The O'Colly, Friday, April 26, 2024.

Friday, April 26, 2024

Local investigation encourages conversations on trafficking crisis, Indigenous inequality

More than one year since a Stillwater teenager went missing, an arrest has been made in connection to his murder.

Teedeenae “Jackson”

Yearby, 17, was reported missing in February 2023. On April 17, Stillwater police arrested Quinlan Phipps, 19, for first degree murder in connection to Yearby’s disappearance. Phipps does not have a court date available on the Oklahoma State Court Network website.

A joint operation among Stillwater Police Department, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian

Affairs and Payne County Sheriff’s Office recovered human remains on. Stillwater police said the remains are believed to be related to Yearby’s case. Yearby’s story resonated with Shaeleigh McGee, who has Choctaw and Chickasaw tribe roots.

McGee, OSU’s outgoing Miss American Indian, said she remembered her family talking about missing Indigenous people for the first time when she was 10 years old.

Now, McGee is starting conversations about missing Indigenous people.

“I can’t stand to even think about it, because the more people in our communities that are killed off or they’re missing, that not only takes people away, but it takes away our culture,” McGee said. Native women are 10 times more likely to be murdered or sexually assaulted, and 82% of Indigenous men will experience violence in their lifetime, according to native -

hope.org.

McGee said her mother never shielded her from this reality. Instead, she educated her.

As a freshman in high school, McGee prepared to take a step toward independence and get her driver’s license. McGee’s mother took her to a presentation from a group called Red Card, which spread awareness about human trafficking.

“I think my mom made sure that it (trafficking) wasn’t ever a taboo, but she made sure that I was aware so I could protect myself and be aware of my surroundings,” McGee said.

McGee’s mother saw the dangers of trafficking, sexual trauma and domestic abuse each day as a sexual assault examiner nurse. McGee said her mother works with many Indigenous women, but Indigenous women who seek justice for what happened to them often never see it.

About seven hours after they walked through the door, Cooper Hamilton and Braden Smith knew they would be the next Pistol Petes.

On Sunday, the pair completed Pistol Pete tryouts to become the 97th and 98th Petes. They were two of the 19 students who tried out in one of the larger applicant pools the tryouts have seen. Each of

U.S. diplomat visits campus, speaks on Russia, Ukraine war

Dasha Vershylenko did not think Americans were still interested in the war happening in Ukraine, her home country.

On Wednesday, she was proved otherwise.

The School of Global Studies hosted Daniel Langenkamp, the deputy director and spokesperson for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, to explain the U.S. policy in Ukraine and its commitment to fighting Russian aggression.

Vershylenko, a former Ukrainian journalist who

moved to Tulsa in 2022, contacted Jami Fullerton, associate dean for the School of Global Studies, to ask about some of the opportunities the school offered that she could take advantage of. Vershylenko said she has watched her home country struggle and noticed the topic has become less popular as the war continues.

“I am so grateful that events like this are being organized,” Vershylenko said. “I am grateful to the U.S. government for the financial help they offered my country. I am surprised that this topic is still so important for people and that there are so many students here.”

The reception at Wes Watkins Center hosted several OSU students and a group of students who are part of the International Scholars Program from Jenks High School.

the applicants interviewed in front of a five-man judging committee of former Petes, then put the mascot head on and ran through situational scenarios posed to them. Hamilton, a sophomore, said this was the first interview he has ever done. “I had no clue what to expect,” Hamilton said. “I was fortunate enough to go through a mock interview the night before, and then as soon as I got actually in the interview, it was awesome, to say the least. They were joking, they were laughing, made it super enjoyable. It was very calm, laid back.”

Before tryouts happen, applicants are allowed to attend a clinic

where they are able to try on the 30-35 pound Pistol Pete head. It gives them the opportunity to get a feel for how they are able to maneuver with it on.

In addition to the judging committee, former Petes are invited back each year to watch the tryout process. About 20 former Petes joined the committee in observing tryouts on Sunday. Rick Wilson, the president of the Pistol Pete Alumni Association, was one of the judges. He said having former Petes run and judge the selection process is important to its success. The former Petes have a unique perspective that people such as faculty or alumni can’t offer,

Luisa Clausen

Daniel Langenkamp spoke with students after his lecture answering questions about U.S. policies in Ukraine and ways students can get involved. See

Courtesy of Shema Lincoln Teedeenae “Jackson” Yearby, 17, was reported missing to Stillwater Police Department in Febraury 2023.

SGA passes bill requesting monthly transit route between OSU, OKC

Easier access to Oklahoma City may be on the horizon.

The Student Government Association passed a bill recommending that OSU add a monthly transit route between Oklahoma City and Stillwater on Wednesday.

The bill was initiated from a partnership between SGA and the International Student Organization after Indira Lakkakula, the iSo liaison for SGA, contacted Joshua Wilson and Ty McLaughlin about international students who struggle to get to OKC when they need specific things such as food from the World Fresh International Market or a ride to Will Rogers World Airport.

OSU offered a shuttle between Stillwater and OKC 16 years ago, but it was discontinued because it wasn’t used enough to justify the expenses. Lakkakula said things have changed since then.

Nabonita Datta, a student from Bangladesh, heard from several of her peers about the struggles they face making the trip to OKC. She approached the iSo, and they

conducted a survey, revealing that 300 international students expressed a need for a shuttle between Oklahoma City and Stillwater at least once a month. OSU is home to 1,574 international students, many of whom have specific dietary requirements and prefer cooking familiar dishes. However, Stillwater’s limited stores make it challenging for them to access the necessary ingredients.

“SGA has the strongest voice at the university,” Lakkakula said. “They are not only representing American students, they are also representing our voices, the international students’ voices.”

During Ramadan, international students adhering to a specific diet shared with Valentina Martinez, the president of the iSo, they required a particular kind of meat only available at the World Fresh International Market in OKC.

The issue was exacerbated by the fact that many of them did not have access to a car, resulting in significant financial strain, with Uber rides costing between $173 and $265. Wilson contacted Steve Spradling, the director of parking and transportation services, to determine whether a shuttle would be possible.

Spradling said any new service would need to be evalu-

ated extensively to determine if it would be sustainable.

Spradling said the shuttle between Stillwater and Tulsa is different from Stillwater and Oklahoma City.

“OSU-Stillwater and OSU-Tulsa share a common curriculum, which makes the OSU-Tulsa shuttle sustainable,” Spradling said. “OSUOKC does not have the same curriculum.”

The director added that a monthly shuttle could be possible, but the department is short-staffed and unable to run some of its regular routes.

Wilson said parking transportation services could investigate the needs of international students, understand what weekend or day they have the fewest students going to Tulsa, and possibly rework one route to OKC. Martinez said making this happen would open opportunities for not only international students but also American students. A shuttle could increase access to those opportunities for students without a car who may have internship opportunities in OKC.

“I think this would be a good starting point where the OSU community can collaborate even more with companies in OKC,” Martinez said. news.ed@ocolly.com

“I like it. It’s not my favorite of her albums. I don’t think it’s her best work. I do think that a lot of it is really clever, but I do think that in trying to be really intellectual, sometimes it falls short. Sometimes I think it trips up on itself and its own metaphors. But that being said, think it’s still a fun concept album.”

Devynna Vella

“I personally have only heard half the tracks, and I’m not the biggest fan just because this album sounds very much like she’s just talking with music. Instead of her usual actual music sounds. So, I’m not the biggest fan.”

Luisa Clausen

Joshua Wilson and Indira Lakkakula presented their bill to SGA Senate during the last meeting of the semester.

Luisa Clausen

OSU seniors display diversity, individual styles at annual Euphoria Fashion Show

Ava Whistler Staff Reporter

Maybe it was the designers’ visions, the charismatic models or the chic set up, but some wouldn’t guess at first impression that the 2024 Euphoria Fashion Show was student-run.

The high-energy runway show on April 19 displayed clothing lines, which students in the Department of Design and Merchandising designed and produced. The venue was full of excited students, faculty and staff along with the friends and family of those involved.

From chunky high heels and women’s business wear to flowing beach looks and denim, the looks were diverse, but some of the most defining features of the show were the designers.

Excitement hung in the air as the lights dimmed and introductions began. Department Head Lynn Boorady began with a welcome speech that set the tone for the evening.

“Fashion is not merely about clothing,” Boorady said. “It’s about storytelling, self expression and pushing the boundaries of creativity.”

Senior Sebastian Arias’ designs were a prime example of this.

His clothing line, “Around the World,” was tailored to the models, literally and figuratively. He chose models from different backgrounds and countries and built designs that best represented themselves and their cultures.

“I just wanted to highlight the beauty of each model and their country,” Arias said. “And a lot of these different countries, people have preconceived notions and stereotypes of them. I wanted to work around that and make sure we’re not feeding into that.”

His looks ranged from striped two pieces, floor length evening dresses and a shimmering midnight colored gown. For most designers,

there were consistencies throughout the collection. But for Arias, each garment was its own moment.

After Arias was Kaitlyn Ayers, winner of Outstanding Collection. Her designs were based on the Nancy Sinatra song “These Boots are Made for Walkin’” and focused on female empowerment. She combined the sweetness of girlhood with elements of western wear dressed up with bows and metallic boots.

“I really wanted the outfits to be fun and also have little adolescent elements,” Ayers said. “I wanted to play into the girliness.”

The rest of the designers ranged from Presley Turner with her eerie fairytale inspired designs, to Heather Pidcock with her bold and breezy beach styles.

Lauren Selman’s clothing line, “Be the CEO,” focused on women’s business wear with a twist.

“As you look in the corporate world, the dress code limits individuality and color,” Selman said. “And as women rise in the workplace and they’re breaking glass ceilings and getting promotions, I want them to have power outfits they love.”

Selman won most marketable garment for her checkered blackand-white mini dress with sheer sleeves. Her other designs included feathers, bright magentas and pearls.

Selman also let her models significantly influence her designs. For each woman, she chose styles and colors that would fit their body type, in the most flattering way.

“I really wanted them to feel confident,” Selman said.

For most of the seniors, this production was their final gesture before graduating, and the event projected exhilarating, nostalgic energy.

“Design is meant to be fun,” Ayers said. “You step out of your comfort area, out of the boundaries of what’s traditional. Because fashion is limitless, there’s really no limit on what you can or can’t do.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

Photos by Kaytlyn Hayes

Department of Design and Merchandising designed and produced pieces to fit their individually selected themes.

Students, alumni visit capitol for 3rd Capitol Cowboys day

Kennedy Thomason News & Lifestyle Editor

On Wednesday, groups of students dressed in “America’s Brightest Orange” flocked to the Capitol. They visited legislators as a part of Capitol Cowboys, an event the OSU Alumni Association organizes. Students, split into groups of three or four, were given an alumnus or staff member to help them navigate the capitol. The groups were assigned four legislators to talk to and advocate on behalf of OSU.

Ann Caine, president of the OSU Alumni Association, said OSU President Dr. Kayse Shrum’s office decides the talking points that students share with legislators.

“She spent a lot of time talking to legislators, she’s really done a great job of building a relationship, personal relationship with our Oklahoma legislators, and so they come from her office as to what we’re going to be promoting each year,” Caine said.

Last year, Capitol Cowboys coincidentally fell on the same day the legislature voted on the veterinary medicine authority, which was one of the main points of advocacy.

This year, students continued to advocate for the veterinary medicine authority. They also advocated for support of county extension employees, support and advancement for OSU research initiatives, diverting deferred maintenance for OSU campuses and helping with the rising cost of property insurance.

Callie Gray, a student, said talking about the veterinary medicine authority and supporting extension

employees were her favorite points of advocacy. She said the state-wide impact is an important piece to realize.

“OSU has 77 extension offices, one in every single county, and which reach people throughout the entire state,” Gray said. “And they’re for every Oklahoman.”

Gray was part of the about 40 groups that visited the capitol. Students and administrators were not the only ones participating. Student-athletes, such as Ollie Gordon II, made an appearance as well.

Both Gray and Sydney Adkins, the Student Government Association Senate Speaker, have attended Capitol Cowboys for the third year since its creation.

Adkins said it was exciting to see first-time students experience the event as well as the capitol’s Cowboy community.

“It’s just such a great networking opportunity rolled into advocacy, and it’s just really great to see how big the OSU community is just outside of our school, you know?” Adkins said. Adkins said she encourages students of all majors to participate.

Although it can be hit-or-miss to talk with legislators, students complete training before arriving at the Capitol so they can get a feel for the legislature and its processes. They learn different ways to request time with a legislator, such as how to ask to pull them off the floor to talk.

“What I love is that if people aren’t used to speaking to a legislator, this is a great opportunity,” Caine said. “It’s low key, low pressure. You know, it teaches them that you know, talking to legislators is a relationship.”

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Architecture professor bridges community with music hobby

Hayden Alexander Staff Reporter

It feels like autumn in April.

Clouds are settling in over Stillwater, and the wind chills the air. String lights sway in the wind, overlooking a back patio on Husband Street. People wander about the patio, enjoying drinks and good conversation.

A warm melody rises and falls, combining Bluegrass, Celtic and Old Time music. The audience settles down, captivated by the comforting notes and sweet tunes.

Live and in session, the Blu Tic String Band gives a lively concert for the patrons of Stonecloud Brewing Co. The band features Marcus Ayers on the fiddle, Mark Strange on bass, Steve Montgomery on the guitar and OSU professor Jerry Stivers.

Stivers is a professor at the OSU School of Architecture. When he’s not teaching students, he explores his love for music, which traces back to his childhood.

“Music was something that was a part of our life growing up in Collinsville,” Stivers said. “We were all raised in that from our dad.”

Stivers’s sister, Diana Alexander, came out to watch him play, and she remembers a musical childhood.

“My dad always loved to sing, and he used his talent leading worship,” Alexander said. “I can remember he and my mom singing at home and practicing the music for church. She would play the piano, and he would sing.”

Stivers picked up the mandolin a little more than 13 years ago, and it’s been quite the adventure. He began exploring musical genres until he found multiple that fit his style.

“I fell in love with a couple of different sort of types of music genres,” Stivers said. “One is Celtic, or Irish, and the other is Bluegrass, and most recently, Old Time, all of which are similar.”

Stivers sought out musicians, playing his way into several sessions. Stivers said a a session is an informal performance with musicians sitting

Diplomat . .

Continued from 1A

Langenkamp visited with them before his lecture and stated the importance of youth’s involvement in the political scenario.

“We have to try to engage them to make sure that they understand why these issues like Ukraine, like the threat that China poses around the world, are important to them,” Langenkamp said. “I feel a personal responsibility to speak so that they understand what’s at stake in international affairs right now.”

Langenkamp highlighted his career and trajectory as a U.S. government employee. A Tulsa native, Langenkamp attended Columbia University and then joined the Peace Corps for two years. He pursued a career as a reporter before getting hired to work at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. During the next 20 years, he lived in Vietnam, Uganda, Iraq, Cote d’Ivoire and Ukraine.

Langenkamp told the

around the living room or playing over drinks at the pub.

“That’s what the pub is,” Stivers said. “In Europe, it’s basically the community living room; everybody just goes to the pub.”

It’s a social event and a way to bring people together through music.

“You bring your families, talk about your day, what you did and your work and there’s people playing music, and sometimes people join, and so it’s just kind of social,” Stivers said.

After attending a session at a friend’s house, Stivers found his bandmates, and the Blu Tic group took shape.

“You start to see the same faces and through that community, and you get to know them, and all of the sudden we’re like, you know, if we just practiced a little bit more, we could go other places and do this.”

Stivers, Ayers, Strange and Montgomery began playing locally, statewide and internationally, popping into pubs and striking a tune.

“None of us were experts at it, but we wanted to grow together, and we did,” Stivers said.

Stivers takes his students abroad any chance he gets, and after the trip, he meets up with his band in Ireland. Before he meets up with his bandmates, Stivers plays for his students.

Alumna Sarah Harris remembers when Stivers played in Amsterdam and said every student looks forward to seeing Stivers play.

“It’s a tradition, every student knows: If they go on a study abroad trip with him, he’s going to play at a pub somewhere.”

Harris is one of multiple students who were among the crowd at Stonecloud Brewing Co. April 18 while enjoying their professor’s music.

“We just love listing to him and just the fun atmosphere that the Bluegrass music brings,” Harris said. “We found out he was playing, and we were like, we have to go.”

5th-year senior Hank Traxel sat beside Harris, listening to the music and cheering on his professor. “It’s always fun to support your professors,” Traxel said. “He does a great job at connect-

crowd Foreign Services represent the U.S. around the world. After working in Ukraine, he understood how much the country needs middle America to support the U.S.’s investment in Ukraine. The diplomat said there are three reasons why the U.S. needs to keep aiding Ukraine financially.

The first one, Langenkamp noted, is that without funding the country, the U.S. will allow Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, to disrupt international orders that have kept the world’s order since World War II. He said state sovereignty is a fundamental principle, and trying to take another state by force goes against that. The second reason he mentioned was that the U.S. cannot let Putin get away with his actions. Langenkamp said Putin has a pattern of causing external crises when Russia is going through an internal crisis to show his power in the country.

“Dictators around the world are looking to see how we respond to this,” Langenkamp said. “And they’re going to take their cues from what happens in Ukraine.” Langenkamp said the third

ing the community and always Stillwater, but also Oklahoma in all the projects we do.” Stivers said he strives to create a sense of community within his music and his field of study.

“I feel like as architects, we create community with buildings, the way we shape things to help people connect, and I think music is just another way of doing it,” Stivers said.

He loves seeing his students come out to watch him play. The School of Architecture is one of the smaller colleges, creating a tight-knit group of students and professors.

“When you spend four or five years with them, you get to know them really well; you get to watch them grow, Stivers said. “You see their triumphs and trials, and you watch them really grow.”

He said he hopes to bridge the musical and architectural worlds for his students.

“It’s not just about teaching them about architecture because there’s a whole lot of other things that go on in their lives besides that,” Stivers said. “I wanted to create a place where people come together and have a sense of community, and you do that with how you design something; it’s the same with music.” Stivers’ sisters also drove across the state to see their brother play. Joyce Friskie is an OSU alumna, and she loves seeing her brother perform in Stillwater.

“He’s my brother, and I don’t get a chance to be with my family very often,” Friskie said. “We’re also extremely busy, so when we were all chiming in on our text going, ‘Yeah we’re coming,’ and I didn’t want to miss out.”

For Stivers, music is all about friends and family. His passion is bringing people together over good times and good music.

“The final outcome is bringing people together and breaking down barriers and getting to know each other and helping to create an environment that’s not isolating, but together.” Stivers and his bandmates will travel to Ireland again this summer and plan on continuing performing locally and in the surrounding area.

news.ed@ocolly.com

reason

Americans should support funding for Ukraine is that about 90% of the money set to help is mostly spent in the U.S. The money goes to American weapons manufacturers or to fund weapon manufacturers to build new weapons that are sent to Ukraine. For Langenkamp, funding Ukraine is not a party issue; it’s a necessity to prove America’s credibility.

“Do we stand with our partners and allies?” Langenkamp asked. “Can people believe what we say when we stand with a country? This is what we have said about Ukraine in a bipartisan way. If we hand Ukraine over to Putin, it will really undermine our credibility around the world.”

Fullerton said Langemkamp’s visit to OSU will spark interest in students who may want to follow a similar career path and allow them to network with someone representing the U.S. government.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if at least one or two students in this room ended up on that track because this is preparing them for that,” Fullerton said.

Hayden Alexander

From left to right, Marcus Ayers, Jerry Stivers, Steve Montgomery and Mark Strange travel across the country and globe as the Blu Tic String Band. Last week, they played in Stillwater.

Courtesy of Callie Gray

Ollie Gordon ll (left) and Callie Gray visited the Oklahoma Capitol on Wednesday for Capitol Cowboys to advocate for OSU.

participate in

OSU to implement student IDs on phone wallets

University IDs will go from the lost and found to students’ phone wallets.

The Student Government Association passed a bill recommending that OSU integrate university IDs into mobile wallets, and OSU plans to do so.

Raj Murthy, the chief information officer for OSU IT Administration, said SGA’s recommendation came at a reasonable time. With the construction of new buildings across campus, such as New Frontiers and Central Market Place, Murthy said the administration has supported the implementation of mobile credentials.

“Implementing this would be beneficial to everyone,” Jimenez said. “Students could get into their dorm building faster, get food at the Student Union or pay at the University Store with just a tap.”

To bring the idea to life, Murthy said the university would need to assess all locations where the current ID card is used so it could communicate with stakeholders and collaborate on an implementation plan to move credentials to the mobile wallet.

Christian Jimenez, SGA senator, started working on this bill at the beginning of the semester when he noticed other universities across the state, such as OU, had implemented this idea. After surveying students from undergraduates to graduates, Jimenez learned that 93% of the students would prefer to use their phone with their student ID rather than a physical card.

Indigenous . . .

Continued from 1A

McGee said the way Oklahoma handles tribal citizens and criminal prosecutions often forces people to “wait in line” for their case to be federally reviewed. McGee said her mother sometimes sees multiple Indigenous women per week, causing the wait to grow and become backlogged.

McGee said the biggest thing one can do to shed light on this issue and help missing and murdered Indigenous people is to talk about human trafficking awareness, how to spot warning signs and how to get help for human trafficking or sexual abuse.

Social media is a tool that can be used to spread awareness and get conversations started.

Recently, social media spread the message of the disappearance of “Yellowstone” actor Cole Bringsplenty, who was later found dead.

Caleb Garcia, Mr. American Indian OSU and a member of the Wyandotte tribe, said no murders or disappearances of Indigenous people happened in the small Oklahoma town he grew up in.

Instead, he related Yearby’s disappearance to the death of Bringsplenty.

“It’s kind of way too common of an occurrence inside Native country,” Garcia said. “And so it’s just kind of, for lack of better words, it’s another statistic that we’re just basically forced to live with.”

McGee took to social media to share her thoughts on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) movement. She posted a photo of herself with a red head print covering her mouth, which symbolizes the MMIW movement.

McGee said her followers did not interact with the post as much as her other posts. She said she wished more people cared about the MMIW movement and the issues her community faces.

McGee plans to take her passion for MMIW further than social media. She is a sociology major with a concentration on criminology and a minor in American Indian studies. After she graduates, she hopes to pursue a degree in Indigenous peoples law.

“My career is for women that have suffered,” McGee said. “I try and receive some sort of justice for those that might not have been fortunate enough to live the life that they deserved.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

Murthy and his team will have to coordinate with the departments that use IDs without disrupting their service, such as the library, athletic events, dining services and bursar charges, to ensure the integration happens simultaneously across the university.

Murthy said students without a smartphone will not need to worry because they will implement exceptions. Jimenez said a tap-and-swipe option would be the most reasonable option for people who do not have a phone wallet or whose phone has died.

Murthy said this idea’s most significant security concerns are overprivileged access, potential account impersonation and unauthorized exposure of private data.

“We will analyze the solution for each of these and implement controls to prevent them from happening,” Murthy

said. Olivia VanHootegem, a junior, carries only her wallet to campus because she uses her OSU ID daily to buy snacks or drinks. VanHootegem said she doesn’t take her wallet around town because she has what she needs on her phone. She has lost her OSU ID before and said she was annoyed to have to replace it because it takes time and money.

“It would be incredibly useful and convenient to have the OSU ID on my phone,” Vanhootegem said. “Especially since so many on-campus events require your ID to go to check into events and all dining.”

Murthy said SGA’s recommendation means students on campus want technology to increase the quality of their experiences, and his team pays attention to that, but do now have a set day to implement this.

news.ed@ocolly.com

Smith said trying out to be the next Pete was a natural transition.

Continued from 1A

Wilson said it is typical for 12-15 people to try out. The slightly higher number of applicants was not the only thing out of the ordinary. For the first time, a doctoral student tried out. After being in school for 11 years, Wilson said the applicant decided to try out for the fun of it.

Although there were more applicants than typical, it did not majorly affect the process, Wilson said. Interviews were kept to 15 minutes to keep things rolling, and Wilson said it was a close decision to make.

The judges, along with input from the former Petes observing, look at the integrity and character of each individual. Wilson said another major factor in the decision is how well they are able to articulate themselves.

“Fifty percent of Pete is with the head off,” Wilson said. “It’s the character of the individual that we’re looking for. Not just can he put a hat on and walk around, look like a cowboy and make people laugh.” Smith, a junior, is a former member of the ground crew for the Spirit Rider Team. On game days, he was on the field with Bullet.

“You kind of get to see a little bit more of a different approach, I guess, to Pistol Pete just like you know what, actually a lot of it goes into (it), and so, just seeing that, it’s a great experience and I said, ‘Well, I’ll give it a shot this year.’”

After the decision was made and Hamilton and Smith were announced as the next Petes, Wilson said he gave them three rules.

First, that they honor the Eaton family and the legacy of Frank Eaton, who Pistol Pete is based on. Second, they represent and adhere to the standards of OSU and the Cowboy Code. And third, that they honor the Petes that came before them and continue to build the legacy for the Petes they will never meet.

As Hamilton and Smith step into their new roles, both said they are honored to be selected.

“Even seeing the number that tried out, and then it was an honor to do that, to meet everybody, and then to be selected is just a greater honor than that because we’re representing something far greater than ourselves,” Hamilton said. “Just the OSU, the community of Stillwater as a whole. Something that I’m very honored to be able to say I can represent.”

Payton Little

Courtesy of Rick Wilson Caden Schaufele (left) and Bryce Coon (far right) are passing the Pete heads onto the next generation.

Pete . . .

Courtesy of Shaeleigh McGee

Shaeleigh McGee dressed in full regalia as Miss American Indian OSU and posed with a red hand print over her mouth in support of the MMIW movement.

Luisa Clausen Editor-in-Chief

Building culture

SPS superintendent reflects on years in Stillwater

Jared Rosenblatt Staff Reporter

Every two weeks, Uwe Gordon visits all Stillwater Public Schools, which span 130 square miles.

As the superintendent of Stillwater Public Schools, Gordon is in charge of overseeing six elementary schools, one virtual school, one alternative academy, a middle school, a junior high school and a high school. Gordon has been superintendent since 2022.

“I think this is a new challenge, and it’s going to give me the opportunity to do this job and to run the district the way I think it should have been done all along,” Gordon said.

The son of a colonel in the United States Army, Gordon went to 11 schools in 13 years, bouncing around from places such as North Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma and a stint in Germany.

Gordon said he had a rich experience abroad.

“I saw the Berlin Wall,” Gordon said. “I learned to ski because we were stationed in the Alps at an international base where we would ski to school, and we could ski home.”

Gordon graduated high school in Lawton, and after moving around, Gordon knew it was time to settle down.

“I wanted some stability, and that’s kind of what led me to Stillwater,” Gordon said. “When I came to OSU, I was fortunate; I worked in the residence halls, I was a head resident, and my adviser got me hooked up here in Stillwater for my student-teaching because I needed to be still at work for a little bit.”

Gordon graduated from OSU with a bachelor’s and

master’s degrees. Gordon’s first teaching job was as an eighth grade civics teacher at Stillwater Junior High. Junior high is where Gordon got his start in administration. He was in charge of indoor suspension and was the school’s Athletic Director from 1993-1994.

Following his one year stint of being an A.D. and an ISSP, Gordon served as the assistant principal of the junior high school from 1994-2000.

Gordon was ready for the next challenge, and Yale High School had a job opening as principal of their school, which Gordon took in February 2000.

Gordon’s time at Yale was met with dysfunction. There were problems between the superintendent and the board members, which Gordon wanted no part of. He left Yale to become the Hennessey High School Principal. Gordon was Hennessey principal for one academic school year in 20022003 before accepting his first superintendent role as Hennessey Public Schools Superintendent from 2003-2006.

That job brought Gordon back full circle to Stillwater, where he accepted the job to become principal of Stillwater High School. For 16 years, from 2006-2022, Gordon was Stillwater High School Principal. During his time as principal, Gordon was a champion of student involvement in fundraising.

“There was always a bet, ‘If we raise this much money, will you do this?’” Gordon said.

“I’ve had blue hair, I’ve been bald headed, I slept on the roof of the performing arts center and I got two tattoos.”

Gordon never faced these “punishments” alone.

“Uwe, Wally and myself, we all shaved our heads; it was part of the SMAC there,” said George Horton, the former

assistant principal of Stillwater High. “We always did fun things like that, you know, with the students and the staff and the faculty, and that was a great memory.”

Horton is now the principal of Lincoln Academy, which is part of Stillwater Public Schools. Gordon gave the call to Horton, telling him that he got the job as the new principal.

It’s nothing new for Gordon. He gave both of his former assistant principals the call congratulating them on their new position. “He invited me to come down and meet with him in his office so I knew that, I knew, I was gonna get an answer that day,” said Walter Howell, the current principal of Stillwater High School. Gordon has been involved for so long that the kids he

taught have kids who go to Stillwater, with Gordon serving as their principal. “I went to school here; I think he was teaching at the junior high when I was there,” said Will Joyce, the mayor of Stillwater. “My eldest son graduated from Stillwater High School last year, and so Mr. Gordon was the principal there for at least part of his time in high school.”

Gordon found it prudent to develop connections with parents, kids and faculty believing in developing a culture of community. Never one for raising his voice at people, Gordon was always willing to work through problems. When there were disagreements with people, Gordon settled those with the utmost professionalism.

“Even if he didn’t agree totally on how things should be

handled, he always did what he thought would be best for the kids in the school,” said Sue Hoffman, a teacher at Stillwater High School.

Hoffman has taught at Stillwater High since 1974 and said she has always praised Uwe for how he dealt with students.

“One of the traits I loved, he was always in the hall, he was always talking to the kids, to the teachers, his presence was here all the time,” Hoffman said.

When Gordon is making his rounds and checking in on all the schools he oversees, he lets the staff know one of his core beliefs.

“I tell my principals this now, and I’ve always believed that the principal is the builder of the culture in a school,” Gordon said.

Payton Little

Superintendent of Stillwater Public Schools Uwe Gordon oversees six elementary schools, one virtual school, one alternative academy, a middle school, a junior high school and a high school.

Student

Awareness month highlights sexual assault, alcohol misuse on campus

Raynee Howell Staff Reporter

It is no coincidence that Sexual Assault Awareness month and Alcohol Awareness month fall at the same time. About half of all sexual assaults on college campuses occur while either the victim, perpetrator or both are under the influence of alcohol, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Alcohol use does not directly cause sexual assault, but in many situations, alcohol is a contributor. The connection between sexual assault and alcohol is important to consider, especially among vulnerable populations like college students.

Since the beginning of the year, OSUPD has reported 26 criminal cases including alcohol and five cases involving sexual assault on the jurisdictional boundaries of campus. The most recent sexual assault reported on campus occurred on April 2 at a residence hall. Similar cases are reported multiple times a month.

In Payne County, 70 rapes and 511 alcohol-related crimes were reported in 2023, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Melissa Walters, grant coordinator for Payne County in the OSU Wellness Community Programs Department, said the access to alcohol in Payne Coun-

ty contributes to this number. “The number of alcoholrelated crimes does not surprise me,” Walters said. “I think that Payne County being rural contributes to the amount of alcohol use, and I believe it’s because we have so much access to alcohol, especially being in a college town.” The increased use of alcohol among young adults in college is a factor in creating this unsafe environment. Heavy alcohol use has been linked to sexual assault perpetuation, according to a study involving college students and incarcerated rapists from the National Library of Medicine. Alcohol can also cause aggression and disinhibition which increases the risk of sexual assault.

“When these sexual assaults happen where alcohol is involved, it may have been done by more of an acquaintance rather than a romantic partner and usually when the victim and/ or the perpetrator are drunk,” Walters said. “Sexual assaults are a crime that are most likely seen on college campuses.” Environmental factors can also increase the amount of sexual assault cases on and around college campuses.

“Being in a college town, we have all of these things going on that bring about alcohol,” Walters said. “We have The Strip, tailgates, and we have all of these things going on at the same time.”

There are resources across campus and Payne County that support victims of sexual assault and those with substance abuse issues.

On campus, calling OSUPD or Stillwater Police Department is a crucial step for anyone in present danger. For medical attention after an assault, Stillwater Medical Center has a Sexual Assault Response Team. Wings of Hope, a family crisis service in Stillwater, also provides multiple resources for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.

There are also support services on campus, including therapy. University Counseling Services has a virtual therapy group for victims called Empower MeToo. For those who may need additional resources, 1 is 2 Many, a program for victims of sexual violence on campus, can help victims access the correct resources.

Payne County LiveWell Coalition is another resource for those across the county, including students. Walters works directly with the coalition to provide resources for those with alcohol abuse disorders.

“Getting information from different providers in Payne County would be good, like different counselors and reaching out to Oklahoma State University students with information on these issues is important, as it is common among college campuses.” Walters said.

news.ed@ocolly.com

Cowboy Corner Shaved Ice opens for summer

Jared Mauzey, a sophomore, said he visited the stand numerous times last school year, and he is happy the stand is open for the season.

“I usually get a combination of coconut and blue raspberry, but today I wanted to try something new, so I got cotton candy,” Mauzey said.

Hannah Chen, a sophomore, said Cowboy Corner is her favorite snow cone stand because it is close to campus.

Chen said she enjoys the basic flavors.

“I like to keep it simple, so I just got cherry,” Chen said.

As the season continues to heat up, the snow cone craze shows no signs of slowing down. With new flavors to discover and memories to be made, these frozen treats are sure to remain a staple of summer fun for years to come.

TIME OF GOD’S FAVOR!

“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” (Is.55:6

It is worthwhile to take the time; to stop and consider your way of life and make resolutions; new steps to take to make your life more meaningful or productive. Maybe you are doing this, or maybe you have just given up on the whole idea.

Can you remember when you were a child, how time went by so slowly? It seemed like it took forever for the holidays to arrive. Now time passes so swiftly; the years seem to rush by. The turn of the century seemed so far away when I was younger. Now we are nearly twenty years into the 21st century.

I want to encourage you to stop and consider your life; especially the remainder. None of us know when our life may end. Jesus spoke of those who

would come into their purposes in the “eleventh hour;” right at the end of life’s work day.(Mt.20) You may think that it is too late to turn your life over to Christ; there is such little time left on “your calendar.” Yet, those who come in at the “eleventh hour” will receive the same wages

Maya Banks

organizations joined 1 is 2 Many to paint banners for Sexual Assault Awareness Month in early April.

Bryson Thadhani

Cowboy Corner Shaved Ice, located in the Cowboy Corner gas station parking lot, opened for its 38th snow cone season.

Students gathered at the Morrison Gazebo and court area behind McPherson Hall on Wednesday for “Welcome to the Swamp.” Residential Life hosted the event with food, a slip’n slide and a projector movie so students could relax before finals.

Photos by Payton Little

For Her Love of the Game

How Kilfoyl’s past led her to be among country’s best pitchers

Parker Gerl Staff Reporter

Lexi Kilfoyl made up her mind. She was ready to quit. And it wouldn’t be the only time she felt this way.

At 6, Kilfoyl finished her first season of softball. She wasn’t interested anymore and preferred to work toward her dream job, being a professional cheer-

leader. “I was a girly-girl. I was like, ‘I don’t want to be in the dirt,’” Kilfoyl said. These days, though, Kilfoyl is in the circle serving strikeouts and shutting out top ranked teams for a national championship-contending Oklahoma State team. She’s dominating the sport she twice almost quit. The game she grew to love along the way.

Now, there’s no better feeling for Kilfoyl than being a pitcher. She’s in her fifth and final collegiate season and has risen to one of the country’s best arms. And she loves softball as much as her close ones love her. “It brings me great joy to see how

Players’ extended navigation through path of pregnancy

the puzzle.

Once the picture of a mammogram and the face of OSU’s associate head coach, Jhasmin Player, appeared, the players connected the dots and began to celebrate uncontrollably about an addition to the Cowgirl family.

After many challenges, Player and her wife, Raveen Player, are expecting a girl in August. The people of the program could not be more excited.

OSU players have submitted applications for babysitting duties and assistant coaches have started planning where the crib will be placed in the Cowgirls’ office. The Cowgirl family is excited for the chance to welcome the Players’ baby.

“I was really excited,” said Terran Hoyt, OSU’s director of operations. “Surprised, but still super excited. I think I screamed like a little girl when they told me and I just gave her a big hug. We are just really excited to have a new little Cowgirl in our family.”

The couple knew about the pregnancy for three months before sharing the news to their Cowgirl family. The combination of Jhasmin’s priority of privacy and the timing within the season affected when the couple told their big secret.

“We just really wanted to make sure we were in a safe space,” Jhasmin said. “She was going to come with us to Texas Tech, but (Raveen) had a little belly and so we thought there was no better time.

“There was no point in waiting and continuing to wait and from a basketball coach’s standpoint, we were pretty confident we would beat Tech. It was Valentine’s Day. It just made sense. I didn’t want to tell them after a loss or during a tough stretch.”

The announcement could not have come at a better time for the Cowgirls. OSU had lost its past six games, but got the 60-50 victory at Texas Tech on Feb. 14 to break the skid.

much she is enjoying this,” Christine Kilfoyl, Lexi’s mother, said. “Because that’s what it’s all about.”

Homer Kilfoyl, Lexi’s father, was getting ready to enter new territory if his daughter would let him.

Lexi was ready to quit softball after her first season of playing and prepared to go back to the other activities she participated in. She just wasn’t interested anymore, and Homer didn’t know why.

So, the least he could do was throw something out there.

“She just didn’t seem to like it a whole lot,” Homer said. “And (so) I was like, ‘Well, if I coach you next year, would you give it another shot?’”

Deal.

Ambition for cheer remained, but Lexi agreed to play at least one more season if her dad ran the show. A gig that was every bit new for Homer.

Except, one more season turned into another. Then another. Then another.

Lexi loved it, even though she was playing under a coach who did everything in his power to make it tough on her.

Kaak’s Aussie Rules roots paying off at OSU

Growing up in Australia, Hudson Kaak didn’t throw the ball back and forth with his dad in the backyard. They kicked it to each other. Australian-Rules football, or “footy,” ruled, and kicking was how the ball was propelled forward in the sport. That meant Kaak and all the other kids learned to kick to teammates with accuracy from a young age. Turns out, that skill came in handy in more than just Aussie Rules. Kaak, a sophomore punter at Oklahoma State, found his way to Stillwater a season ago and played in 13 of 14 games as a freshman, coming in as a target punter to pin oppo -

nents deep in their territory. It was a successful season for Kaak, but with a year behind him, he said he’s feeling more confident in his role in a new kind of football.

“There’s a little bit of savvy involved in being out there,” said OSU coach Mike Gundy. “Guys who come from overseas like that, they’ve never had it. So, he’s making strides in that area.”

Gundy was the first person Kaak saw from OSU.

Scattered pieces of a photo stumped the Oklahoma State women’s basketball team for a second, but the team needed to figure out

Davis Cordova Staff Reporter

Payton Little Hudson Kaak pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line on 20 of his 38 punts in 2023.

SPORTS

Player...

Kelby Jones, an OSU assistant coach, said the timing of the announcement showed the staff and the Cowgirls a needed perspective on life.

“We were all really excited,” Jones said. “To find out at that moment was great because we were going through so much as a team. I think that when you see something like that it kind of unifies everybody and you understand what life is really about.

“When you’re caught up in the season, you just kind of go through the highs and lows, but that’s something that brings an all-time high. Life is a beautiful thing and to see them get to share that, I think it was really exciting.”

Experiencing a life-changing event is not always easy. The process to get pregnant was a grueling challenge for the Players, failing twice before a successful third attempt.

The process started two years ago after the couple married Aug. 13, 2022. Jhasmin and Raveen wanted to have some time alone and married before having a child, but they started to search for a male sperm donor later that year.

The couple then started to try, with Raveen receiving the intrauterine insemination (IUI) in early 2023. IUIs “boost the chances of pregnancy by placing specially prepared sperm directly in the uterus, the organ in which a baby develops,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

IUIs are significantly cheaper than an in vitro fertilization (IVF), which is what the Players used on the final two attempts. IUIs cost $300-$1,000, and IVFs cost about $20,000 per cycle. IUIs typically have a 13% success rate and IVFs succeed 60-65% of the time, according to CNY Fertility.

“An IVF is a little more expensive, but for us I don’t think emotionally we could have failed five times trying IUIs,” Jhasmin said. “After one failed attempt, we were OK, but after two, I was like emotionally, I can’t imagine how people have to keep doing it over and over again because it’s taxing.”

The first, and only, attempt with an IUI failed and forced Raveen into surgery. Raveen had fibroids, which are noncancerous tumors in the uterus. Even though the chances of the first IUI were small, the odds were even lower because of the fibroids.

“It was pretty close to a zero percent chance without having the surgery,” Raveen said.

Last summer, Raveen had surgery and the couple switched to doing IVFs.

In September, Raveen tried for the first time with an IVF and no fibroids in her body, but the attempt failed. This is when the two started to doubt.

“We had another failed attempt in September and for me, it kind of made me doubt my optimism because I’m blindly optimistic at fault,” Raveen said. “I started to think maybe I shouldn’t be so optimistic about this, so I had to take a step back and take a break.”

After the third attempt in November just before the Cowgirls’ 2023-24 season began, the Players had a successful attempt. Raveen’s optimism came back during the waiting process of the third attempt; she even had a vision about a positive attempt.

“I had a dream that you’re supposed to wait two weeks,” Raveen said. “I was obsessing over TikTok videos and some people get positive between days six and seven. I had a dream that I got a positive on day six. I wasn’t planning on testing, but I did a test and it was positive on day six. That just goes back to my optimism.”

Raveen has had two years to become part of the Cowgirl family, even though she doesn’t work for OSU. The spouses of the coaches are a big part of the Cowgirl family and play an important role in the dynamic of the group. Jones said Raveen’s impact is through how she treats basketball and the players.

“I think Raveen has got such a bubbly personality and she’s just an incredible human being,” Jones said. “Raveen likes basketball because that’s what Jhasmin does as a profession, but Raveen is passionate about people. I think she does a really good job with her relationships with our players.”

Spouses of coaches get to travel with the team on most trips, so that is where most of the time is spent with the staff.

After Big 12 Championship, Cowgirls eyeing national title

to get better, and there’s things that we can still do to get better. That’s the fun part about it.”

OSU coach Jacie Hoyt said she has noticed how Jhasmin and Raveen are great for each other but also almost complete opposites.

“From the beginning we’ve got to spend quite a bit of time around Raveen,” Jacie Hoyt said. “She’s just kind of the opposite of Jhasmin. Jhasmin is a little more private, but Raveen is definitely very social and outgoing. She’s great at making people feel welcomed and I think she’s felt welcomed by us. So, she’s family and she always has been.”

Once the baby comes in August, Jhasmin will have someone keeping her

away from Gallagher-Iba Arena, but Jacie Hoyt said she hopes and thinks Jhasmin can be a role model for the team by working while also having a family. “No, completely opposite,” Jacie Hoyt said. “I’m someone who believes in family and I also want our players to be able to see women who can have families, but also be really great at their jobs as well. I think that’s going to be the case with Jhasmin. So I’m definitely going to welcome that baby around as much as possible.”

The Cowgirl tennis team experienced plenty of success throughout the season, and the celebrating carried into the postseason.

After a 24-0 season that earned No. 1 Oklahoma State the regular season conference title, the team won the Big 12 Championship and kept the undefeated season going.

As the team celebrated the last point that sealed the title, OSU coach Chris Young beamed with pride.

“They were ready for this moment,” Young said.

Fans filled the Greenwood Tennis Center to cheer for the Cowgirls as they fought for the title, but plenty of newcomers wanted to join in on the excitement. It doesn’t seem like they will be leaving any time soon.

“We had some people here that hadn’t come to matches before that are going to come back now because it was pretty exciting,” Young said. “You couldn’t have come tonight and not felt that it was an exciting atmosphere, so this really helps us build going forward.” OSU continued to raise the bar with each win, and Young said the Cowgirls don’t plan to slow down.

“We know there’s some really good teams out there that are going to be coming for us, and we don’t want to leave any doubt,” Young said. “We got

Young said the Cowgirls have worked to prove themselves during each step of the journey and he believes the team has played with the edge to stay there. As the Cowgirls continue to compete, Kristina Novak said they still have so much left to prove. “We’ve had such an incredible run, and it’s exciting,” Novak said. “Every match we play, seeing how far we can push each other. It’s a special group.”

The first round of the NCAA First and Second Rounds begins May 3, and by May 17 the Greenwood Tennis Center could be filled with cheers for the Cowgirls once again, with OSU hosting the NCAA Championships. With an undefeated team, the timing of Stillwater hosting could not have been better.

The staff began preparing for this in 2016, when the plan was to host in 2020. However, COVID-19 ended the 2020 season and OSU’s plan of hosting. Now, in a memorable 2024 season, the top-ranked Cowgirls have a chance to compete for a national title on their home court in front of their home fans.

“It’s just all coming together in God’s timing, I guess for everything playing out in the way that we would want it to, and there’s still a lot left to go, but we’re still hungry for more,” Young said.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

OSU in search of third pitcher

Kenny Gajewski let his team have it. Not for his sake, but for Lexi Kilfoyl’s. Oklahoma State’s ace has pitched 30 2/3 more innings than the second-most on the team (Ivy Rosenberry) and 54 2/3 more than the thirdmost on the team (Kyra Aycock). Sure, that’s the role of the ace, but he felt like his team was letting her down. Riding her til the wheels fall off and feeling as if, when she’s out there, everything will end up in the Cowgirls’ favor.

“I’m tired of her having to pitch with her back up against the wall every single time,” Gajewski told his team around the time of the Iowa State series. With just six regular season games remaining, OSU is in search of a No. 3 pitcher. Kilfoyl and Rosenberry have been

holding it down as the Batman and Robin of the staff, throwing 74.6% of the team’s total strikeouts, but it’s time for a Chris Bosh-type reliable third option to appear. This isn’t something unfamiliar to Gajewski, who in recent years has witnessed pitchers like Morgan Day pick up some steam heading into the postseason and dominate OU for a Big 12 title, or Aycock last year, who, as a freshman, dealed against Flordia State and OU.

Now, Gajewski is looking toward Aycock or freshman Katie Kutz to make that jump, to make him put the ball in one of their hands on a big stage.

“This is that time of year where weird things can happen and people just step up and get the ball and go,” Gajewski said.

It’s not just Gajewski; Rosenberry knows it too.

Despite having her career-best year this season, she knows she and Kilfoyl need someone behind them in the bullpen.

“We can need both of them throughout — we will need both of them throughout all of this stretch, so there’s no doubt in my mind — they will need to pitch,” she said.

But Gajewski is seeing improvement in Aycock and Kutz. He expects to see them in the circle more in the upcoming weeks, even in Big 12 series and the beginning of postseason play. What he said would be a pitching-by-committee staff has turned out to be a top-heavy staff. Gajewski wishes it was more by committee, wanting to take pressure off his top pitchers.

But for that to happen, someone needs to be ready. “I feel like it’s kinda been a two-man show for the last month here, but we’re not going to be able to continue that for the last six weeks,” Gajewski said.

Courtesy Jhasmin Player’s Instagram Raveen Player (left) and Jhasmin Player (right) got married in 2022.

Bryson Thadhani

Kenny Gajewski said his team won’t be able to continue the “two-man show” of Lexi Kilfoyl and Ivy Rosenberry for the rest of the season.

Madison Queen

The undefeated Cowgirls close

Gina Foster Staff

Ashton Slaughter

Homer loathed the idea of “daddy ball” so much that he put a rule in place: Lexi was not allowed to call him dad on the field. He was Homer.

Lexi still calls him Homer, as it’s all she ever knew during those days.

“I saw the daddy ball growing up, and I knew he hated daddy ball,” Lexi said.

Homer’s will to avoid favoritism ran deeper than a name. It was so important to him that it affected the way he managed the team. Lexi, despite being Homer’s best arm, wasn’t No. 1 on the depth chart.

“We’re in the championship game and you won’t play your daughter!” Christine would say to Homer. “...Well, I don’t want anybody to think I’m doing favorites,” Homer would say back.

When Lexi turned 11, it was time for Homer to hand off coaching duties.

Homer and Christine were advised their daughter had an enormous future in softball. One so bright that she needed to be coached by someone else to help further her along.

They didn’t budge, and put Lexi under new, more experienced coaching, which boosted her progress.

“She really started developing,” Homer said. “Not that I was holding her back, but she got to that age and really, really started to blossom.”

Lexi played on various travel ball teams going forward, improving so much that one of her pitching coaches told her college coaches were starting to show up and watch.

The journey to playing Division-I softball got more and more real. But had it not been for Homer stepping into coaching, none of it would have come to fruition.

“Ever since that day (Homer offered to coach), I just kept playing and just fell in love with it,” Kilfoyl said.

Lexi’s younger brother, Andrew Kilfoyl, decided to skip catching and stepped into the batter’s box.

He and Lexi were at the field in Land O’Lakes, Florida, where the Kilfoyl kids spent most of their time. During these sessions, Andrew would frequently catch Lexi’s pitches. But not that day. Andrew told Lexi she could throw into the net instead. He wanted to try and hit, which came back to hurt him.

Literally.

Lexi fired a first pitch laser right at Andrew, which landed smack dab on his quad and left a massive, gnarly bruise. It wasn’t intentional but coincidentally came after Andrew decided he wouldn’t catch his sister.

“He hit the ground so fast,” Lexi said, laughing uncontrollably as she recalled it. “I thought it was the funniest s*** ever.”

It wasn’t a surprise to Andrew. Instances like these were typical among the Kilfoyl siblings.

“I felt like she did that as a competitive, back-me-off-theplate thing,” Andrew said. “A little sister to brother love.”

Competition is engraved in the Kilfoyl family. Everyone played sports and was extremely active, the roots in which Lexi was surrounded with growing up.

Andrew, Lexi and their older brother, Darin Kilfoyl, practiced and trained together with a batting cage propped up in the backyard of their house and gym equipment in their garage.

Lexi’s progress kept speeding up. No one out there could handle her pitches.

“It got to a point where my brother couldn’t catch her because she’s throwing so fast,” Darin said. “I’d get in there, too, and then after a while it got difficult for me, and my dad would have to put on a full set of gear and sit on a bucket to catch her.”

Weight workouts started at 6 each morning before school. Lexi, Andrew and Darin trained in sync, following workouts that Lexi setup. She wrote the day’s agenda on a whiteboard each morning.

It was important to Lexi. She wanted to make the most of the resources she had, which made her an independent kid who could handle any task on her own.

Growing up alongside brothers helped shape Lexi’s fierce, competitive edge. But she’s always had a soft, warm-hearted side, too, like the “gentle giant” OSU coach Kenny Gajewski says she is.

“She was always very considerate,” Christine said. “She was always very kind, very considerate… She just smiled, and she always has done that.”

*****

For three seasons, Lexi walked through the doors of a $2.2 million softball facility in Tuscaloosa as a pitcher at Alabama — a softball bluebood.

It was just like she thought it’d be. Pitching for the Crimson Tide and all the perks that came with it couldn’t be beaten, just as she imagined when she committed three days after Alabama’s offer.

“It was honestly a dream,” Lexi said. “... It was a no-brainer, a ‘why look any further’ kind of thing.”

Lexi arrived at Alabama in 2020, the season that was later cut short by COVID-19. She earned All-SEC Newcomer of the Year honors the following season as a sophomore, appearing in 23 games as a pitcher with her first no-hitter and two complete-game shutouts.

That same season, though, Lexi suffered her first major injury: A stress reaction in one of her ribs. It kept her out for multiple weeks and was the prelude to an injury-riddled Alabama tenure.

Lexi recovered and returned to the circle during the season, racking up those accolades in her first full season of college softball. A high note headed into her junior season.

But, her junior season didn’t get to live up to its potential.

Lexi tore the plantar fascia at the start of the year, which put a boot on her foot for a month. Then came severe hip pain. Lexi knew it wasn’t normal. She listened to everything Alabama doctors advised, but it wasn’t working.

“Nothing was getting better,” Lexi said. “They kept pushing it off. They were like, ‘Anti-inflammatories, treatment’ and just kept pushing it off.”

All the damage made softball the least enjoyable part of her life. Trying to play through constant pain made being a pitcher miserable. She hated it. She dreaded it.

And it didn’t make any sense.

“I would be sitting in the library right before going to practice, and I just would start crying,” Kilfoyl said. “I’m like, ‘Why the hell am I crying right now?’ I just didn’t want to go because I was in pain all the time.”

Sarah Cornell, Lexi’s close friend, teammate and fellow pitcher at Alabama, experienced a similar situation at Hofstra, where she played before transferring to the Crimson Tide.

Cornell suffered injuries late in the season. But, with only a few other arms in Hofstra’s bullpen, she was required to do whatever she could to ease pain and play, even though she wasn’t 100%.

Lexi was going through those same troubles, and Cornell saw it up close.

“You want to perform for your teammates,” Cornell said. “And if you ever would need to sit out a game, you wouldn’t want to disappoint them… You don’t ever want to be in that position, and seeing (Lexi) in it, it was heartbreaking.”

The pain in Lexi’s hip continued. More than a month had gone by, and it hadn’t improved. Something needed to change. Finally, She demanded Alabama staff give her an MRI.

When the results came in, Lexi learned two things: It wasn’t just pain. Her hip was torn.

The season began with a torn plantar fascia, and now, Lexi had a torn hip. Her junior season became a never-ending cycle of pain. She endured it 24/7. It felt like torture.

It killed Lexi’s softball spirits. She wasn’t happy anymore and was prepared to do anything to relieve the seasonlong agony. Anything. Whatever would put a stop to the frustration.

“I hated softball, and I knew that’s not how it should have been,” Lexi said.

Then she came to a decision — Lexi was ready to quit the sport she had been playing since she was 6. She was set on it, over feeling hurt, unhappy and drained.

To deliver the news, Lexi called Homer, who helped keep her in softball the first time she wanted to quit.

“She called and goes, ‘I’m done with softball.’ I’m like, ‘Wow. Holy s***,” Homer said.

“I was on my way to work

talking to her, and something wasn’t right. Something was wrong. I got off the phone with her and got on the phone with my wife and said, ‘Look, either you or I need to be on a plane in the morning.’” Christine traveled to Tuscaloosa instantly. She was there for doctor visits to help her daughter figure out the next step.

Surgery appeared to be the best option, though, still in the midst of its season, Alabama encouraged Lexi to hold off. She was told it was a common issue, and that most players play through it and get surgery at the end of a season or the end of their career.

But when Lexi spoke with former players who dealt with her injury, they told her the opposite. Lexi had dealt with so much agony and was ready for it to end.

“They’re like, ‘Do it as soon as you can,’” Lexi said. “...(And) the stories just weren’t lining up, and I just went with my gut… I was like, ‘Let’s get this done now. I’m sick of being in pain.’”

Lexi followed suit of the players she spoke with. Surgery was successful, and she could finally put a year filled with miserable pain behind her and work toward getting back to softball.

Lexi was ready to play again, but she needed a change of scenery. She entered the transfer portal and started the process of looking for a school she could call home for her last two seasons as a collegiate pitcher.

Getting back in the circle was important. But so was having fun again, the biggest thing taken away from her during an injury-filled three-season stretch at Alabama.

“I just hated (softball),” Lexi said. “I was like, ‘That’s not normal. I only get so many years left, and I don’t want to waste them.” *****

When OSU coach Kenny Gajewski hung up the phone, he felt good about his chances. “OK, we’ve got a shot,” Gajewski said to himself. “...I just kept talking to her, and I felt good after our first talk.” Gajewski chatted with a transfer portal prospect, one who was the furthest from a stranger. It was Lexi, the kid who he recruited when he was an assistant at Florida.

She was mulling a number of options. She thought methodically and made a list of

requirements for schools in the running. They needed to have a strength and conditioning coach. And, most importantly, they needed to have fun. OSU checked those boxes.

Lexi got on the phone with several OSU players Gajewski referred her to. They talked about the program and what it’s like being a Cowgirl. When she hung up, she knew where she was headed.

“They all sounded like they were having so much fun,” Lexi said. “And at the end of the day, that’s ultimately what I needed. So, that was kind of the deal breaker”

Lexi committed and made her Cowgirl debut in 2023, earning Third-Team All-American and Second-Team All-Big 12 honors. She led OSU in outright ERA and helped land it a fourth-straight Women’s College World Series appearance.

Through 120.1 innings pitched this season, Lexi holds a 1.16 ERA, which is top 15 in the country. If the cards are drawn as expected, she’ll have the Cowgirls in position to make another deep postseason run.

She’s been back in the circle for two seasons, commanding it as one of the best pitchers in the nation. And she’s having the most fun she’s ever had, which is all Lexi wanted when she came to Stillwater.

She’s making the most of her final season. She cracks smiles during games, spends “Sunday Funday” with her teammates and meets a number of young girls aspiring to be like her after each game. OSU is everything she wanted.

“It’s been the perfect balance of having fun while playing a sport, while also working your a** off,” Lexi said.

It’s not a solo experience, either. The Cowgirls’ “gentle giant” is bringing her teammates on the journey with her. They’re winning, and they love doing it together.

“She looks so intimidating because she’s 6-foot-2, and she looks tough and mean,” said Megan Bloodworth, OSU’s shortstop who played a season at Alabama with Lexi. “But, she’s as nice as can be and would do anything for you.”

Gajewski knew what he was getting when brought Lexi to OSU: a good pitcher, and a “big teddy bear,” the one he’s known for a number of years.

“These kids love her while they play behind her,” Gajewski said. “They love her, and she loves them.”

Kaytlyn Hayes Lexi

Courtesy Homer Kilfoyl

Lexi Kilfoyl with her family and brothers, Darin and Andrew, who were competitve siblings.

Gundy expecting enhanced efficiency in Nardo’s 2nd year

Daniel Allen Staff Reporter

There are stark contrasts from this offseason to last year for Oklahoma State’s defense.

Ahead of 2023 spring practice, OSU coach Mike Gundy hired Bryan Nardo from Division-II Gannon University as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator, citing a desire to shift to a 3-3-5 scheme. Questions surrounded the unit amid a portal exodus involving a handful of key prospects from 2022 with just five starters returning on the defensive side.

How would the group adapt to an abrupt scheme change? How long would the transition take before positive changes were displayed? Would it even work?

Now, the question is how much the unit can improve in Year 2 of Nardo’s scheme, with more fourman fronts to be used? With 18 players who started a game in last year’s defense returning, Gundy said he expects a jump in production in 2024.

“(Nardo) will improve there,” Gundy said. “He will improve in his concept and his play calling and his coaching ability. He’s still very young. And so, he will improve.

“With our team, we’ve got a number of guys coming back, which does make a difference.”

OSU’s defense displayed signs of progression last year, even with multiple younger players playing in high-leverage situations. Opponents average rushing yards per game shrunk from 178 in 2022 to 167 in 2023. The secondary, albeit an opponent average of 275 passing yards per game, gradually improved.

Outside linebacker Collin Oliver, who earned AllAmerican honors as a freshman defensive end in 2021, adjusted his role to a stand-up linebacker while still benefiting from lining up on the edge, depending on coverage calls. Safety Kendal Daniels also benefited from a change in roles as a rover.

Linebacker Nick Martin had the most tackles (140) in a season since 1985.

One negative, though, stood out to Gundy – a lack of quarterback sacks. Last season the Cowboys recorded 27 sacks, which ranked 80th nationally and ninth in the Big 12.

“That starts in the film room,” nose guard Collin Clay said. “It’s important we see that stuff and (what we can do to get better) because we’ll know what’s happening during a game and so it can translate.”

In a three-down scheme, such as Nardo’s, sacking the quarterback becomes more difficult. Gundy noted how that can be improved upon with different play calls and new personnel, which he believes will be enhanced given the returning talent and additions from the transfer portal this offseason.

“Just all of us staying here and the new additions that we got – freshmen and transfers – shows that people want to be a part of this (defense),” Martin said. “This is us. We all stayed because we actually love it here and love each other.

Gundy discusses 2-minute warning, other rule changes

Ashton Slaughter Assistant Sports

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, who often says college football is turning into the NFL, got other NFL-like additions to college football last Friday.

The NCAA approved several rule changes for the upcoming season: the addition of coach-to-player headset communication, 18 (the number Gundy’s heard) tablets for the sidelines and a two-minute warning for the second and fourth quarters.

Sounds like Sunday football.

“We’re migrating toward the NFL now in everything we do now, we’re going in that direction with technology too.”

Gundy said these technological advancements and “paying players” make the NCAA a minor league for the NFL. A sentiment he’s echoed often in recent memory.

Along with these changes comes more in-game strategy. On offense, you have an extra timeout with the two-minute warning twice per game, while on defense, it’s a free timeout to help your offense get the ball back or get a break before a big play.

For in-game communication, since

there’s only one earpiece per unit, which Gundy expects to give to a quarterback and a linebacker or safety, the question becomes: Who gets the earpiece? Is a linebacker yelling across the field the best way to communicate, or is it still signaling?

Gundy proposed an idea to the NCAA with the earpieces: five of them per unit. On offense, one for the quarterback and the rest for the skill positions — the linemen can be filled in by the quarterback. On defense, four split between the safeties and cornerbacks, while the linebacker has one to tell the defensive line.

But he doesn’t make these decisions. Gundy expects one won’t be enough, so he wanted to make it more than one now rather than later.

“I’m a process of elimination guy that solves problems really easily; I don’t have to think things through. They didn’t buy it,” Gundy said.

These thoughts have been brought up, which is why Gundy and his staff have met to discuss how they’ll approach the new rule changes and will meet after spring ball, too, to further discuss.

“It’s going to be a growing process and a learning process,” Gundy said.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

“We all healthy. We all back. So, it’s dope.”

Establishing continuity as a play caller takes time. Gundy knows that. It took former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles three seasons to create a top 10 defense.

However, Gundy said he saw enough silver lining with Nardo’s first defense to make him optimistic heading into Year 2. With that, expectations are higher. And the urge to deliver becomes more rampant.

“We should be able to move along a little quicker than what we did last spring,” Gundy said. “That said, (Nardo is) still, learning, getting better. But he’ll be fine.”

If the College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams last season, Oklahoma State still would not have reached it. The Cowboys were the Big 12 runners-up and No. 20 in the country with four losses after the regular season — three of which by 26, 28 and 42 points with two against unranked teams. OSU won 10 games and the Texas Bowl against a depleted Texas A&M squad, but fans, players and staff took it as it was a vast improvement from where they were earlier that season.

This year, it’s playoffs or bust. Not only are there eight more spots (sort of), but Oklahoma and Texas won’t be competing for the automatic entry that the Big 12 champion gets. OSU’s best competition for that will be Utah — the winner of two of the last three Pac-12 championships and will return quarterback Cam Rising, who missed 2023 with injury after leading the Utes to those confer-

ence championships and two Rose Bowl appearances. They also featured one of the best defenses in the country, and are only losing safety Sione Vaki.

The Cowboys are likewise loaded with returning talent. The entire offensive line that protected Alan Bowman — the least sacked quarterback in the country — and blocked for Ollie Gordon II, the best running back in the country. Receiver Brennan Presley is one of the best in school history, deepthreat De’Zhaun Stribling is back from a broken left wrist and Rashod Owens last went for 164 yards and two touchdowns in the Texas Bowl. OSU’s defense was one of the worst in the country, but that means it certainly can only get better, especially considering 2023 was the first with a new scheme and defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo.

When everyone I just name leaves for graduation or the NFL Draft after next season, who will be left? We have not seen

Garret Rangel throw in months, or Zane Flores and Maealiuaki Smith ever. Wide receiver depth is thin, offensive line is thinner, the defense still won’t be great and replacing Gordon II will be nearly impossible.

The time to win the Big 12 and make the playoffs is now. Even if Utah wins the conference in its first year with the Big 12, OSU could secure an at-large bid by being one of the best seven Power Five teams left. Kansas State and Arizona are the only other threats baring a Colorado breakout, and both of those teams are going through a quarterback or coaching change. OSU was an inch short from making the Playoff in 2021, but that was with arguably the second best team in school history. Seasons like those don’t happen often. Even next season’s team may not be as good as that one was.

If OSU ever wants to escape the solid program label it has nationally and compete with the big dogs, it’s this year.

Davis Cordova

Mike Gundy said the NCAA’s new rules are turning college football more into the NFL.

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Friday, April 26

Adventuring Academy: A Pathfinder Campaign @ 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Location: Stillwater Public Library

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2024 Spring Family Weekend @ All Weekend Long

Location: OSU

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Downtown Funk @ 8 - 10 p.m.

Location: Em Curators of Craft

Admission: $5.00 Cover Charge

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Karaoke @ 9 p.m.

Location: The Midnight Bar

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

Location: OSU Museum of Art

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

Location: Em Curators of Craft

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Karaoke @ 9 p.m.

Location: The Midnight Bar

After Hours Comedy Show Headlining Matt Ferrell @ 8 - 10 p.m.

Location: Bad Brad’s Bar-B-Q

Admission: $10 online & $15 at the door

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Annual Job & Resource Fair @ 2 - 4 p.m.

Location: Our Daily Bread

April Donations Drive for Local Animal Shelters @ 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Location: Bluepeak Tech Hub

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Brandon Birdwell Live @ 9 - 11 p.m.

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Brazos Valley Boys Live @ 5:45 p.m.

Location: The Botanical Garden at OSU

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Cowboy Baseball: Oklahoma State vs. BYU @ 6 p.m.

Location: O’Brate Stadium

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Cowgirl Softball: Oklahoma State vs. Kansas @ 6 p.m.

Location: Cowgirl Stadium

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Friday Night Magic Booster Draft @ 6 - 9 p.m.

Location: Knight Arms Games Inc.

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Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency

Linda Black Horoscopes

Today’s Birthday (04/26/24). Take charge this year. Grow social connections and share support. Slow for peaceful summer rituals and reflection. Savor special fun with friends this autumn. Balance your work and health this winter, before spring romance enchants with new possibilities. Rise like the star you are.

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

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is an 8 — You’re itching to go explore. Lay the groundwork first. Make plans, itineraries and reservations. Save hassle, money and time by plotting moves carefully in advance.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is a 9 — Discuss financial concerns and considerations with your partner. Sort through clutter to get to bare facts. Envision what you want and budget for it.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 7 — You and your partner could either help each other see past your respective blind spots or bicker and complain. It’s your choice. What’s your commitment?

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Focus on your work, services and health. Strengthen the basics. Learn from an experienced coach, doctor or teacher. Eat well, exercise and rest.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — Share your heart with someone dreamy. Avoid expensive complications and go for simple pleasures. Show off your secret talents. Enjoy something delicious together.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is an 8 — Dedicate efforts to beautifying domestic spaces. Make household changes and repairs. Keep it simple. Lounge around with kids and pets. There’s no place like home.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 9 — Delve into a fascinating subject. Words flow easily. Explain and clarify a murky view. Tackle projects involving writing, expression and publishing. Share your message.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 9 — Things could get especially lucrative. Stash resources for later. Don’t throw your money around. Read the fine print before signing. Advance a profitable dream.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 9 — Success with personal projects hinges on infrastructure, foundations and basic, behind-the-scenes efforts. Tempers may be short and obstacles abound. Keep your patience and humor.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 6 — Sit back and think things over before making your moves. Anticipate disagreement or potential conflict. Avoid risky propositions. Plan your route and steps.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb.

Ehrhard offense catching fire with adjustments, maturity

“And by the time Ian made it back, Chase had become a truly everyday player. He was arguably probably one of our most important players on the team.”

Stout earns Big 12 medalist honors; Cowboys place 3rd

Dalton Arredondo Staff Reporter

A 35-foot putt for birdie on the 72nd hole is what stood between Oklahoma State freshman Preston Stout and the Big 12 Championship. After pulling his second shot to the left side of the green, he remained poised and made the putt to secure a share of the Big 12 individual title at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Trinity, Texas, on Wednesday.

“I know I’ve made big putts in those moments before,” Stout said. “So I was confident, stepped up there and tried to hit a good speed, and I was able to make it.” Stout tied for first in the tournament with 9-under, consisting of scores of 74, 67 and 69 in the second round and final round. The Cowboy golf team finished in third with a score of 2-under, five shots behind second-place Oklahoma and 23 shots behind Big 12 Champion Texas’ 25-under. Not only was this Stout’s first collegiate victory, but he also became the 11th Cowboy in school history to earn medalist honors. He joined PGA Tour pros Rickie Fowler and Morgan Hoffmann as the only Cowboys to win the event as a freshman. He finished in a threeway tie for first place, but there was no playoff to determine the outright winner, so he shares the champion-

ship with TCU’s Gustav Frimodt and Cincinnati’s Ty Gingerich.

Outside of Stout, graduate student Rayhan Thomas tied for 23rd with a score of 3-over, closing out the tournament with a 71. Freshman Gaven Lane and senior Jonas Baumgartner finished 6-over. Lane carded a 73 in the final round while Baumgartner carded a 74. Senior Bo Jin struggled, as he finished the tournament 12-over, carding a 76 to close it out.

Stout is making his debut in the Korn Ferry Tour this weekend, as he plays in the Veritex Bank Championship in Arlington, Texas, which begins Thursday. He said he’s looking forward to getting his first glimpse of professional experience, which will also bring back memories at Texas Rangers Golf Club.

“It’s comforting knowing that I’m playing well to go in (this weekend),” Stout said. “Played some junior golf and actually won a junior tournament at the course we’re playing, so that’s good memories to have for (this weekend). I’m excited. I don’t really have any expectations. I’m just gonna try to go out there, have fun and see what happens.”

As for OSU, it will continue to prepare for postseason action, with the NCAA Regionals from May 13-15.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

A season ago, Zac Ehrhard was a catalyst in the Oklahoma State offense down the stretch after returning from injury. Now, he’s back at it.

Ehrhard, OSU’s center fielder, batted .167 with no extra base hits through 10 games this season and only bumped up to .218 after 15 games. Since, Ehrhard is on a tear.

In the past 14 games, Ehrhard hit seven home runs, including one against Oral Roberts on Tuesday. His .325 average, as of Thursday before the series opener against BYU, is second-best on the team behind Aidan Meola’s .342. His eight home runs also rank second behind Colin Brueggemann’s 10.

Ehrhard said he hasn’t changed much to get back on track, but that it has largely been natural progression from hard work.

“Nothing special. I’m not trying to do anything different,” Ehrhard said. “I made some mechanical adjustments to kinda work on my swing, and I’ve gotten bigger, I’ve gotten stronger and just working forward. I think it’s kind of part of maturing as a player. I think I’ve just kinda learned how to do it. It was kind of a technique to it, and I’ve learned how to do it, and I’ve kind of gotten started to figure it out a little bit.”

Daugherty ‘doing what he intended to do’

Ian Daugherty is in the opposite spot of where he was last year.

He and Chase Adkison battled for the starting catcher spot in 2023, but a broken bone in his left hand caused him to miss a majority of the season.

“Getting hurt sucks. But the guy that played in front of you was an all-league catcher and arguably one of the best catchers in the conference,” OSU coach Josh Holliday said. “So, he understood that he and Chase were a great pair.

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Daugherty was in another battle to begin the year, this time with Beau Sylvester. But Sylvester injured his right leg early in the season, and Daugherty has stepped up to assume the starting role.

Freshman Charlie Carter split duties with Daugherty after Sylvester’s injury, but Daugherty has started 12 of the past 17 games. His defense has been solid, and his average is .267 with six home runs.

“It’s what he’s supposed to do,” Holliday said. “It’s what he expected of himself. He expected that of himself, and that’s what he wants for his role on the team is to step forward and be a good leader behind the plate and play good. So, I compliment him for it. He’s doing what he intended to do, which is playing better.”

Outlook

The Cowboys used depth to get by ORU on Tuesday, and Holliday said they will continue to need players to step up to have success.

Ehrhard and Daugherty have stepped up on offense, but so have players like Carson Benge (.303 with team-best 40 RBI) and Brueggemann (team-leading 10 home runs). Freshmen Donovan LaSalle and Kyler Proctor, who played Tuesday, have worked into the lineup.

“It’s gonna take all of us to get to the finish line,” Holliday said. “We’ve not often gone this far down in terms of our ability to develop depth inside of one season.”

The finish line is getting closer, too. Four conference series remain, including at home against BYU this weekend. OSU (27-14, 11-7 Big 12) is in a three-way tie for second in the conference with West Virginia and Texas, three games behind Oklahoma.

The Cougars (16-21, 6-15) are last in the Big 12.

Courtesy of OSU Athletics

Preston Stout became the third Cowboy to earn Big 12 medalist honors as a freshman.

Kaak...

Continued from 1B

Kaak kicked a long goal in an Aussie Rules game, and a video of it went semi-viral and attracted ProKick Australia, a program that helps Australian punters and kickers learn American football and earn opportunities in college football. Former Cowboy Tom Hutton was also a ProKick product.

Kaak wasn’t sold on American football at first. He’d never held an American football, much less punted one.

“I’ve watched Tom Brady highlights on YouTube, but that’s about it,” Kaak said.

But he eventually tried out with the program. Six months later, OSU came calling. That’s when he started his research on OSU.

“I go online, and I Google it, and the (“I’m a man – I’m 40”) rant was the first thing that came up,” Kaak said. “And I’m like, ‘This is pretty cool.’”

Once in Stillwater, Kaak had some learning to do. Of course, there was the day-to-day of setting up a life in America, which Hutton guided him through,

SPORTS

and kicker Alex Hale helped Kaak understand football more. Kaak said he barely knew the rules when he arrived.

Kaak also never wore football pads before.

“Kind of embarrassing, but I had to get Alex to help me put my pads on and all that sort of stuff for the first time because I had never touched them, I had never put them on, and I didn’t know how to,” he said. “Literally, he almost helped me get dressed that first practice, and then I’ve sort of been working on it. But getting pretty good at it now.”

Don’t let the absence of pads in Aussie Rules fool you. There is hitting and physicality involved.

Kaak hasn’t been hit yet, though he said he nearly was against Texas in the Big 12 Championship, but he said he’s ready for it.

“I actually cannot wait to have some sort of physicality,” Kaak said. “It’d be really fun. I think if we could run a fake or something, I’ll be so excited. Anything to get me more involved in the physical side of it, I’d love it.”

When he says anything, he means anything. He reminds coaches at practice that he will happily fill in on scout defense if they let him.

So far, he hasn’t been taken up on the offer.

“They think I’m joking every time,” Kaak said. “When we were a few short in running backs last

week, I said to coach, ‘If you need any on scout team, just tell me which gap to run through, and I’ll just take it and run.’”

But at his role, Kaak has been successful. In 38 punts, he pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 20 times. He shared reps with Wes Pahl, a Western Kentucky transfer who handled the Cowboys’ other 28 punts. Whereas Kaak was used for pooch punts, Pahl flipped the field and was used as the big leg.

Pahl, a redshirt senior, said Kaak’s accuracy is impressive and that they learn from each other’s styles.

“Knowing how to do those directional pooch punts, end-over-end, put it where you want it, I’ve learned a lot from watching Hudson,” Pahl said.

Gundy said the Cowboys will utilize a two-punter system again, based on field position and situation. That means more target punts for Kaak, and he’s confident in his ability.

Last week in practice, while quarterback Zane Flores was throwing to receivers, Kaak kicked to receivers running routes between reps. Unconventional practice for a punter, but not far from what he was practicing with Aussie Rules as a kid.

Just how confident is Kaak that he can hit a receiver mid-route?

“I’d put money on it,” he said. “Every time.”

File Photo Hudson Kaak got into American football after a video of him playing Aussie Rules football went semi-viral in Australia.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

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