collegiate softball.

“that’s on you,” continued to coach her on what to do in that scenario and gave her a highfive before walking back and resuming practice.

Other times, he doesn’t talk at all, such as when he went nearly 10 minutes without saying anything to any player. The only sound from his direction was the ball smacking off the bat.

Gajewski is nearing the end of his eighth season as OSU’s coach. The Cowgirls have never seen a losing record in his time and are attempting to make a fourth-straight Women’s College World Series this season.

He, his players and others whom know him well say the success derives from his char-

acter and the culture he built with it. Gajewski said he is honest with everybody — family, friends, players, recruits, other coaches, administrators, boosters — and in return, many love Gajewski. His personality, love, care and effort for what he does, others and the program is why OSU has become a championship caliber contender and why he’s a beloved figure by many.

“It’s about ‘The Cowgirl Way,’” Gajewski said. “It’s not about winning. Winning is a byproduct of living ‘The Cowgirl Way.’”

Gajewski grew up outside. If his parents were upset with

him, they could bar him from playing outdoors.

He was born and grew up in Los Alamitos, California — a small suburb of Los Angeles between Long Beach and Anaheim. Gajewski would go to the beach, play in his front yard with neighborhood friends and his sister, and during the summer, sneaked into a strawberry field behind his house to pick and eat the fruit.

“Illegally, of course,” Gajewski said. His grandfather, Bud, lived a mile away, and Gajewski spent many days with him.

See Fields on 4B

Zerulo ending OSU career with trip to tournament

It has been more than 10 weeks since Oklahoma had its lone loss of the season.

Since its Feb. 19 matchup against Baylor, where the Sooners fell 4-3, the two-time defending national champions have rattled off 38 wins in a row, annihilating every foe in front of them.

On the flip side, in OSU’s last 10 games reveal a 3-7 record, and prior to this stretch the Cowgirls sat right behind the No. 1 ranked Sooners in the polls with a dominant 38-3 record. Saying it’s been a tough stretch would be an understatement; the Cowgirls are cold at the worst possible time.

Nevertheless, the Sooners are coming to

“They’re the best team in the country for a reason,” Gajewski said. “They’re very well coached and that Oklahoma across their chest and that championship mindset, that can screw around with your head if you let it, so we just got to take care of us.”

Aside from the rivalry and the top-10 matchup, this Bedlam series is particually historic because of one overarching narrative from this season: confernece realignment.

With OU heading to the SEC after the next academic year, this is potentially the secondto-last weekend series the two powerhouses will play in the foreseeable future. Gajewski has extended the invitation toward the Sooners about continuing the series in the coming years, but to no avail.

Meola battles hazy world of concussions

Sounds filled the O’Brate Stadium batting cages the day Aidan Meola suffered his second concussion.

First, the ping of a ball ricocheting off a metal pole as it cleaved through a tiny hole in the netting, much smaller than the width of a baseball. Next, a crack as it collided with Meola’s skull at the end of its inverted V trajectory.

Finally, Meola dry heaving. Meola’s OSU teammate Ian Daugherty, was hitting with Meola that day. He still can’t shake the sound of the impossible ricochet smacking Meola.

“It was a gross sound,” Daugherty said. “It was flush, it sounded like a wood bat almost.”

That unlikely collision of cork and skull resulted in the second of four concussions Meola suffered in the span of about a year. First, when a pitch hit him behind the ear in a fall ball scrimmage. The one in the cages in April was followed with Meola re -

turning to action in May, where he ran to first on a dropped third strike and got hit in the front of the head by the first baseman’s glove and the back of the head by the ball. Meola’s most recent concussion came in a fall ball scrimmage this year. Follow all that?

“He should go by a horseshoe and stick it in his pocket, he’s got no luck,” said former OSU coach Tom Holliday.

Meola’s rap sheet of brain injuries is a long history of unfortune for a player who’d never been diagnosed with a concussion until college. And it’s the start of a bigger question about concussions in baseball, how they are treated through modern medicine, and how much more there is to learn.

Baseball doesn’t have the reputation for a concussion-laden sport. But don’t think it is completely safe from permanent brain damage.

Injury and uphill climbs weren’t the best way to kick start her last shred of NCAA eligibility left, but fifthyear senior Martina Zerulo has taken in the entire journey.

Zerulo has been a catalyst on the Cowgirl tennis team for the past couple of years. Whether it has been a steady court role or a potent rotation force, her impact is well noticed and appreciated by the team.

Coming from the beachside town of Manfredonia, Italy, Zerulo has a distinct, powerful style of play. She competes with a fiery intensity, often amping up the crowd after big points and exciting volleys… at least she once did.

Senior Day has come and gone, and Zerulo, one of only two seniors, played her last match in Still-

water. Now, it’s time for postseason play, which begins Friday. The O’Colly sat down with Zerulo to get her thoughts on the season and her time at OSU.

Q: What was it like having to come back mid-season after battling injury?

“It’s been good, but at the same time challenging. I think coming back from two surgeries is not the easiest thing to do, but it’s been good… we’ve had some good wins, and I think the best part of the season is still yet to come.”

Q: What was it like to play with fellow senior Alana Wolfberg on Senior Day?

“That was a big deal. We both got the win that day. I’ve known her for quite a few years now, so it was fun. It was fun to play with somebody else that shared that kind of emotion we’re both going through at the same time. With a last match at home, you’re going to want to perform, and you’re anxious. I think we helped each other out in balancing those emotions.”

See Zerulo on 3B

NCAA Tournament First Round Cowgirls vs. Denver:

Friday at 1 p.m. at Stanford Regionals

Cowboys vs. Florida:

Friday at Noon at Tuscon Regional

Andy Crown

Cowboy third baseman Aidan Meola has suffered four concussions in one year at OSU.

See Bedlam on 7B

Gabriel Trevino Sports Editor

Ashton Slaughter Staff Reporter

Payton Little Staff Reporter

File photos/Graphics by Gabriel Trevino

The Cowgirls have never seen a losing record in eight seasons with Gajewski at OSU,

Ben Hutchens Staff Reporter

Adkison progressing with increased workload

players; catchers usually aren’t playing every game. But with the injury to Daugherty, Adkison had to get over that aspect and push through for the team.

Davis Cordova Staff Reporter

Chase Adkison didn’t start OSU’s first game of the season.

Now, Adkison, OSU’s starting catcher, is one of the Cowboys’ workhorses this season, starting 39 of OSU’s 44 games, and at a position that takes a toll. While doing so, he’s progressed into a consistent hitter and threat for opposing base stealers.

OSU catcher Ian Daugherty started behind the plate in OSU’s season-opening game in Arlington, Texas, versus Missouri, going 0-2 with an RBI, a walk and two strikeouts. Daugherty started two more games before a tweaked shoulder and a broken bone in his catching hand during the Loyola Marymount series in February.

Since, it’s been Adkison behind the dish.

Last season, Adkison and Daugherty had more balance compared to this season, with Adkison starting 43 games and Daugherty starting 21. More balance provides catchers with longevity throughout the season.

Catchers are different from other position

OSU coach Josh Holliday said he wouldn’t have been able to do what Adkison has done this season.

“I wasn’t as tough as Chase,” Holliday said. “I almost feel like as he’s gotten worn down, he’s become crazy relaxed and focused in a way that only concentration due to some natural fatigue allows you to find.

“I think a tired catcher who’s just grinding on behalf of his team relies so much more on his ability to think clearly and trust himself, because his body may not be super fresh, so he’s tapping into a greater sense of what’s going on.”

Adkison has solidified his starting role for the Cowboys and has seen his batting average rise to .311, compared to his .240 in 2022.

One thing Adkison changed at the plate is being more relaxed and taking in each pitch, waiting for the best ball to strike, with confidence.

“Last year I was a little more timid,” Adkison said. “This year I have a lot more confidence than anything.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Adamopoulou gave OSU second chance

Rowdy Baribeau Staff Reporter

OSU lost one of its best female pole vaulters in December 2018.

The U.S. was an extreme culture shock for Ariadni Adamopoulou, a senior pole vaulter at OSU. Adamopoulou is from Athens, Greece, and before she stepped on campus as a student, the first time she saw the U.S. was when she took her official visit. But when she got to OSU full time, she said she decided she wanted to go back to Greece.

“Whenever I came here, I wasn’t even 18, I was 17,” Adamopoulou said. “I was pretty young. My English wasn’t that good, so, it was definitely a challenge for me. The other thing was that I was pretty sad, I didn’t have many friends. So, my first year here, I actually stayed for a semester and then I left.”

There were a lot of changes and differences for Adamopoulou. For one, her practice regimen in Greece was drastically different from the American practice regimen. Between struggling to communicate with her coaches and getting used to collegiate practices, she said she didn’t know whether OSU track and field was for her.

“I went back to Greece in December (2018) because I wasn’t happy, and I didn’t really have any friends,” Adamopoulou said. “I couldn’t really communicate with my coaches because of the language barrier, of course. It was really different for me like the practice here was different, everything was new, and I wasn’t prepared for it.”

Five years later, Adamopoulou has solidified herself as one of the best female pole vaulters in OSU’s history.

Despite Adamopoulou’s departure, Josh Langley, OSU’s pole vault coach, stayed in touch with her in hopes she would return. Adamopoulou said Langley pulled out all the tricks to reel her back to Stillwater.

Langley said he was constantly communicating with her and keeping OSU on her mind. He said it also helped that he found the indoor stability Adamopoulou was used to in Greece.

“Once we got a more permanent contract with the Colvin Center,” Langley said, “we had a really good guy vaulter, Blake Scott, who

was here and showed her videos of him jumping really high in the facility.”

Langley also showed his “want” to get Adamopoulou back by flying to Sweden to watch her compete for Greece in a European Championship meet. Once or twice a week, Langley kept chipping away at Adamopoulou.

Langley’s tricks worked. After a redshirt year, Adamopoulou was back in Stillwater. She said she came back with a new sense of herself and who she wanted to be as a Cowgirl.

“I got more mature as a person,” Adamopoulou said. “I knew that the second time that I would come here, I knew the challenges and I knew how it’s going to be. I chose to come back, and I was more prepared for everything. Also, I tried to be more social and talk to people, and it worked out for me.”

A school-record pole vault in outdoor (13 feet, 7.7 inches) and indoor (14 feet, 4 inches), three first-team Academic All-Big 12 honors and two indoor All-Big 12 honors are a sample of Adamopoulou’s accolades. She is also a twotime NCAA Indoor All-American with first-team honors in 2021 and second-team honors in 2022.

It hasn’t been an easy five years for Adamopoulou and her family. Adamopoulou’s mom, Aggelilki Adamopoulou, said it has been a strenuous time without her daughter.

“The constant anxiety if she is OK and happy and healthy,” Aggelilki said. “If she ate, if she slept well, if anybody or anything worries her, and we cannot be there and help her. Since we haven’t seen her for almost nine months now, we miss her so much. For five years, we have been sleeping with the mobile next to our head so we can hear it right away.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the world in 2020, it made that time even more strenuous. Ariadni said her mom came to visit in 2020 amid the lockdown. She said her mom was stuck in the U.S. for a month because of restrictions.

Ariadni left OSU because of her difficulty making friends and getting acclimated. In 2020, the cycle seemingly repeated. As many experienced during the pandemic, she wasn’t able to travel and see her family as she desired. She said she also couldn’t see the friends and teammates she worked so hard

to befriend.

“It was really hard because there were so many restrictions,” Ariadni said. “We couldn’t hang out with teammates. So, we would only see them at practice, and we couldn’t go anywhere for food. It was hard to associate with teammates and make friends. Our coaches didn’t want us to see each other so we could be safe and go to meets.”

Ariadni’s choice to go back to OSU paid off for her and her team. Her standard in practice is why she is atop OSU’s record books. It was a standard that caught Ariadni’s teammate, junior Sarah Stair, off guard. Stair is in her first year with the Cowgirls after transferring from West Virginia and said she remembers when she met “Ari,” as her friends call her.

“I remember the very first time we did workouts together,” Stair said. “She was so far ahead of everyone. I was like, ‘How is this girl doing that?’ We would be resting for five minutes, and we’d be at four minutes, and she’d be like, ‘OK, are you guys ready?’ I was like, ‘What in the world did I get myself into, this girl is crazy.’”

That’s just who Ariadni is. She is as zealous on the track as she is off it with her friends. For such a soft-spoken and quiet person, it wouldn’t seem like it.

Ariadni said over time she picked up on the language through small talk with professors and teammates. She also watched movies and shows with English subtitles. Stair said all it takes is a quick icebreaker and Ariadni is off and running.

“Since we’re in America, I feel like it’s hard for her to walk up to an American and be extroverted,” Stair said. “But once you start to talk to her, like within five minutes, you’re like, ‘Oh my goodness, this girl is hilarious.’

“She’s such a good athlete and training with her makes you want to be a better person, a better athlete, a better everything. But as a person, I just can’t emphasize how hilarious she is. She’s always making us laugh, always making us smile.”

Ariadni means a lot to her fellow pole vaulters, especially to one who was in similar shoes as her when she first went to OSU.

Anna Airault is a sophomore pole vaulter from France and Ariadni’s teammate.

Read full story at www.ocolly.com

Courtesy of OSU Athletics

Ariadni Adamopoulou left OSU during her freshman season but returned after a redshirt year and has become one of OSU’s best pole vaulters.

File Photo

Chase Adkison has started 39 of OSU’s 44 games this season.

Q: Do you have a favorite memory that sticks out to you?

“The Texas match was definitely the highlight of my college career here. That match, even though I only got to play doubles, it was just like another thing. I mean Texas? Everybody sees Texas as that national champion, so beating them and showing our team that we could do it and we did, I think that was big. Another important thing is when I clinched against Iowa State last year. That was probably one of the biggest wins for myself personally. As a team, definitely Texas and Pepperdine.”

Q: Once the season is over, what are your plans?

“I will be going back to Italy for the summer. I will be playing for a team in Germany throughout the whole summer and compete for them. Then, I am hoping to get a job here close to Stillwater, at least like Tulsa

sports

or Oklahoma City and still be able to be around Stillwater and the girls. If they need anything or practice, I just want to be available. I applied for my visa. Hopefully, I get it and I’ll be able to come back here in August.”

Q: What makes you want to return to Oklahoma?

“I really like the culture here. I mean I’m from a place that is such a small town, and it’s by the beach and everything so that is where I want to live in the future. Somewhere close and by the beach, but at the same time, Oklahoma has given me a lot. Maybe people would say, ‘Why Stillwater? Why are you going back?’ It’s because the culture here is great, and I have people that care and support me. Why not live in that for one more year or two?”

Q: Think you can find a beachside place here in Oklahoma?

“Not a chance. I could get a pool maybe. But right now, I don’t really care about the place that I live at. I care about the people around me, and I think here it’s great. So, I want to keep living in that for a couple of years.”

Q: Is tennis still in the cards?

“It is, but at the same time, I’m

not quite sure after two back surgeries how long I can keep going with it. Hopefully, long enough, but it’s still up for debate. I guess going back home and seeing how I feel over the summer and play at home. Hopefully, why not play? But it depends a lot on how my health is doing.”

Q: What does Cowgirl tennis mean to you?

“Pretty much everything. Cowgirl tennis has meant a lot to me over the past two and a half years, and I think it’ll still mean a lot to me once I leave from here. Coaches, both of them, have taught me so many things about life off the court as well. We got our sense of a program with such high standards, and what I know that when I come in here and walk in our facilities, not many people get to do this. I have the privilege to be able to do it, and it’s an honor honestly. You have to daily remind yourself of that, because sometimes it’s easy to just get taken away and forget where you’re playing. It’s important to remind yourself of that.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Galvydyte took irregular route to OSU

wanted to run track beyond high school. You don’t think about it much when you’re younger and I didn’t. I was just doing what I heard was best for me.”

Little did she know, life would get even harder.

OSU coach Jacie Hoyt continues to make noise in the transfer portal.

On Thursday, Georgetown transfer Kennedy Fauntleroy committed to the Cowgirls, Hoyt announced. Fauntleroy spent the 2022-23 season with the Hoyas and unanimously captured Big East Freshman of the Year honors. She averaged 10.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game on 35.6% shooting.

premiere track runner. College offers came before she eventually committed to OSU.

When Gabija Galvydyte reflects on her transformation as an athlete, it motivates her.

She’s an mulitpletime All-American and has seen success in running the 800-meter for OSU, but before college, life wasn’t so easy. Galvydyte didn’t have an orthodox athletic career before OSU. She spent her four years of high school enrolled in Raimundas Sargunas Sports Gymnasium, an athletic boarding school in her native Lithuania. she said moving away from home was difficult and mentally draining. She had spent nearly every moment of her life alongside her family.

In Lithuania, normal high school students who wanted to play sports at a higher level aren’t allowed to do so for their school. If you weren’t playing club sports, you had to attend an athletic boarding school to boost your recruiting profile.

“I knew it had to be done,” Galvydyte said. “I was nervous, but I also

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The curfews were strict, and the wake-up times were even more exhausting.

Every day, she woke up at 7 a.m. in preparation for an 8 a.m. practice session. Afterward, she would have two classes before heading to another practice. The same process would transpire close to three times a day before her 10. p.m. curfew. The next day, it would repeat.

“It was hard to get used to at first,” Galvydyte said. “It was made for athletes, and only athletes really. It was definitely something that was new for me at first and I knew I had to get used to it.”

Admittedly, it was an adjustment. She didn’t think much of it at first but recalls being worn out after two months. Her mental health even became a concern for her at times. That was until she “saw the light.”

Galvydyte saw the opportunity in front of her. Becoming independent would mold her into a pristine athlete. Her dream at a young age was to be

“Gabija is a phenomenal athlete,” OSU coach Dave Smith said. “I know her journey wasn’t traditional for most American athletes, let alone college athletes, but she’s become a better athlete and runner because of it. I think she realizes how fortunate she is to have gone through that (in high school).”

As her time in the U.S. has extended, she’s realized how unorthodox her high school days were. But as she looks back on it, as difficult as the adjustment was, she said she doesn’t regret a moment of it.

“In hindsight it was probably the best decision of my life,” Galvydyte said. “It required a lot of self-growth and mental and physical development, but it made me the athlete I am today.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to adjust to life away from home at an early age. I think opportunities like that are great for young runners and athletes.”

“We are thrilled to add Kennedy to our Cowgirl family,” Hoyt said. “Last year she proved to be one of the best point guards in the country as a freshman and we can’t wait to help her prove herself again.”

The 5-foot-7 guard was previously ranked as the No. 74 overall

player and No. 17 at her position by ESPN Hoopgurlz, and was the 20202021 MaxPreps Maryland Player of the Year.

In her one-year stint at Georgetown, Fauntleroy posted 17 doubledigit and four 20-point scoring contests, including a 28-point outing against Xavier. She notably shot 50% or better in all of her 20-point games.

“A scoring point guard is a coveted position for us and the style we play and Kennedy is all that and more,” Hoyt said.

Fauntleroy is OSU’s fourth portal add, joining Quincy Noble, Rylee Langerman and Ioanna Chatzileonti.

The rest of the roster is filled by Hannah Gusters, Anna Gret Asi, Lior Garzon, Praise Egharevba, Landry Williams, Stailee Heard, Mai Gailbrath and Brenna Butler. sports.ed@ocolly.com

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy OSU Athletics

Kennedy Fauntleroy, reigning Big East Freshman of the Year, committed to OSU on Thursday.

Chase Davis

Gabija Galvydyte spent her high school years in Lithuania at an athletic boarding school.

Martina Zerulo is getting a final chance for postseason play after undergoing two back surgeries.

Parker Gerl Staff Reporter

Daniel Allen Staff Reporter

Continued from page 1

They sat together in the dining room and listened to Los Angeles Dodgers games on the radio while enjoying Snickers bars, peanuts and Cokes. Gajewski is a diehard Boston Red Sox fan now, but said he is fond of, and grew up attending games and following the Dodgers and Angels.

He didn’t realize it at the time, but he said that’s what really got him into sports, although he played them throughout the day in the streets regardless. Around 5, he began playing soccer and baseball. Gajewski looked forward to local All-Star baseball tournaments the most.

One year, he played for a Catholic league team — despite not being Catholic — and they played a team from the Navy base league. Many of his friends were on the Navy base team, and they defeated Gajewski’s squad. It’s a loss he still remembers in his 50s.

“I was a big baby, I cried a lot,” Gajewski said. “I cried every time we lost at anything we ever played. But it motivated me to work. It made me really want to improve and grow and want to get better.”

After high school, Gajewski continued his baseball career at Cerritos College, a JUCO less than 10 miles from Los Alamitos. Junior college baseball at the time was much different than now, with more good coaches and more talent, forcing everybody into a survival mode. Gajewski said he was confident his and many other JUCO teams would’ve beat D-I teams.

It was there he said he truly discovered his love of baseball. The grind, the rigorous schedule, the competition; he said it all taught him to not just become a better player, but a better planner and worker.

After a year there and two more at Cal State Dominguez Hills — a D-II school — he played his final year at Oklahoma in 1994, a season the Sooners ended with a national championship. He wasn’t the ace pitcher, but he helped his team reach the peak with similar characteristics many see in him now — dedication and perseverance.

“He was gritty,” said M.J. Mariani, a former teammate at OU and friend of Gajewski. “Where he came from in California, you didn’t have a choice. You either got after it, or you moved on. He’s a worker. He’s savvy. He’s a Greg Maddux type. He wasn’t the most powerful pitcher, but he was smart. Kenny’s got that fire. That’s from his upbringing. The guys from Cali we grew up with, they were some dogs.”

At Cerritos College, Gajewski swung the fungo for his teammate’s fielding drills. Greg Bergeron — who’s now an assistant baseball coach at Cal State North-

ridge — would complain that he hit the grounders too hard.

What, are you going to ask the other team to take it easy on you?

Gajewski would say back.

Although it wasn’t what Bergeron said he wanted to hear, it was true, and it was an example of Gajewski’s honesty.

Honesty that comes from his love and care for all of his friends close to him. Some of it shows on the field, but most of it is off.

“Kenny is just one of those people you need in your life,” Mariani said. “He tells you the truth. He cares about you. He’s not afraid to tell you brutally honest and straight to you, because it comes from his heart and out of love. Those are the things that made Kenny and I so close. We became friends because we became close on a national championship team, but now we don’t talk about that stuff. These days we talk about life. We talk about relationships, our spouses, our family, the things that come along with it, and our kids…

“His whole chest is his heart. I’ll send him a text, and he’ll know when I’m feeling down. If I call, he picks the phone up. And that’s rare.”

One of Mariani’s daughters, Ava, plays softball. On occasion, Gajewski will call her — and often other members of his friends’ families — to check in and see if he can provide input or be a different voice during a dispute. If M.J. or his other friends are frustrated, they say Gajewski is there to make sure they stay leveled, and he tells them the truth, no matter how harsh.

Gajewski’s honesty helps his team get better, too. Many new players at OSU — transfers and freshmen — say they appreciated and admired Gajewski’s honesty about expectations and their role when they’re asked about what drew them to the program during recruitment. In the fall, he put the depth chart on a wall in the clubhouse for all to see and told the players if they didn’t like their spot, they had the ability to change it.

He’s also not afraid to tell players if he thinks they won’t make it at OSU. After redshirting her freshman season, Gajewski told pitcher Kelly Maxwell that he didn’t think she was good enough to play at OSU. He told former outfielder Chelsea Alexander that she wasn’t good enough for him to offer her

not,” Gajewski said. “I love these kids. I love everyone in this program. I love the people who help us.

“When I recruit them, I underpromise. I tell them I’m not going to promise all this stuff, but I’m going to over-deliver each day.”

*****

When Tallen Edwards, the No. 3 player in the country in her recruiting class, was in high school, Gajewski wasn’t recruiting her intently, despite being only 70 miles away. She held an offer from almost every top SEC program and didn’t give much attention to OSU early on. If Gajewski thought she wasn’t interested, he said he wasn’t going to push it.

Eventually that changed, Edwards wanted to stay closer to home and committed to OSU in November. Gajewski set up a visit for Edwards and her parents, Pam and Larry, to come to Stillwater in December.

Larry got COVID before the meeting, so it had to be postponed. But he never recovered and died after 40 days in the hospital.

Edwards just committed to OSU, but Gajewski said his first instinct was he thought he needed to be a father figure for her during the emotional time, not just a coach.

“I tried to support her the best I could,” Gajewski said.

too. It wasn’t even about softball then.”

To further help in Edwards’ healing, Gajewski pitched an idea. He asked if she would forgo her senior season and reclassify and enroll at OSU a year earlier. At first, the answer was no, but after more time and visits, the family realized it was where Edwards needed to be.

“You couldn’t find a better father figure that isn’t her dad,” Pam said. “(Gajewski) has that loving side that makes sure she’s OK.”

Gajewski has an open-door policy. Anybody is able to go in his office and talk with him about anything. He doesn’t close the door when he leaves. He has deep, personal talks with many of his players, especially seniors, who often go to Gajewski for advice after college like they have asked him for years before.

He can tell what type of conversation he is going to have with someone depending on where they sit when they enter his office. If they lay on the couch or a large glove-shaped chair, it’s normal. If it’s at his desk, there’s something wrong or they need help. His relationships with his players are most important to him. He gets to know them well. He gets emotional often. He’s not afraid to cry in front of them. He’s not afraid to cry with them, and he usually cries when talking about his players, because he knows what many of them go through, and is happy to see them be themselves, become more mature and overcome adversity.

a spot on the team at a recruiting camp OSU hosted.

“I feel like everyone always wants honesty whether it’s hard or

“We talked. We talked a lot. I don’t think I’ve talked to any kid in my time here like I’ve talked to Tallen. It was easy. She needed it, I guess I did,

“I’m not afraid to pry into their lives,” Gajewski said. “Everybody thinks they’re the only ones who have wacky families or things that go bad. It’s all of us. We all have the same thing. I enjoy prying information out of them because they want it out. They’re just afraid of what might come. I try to build this relationship of trust that they can appreciate. That’s where I start each day. It’s never just about softball.”

Although he is often there for others whenever needed, Gajewski admitted he isn’t the best at talking about what affects him.

After a loss in the series final vs Iowa State in 11 innings on April 16, Gajewski said he went home, didn’t want to talk to anybody, did not respond to any calls or texts, went outside to his backyard, had a drink, watered the grass and just sat.

“I’m not as open as I want to be,” Gajewski said. “With the girls, I have no fear of having these conversations, but even with my own family it’s not like that.”

It’s something he said he wants to get better at, but his way of treating others is something he learned later in life anyway.

When for 10 years he worked as OU’s turf and maintenance director, he spent a lot of time around Bob Stoops, the Sooners’ football coach at the time. Gajewski described how he watched Stoops handle others and create relationships out of respect no matter who it was.

Gajewski said he always knew he had a big heart and cared for others before but began to focus on it and noticed the benefits when he left OU to become the director of baseball operations at Tennessee, then an assistant softball coach at Florida and after the head coach at OSU.

Kenny Gajewski got his start in coaching at the University of Oklahoma as a graduate assistant, following a season playing for the baseball team.

Everybody thinks they’re the only ones who have wacky families or things that go bad. It’s all of us. We all have the same thing.

Kenny Gajewski

File Photo

Kenny Gajewski spent three years as an assistant at Florida before being hired as OSU’s coach in 2016.

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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis

Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black

Tribune Content Agency

Linda

Black Horoscopes

Today’s Birthday (05/05/23). Create long-term plans this year. Win by practicing for strong teamwork and collaboration. Savor private springtime retreats for delightful planning. Navigate summer changes with your partner, before autumn energizes your work, health and fitness. Make personal improvements next winter. Imagine, dream and envision perfection.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most chal lenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is an 8 — Study and research the situation. An exploration could take a twist. Postpone advancement. Avoid risky travel conditions. Expect the unexpected. Learn valuable tricks.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Revise budgets for unforeseen expenses. Maintain a philosophical attitude about money. Plan, coordinate and build together. Hunt for hidden efficiencies and find them.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 7 — Have extra patience with your partner. Consider consequences before reacting blindly. You don’t have the full picture. Discuss possibilities and discover valuable solutions.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 7 — Prioritize your work, health and energy despite unreliable conditions. Heed recommendations and warnings. Play by the rules. Disciplined practices support with complications or changes.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Enjoy time with friends, even from a distance. Distractions or breakdowns could disrupt the fun. Stay flexible. Provide loving stability. Practice your creative arts.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Start another chapter. A six-month Full Moon phase highlights communications, connection and intellectual discovery. Adapt to challenges. Keep channels open. Write, edit and share.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Make a shift around income and finances. Discover profitable opportunities in new directions with this Scorpio Full Moon Eclipse. Redirect attention toward fresh potential.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is an 8 — A challenge reorients you. This Lunar Eclipse in your sign illuminates new personal directions. Expand boundaries over half a year. Develop an inspiring possibility.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 6 — Review priorities privately. This Eclipse illuminates the dawn of a six-month introspective phase. Balance old responsibilities with new. Process transitions. Consider the past and future.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 7 — One social door closes and another opens with this Eclipse. Adapt with community and team changes over six months. Share appreciation and salutations.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Consider an exciting career opportunity. Make professional changes with this Eclipse. Redirect efforts over the next half year toward your talents, passions and purpose.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 7 — Your exploration changes and adapts.

The Full Moon Eclipse illuminates a shift in your educational direction. Experiment with new concepts over six months.

1

ACROSS

Francie Jones

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

A 2018 study from completeconcussionsdotcom listed baseball as the sport with the ninth-highest concussion rate among athletes under 18. Baseball had a rate of 0.06 per 1,000 athlete exposures. This figure is well behind top culprits like rugby (4.18/1,000), hockey (1.2/1,000) and football (0.53/1,000).

Dr. Thomas Bottiglieri said baseball isn’t thought of in the same way as collision sports like soccer or football are.

“The likelihood of CTE in baseball is obviously much lower with the risk of the sport,” Bottiglieri said. “In fact, there was a research paper comparing football players to baseball players and lifelong risk of different types of illness or premature death, and baseball players had far lower rate of Alzheimer’s or dementia or neurogenerative disorders than football counterparts. So, reality is that baseball is not a major consideration for CTE.”

Still, Bottiglieri said that’s not an invitation to ignore concussions stemming from a baseball diamond, just a tool for risk assessment.

Any time a ball is getting hurled close to 100 miles an hour, there is always a chance something could go wrong. It’s why Holliday never wants his players throwing at an opponent’s head. The 70-year-old baseball coach still believes messages occasionally need to be sent, but hit someone in the butt, he says.

“No game is that important, no game is worth a life.”

And Holliday knows. He coached at OSU in 1982 when Cowboy third baseman James Hudson slid headfirst into second base to break up a double play. Hudson, who lost his helmet during his sprint, slid into the knee of the charging shortstop, concussing him and fracturing his skull. That night in the hospital, Hudson’s brain swelled, and doctors felt they saved his life. The injury ended his career.

***** Concussion treatment has improved drastically in the past 10 years.

Eli Williams, the OSU baseball athletic trainer, has 14 years of experience treating sports injuries and worked with the University of Richmond’s football and field hockey teams before OSU. Williams said he thinks people pay more attention to concussions now than when he started working, maybe in some part because of the highly publicized CTE case brought against the NFL.

“You know 15-20 years ago, you hear all the time, ‘Got my bell rung,’ you know, ‘It’s a little cloudy,’ or something like that, and we never really thought of it much,” Williams said.

When Williams arrived at OSU, the tests to clear athletes in concussion protocol were kind of what is portrayed in the movies. Could the athlete physically balance? Pass a computer test? Intake and spit out a string of numbers? Recall a handful of words? They were good to go back in the game.

Today, upon arrival at OSU, an athlete undergoes a prescreening process. The same thing happens at Stillwater High School. These scans develop a baseline for what that athlete’s brain looks like when fully healthy. All future decisions are measured against that standard of health.

Williams said OSU uses a data collection service called C3 Logix. He described it as a “neurocognitive and balanced vision related concussion assessment.” This is how Williams compares a recovering athlete’s brain with their brain in the prescreen scan.

The first step in Meola’s treatment was to run an assessment. His symptoms were significantly elevated, so Williams knew Meola would miss time.

Jimmy Harris, coach of the Stillwater Pioneer baseball team, said he has fantastic resources available to monitor and treat concussions. He said it starts with coaches being more informed about them through mandatory courses.

“When a guy gets hit, the ‘Hey tough it out’ days are over,” Harris said. “We have to watch the kids and make sure they’re in good shape because this is such a real thing.”

*****

After teammates picked up Meola off the batting cage floor and walked the blurryeyed third baseman out of the facility, Williams got Meola to his dorm room and left.

Colleen Meola’s heart sank when she got the news another concussion afflicted her son. She got worried when Meola started throwing up in his dorm and made sure he got to the hospital so he could spend the night being monitored.

“I remember waking up to us losing to Oral Roberts in extra innings and was like, ‘Worst day ever,’” Aidan said.

Jackson Holliday, one of Aidan’s best friends from club baseball, spent the night with him at the hospital. Colleen was there the next day for company and his teammates made sure Aidan stayed stocked on snacks and drinks. Even with all the support, Aidan spent the bulk of his recovery time severed from the rest of the world.

Light hurt his eyes, so Meola couldn’t open the curtains of his dorm room or watch TV. He couldn’t leave his room for about a week. Williams said it’s in these situations, people realize just how much the brain does e— everything.

Recovering from a severe concussion is a process. Williams wants to remove as much cognitive stimulus as possible. He sends letters to players’ academic advisers to get them out of classes. The last thing he wants is players trying to retain knowledge with an injured brain.

“It’s like if it’s an injury to a shoulder, and it causes pain to utilize the shoulder,” Williams said. “Typically, we regress things down until we can find something that the shoulder can do without causing discomfort.”

Gradually, Williams reintroduces stimulation, getting fresh air with a walk outside, and maybe some sunlight until the athlete is symptom-free.

Beyond the physical challenges are the emotional ones.

Williams said it is excruciating to tell a college athlete they will have to take time away from the sport they love. “As soon as you do that, you’re going to induce a sense of worry, you’re going to induce a sense of anxiety, a sense of, ‘I’m missing out, I’m getting behind,’” Williams said.

“There’s a piece of them, it’s taken away… That’s a real kick in the nuts sometimes for most kids.”

Tony Meola, Aidan’s dad, said it got to a point they couldn’t even talk about baseball. It hurt Aidan too much to bring it up. “He didn’t handle it well,”

Tony said. “He was down in the dumps, aside from feeling terrible. He was really down, as you could probably imagine.”

Maybe it’s because of the pain it takes to bring a child into this world, but moms tend to have a unique perspective when it comes to watching their kids get hurt.

Kathy Holliday said between her two sons, Matt, a former MLB outfielder, and Josh, Oklahoma State baseball coach, she’s been to the emergency room six times. Broken teeth, noses and bones, she’s seen it all.

Read full story at www.ocolly.com

Advertising Executives Needed

The O’Colly Media Group at OSU is now taking applications for advertising executives to work in our expanding Media operation. Duties include contacting clients and providing them with advertising options for print editions, online editions, special editions and advertising bundle specials. Applicants should be able to work office hours and meet clients at their businesses. Salary includes base pay, commission and bonuses. To apply come to room 106 in the Paul Miller Journalism office or email Lori@ocolly.com

Jaiden Daughty

Meola entered college without having ever been diagnosed with a concussion despite playing soccer and basketball as a youth.

Courtesy Tribune News Service

An image of a brain impacted by a concussion. A 2018 study listed baseball as the sport with the ninth-highest concussion rate among athletes under 18.

Bedlam...

Continued from 1B

“I don’t (know what it will look like next after OU leaves for the SEC),” Gajewski said. “I’ve tried to tell them that we want to play, but I don’t have very good luck getting responses... I’m pretty open that we want to play.”

In an interview last season prior to the regular season Bedlam series, Sooners coach Patty Gasso answered questions regarding the rivalry, ultimately saying how continuing the high-profile matchup “would be good for both sides.”

“In the way of fans and so forth (it would be good to continue the matchup),” Gasso said. “But it really hasn’t been a conversation or thought as of yet.

“I haven’t really thought about it much. People are asking (but) I don’t know if our administration is taking a stance on it or not... if it fits right (in the schedule) that’s important.”

Whether it’s a

1-1-1 series spread throughout the season in midweek games or a nonconference weekend series, Gajewski is open to exploring any options.

After all, when Gajewski got the head coaching job at OSU, Gasso was the first person to tell him how important it was to play quality outof-conference teams in order to boost his team’s RPI (rating percentage index, used to measure strength of schedule).

“Patty’s (Gasso) the one who told me from day one, ‘Look, you got to go play teams,’” Gajewski said.

OSU is pulling out all the stops for the Bedlam home series, including adding 500 temporary outfield seats to the signifcantly undersized Cowgirl Stadium.

“I’m excited to see how many people come out,” shortshop Kiley Naomi said. “I know we got that extra deck out there, so it’ll be awesome to perform for all the fans and hear that environment.”

Although the Cowgirls aren’t currently peaking, there’s no better opportunity to get back on track than defeating their seemingly unbeatable rival, espe -

cially when it may be the last time the Sooners travel to Cowgirl Stadium for the forseeable future.

“This is right when we need to ramp up as a team,” pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl said. “So, I think this will be good to prepare us for the postseason.”

Past Bedlam results

May 14, 2022 (Big 12 championship): OSU 4-3

May 7, 2022: OU 5-3

May 6, 2022: OU 6-0

May 5, 2022: OU 7-1

May 15, 2021 (Big 12 championship): OU 10-2

May 9, 2021: OU 11-8

May 8, 2021: OU 6-4

May 7, 2021: OSU 6-4

May 31, 2019 (WCWS): OU 6-1

Comeback defeats, losing leads late trending for Cowboys

to D1Baseball, the big picture could be much brighter.

“You can take bits and pieces from these losses and look at it (positively),” Benge said. “Guys are growing and learning, but (the losses) are very frustrating.”

wins have come since McLean’s injury.

Josh Holliday wasn’t hesitant to give perspective on OSU’s loss to Oral Roberts.

“Pushing off the emotion of a frustrating loss, we’re past that,” he said. “We just didn’t play well in the end like we did in the beginning.”

The Cowboys led ORU 5-0 midway through. That was until starting pitcher Carson Benge departed the mound. Shortly thereafter, a familiar chain of events transpired. Four relief pitchers were utilized in the next four innings, and the Golden Eagles plated six runs in that span.

Tuesday marked the eighth comeback win an opposing team recorded on OSU. Potential top-25 series wins against Texas Tech, TCU and West Virginia, along with RPIfriendly midweek contests with ORU have been lost because of multiplerun innings surrendered late in games.

As the Cowboys own a 30-14 record — 11-7 in Big 12 play, tied for first with West Virginia and Kansas State – and are projected as a top-16 seed and a regional host, according

Starting pitching for OSU hasn’t been ideal either.

Over the course of the season, the Cowboy starting rotation has consisted of six lineups. Injuries haven’t helped.

Ryan Bogusz has spent the majority of the season recovering from shoulder injury. BYU transfer Janzen Keisel has dealt with a shoulder injury and struggled to find consistency he once held in a no-hitter against California Baptist on Feb. 21. Holliday, in the offseason, named both as potential starting arms for the Cowboys.

Closer Nolan McLean has been absent because of an undisclosed leg injury suffered against Texas on April 1.

“I think when you’ve got confident (pitchers) who are reliable like Nolan McLean and Isaac Stebens, you’ve got an Omaha-caliber team,” said D1Baseball national analyst Mike Rooney before McLean’s injury. “It’s hard to bet against a team like that when postseason comes.”

Since, bullpen implosions and big innings have been more rampant. Six of those opponents’ eight comeback

The Cowboys had a viable one-two punch with McLean – who held a 1.35 ERA and the NCAA saves leader (six) – and reliever Isaac Stebens. Now, it’s on hold. “We’ve missed (Nolan) and hopefully he can return soon,” Holliday said after the series loss to West Virginia. “He’s a big part of our team.”

From 2014-16 when OSU went on a stretch of two super regional appearances and a trip to the College World Series, none of Holliday’s teams held a team ERA exceeding 3.29.

OSU’s current slate of starting arms – Juaron Watts-Brown, Ben Abram and Benge – hold a cumulative 5.21 ERA. None of them average below 4.00. The team ERA sits at 5.29.

OSU has done well in shootouts this season, but the numbers show pitching can’t be overlooked. As do the lastminute losses.

“We’ll play (each game) one-by-one,” Holliday said. “We’re out of (Big 12 play) right now. So, we’re trying to play each game one-at-a-time the best we can through this stretch of nonleague games so we can prepare ourselves the best we can for the final two weekends of league play.”

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File Photo

The Cowgirls have lost seven of their past nine games before a series with OU beginning Friday.

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Chase Davis

OSU’s 5.29 team ERA is much higher than other teams that have made deep postseason pushes under coach Josh Holliday.

Daniel Allen Staff Reporter

Weeks chasing golf dream at OSU

Tessa Dorrell Staff Reporter

Aidan Weeks’ course loads are different from others.

Weeks goes from studying to swinging each day. He trades his casual clothes and backpack for a polo and his clubs when he returns home from class.

Weeks is a junior at OSU studying Aviation Security, and studies and participates in intramurals like other students, but his unique goals set him apart.

Many students in Stillwater enjoy golf as a hobby. For Weeks, this hobby heightened into a lifestyle.

Studying to swinging

Weeks started playing golf when he was in seventh grade when his mother signed him up for a summer camp. There, Weeks saw the importance of golf from his first encounter with the sport.

“I met these two kids from Mexico,” Weeks said. “They were a lot better at golf than I was especially since I had never played. They were here in the states trying to improve their games so they could join and get citizenship here in the United States and take it professional.”

After the camp that kicked off his love for the sport,

he began watching and following tournaments with his dad.

“My biggest fascination with golf grew when I went to the Byron Nelson for the first time in Dallas,” Weeks said. “It was just me and my dad. They were in a playoff. They were on hole 18 and it was James Hahn, Jason Day and Billy Horschel.

James Hahn needed to hole out and make an eagle to go into a playoff. He barely missed. It’s still my favorite shot that I’ve ever seen in person.”

Weeks played golf through high school. He attended Lovejoy High School in Lucas, Texas, his freshman and sophomore years. Weeks then attended Shelton School in Dallas for his junior and senior years. The years of shooting low had a high payoff for Weeks when he won state during his senior year.

“One of my most memorable moments with Aidan, there are way too many,” said Shelton coach Adrian Hayes.

“When he was playing day two for the state championship, he looked at me and said, ‘We got this. I’m going low today.’ And he did; we won.”

Hayes described Weeks as a focused, honest and super competitive player.

“I think beating other players was my favorite,” Weeks said. “All throughout

high school, my goal was just to beat every person that I play with. If you beat the people you play with, then you are typically doing something right.”

Caddie knows best

Not all caddie-player combinations stick.

Weeks calls his USGA caddie one of his lifelong friends. Jacob Sullivan worked with Weeks at Northwood Club in Dallas while in high school. Sullivan is Weeks’ roommate at OSU.

“Golf is something he is really passionate about,” Sullivan said. “He hasn’t been able to play tournaments when he is playing his best golf. He’s only been able to play in high school. He hasn’t been able to compete against people that are at the same level as him yet. He’s just put in a lot of work.”

Sullivan knows Weeks’ golf game better than anyone else, especially since they are so far from home. Sullivan is excited to see Weeks compete again.

“I’ve caddied for like five years, but I’ve never caddied for him,” Sullivan said. “It’s nice because even at this level caddying is important. Just because you have got to help prevent the little or like mental mistakes, because you obviously can’t play the course. It’s neat that he trusts me enough to let me in. I

know his game enough to do it.”

Weeks trusts Sullivan to do more than just hand over the clubs, he trusts Sullivan to help him improve in many aspects of his play. “He has work on not allowing the mistakes to compound and then just kind of staying within a good mindset the whole time,” Sullivan said. “Once you get a bad shot and you put up a bad number, it’s really easy to let the tournament get away from you… I think he can avoid those mistakes by just not allowing it to interrupt momentum, that would probably be the biggest thing.”

Taking the long way

There is something unconventional about Weeks’ journey.

Weeks played well in high school but left with only a few offers, none being to any schools he desired to attend.

“I had one offer to play at a Division II school,” Weeks said. “I chose OSU because it had the major I wanted to pursue. I just didn’t really want to make golf a job. I’m trying to get a degree and move on, but I don’t think I’ll do anything but work with or in golf now.”

The USGA allows players to play at a higher level than local tournaments.

The U.S. Open is open to players in the USGA who have

a handicap index less than 1.4. Though Weeks doesn’t play for OSU, he still has hopes to continue playing at a competitive level. Weeks played in his first USGA event Monday in Duncan.

“I was bored and had nothing else to do,” Weeks said.

“I really was kind of missing some competition in the sense of playing tournament golf. I think that’s something I want to get back into and that’s a good place to start. It was something I really was dead set on.”

Weeks shot seven-over, a 79. The winning score for the tournament was 70.

“I feel like my best part of my game was my mid to long iron and just iron play in general,” Weeks said. “I need to work on my short game. Just kind of touch and feel around the greens and different types of spins and controlling the ball a little bit more within that 120-to-60-yard range.”

Weeks hopes to continue playing in USGA events if his academic schedule allows.

“I am looking to sign up for a USA amateur qualifier and then I will do the US Open qualifier probably every year,” Weeks said.

HIMALAYAN GROCERY STORE

Aidan Weeks doesn’t play golf for OSU’s varsity team, but he’s still trying to make it more than a hobby.