Transforming tradition
The student sacrifices behind Homecoming
HBY BELLA CASEY I STAFF REPORTER I @BELLACASEYYY
to OSU, but he was never able to make it. His freshman year, it was love at first Walkaround.
omecoming Executive Direc-
tor Brayden Smith never had a sneak peek of Homecoming before coming to OSU, though he could have.
A family friend from church invited Smith to Homecoming multiple times before he began attending
“Once I got fully immersed in it (Homecoming) and got to see what all goes into it, (you’ve) got pomp and working the yard, and just kind of fell in love with the whole process and the atmosphere and just camaraderie that goes with it,” Smith said.
“And so (I) kind of wanted to take that a step further.”
Smith joined a Homecoming steering committee for house decs for his
sophomore year Homecoming and joined the executive board for his junior year Homecoming. He was barely finished with his junior year Homecoming when he was selected to serve as Homecoming Executive Director for 2024. He spent almost a full year planning Homecoming 2023 festivities, too, and did the same for 2022.
Alumni build business in Stillwater
HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS & LIFESTYLE
EDITOR
It’s Homecoming, and thousands of alumni are traveling across state lines, but some simply walk out their door. Students typically attend OSU for four years, graduate and race out of town to start their new lives; others stay and build their futures in Stillwater. Take a walk down the famous, or infamous for some, Washington Street a.k.a. The Strip, and you’ll discover a family-owned and alumni-owned business, DuPree’s Sports & Screen Printing.
The store is a staple of OSU and is recognizable by its iconic ducks
adorned in OSU crewnecks, ready to cheer on the Cowboys.
OSU alumnus Jeff Watkins and his brother, Chad Watkins, took over the store in 1998, 16 years after Watkins’ parents bought the store from the original owner, and former Cowboy football player, Gordon Dupree.
For Watkins, taking over the family business meant staying close to home.
“Being in Stillwater was important to us,” Watkins said. “My brother and I have lived here for most of our lives. It’s a pretty good-sized town, but if you take the college kids out of the equation, it’s a pretty small community.”
Family is a common theme in Stillwater, and down the street from DuPree’s on Knoblock Street, sits another family owned shop and OSU classic, For Pete’s Sake.
See ALUMNI on page 6A
This year, Smith put hundreds of hours into planning, many of them spent helping Greek life pairings prepare their decs. He and his executive team review each pairing’s Homecoming dec plans and preferences to ensure each design is unique, and they know what the decs look like before the first student puts tissue paper to chicken wire. Smith and his executive committee formed the Homecoming theme in the spring, and they reviewed and approved each pairing’s pomp designs.
See TRADITION on page 7A
‘Collegiate hoopla’
Stillwater residents brace for ‘America’s Greatest Homecoming’
KENNEDY THOMASON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @_KENNEDYPAGE
Wes Watkins has been in almost every Homecoming parade since 1956.
He’s missed only one.
The former U.S. House of Representatives member has celebrated Homecoming since he first walked in the parade as a member of the Air Force drill team. He has sported a donkey head,
before he switched parties to Republican, and ridden in many cars, leading the “O-S-U” chant to passersby.
Although Watkins has seen OSU change over the decades, he said the feeling of Homecoming never has.
“I feel, like most students, I don’t worry about studying, I used to always have to worry about the studies,” Watkins said. “Now, you don’t even worry about that, you just have a good time and join all the others that are coming into town.”
COLLEGIATE on page 7A
Payton Little
Worker mopping the floor at the DuPree’s Sports & Screenprinting in Stillwater.
Bryson Thadhani
The annual Sea of Orange Parade is a community favorite. See
‘You
can feel the energy’
CODY GARCIA STAFF REPORTER
OSU commenced Homecoming week with the traditional dyeing of the fountain Sunday outside Edmon Low Library.
Students, faculty, staff, alumni and their families filled the space around OSU’s iconic fountain, ready to kick off the Homecoming festivities.
Adam Hildebrant, an onair producer for OSU Brand Management, spoke during the ceremony.
“Homecoming is one of OSU’s most loved traditions,” Hildebrant said.
Homecoming originated from the Harvest Carnival in 1921 and the fountain dyeing was added in 1999. This year’s Homecoming theme is “Innovative Visions… Timeless Traditions.”
“We showcase the rich heritage of our alumni while paving the way for the future legacy of OSU,” Hildebrant said.
Hildebrant also said OSU honors the customs that have
helped shape the community for the university and Stillwater. Personally, Homecoming is important to him because he has brought his family here every year and officially joined the Cowboy family as an employee in August, he said.
“This is my first year fully back in Stillwater for Homecoming,” Hildebrant said.
There is no denying the impact and energy Homecoming brings to OSU students, faculty and alumni, as well as the community of Stillwater.
“This is just a special time of year... you can feel the energy just coming over here today,” OSU President Dr. Kayse Shrum said. “Having everyone together the entire week and celebrating OSU is pretty neat.”
This year marks President Shrum’s fourth year with OSU, and she said Homecoming is still just as nostalgic and special as her first. Shrum said she’s looking forward to seeing all the Homecoming decs and going to All-Night Pomp and the other events.
“It’s so exciting to see everyone making memories
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Ask the Pokes
What is your favorite Homecoming tradition?
“My favorite Homecoming tradition has got to be the pomping outside of all of the sorority houses. I just think it’s so cool to see all the work that everybody’s put in for weeks.”
- Lilly Ortiz, freshman
and bringing their families back to make more,” Shrum said.
The tradition of Homecoming Royalty was also continued as the 2024 Homecoming King and Queen, Gunnar Aune and Lexie Evers, were announced. The Royalty court is chosen through a three-step application and interview process based on the Cowboy Code, Hildebrant said. Ten students of 81 applicants were chosen.
“I always knew I wanted to apply for Homecoming royalty,” said Paige Orr, a Homecoming nominee and sports media and strategic communications senior.
“My sister was a part of the Homecoming royalty three years ago, and she had just the best time, and I wanted to have the same opportunity,” Orr said.
Homecoming events will continue throughout the weekend. Walkaround is on University Ave at 5:30 p.m. Friday. Homecoming and Hoops is at Gallagher-Iba Arena at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, the “Sea of Orange” parade will kick off at 9 a.m. in Downtown Stillwater.
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A TRIUMPHED END!
“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering , and the time of my departure Is at hand. I have fought a good fight. I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day, and not to me only but to all who have loved His appearing.”. (2 Tim.4:6-8 NKJ)
Here is a man who has lived a life in serving the Lord Jesus and others. He is in a prison cell, expecting his execution at any time. According to history, Paul was beheaded at Rome.
In his last words to a young man and minister, Timothy; Paul was looking ahead to greater and lasting judgement that would come from Christ himself. A
“The Homecoming parade. It’s really fun getting to march down the road and see all these kids and all these families come together and just be so excited about OSU football and the spirit and energy that everybody has.”
- Megan Blair, junior
“So far, with what I’ve seen, the fountain dyeing was really cool, and a lot of the signs different organizations have made outside of the Student Union and stuff has just been really cool to see. People are so creative and that’s awesome.”
- Brandin Housekeeper, freshman
The O’Colly Staff
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Weston Wertzberger
well done to a good and faithful servant. We all can take encouragement from his life of service to the Lord and his vision of something much better that awaited him.
As Jesus neared the end of his life. He prayed:to God “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do. And now, O Father, glorify me...with the glory which I had with you before the world was.”
(Jn.17:4-5 NKJ)
Brother and Sister in Christ: Let us set our goal for a triumphed ending by finishing the work God has called us to do. If it be large or small to our eyes; no matter!
Let’s
Jace Bormann
Jose Brito
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Mykalyn Daidone
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Conner Fuxa
Riley Harness
Kaytlyn Hays
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Bryson Thadhani
Connor Fuxa
OSU held its fountain dyeing Sunday, which kicked off of Homecoming week.
From past to present Alumni pass on traditions
AVA WHISTLER STAFF REPORTER
Every year as the end of the fall semester approaches — with college football in full swing, the leaves changing colors and the Oklahoma heat persisting well into October — OSU students, alumni and fans gather in Stillwater for America’s Greatest Homecoming.
Although it’s no secret OSU is a major draw for prospective students, events like Homecoming draw thousands upon thousands of alumni of all generations. Although many of them are scattered across the country, they willingly make the journey back to their alma mater every year.
So what keeps them coming back, even decades after graduating?
For Tracie and her husband Eric Chapman, it’s family.
When they left Stillwater in 1987, it wasn’t for long. Once their kids followed in their footsteps and became students at OSU, the couple bought season tickets and never looked back.
“We’ve been coming to every game for as long as I can remember,” Tracie said. “I don’t think we’ve missed a single one since 2010.”
For them, even more than football, the games are a chance to connect with family. Over the years as their family grew, three generations of Chapmans continue to come together at every game without fail.
With three children and four grandchildren, “it’s really become a family affair,” Tracie said.
For teacher and alumna Amy Wilson, returning to Stillwater offers the chance for her past and present to collide.
During Homecoming, Wilson reconnects with many of her Phi Mu sorority sisters, even after their lives diverged drastically post-college.
“We still have all those shared experiences that bring us back together,” she said. “We introduce each other to our new families and get to see how things are different but still the same as they were when we were living together.”
Wilson visits Stillwater for most home games, along with her hus-
band and 2-year-old daughter, Abigail, always sporting OSU orange.
“Walking the streets, it’s funny to just look back and laugh about what life was like,” Wilson said.
Every game day, the family religiously returns to familiar spots — on and off campus — like Eskimo Joe’s and Aspen Coffee.
Like Abigail, OSU alumna Madison Jurgensmeyer began visiting Stillwater when she was young. Her father and aunt are both alumni, and she described herself as the “little toddler running around in the OSU cheerleading outfit.”
For Jurgensmeyer, Stillwater holds a lifetime of memories. From attending football games as a child, to her college days going out dancing every weekend, to reconnecting with her now-husband, Jurgensmeyer describes Stillwater as, “magic,” and “a town that sticks with you.”
“Especially this past year, what’s made it even more fun is that I have an almost 3 year old,” she said. “Taking him to the games and seeing him light up when he sees Pistol Pete, or cheer when everyone’s cheering (even if it’s the other team), getting to have that bond of sharing a place that meant so much to me and my husband is really special.”
OSU alumni of all ages are a testament for graduating seniors; a reminder that it’s not over after graduation. From the moment they step across the stage to receive their diploma, they are joining a continuously growing group of the most passionate alumni in the nation.
“Having a Cowboy family means that you know people from all over the United States who have one thing in common,” Tracie said. “And that’s being an OSU Cowboy.”
For them, Stillwater and OSU represent the vast, yet tight knit, Cowboy family. Homecoming, especially, offers alumni the chance to connect with their roots, “show up in boots” and come home to a place that will always welcome them back.
“Whenever we come back to Stillwater, it just feels like coming home again,” Jurgensmeyer said. “I know that sounds cliche, but that’s just how it is.”
Audrel Burge always knew he wanted to be involved in Greek life, but he didn’t know until he reached OSU’s campus that Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. would be his home away from home.
ΑΦΑ, the oldest historically African American fraternity, connected Burge, the now-secretary, with close friends he now considers his brothers.
“Everywhere you go, all Greek life is different, at every campus,” Burge said. “What drew me this way, into this specific fraternity, was just the people, the connections, the family aura, (it’s) family oriented.”
With two of his fraternity brothers, Saah Sicarr and Jermaine Kelley, Burge is set to hit the stage representing ΑΦΑ in the Homecoming Greek Show on Friday. The trio hopes to take home a third straight win for the fraternity.
The show will consist of three National Pan-Hellenic Council fraternities and sororities and eight Multicultural Greek Council sororities and fraternities.
“We have organizations in both of those councils that have again, historically supported the Black students on campus, but then also within the Multicultural Greek Council, our historically ethnic fraternities and sororities and students,” said Casey Domnick, assistant director for the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. “(There’s) a lot of different opportunities for students on campus to find a home away from home.”
But until three years ago, those who found a home among the diverse community of MGC and NPHC had only an informal yard show outside of the Student Union to give back to their alumni during Homecoming.
Now, with the Homecoming Greek Show being a formal, organized event showcasing the talents of these organizations on campus, it connects the groups to their extended family: their alumni.
It is similar to how big the Interfraternity Council and National Panhellenic Council’s Walkaround event is for their alumni, Domnick said.
“This is an opportunity for them to showcase themselves, but also a way for
those communities to have their alumni come back and have something to look forward to,” he said. “This is an opportunity for our NPHC, MGC communities to have a signature event that their alumni can come back and see. And we’ve averaged somewhere between 500700 attendees over the last several years for the event.”
The showcase means everything to many members of MGC and NPHC, especially members like Burge. It represents a deep history and opportunities those before him did not get to experience.
The ΑΦΑ fraternity was the first organization founded in the Divine 9, a group of four historically African American sororities and five historically African American fraternities. It was founded in 1906, but OSU did not have a chapter until 1958.
“It was founded back then, coming from the racial prejudice that Black men and women face when coming to college, or being allowed into colleges and universities, at first, and whenever some of those Black men or women wanted to join a fraternity or sorority, they were turned away because of what they looked like,” Burge said. “So we kind of branched out and made our own… that’s kind of like our community. That’s kind of how people who weren’t able to find community made their own community in those ways.”
Sicarr, the ΑΦΑ step master, as Burge called him, choreographed the step show for the performance. The fraternity is pulling inspiration from one famous superhero to fit the Marvel theme of the show. To find out who, head to the Wes Watkins Center for the show at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 for students and $20 for alumni and other guests. The members of ΑΦΑ said they are hoping to bring home a third straight trophy to their display case.
“We’re looking to show everybody what we can do — what we should be able to do,” Burge said. “We’ve done a lot of shows before this, and some we’ve won, and some we’ve lost, and so that kind of goes to show how we’re kind of resilient in that manner like hey, even though we lose, we can still put on a great show. And so we really just want to put on a great show for everybody, and we just want to make people happy, smile, excited, you know, and have fun.”
Courtesy Madison Jurgensmeyer
Madison Jurgensmeyer’s son and husband on an OSU game day.
Raynee Howell
From right to left, Audrel Burge, Jermaine Kelley and Saah Sicarr, members of the Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc., practice choreography ahead of Homecoming Greek show.
A Timeless Tradition
OSU Homecoming royalty crowned
ALLI THEMER STAFF REPORTER
One timeless tradition of Oklahoma State is the annual Homecoming Royalty crowning. On Sunday, seniors Gunnar Aune and Lexie Evers were crowned the 2024 Homecoming King and Queen.
The Homecoming Court consisted of 10 candidates from a group of 81 applicants. The Queen and King are selected based on three rounds of interviews, centered around the Cowboy Code.
Aune is a senior from LaCrosse, Washington, studying biosystems engineering with a minor in Spanish.
“I came to OSU because of its reputation as a premiere ag school,” he said. “During my time in Stillwater, I have become very involved in Greek life, the Ferguson College of Agriculture, the McKnight Scholars Program and Homecoming leadership through the Alumni Association.”
Evers is a senior from Edmond, studying agribusiness with a pre-law concentration and Spanish minor. Upon graduation, she plans to attend law school with hopes of becoming a public interest attorney in the agricultural/immigration sphere.
“Orange has run in my blood since the day I was born,” Evers said. “My dad was an OSU graduate back in the ‘80s, and my brother attends OSU-IT in Okmulgee. I feel incredibly blessed to be your 2024 OSU Queen and cannot wait to celebrate the week we all hold near and dear to our hearts.”
Homecoming means a lot to Aune.
“Seeing the energy and school spirit grow over the week was an amazing experience, and watching the student body, the Stillwater community, and alumni come together to celebrate our University was so special,” Aune said. “Homecoming officially made Stillwater my home away from home, and my love, involvement and experiences with Homecoming have only grown since then.”
During his freshman year, Aune was involved in the Homecoming Big Committee, which led him to apply for the Homecoming Steering Committee sophomore year, and serve as a Homecoming Executive Committee member junior year.
“Running for Homecoming Court was the perfect opportunity to round out my four years of Homecoming involvement and I am honored to serve this role,” Aune said.
Moving forward, Aune said he hopes to leave a legacy of mentorship to classes below him, who in turn impact the
future classes of Cowboys for years to come.
“Homecoming week is the beating heart of Stillwater,” Evers said. “It serves a purpose extending beyond school pride — it celebrates the past, present and future generations of our university. I remember attending my first Walkaround as an eighth grader after my family moved back to Oklahoma. I had never seen such a passionate, genuine community before.
“There was no doubt in my heart after experiencing my first OSU Homecoming that I would be a student here.”
Evers has also impacted campus throughout her college career. Evers is a member of the Student Foundation, Ferguson China Agricultural University Student Mentor, a member of a Panhellenic sorority, as well as involved in Cowboys for Veterans, Purple Pals and the Butter Churning Club.
“While I have been involved in several organizations and community outreach projects over the years, I truly believe my biggest impact has been through the smallest actions,” Evers said. “If I graduate from this university and the only thing people remember about me is that I was a positive light, I would be overjoyed.”
To Aune, the theme, “Innovative Visions… Timeless Traditions” connects the past, present and future generations of Cowboys.
“Homecoming has always been a time to reminisce about the past and participate in our time-honored traditions, but this year we are also encouraged to look towards the future,” he said. “As we remember our university’s rich history, we also embrace forwardthinking ideas that will take our beloved university to new heights. This Homecoming season, we have an incredible opportunity to celebrate our founding values while looking forward to all great things to come.”
To Evers, the theme means OSU’s values remain the same as it evolves.
“As a land-grant institution born in 1890, we’ve made considerable strides in our education program, inclusivity and community outreach over the years,” Evers said. “As an OSU family, we push ourselves to see the world as it could be, all while maintaining the values of discipline and integrity found in the Old West. When I think of innovative visions and timeless traditions my mind immediately goes to the new Ferguson building. While the design is much more modern and research-friendly than our previous building, we also brought back several traditions dating way back to my dad’s time in college, such as Larry & Kay’s Dairy Bar.”
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Pomping pressures
Greek life balances mental health during preparations
RAYNEE HOWELL ASSISTANT NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Bekah Bowman, a member of Alpha Delta Pi, is pomping for the first time this Homecoming, despite being a senior.
Bowman in previous years had other obligations, from Follies to study-abroad trips. This year, she has experienced the repetitive process of sticking tissue paper through seemingly endless amounts of chicken wire.
Learning to manage school work, extracurriculars, two part-time jobs and pomping up to 10 hours a week for ADPi hasn’t come without its learning curves. Bowman’s situation is similar to many students participating in Greek life.
Most fraternities and sororities have Homecoming directors who work with members to make sure they are prioritizing school and other responsibilities, in addition to pomping. Bowman said their directors work with each member around exams and other extracurriculars.
“I do a lot and I will be so real, it is so stressful trying to juggle everything,” Bowman said. “It’s helpful when they allow you to have a certain amount of hours off or if you have an exam or something like that, they’ll give you a certain amount of hours off depending on the policy that they have. But other than that, it can be really stressful, and it can be very hard to, like, figure things out and juggle all the obligations at once.”
Once students perfect their hectic schedules, the required participation hours spent pomping becomes a social gathering.
“I really enjoy coming to pomp,” said Raychel Morrison, freshman Alpha Omicron Pi member. “While you pomp you make new friends daily and get to know people better due to being able to talk while you’re pomping your hours.”
Hannah Rauschuber, a member of Alpha Chi Omega, like Morrison, has been pomping around 10 hours a week since early September. The hours vary depending on classification or pledge class. Typically younger members are required to participate in more hours, and as a sophomore, she works more than the typical member.
She said it works for her because her and her friends like to be actively doing things.
“(We) don’t like being bored,” Rauschuber said. “Pomping is a time where you can go with your friends and kind of get out of that headspace whenever you’re bored of studying, pomping is something you can go do.”
But similar to Bowman, she acknowledges it’s not all fun and games. The busyness of this time can be overwhelming. For those heavily involved in other activities and for freshmen and sophomores, it can be even more stressful to meet required hours, but to Rauschuber it all pays off in the end.
“It is very rewarding as well,” Rauschuber said. “Nothing is better than walking out after All-Night Pomp and seeing that hard work and seeing everybody’s face in the community light up. Homecoming is huge here at OSU, as many of us know, and it brings a lot of donors and is really good for the city, so as long as you keep a positive mindset that you are making a difference in the OSU community, I think it’s all worth it.”
Time management is one solution to the additional stress echoed by members across organizations. Blake Smith, a Kappa Sigma member, said he balances his school and fraternity obligations well, but he knows many of his brothers with more intensive schedules struggle at times.
Smith said the school asks a lot of the Greek life organizations.
“You know, me personally, I’m not working a full-time job to be here,” Smith said. “And so I have dedicated those hours to how I want to. But I know for other guys they’ve talked to me a lot about how they don’ t know if they are going to get their 10 hours of pomping in because they have to put three hours for this class of studying and four hours for this test
coming up.
“It’s definitely taxing. I commit a lot of our success to our mental health committee and our chapter.”
If it wasn’t for those in charge checking in with each individual member, the hecticness of Homecoming season would weigh even heavier on the shoulders of the members. While directors make accommodations, Kamryn Hanson, an Alpha Omicron Pi sophomore, ensures each member works their required hours as part of her “dec girl” responsibilities.
In her sorority, freshman and sophomores pomp 10 hours, the junior class pomps eight hours and seniors pomp six. Exceptions do exist for those in more class hours, have more exams, or other personal reasons.
“We are in charge of checking in people like clocking them in for hours,” Hanson said. “We check screens and are basically there for the entirety of all night, pomping, making sure everything is ready to go and we’re just like the second hand is almost like assistance to the directors to be there wherever they need.”
Hanson enjoys partaking in pomping and Homecoming activities, but has witnessed firsthand sorority sisters stressing about meeting hours when many things are on their plate. But everyone is pushing for a common goal: finishing the house dec by 3 p.m. on Friday for judging.
It’s a drive that keeps many members of Greek life going, but the word “draining” is one continuously used to describe the process of getting to Walkaround. Jackson Parrish of Pi Kappa Alpha said knowing the responsibility the fraternity has can be tough at times.
But the Pike brothers have been working on the Homecoming idea since the spring semester, and the final presentation is what each member is holding out for. The directors also make accommodations for Parrish and his brothers when needed. The support and the hope for a good Homecoming fuels Parrish through his 10-hour pomping weeks as it does for many.
“We have a big responsibility to provide an experience for campus and that can get a bit hard to handle sometimes,” Parrish said. “I’d say that we’ve had a great time, and we are lucky that we have so many great people around us to check in and make sure that everything’s going OK.”
Not every member of each Greek organization has the same support as Parrish and his brothers.. Aileen, a member of a Panhellenic sorority, asked The O’Colly to leave out her name and sorority to protect her status. She said the Homecoming preparations have created dread for her. When pomping with friends in a good environment, it’s doable, but on those Sunday nights pomping for more than four hours straight, it’s hard to keep going.
“I hate it, and I struggle with it like at the end of the week, I get it done and it’s like, it’s not as bad as it feels at the moment,” Aileen said. “But a lot of times we’re told like, ‘Oh, other houses have 10 to 12 hours’ like we have it so nice, and I am grateful for that, but being in two sciences and a math class right now, it’s weighing on me. When we take it week by week and like you have such a heavy course load, it kind of f****** sucks.”
Even with receiving reduced hours, Aileen said it’s taken a toll on her grades as well as her mental health. Aileen is one of the sisters who is adapting to the increased responsibilities that often plague Greek members at this time each year.
Bowman, as a psychology major, understands the effects it has on her sorority sisters in the transition period. She said she’s seen many members have “little freak-outs” from stress.
“(Sometimes) I’ m like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m drained’ in a sense, but more than that, I’m so busy that I’m drained,” Bowman said. “But it works out in the end, and I’m happy that I had this experience of pomping with my friends and knowing that in the end of it, it really is fun. And it’s a good way to promote friendship and Greek life.”
Bryson Thadhani contributed to this report.
Bryson Thadhani
Bekah Bowman pomping for the Alpha Delta Pi/Sigma Chi house dec during All-Night Pomp.
Cody Garcia
Homecoming Queen Lexie Evers and escort Josh Stephens at the crowning ceremony.
Homecoming A family affair
MEGAN ROY STAFF REPORTER
Thousands of students call OSU home because their parents and grandparents also attended this historic university. This is the mark of OSU’s enduring vitality. Generation after generation comes back because this town has managed to leave its mark on the hearts of Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Homecoming serves as the ultimate crossover of the new and the old. For legacies and their parents, Homecoming serves as the perfect time to reflect on the memories of the past and the commonalities that remain the same, even after the decades have gone by.
Sophomore Jake White has a long lineage of proud OSUattending family. Jake had to take a deep breath before he rattled off the extensive list of his family members who attended OSU.
“My older sister, my older brother, both my mother and father, my aunt and uncle, both sets of grandparents, great grandparents,” Jake said. “I mean the whole family tree.”
Jake said that before he was born, his family had the same tailgate spot for 20 years.
Craig White, Jake White’s father, who graduated in 1994, said that especially now as an alumni, he and his wife “have returned to Walkaround most years.”
It is a full-circle moment considering when he was in school, Craig jokes that he and his wife could never enjoy the extent of the Homecoming festivities because as Greek life students they were too busy “pomping and creating the float (house dec).”
Mother and daughter duo Laura and Allison Moore have a similar story. Laura Moore graduated in 1995 and said not a lot has changed since Homecoming in the early ‘90s. The crowded and bustling events of Walkaround, the parade and the Homecoming game have all remained virtually untouched throughout the years.
Laura said the big difference
between now and then is now she is “more hopeful for a game win,” as she went to school during the infamous 0-10-1 Cowboy season.
Laura and her family live in California, but the distance could not diminish the Stillwater pull. Her daughter Allison is a current student at OSU.
Allison said though Stillwater is different from where she grew up, she likes “the way people care about things here.”
This sense of caring is a common theme for those who graduate from OSU. Laura said the time she ran into some OSU fans at Disneyland and all she had to do is “give them a little ‘Go Pokes’ and suddenly (they’re) best friends.”
Laura said she and her peers all knew they had something special in Stillwater and OSU. She is grateful for weeks like Homecoming because it offers an opportunity to come back as an adult and once again “embrace and sway back and forth for the alma mater with friends we’ve had for 30 years.”
This is the generous culture OSU fosters. Like any parents, Allison and Craig just wish their own kids can have as much fun and experience the same sense of belonging that they did while they were in college.
Craig said Jake “creates memories with friends and families to add to those he had before attending school.”
Laura said Allison feels like OSU is her home.
The Whites and the Moores stories are just small excerpts of a huge book that makes up the rich history and culture of Stillwater.
The parade, football game, house decs and painted signs of Homecoming have no life without the beating heart of the OSU community.
A family will undoubtedly support OSU because their kids go there but “it goes beyond that,” Jake said.
“It doesn’t matter what you look like, what your name is, where you come from,” Jake said. “It’s going to be a great experience every time you’re in Stillwater.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
Theme
BELLA CASEY STAFF REPORTER
innovation
we want to showcase the rich heritage of our alumni as well as what’s to come.”
Members of OSU’s Homecoming Executive team gathered for a retreat, but not for a break.
It was time to choose the 2024 Homecoming theme.
The first Homecoming Executive team meeting of the year is called the exec retreat, and it’s where the students meet to train new executive team members, exchange important information such as passwords and emails and, most importantly, decide the Homecoming theme.
Homecoming Executive Director Brayden Smith, an agribusiness and finance major from Altus, instructed each member to bring at least three theme ideas to the first meeting for Homecoming 2024. He said a lot of good ideas were discussed, but they voted on one theme: “Innovative Visions… Timeless Traditions.”
“So we kind of wanted a theme that was open and something that the (Homecoming) pairings could kind of take and interpret and portray on their dec side, or Harvest Carnival, basically across the board in their own manner and how they perceived it,” Smith said. “So for us, this year, we picked the theme “Innovative Visions… Timeless Traditions,” and
Secret
All-Night Pomp means crunch time for the Greek community.
University Avenue is lined with lifts, scaffolding, rows of pomp and Greek students hard at work, putting together house decorations after two and a half months of preparation.
The 24-hour event can be a blast for many, but it can also be stressful. Many groups at OSU make their way to the Greek walk with messages of encouragement and goodies for the pompers, but one group stands out: the parents.
Each year, the Greek moms and dads pack up their cars full of snacks and supplies and drive to Stillwater. These parents set up at the houses and offer love, support and, most importantly, a never-ending supply of food.
Stephanie Martindale drove from Edmond last year to support two of her sons, senior Trent and sophomore Connor, and she plans to make the trip again this year as the co-president of the FIJI parents club.
“I’m super excited about it,” Stephanie said. “I’ve been looking forward to it, but then you know I’m not going to sleep tonight.”
Stephanie loves getting to see her sons in action. Last year, Connor, a freshman at the time, took her on a 2 a.m. tour of the Greek neighborhood. Stephanie said she was amazed by the number of people out that early in the morning.
“The whole campus was alive and running
Smith said the first things that came to mind for “Innovative Visions” were things such as Innovation Park, a planned 678-acre collaborative research park in southwest Stillwater, Legacy Hall and prospective updates to athletic facilities. “Timeless Traditions” reminded him of alumni.
The Homecoming committees, which are student run, help approve and organize Homecoming dec ideas. Smith said some Homecoming Executive members are here for students and want to make Homecoming the best it can be. Part of this duty includes ensuring there are no repeat ideas on decs and helping pairings if needed.
“You’ll see some decs that might show a little bit more of the past, like what’s come, and then you’ll still see some more futuristic,” Smith said. “And then you’ll kind of see some about kind of bringing a story together.” Smith said the initial ideas for the theme was not exactly “Innovative Visions… Timeless Traditions.” One executive member laid the groundwork for the idea, and a few other ideas were meshed together to form the theme.
“There’s things (on the decs) that we’ve never seen before,” Smith said. “So I feel really well about the way this Homecoming’s gonna go.”
around, and the lights were everywhere,” Stephanie said. “It was just an extraordinary thing because it was three in the morning, but it felt like it was 8 p.m. at night.”
Connor loved getting to show his mom around and is excited to share Homecoming with her again.
“She had never seen Homecoming designs, and she got to see it build up because she was in the kitchen area, and she kind of got to see it all come to life,” Connor said.
For Connor and Trent, having the parents there helps them get through the night and forget about the late hours.
“It’s really nice that they are wanting to help us because it is such a stressful time,” Trent said. “Just having them here and bringing food and snacks is one of those things that goes a long way. You know they just make everything a lot easier for us.”
Trent is a Homecoming director, making his All-Night Pomp experience even more intense. His mom acts as a break in the intensity, offering a hug and smile.
“It’s really nice,” Trent said. “You know she’s my mom, and I love her, so it’s really nice to see her face and see that she really cares about what we do and stuff, and it means a lot that she is here.”
Stephanie did not go to OSU. Instead, she went to OU. Her brothers wore orange and black, and so do her sons. All-Night Pomp offers her a chance to experience Homecoming through her family’s eyes.
“I love that experience with Trent and Connor because they brought me into their world, and I really enjoyed being a part of that,” Stephanie said.
Courtesy Jake White
Jake White (right) and his father Craig White at an OSU football game.
HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
OSU takes pedestrian safety precautions ahead of Walkaround
KENNEDY THOMASON
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
As alumni prepare to return to their alma mater for one of the biggest events of the year, OSU is preparing, too.
OSUPD, which provides safety enforcement during the event, is one of the police departments that work to keep visitors and residents safe during Walkaround, where visitors can see Homecoming decs in the Greek neighborhood. The Pedestrian Safety Task Force, which has worked to improve on-campus safety, has continually made improvements to campus signage and crosswalks. Last year, OSU anticipated about 80,000 visitors for Walkaround, but an expected number for this year has not been announced.
OSUPD Captain Colt Chandler said OSUPD, along with other police departments in the area, put in a “significant amount of work to create a safer environment.”
“That way people can come freely and enjoy the experience that Stillwater has to offer this time of year,” Chandler said. “We recognize how that safety is a paramount.”
Chandler said after the 2015 crash, which killed four people during the Homecoming parade, it shifted how the department focuses on crowd safety.
Although the area directly surrounding the Greek neighborhood will be blocked off, Chandler said visitors walking to the event from south-side neighborhoods or across campus should be cautious.
Planning ahead on where to park and recognizing there will be heavy traffic can help improve safety, Chandler said.
Chandler also sits on the Pedestrian Safety Task Force, which was formed after a student was killed in a hit-andrun in February.
Although there are still two months yet to be accounted for, Chandler said OSUPD has recorded a 22% decrease in accidents since last year.
“I’m really hopeful that we do stay below, flat or below, (the) number that we have compared to the last year, but it’ll be close, I think,” Chandler said.
Director of Parking and Transportation Services Steve Spradling heads the task force. Spradling said he feels as if pedestrian safety on campus has improved since the task force was
formed.
“I think our Homecoming guests, they’re pretty good about watching,” Spradling said. “They know they’re coming to a crowded area, but you just look out for each other. That’s the theme of all of this, I think, is it’s everybody’s job to watch out for the other person.”
The task force ran a survey to evaluate the state of pedestrian safety on campus. The group met Monday to discuss the results, and Spradling said about 60% of respondents said more education on safe ways to travel on campus are needed. About 66% of respondents said more education on scooter safety is needed, he said.
“One of the things the survey pointed to in particular is the respondents thought that a lot of people were distracted, both by pedestrians being distracted by phones and drivers being distracted by technology,” Spradling said.
Next, Spradling said the task force will look at creating a potentially mandatory pedestrian safety training for students. This would be similar to the 1 is 2 Many training on sexual violence, which students are required to complete.
Beckett Carroll, the student representative who sits on the task force, said the most important piece to improving pedestrian safety is building infrastructure to support a pedestrianoriented campus.
“I think beyond infrastructure, which I think is the number one thing, you know, role models and people understanding their rights as a pedestrian and what they shouldn’t do as a driver,” Carroll said.
Before the semester began, the task force repainted crosswalks and placed “pedestrian crossing” signs in them. Since, crosswalks have been repainted on Hester Street, a barricade has been added on Scott and Monroe Streets and signage in A-frames and posters has been pushed out.
Carroll said that for students, being aware of high-traffic areas like Monroe street, which becomes a “drag strip” after 5 p.m., is important.
Being assertive with body language and making eye contact with drivers before entering the roadway are effective ways to keep yourself safe as a pedestrian, Carroll said.
“Cars and drivers need to realize that pedestrians are... people, not just barriers in the road to swerve around,” Carroll said.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Continued from 1
“I just wanted the accomplishment of getting that (college) done, and then I realized, ‘I don’t want to go through all that interviewing; I don’t want to move; my family is here,’” Causley said.
So Causley and her son, an artist for DuPree’s set out and opened their own store, For Pete’s Sake. Thirty-two years later, Causley is happy to be in Stillwater.
“We came here to put my husband through college, and my kids were just babies then,” Causley said. “We moved away for a few years and we realized, it’s a good place to raise them so we came back and we’ve been here ever since.”
Next door, nestled between Eskimo Joe’s and For Pete’s Sake is another alumni-owned business, The Endzone, an official OSU spirit store.
Walk through the door and you’re greeted by a wave of orange and black and owner Garrett Shubert.
At 21, Shubert dropped out of OSU to go into business, opening The Endzone in 2002 before returning to OSU in 2007 to finish out his degree.
“I just wanted to open this business up,” Shubert said. “I didn’t want to leave, and I always liked Stillwater, and I always wanted to raise a family here. I just enjoyed Oklahoma State, the fans, everybody’s friendly, loyal and true.”
Shubert and his wife, a teacher, stayed in Stillwater to run The Endzone and raise their three sons –potential future Cowboys and have witnessed the town change a lot in 22 years – but not the traditions.
“I think it’s (traditions) continued to get stronger; the family is growing,” Shubert said. “It’s grown up a lot, just the tradition and the tailgating. I remember when we first opened up there being 10 tents outside for tailgating. Now each year it has continued to grow.”
As the decades go by, things change and evolve, but the notion of the Cowboy family and Stillwater community stands strong in the face of progress. Causley said there has been a lot of innovation over the years, but Stillwater has never lost its charm.
“Everything has changed, but the friendliness is still here,” Causley said. “When I first came on, we truly had never faxed something to somebody, and we were not computerized and all of that has changed.”
Ever loyal and true, Homecoming is one of OSU’s biggest traditions, but change is inevitable. Watkins, a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity in the ‘90s, remembers pomping with multiple sororities.
“It was fun. We did Homecoming with four different sororities at the time,” Watkins said. “One of my roommates was Homecoming director for two years, so he made sure I was out there working.”
Today, Watkins is still helping the Greek community pomp. Dupree’s helps the Greek community in a symbiotic relationship, purchasing and delivering the pomp to the community at a lower price in exchange for apparel orders.
“We put a lot of work into keeping the house dec cost down for them, and
then we asked if they’ll do some apparel orders through us for Homecoming,” Watkins said.
Watkins said he has noticed a change in the style of pomping and the amount of pomp needed by soriorites and fratenrites has increased.
“From when I was in the Greek community, the house decs are getting smaller,” Watkins said. “But it seems like they’re having to order more pomps to get the details going.”
OSU’s Homecoming theme is “Innovative Visions… Timeless Traditions” and Watkins, Causley and Shubert encapsulate tradition, but they are also innovators of their time. The trio worked hard to open and run their own business and are learning every day.
“When you start your own business, you have to be prepared to work lots of hours, because no one’s going to care about the business as much as you,” Watkins said. “Lots of long hours, lots of stressful nights, but the good thing about my brother being down here is we employ a lot of college kids, so it keeps us young getting to work with them.”
Causley said the key to starting a business is to get a good accountant, and Shubert believes that writing down a list of goals and working toward them is the recipe for success.
“I just always go back to hard work, you know, just having the mentality to chase your goals and achieve them,” Shubert said.
The business owners are excited, if not more than the student body, for Homecoming. In honor of the occasion, Dupree’s stays open late on Walkaround. The apparel store also has its own tradition made sweeter by the 6 p.m. kick off.
“It’s been a tradition here to close to let the college kids go to the football games,” Watkins said.
DuPree’s, For Pete’s Sake and The Endzone are close to campus and the students are apart of their daily lives. For Causley, Homecoming means seeing her former employees.
“I get to see old employees that worked for me 25 years ago, and they’ll come and say hi,” Causley said.
Shubert is excited for his favorite tradition, the Sea Of Orange Parade, but his favorite part of Homecoming is reconnecting with friends and fans as alumni flock to Stillwater.
“We get to see the fans that we have gotten to know and become friends with, you know, that eventually move away,” Shubert said. “It seems like this weekend everybody comes back and its great to see old friends and faces and seeing their kids getting older and coming to Oklahoma State.”
These Cowboys of entrepreneurialism stayed in Stillwater and built on the tradition of OSU with each passing year. They took the idea of the Cowboy family to heart and made it their own.
Payton Little
OSU has improved pedestrian safety ahead of Walkaround.
Collegiate
Stillwater is anticipating more than 80,000 visitors this weekend, according to the City of Stillwater.
For long-time residents like Jewel Sample, Homecoming means a weekend spent inside her house.
“Collegiate hoopla is way past my time,” Sample said. “I logged the zeal for any of that a long time ago.”
Sample, who is in her 70s and has lived in Stillwater since 1987, said she used to enjoy attending the parade with her family. But as she and her husband have aged, navigating traffic and walking long distances has become an obstacle.
Sample said they watched the parade on TV until they stopped getting cable. Now, Sample said she uses Facebook to look at photos from the week.
Although she and her husband don’t venture out for the week’s festivities anymore, Sample said avoiding The Strip, University Avenue and any restaurants in town are easy ways to beat the Homecoming crowds.
And though the temporary shut down of the town is inconvenient, Sample said she has learned to “go with the flow.”
“It’s just part of living in a university town,” Sample said. “They dominate your routine, so you have to adjust, one way or the other — stay home or work around it.”
Katie Bean’s solution to the influx of people in town is to get away. Every year, the 16-year Stillwater resident and OSU alumna sneaks out.
This year, Bean, who earned her master’s from OU, will be in Norman for the Sooners’ football game against Maine. Then, she is planning to spend some time at the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.
Although Bean said she loves the money that Homecoming brings in, sticking around town is not for her.
“I’m a huge, huge believer in Stillwater and the community and everything OSU does for this community,” Bean said. “So yes, everybody, please come spend all your money. I’m just not going to be here. I spend all my money the rest of the time.” Bean, vice president of the Downtown Stillwater Association Board, said merchants on Main Street look forward to Homecoming and all of the out-of-town shoppers it brings.
“The downtown (has) definitely seen a lot of impact from Homecoming and OSU, the park and ride, the free shuttle service that’s off of Main Street, is great for us,” Bean said. “We’re so thrilled with that program, because every time there’s home games we’re always promoting all our merchants.”
Watkins said he has also seen the positive impact Homecoming has on local businesses.
“I think most of the merchants and all are really looking forward to having it every year, that I think would really be disappointed if it couldn’t have a big Homecoming parade and activity, and I think it just brings people in, and the overall spirit (is) just unmatched,” Watkins said. Continued from 1
news.ed@ocolly.com
400 water bottles into six coolers.
Then they pass out four water bottles to each band member to drink in the stands.
Smith is awake most of All-Night Pomp in case a pairing needs help, but when he finally crawls into bed, he sleeps with his phone ringer on. He shared his phone number with all the sorority and fraternity head directors so they can reach him if something goes wrong, whether it’s reengineering a part or fixing a minor flaw.
Smith is one of few students who takes loyal and true to a new level. As some students set course work and commitments aside to enjoy Homecoming week, others sacrifice their time, sleep and schedules to produce the week-long celebration deemed “America’s Greatest Homecoming.”
“I’m in here (his office) almost every day, responding to emails, making sure that (I’m) double, triple checking everything, whether I’m reorganizing the ledgers, answering questions from parents, it’s all things like that,” Smith said.
Smith also attends Tuesday night executive meetings and handles other day-today responsibilities as they arise. He said his executive team was diligent in its work and finished Homecoming preparation early, so members get to enjoy Homecoming, with their week ending in a suite at the Homecoming football game.
“I
“And so as you probably are thinking, there’s a lot of trash,” Short said. “And so another one of our jobs, as my job and our cleaning crew, is what we call stands cleaning squad, we clean up all the water bottles after the game in the stands.”
Win or lose, rain or shine, Short cleans the stands with a trash bag in hand as her bandmates leave the stadium to meet up with family and friends or go home.
“Now, granted, we don’t do that throughout the entire stadium, but I can guarantee you, the band section looks cleanest after the game,” Short said.
Short said she hopes to be a role model for those who don’t think they can achieve higher than their current status. She used to think she
freshman year, and she is now pursuing a master’s degree in agricultural education. Her love for Paddle People spans beyond her college career. It’s practically tradition. Gekeler is from Kit Carson, Colorado, but her mother is from Oklahoma. She grew up watching OSU games on TV, especially around Halloween. It was the running joke in her family that she should dress as a paddle person.
“And I was like, ‘OK,’ so I did that one year,” Gekeler said. “Nobody in my town knew what it was, so I had a lot of explaining to do there.” That costume became her uniform. She joined Paddle People as soon as she knew how to, and she has spent countless home football games guarding the fountain in front of the Edmon Low Library.
Paddle People are responsible for guarding the fountain each home football game of the season. They camp out and play games, plan for the upcoming game and eat snacks. The group will go from the fountain straight to the Homecoming parade this year, and Gekeler is hoping to get 30 minutes of sleep, if possible.
came to OSU, and I went to my first game, the very first game of the season, and I saw the Paddle People, and I was just like, ‘Who are they? How can I be a part of that?’”
- HALEY BOLLINGER, MEMBER OF THE PADDLE PEOPLE
But as students sway to the sound of OSU’s alma mater and fans leave Boone Pickens Stadium, Abby Short knows her work is not over.
The animal science pre-vet junior from Longview, Texas, embraces the post-game ritual beside her fellow band members, with Homecoming being no exception. But she puts a personal spin on the tradition.
She belts “pick up your water bottles” to her bandmates as they load up their instruments and leave.
Short is the vice president of programs for Kappa Kappa Psi, an honorary band fraternity. She was hesitant to join when she received her bid, though, because she never saw herself as a member of a social frat.
“But it’s not a social frat,” Short said. “It’s an organization. That’s why we call it an honorary band fraternity. It’s an organization that is basically meant for serving the band programs here at OSU, both the marching band and then concert bands as well.”
Part of Short’s game-day job is supplying water to the band. She lugs eight 34 gallon jugs into the stadium each game with the help of Tau Beta Sigma Vice President of Projects Mykaela Johnson, and they fill those with water and ice and load
couldn’t when she was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa in eighth grade.
“I was afraid that I wouldn’t get anywhere, and that I would possibly, unfortunately, pass away because of the state I was in,” Short said. She held tightly to band throughout that time because she wanted to get better at playing her clarinet. She realized if she wanted to achieve her goals and to become a vet, she had to be healthy and in a state where people could rely on her.
Now, the Cowboy Marching Band relies on her each game, and she goes above and beyond to leave the stadium as clean as she found it.
Another group of students a few rows below Short’s section also stay for the entirety of each football game. A group of OSU’s most enthusiastic fans leave the stadium as Short tidies her section.
The Paddle People, commonly referred to as the heartbeat of Boone Pickens Stadium, arrive at the stadium three hours before kickoff, and they keep students’ spirits up until the game ends. They are often decked out in face paint, sparkles and wigs. It’s a creative idea the organization’s advisers pitched, Paddle People President Allison Gekeler said.
Gekeler joined Paddle People her
Campout was Paddle People Vice President Haley Bollinger’s introduction to the group. A paddle person invited the senior graphic design major from Yukon to help guard the fountain when she showed an interest in Paddle People after her first football game.
“I came to OSU, and I went to my first game, the very first game of the season, and I saw the paddle people, and I was just like, ‘Who are they? How can I be a part of that?’” Bollinger said.
Bollinger was a paddle person by her second football game. Any person can join at any time, and they pay their dues at their first conference game, as long as they’re comfortable sacrificing some sleep, tailgate opportunities and braving the heat and cold at every home football game.
The paddle people still have time to enjoy Homecoming, though. They don’t have to guard the fountain until after Walkaround.
“You have to do Walkaround,” Bollinger said. “No one else does it like OSU does it. The pomps are amazing.”
The creative house decs are a culmination of hours of hard work and planning on behalf of students and Homecoming committees. The students surrounding the orange fountain represent a commitment to tradition, and the spotless band section in BPS means the band’s unofficial clean up crew’s dedication paid off.
Their jobs are different, but they have one thing in common: they bleed orange.
Bryson Thadhani
The color guard and band march in the parade each year.
Continued from 1 Tradition
Payton Little
Allison Gekeler and Haley Bollinger are both passionate members of the Paddle People.
ELECTION COVERAGE
Stillwater residents embrace, brace for planned data center
KENNEDY THOMASON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
When Crystal Hayes learned about the data center, it was too late.
The 66-year-old calf-cow producer lives across from the land where the data center, a building of networked computer servers similar to a physical manifestation of a cloud, will be built. Earlier this year, the City Council approved the data center, but Tuesday, voters will have their final chance to vote on a measure that would allow OG+E, a major utility company in Oklahoma, to service the project.
The data center project has been shrouded in secrecy, with council members signing nondisclosure agreements, barring them from sharing the name of the project’s company.
But Hayes said the city’s lack of transparency goes deeper than signed contracts.
“I also feel as if… it’s because I’m just one little person out here,” Hayes said. “They never dreamed of two neighborhoods being up in arms. But I cannot stand toe to toe with billionaire companies. There’s just no way.”
Before the land on the north side of Stillwater was rezoned, Hayes said it was zoned for the city’s schools. Now, Hayes faces the potentially six-phase project moving in next door.
The City Council has approved the first two phases, which will have buildings about 300,000 square feet each. If Stillwater’s voters approve OG+E as the contractor for the site, the city will receive a 3% franchise fee, which would generate about $2.25 million per data center, per year.
If the ballot measure fails, the city will have to find a new contractor for the power, which would likely be the Stillwater Electric Utility. A ‘no’ vote would also mean the city would be responsible for providing infrastructure to power, costing Stillwater’s residents.
In addition to the franchise fee, a ‘yes’ vote would allow money from the data center to be funneled into community betterment and Stillwater Public Schools, among others.
The positives and negatives seem almost irrelevant to Hayes amid the alleged secrecy.
Hayes said informational flyers from the city were shared with the two nearby neighborhoods, Tower Park and Parkview Estates, but she did not receive any.
“It shouldn’t take this long to get this much information, and it shouldn’t take secrecy and non-disclosure contracts after the deal has already been done, not to say, ‘Hey, here it is, and, you know, let’s try to ease into it, and they’ll be really good neighbors if you’ll give them a shot,’ or whatever it is. You know, I do think it’s instant gratification with the City Council.”
Interim City Manager Brady Moore said the city is excited to announce the company, once it decides to do so.
“That’s just their company policy, is that they keep the name withheld through this whole due diligence period until they have acquired everything that they need to acquire
on their long checklist before they can say, ‘OK, the project’s now ready to move forward,’” Moore said.
Moore said he hopes the company will announce its name in early 2026.
Goutam Chakraborty, an OSU business professor who specializes in data science, said it is standard practice for companies to not disclose their names. This does not mean the companies are not held to a standard, he said, because their reputation is at stake.
“That’s why we elect people,” Chakraborty said. “It’s their job to be able to do the due diligence.”
Data centers are like a group of computers tied together to create greater processing power and storage, Chakraborty said. They are mostly used to store data that are related to text, such as emails, video and audio.
The stored data is then used to create a product, answer a question or provide a service, Chakraborty said.
“My real concern is the summer month(s) of June, July, August, when the temperature outside is high to begin with, and we are running air conditioning everywhere, these things will generate heat and there’ll be some pressure on the power grid,” Chakraborty said.
Data centers require significant electricity and water to function, which Moore said the city has plenty of. Stillwater has access to 50 million gallons of water, or MGD, per day from Kaw Lake, and the most the city has used in one day is 15, Moore said. On average, the city uses seven MGD daily, and the first two data center phases are expected to require 2.7 MDG daily, he said.
The project would use water to cool its processors, then recycle it through its system.
As far as electricity, OG+E Director of Community Affairs and Economic Development Alba Weaver said the servicing contract would benefit Stillwater’s residents.
“One, we have the ability to meet their timelines and provide the capacity that they are required,” Weaver said. “And two, this will also be a way for the city to be able to close the deal and... funding from that would come from the... sale of electricity in Stillwater. To assign that to some projects, mostly of those being related to education and parks improvement.”
The agreement between OG+E and the city is required so the utility company can utilize public streets to maintain or expand infrastructure, Weaver said.
Weaver said OG+E will collect money from the company and forward a 3% franchise fee to the city, which will not impact any of Stillwater’s citizens.
“The city does not have to worry about whether the lights are on or where there are any issues in providing that power, because we are the ones that would be responsible for that,” Weaver said. “So truly, it’s a really good partnership for us.”
That’s the way many of Stillwater’s residents see it.
Mark Pennie, who lives at Richmond Road and Perkins Road, said the value to city taxes, without costing the city much for infrastructure, is a positive.
“The data center represents the fact that Stillwater is in the now and is preparing for the future with the kind of collateral industry that the data center might provide,” Pennie said. “The data center is going to, hopefully, it’s going to eliminate a lot of latency in online computations.”
Other residents, such as Aaron Nuttle, who worked for an Amazon Web Services data center after leaving the Navy, don’t see many negative consequences.
“Once the data center got up, I don’t really think it would make an impact at all on the day-to-day lives of the residents of Stillwater,” Nuttle said.
He said the data center would also temporarily boost
the economy with construction jobs.
Roger Gose, who frequents City Council meetings, said he met with the company who will bring its data center to Stillwater. It invited him to a meeting because it noticed he was an involved, concerned citizen, he said.
Gose said he left the meeting impressed.
“With their concern for being a clean energy user, very conservative of their resources, of the natural resources, and they want to be a good community partner and help with more than just the things that are listed in the community betterment,” Gose said. “I think we’ll see funding coming from them for lots of different initiatives that people put forward and ask for the money.”
The franchise fees for phase one and two of the project would be $51,750,000 each, according to the City of Stillwater. Community betterment payments for phase one would be $3,740,303, increasing to $3,970,407 for phase two, if OG+E is approved. Planned project expenditures, which would go toward items like maintenance or economic development, would be about $111.2 million for the first 25 years.
Gose said Stillwater used to have some of the best public park systems in the state. After years of underfinancing, the parks have fallen into disrepair.
The community betterment payments could provide enough funding for the city to reinvest in the parks rather than simply maintain them.
Robin Cornwell, a Stillwater resident, said her main concern with the data center is gleaning a commitment to the use of clean energy.
Although there are no formal agreements in place, Moore said the city is confident in the company’s mission and commitment toward its energy usage.
After the data center’s first public hearing in early October, Cornwell said she was
reassured about OG+E’s stance on clean energy after speaking with Weaver.
“She gave me some assurance that the company is committed to renewable energy,” Cornwell said. “I take her at her word.”
Clean or not, expanded infrastructure, such as transmission lines, will be required past the project’s first two phases, County Commissioner Rhonda Markum said.
Although the deal would likely benefit Stillwater’s residents, Markum said it would mean those outside of city limits could have transmission lines installed on their property.
“These utility companies, they’ve got it already mapped out where they’re going,” Markum said. “Some people’s property, it goes down the middle of their property. Some people, it goes down the edge. They’ve got their easements, where they go to put them. The property owner doesn’t get a say so where they put it.”
Henri Uehara, a Stillwater native with a background in technology, said he was skeptical of the data center at first. However, Uehara said he supports the center because there will be enough water and electricity, and it seems like a good deal for Stillwater’s citizens.
“I just wanted to make sure we weren’t desperate,” Uehara said. “Because I know Stillwater seems to be desperate about revenue generation.”
But amid all the hopefulness of what the data center could bring to Stillwater, Hayes is left with the proposition of a potentially devalued property and little transparency, she said. With almost no way to voice opposition to the data center itself, Hayes said she will have to wait to see what impact, positive or negative, the project will have.
“It’s just something that it hits hard when all of a sudden you feel like something’s being yanked out from underneath you,” Hayes said.
Kaytlyn Hayes
Stillwater Data Project Incentive District 2 land on Richmond Road and Jardot Road.
Homecoming, elections
Homecoming is in full swing at OSU, but as house decorations go down and alumni leave Stillwater, students will turn their attention to Election Day.
The 2024 Presidential Election is Tuesday, and people are already hitting the polls.
Early voting in Oklahoma started Wednesday, and to help students prepare, The O’Colly created a list to answer all your Election Day questions.
When does early voting end?
Early voting in Oklahoma continues through Saturday. The voting hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Early voting locations are different from Election Day polling locations. Stillwater residents and those registered to vote in Payne County can vote early at the Stillwater Public Library or the Cushing Chamber of Commerce.
When and where can I vote on Election Day?
Voting on Tuesday starts at 7 a.m. and runs until 7 p.m. For those registered to vote in Oklahoma, voting occurs at multiple polling locations across the state.
There are 11 polling locations in Stillwater. You can find the polling precinct through the OK Voter Portal.
What’s on the ballot?
The general election in which voters can cast their ballot for the next president and vice president of the United States.
The Presidential and Vice presidential candidates are Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for the Democratic ticket and former President Donald
Trump and Senator J.D. Vance for the Republican ticket.
Independent Cornel West and Dr. Melina Abdullah; Green Party Candidate Jill Stien and professor Butch Ware; Libertarian Chase Oliver and Professor Mike ter Maat; Party for Socialism and Liberation candidates Claudia Dela Cruz and Karina Garcia are also running.
Voters across Oklahoma can vote for the retention of multiple Oklahoma justices, three corporation commissioners, two state questions and in some areas of the state congressional seats in the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th Districts.
Stillwater voters can vote in the race for the Senate District 21 seat between Democrat Robin Fuxa and Republican Randy Grellner. To learn more about their policies and the recent debate, read coverage on ocolly. com.
Other items on the ballot vary by state and city. In Stillwater, voters decide whether to approve or deny OG+E to power a data center in town. For more details, check out the City of Stillwater website. For more information on what is on your ballot, visit the OK Voter Portal and request a sample ballot.
What do I need to bring with me to vote?
To vote, you must have a valid photo ID. If you are using a driver’s license or passport, make sure the expiration dates have not passed or the ID will be considered invalid.
A voter identification card issued by the County Election Board is also a valid form of ID.
If you fail to provide a valid ID, you can request a provisional ballot and sign an affidavit. Officials will investigate and approve your vote.
How do I prepare for voting?
The Oklahoma State Election Board recommends voters look over their sample ballots to research and make informed voting decisions. Sample ballots can be found in the OK Voter Portal.
How do I check my voter registration status?
The registration deadlines have passed, but if students need clarification on their status, they can go to oklahoma.gov/election and log in to their voter registration portal ahead of Election Day.
Ask the Pokes
Are you voting in the general election? Why?
“I’ll be voting because I believe that every vote counts. Since it’s my first election, why not? I’m excited.”
- Astoria Jesprsen, freshman
“I’m voting because I think it’s important to partake in democracy and help let your voice be heard.”
- Noah Bogle, sophomore
“I am voting because I believe that as citizens who live in a country that have a right to vote, we kind of have an imperative to vote. I believe as a citizen of the country, it’s part of my duty to steer the country in the direction that I see fit.”
- Gavin Clark, junior
Homecoming for dummies
Explaining the most iconic facets that make Homecoming special
DANIEL ALLEN STAFF REPORTER @DANIELALLEN1738
What makes Oklahoma State’s Homecoming special?
Perhaps students, alumni and anyone tethered to the 1,489-acre land-grant institution.
“It’s ‘America’s Greatest Homecoming’ for a reason,” said junior student and Texas native Giovanni Begg. “Look all across the country – there’s nothing like it, really.”
Widely considered a university staple, Homecoming is a beacon for unity within OSU and the Stillwater community. Now in its 103rd installment, students are hopeful for another vibrant, exhilarating slate.
“Homecoming is one of OSU’s most loved traditions,” OSU Brand Management onair producer Adam Hildebrant said. “We showcase the rich heritage of our alumni while paving the way, for the future legacy of OSU.”
So, come one, come all. Read about the traditions that make OSU’s Homecoming Week unique.
Fountain dyeing
To commence the weeklong festivities, members of OSU’s Homecoming Executive Team dye the Edmon Low Library fountain orange.
Hundreds, sometimes thousands of students and alumni
gather along the fountain to watch the beloved tradition unfold. Shortly after, the Homecoming King and Queen are unveiled. The Royalty Court is chosen through a three-step application and interview process. This year, 10 students out of 81 applicants were selected. From that moment, Homecoming Week is in full swing.
Pomping
Love it or hate it — talking to you, Greek life students — pomping is one of the most integral facets of Homecoming week at OSU.
Fraternities are paired with sororities to build house decs, which are on display across the Greek neighborhood. There, students, university officials and visitors vote on which house decs are most appealing to them.
Winners for various categories are announced at halftime of the football game that week.
Harvest Carnival/Chili Cook-Off
The combined events are considered to be communityoriented. It has a carnival atmosphere with a friendly chili competition. What more could you ask for?
The Harvest Carnival often features games, activities and entertainment for all. This can include inflatable attractions, face painting and live music.
In the Chili Cook-Off, students and local participants prepare their best chili recipes,
and attendees can taste and vote for their favorites. It’s a chance for culinary creativity and nuanced rivalries — strictly from a cooking standpoint, of course.
Walkaround
The Friday of Homecoming week, pomping efforts pay off.
House decs are displayed in front of their respective fraternity or sorority houses as students and alumni roam through Greek Row, analyzing the beauty of each project.
It often involves a parade-like atmosphere where attendees can view the house decs, while enjoying other activities.
Homecoming & Hoops
Fans of basketball and Homecoming week often find solace in this event.
It celebrates the Homecoming festivities while embracing the looming start to the college basketball season. Students and fans get a glimpse of the rosters for the men’s and women’s teams and on occasion, compete with the student-athletes in various activities held on the floor of Gallagher-Iba Arena.
In recent years, students have been accustomed to performances from notable musicians, including Rich Homie Quan (2023) and Waka Flocka Flame (2022). This year, no notable musician will be in attendance.
Sea of Orange parade
This parade features a pro-
cession of floats, the marching band and a multitude of student organizations — clubs, fraternities and sororities — all showcasing their school spirit. The event takes place the morning of game day. Participants wear orange, contributing to the “Sea of Orange” that fills the streets. The parade celebrates OSU’s history and traditions, making it a lively and engaging event for students, alumni and fans. It’s a highlight of Homecoming festivities, fostering pride and unity among the OSU community.
Cowboy football Finally — the main event. Regardless of the Cowboys’ record heading into their Homecoming game, they’re
often on another level. Under current head coach Mike Gundy, OSU is 13-5 in Homecoming games — 2020 didn’t feature one because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Notable upsets include 2013 against Baylor, 2016 against West Virginia and 2018 against Texas — all top-10 teams. Players often wear commemorative jerseys designated for Homecoming week that usually aren’t worn again. This year, OSU is paying homage to its first mascot, the tigers with striped pants and sleeves. And of course, at halftime, house dec awards are announced. It’s a fitting end to a monumental week in Stillwater.
File Photo
Pistol Pete during the Homecoming and Hoops pep rally in 2023.
SPORTS
Presley
‘I
want to be like that guy’
closing in on Oklahoma State receptions record
How Carmichael’s roots, coaching philosophy are leading OSU into postseason
@PONCYCALIF
When Alex Morris scored a match-winning goal, advancing Oklahoma State to the second round of the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday morning, all but one person on the OSU sideline went into a frenzy.
As cheers erupted and celebration ensued because the Cowgirls scored three goals in the final 12 minutes to complete a 3-2 comeback, Colin Carmichael stood in the same spot he had for the prior 89 minutes of match time before Morris’ goal.
There hasn’t been a better moment in his 20 years as head coach of the Cowgirls to describe what has made Carmichael’s success. Like any coach, he
PARKER GERL
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
@PARKER_GERL
Ollie Gordon II knows the feeling of being known on Oklahoma State’s campus.
But not just because he became a star running back. Gordon got an up-close look at stardom when he became teammates with wide receiver Brennan Presley.
“I’m looking at BP, and I’m like, ‘I want to be like that guy,’” Gordon said. “He’s walking around campus, and everybody is like, ‘Oh my god, BP, we love you!’ Like, BP, you got it made.”
Presley, who’s in his fifth season of catching passes for
OSU, has become a fan favorite amongst the Cowboy faifhtul, because of his unique skillset and the many highlight plays he’s made.
But on Saturday, Presley will have the chance to further cement his legacy in the Cowboys’ Homecoming game against Arizona State (5-2, 2-2 Big 12).
The 5-foot-8 wideout is 12 catches away from tying and 13 away from breaking the school record in all-time career receptions. Rashaun Woods, with 293 career catches, has held the record since 2003.
Presley has four regular season games and a potential bowl game to break Woods’ record — OSU needs three more wins to reach bowl eligability — though Presley said he isn’t giving it much
thought.
“No, not really,” Presley said when asked if the record has been on his mind. “I’m just going out there, and whatever we need for me to do — if they’re like, ‘Hey, we need you to go out and catch 20 balls,’ like cool… It doesn’t matter to me if I don’t have a catch the rest of the season and we win every single game.”
A 13-catch game is realistic for Presley. He’s coming off 15 receptions and a touchdown in a 38-28 loss to Baylor last week and has posted three career games with more than 13 grabs. However, the Sun Devils’ defense has surrendered the sixth-fewest passing yards and completions in the Big 12 Conference this season.
will display emotions, but whenever the whistle is blown, he is either talking to the official or standing in the same place, arms folded and face straight.
But the same Carmichael who hardly cracked a smile when his team completed one of the most improbable comebacks in program history will be the loudest cheerer in the lobby of Neal Patterson Stadium when his team watches Champions League matches in the spring.
That duality is what has carried him to this moment.
This fall marks his 29th season coaching the Cowgirls and his 20th as head coach. Through his upbringing, coaching past and ideology of recruiting and program building, he’s forged his own path. CALIF PONCY
See ROOTS on page 8B
‘Why can’t we have a program?’ Inside the Cowgirl Wrestling Club’s fight for varsity recognition
BY DANIEL ALLEN I STAFF REPORTER @DANIELALLEN1738
Cadence Dare didn’t think. She went with her instinct.
The same question kept coming to mind, “Is it even worth it?” In fall 2022, Dare transferred to Oklahoma State from Fort Scott Community College, hoping for a reset. Instead, she found her calling.
Dare started the groundwork for the Cowgirl Wrestling Club in 2022 — her first semester at OSU — and it swiftly gained traction. Through occasional bumps and stoppages, it gained official OSU club sport status in fall 2023. The interest around the program is growing, with the end goal of it becoming an official OSU sport, but with club status and a dual under its belt, its emergence has been felt.
Women’s wrestling is one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation. For the past
couple of years, the sport has slowly grown at OSU — which has the winningest men’s wrestling team in college sports, including 34 team national championships.
“I think it’s a sport that deserves the right to be looked at,” former OSU wrestling head coach John Smith told The O’Colly. “When you think of the NCAA, they recently announced that the first NCAA Championship could be in 2026. We use the term around here (OSU), ‘the home of wrestling.’ Women are in wrestling. It’s the fastest-growing sport in the nation.”
Notable schools such as Columbia, Michigan and Duke, have varsity women’s wrestling programs. In total, there are more than 100 collegiate women’s wrestling programs in the United States. OCU, Carl Albert State College and Northern Oklahoma College are the
only Oklahoma schools that have women’s wrestling programs.
So why can’t OSU?
“You see all those other schools with varsity women’s wrestling programs, so, in some ways, it doesn’t make sense for OSU not to,” said Dare, the club’s president.
“With as good of a (men’s) program that (OSU) has, why can’t we have a women’s program?”
Easier said than done.
Title IX requires universities to provide the same number of college athletic programs for men and women.
Adding women’s wrestling would not only entail adding another men’s sport but also attaining an endowment, which alone can be a grueling process.
“A lot of people don’t understand that,” Dare said. “There’s a lot more that goes into it than just adding a new sport whenever.”
Payton Little
Oklahoma State wide reciver Brennan Presley needs 13 receptions to break the school’s all-time career reception record.
File Photo
Oklahoma State head coach Colin Carmichael is leading the Cowgirls into the postseason in his 20th season as head coach.
Courtesy Cowgirl Wrestling Club
Sadie Adelstein (right) was one of four women who competed in the Cowgirl Wrestling Club’s first dual on Jan. 31 against OCU.
Gordon II ‘not giving up’ on season despite OSU struggles
PARKER GERL
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
@PARKER_GERL
First, it was ESPN’s Kirk Morrison. Then college football fans suggested Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II should sit out the remainder of the Cowboys’ season and prepare for his road ahead — a choice many star prospects have made before.
“If I’m Ollie Gordon, I probably played my last snap at Oklahoma State,” analyst Morrison said as Gordon limped off the field during OSU’s 38-14 loss to West Virginia in Week 6. “Ollie may have to start thinking about himself as the game (and) this season continues.”
But the reigning Doak Walker Award winner said those suggestions are a waste of breath. Gordon has firm plans to finish the season. Injury risk, NFL Draft prep or anything that would prompt an early exit aren’t getting in the way.
“I tend to just leave it alone and not pay attention to it because I know what type of person I am,” Gordon said of the comments. “Who would I be to quit on my team? My momma always told
me, ‘Finish what you start.’ So I’m not giving up on my team and finishing everything out.
“I could have gave up last year, but our season was good, so just because our season (is) not going how it’s supposed to, I’m supposed to just give up now? That’s really weird, and the way that people can just sit there and say that is crazy.”
The Cowboys’ season has fallen far below their preseason expectations, as they were picked third in the Big 12 Football Preseason Media Poll — part of why many have suggested Gordon should sit out.
At 3-5 overall, OSU is 0-5 in Big 12 Conference play for the first time since head coach Mike Gundy’s first season and is riding a five-game losing streak. The Cowboys need to win three of their next four games to become bowl game eligible, a feat Gundy has achieved for 18 straight seasons.
Gordon has rushed 135 times for 568 yards and eight touchdowns on 4.2 yards per carry. His numbers, compared to last season, are deflated as opposing defenses are selling out to stop his runs.
But as the Cowboys look to pick up their first conference win on Saturday
at 6 p.m. in OSU’s Homecoming game against Arizona State (5-2, 4-0). Gordon will be on the field and said he and his teammates are in a good place.
“I feel like our headspace is good,”
Bowman, OSU looking at Homecoming as ‘huge’ opportunity to right season’s ship
ASHTON SLAUGHTER
SPORTS EDITOR
@ASHTON_SLOT
In the ground level of McLain Stadium after Oklahoma State’s 38-28 loss to Baylor last weekend, Alan Bowman was disappointed in the outcome but stuck to his customary positivity.
No, the seventh-year quarterback wasn’t happy with the result of the game — a fifth straight loss for the Cowboys, dropping them to 3-5 overall and 0-5 in Big 12 Conference play — but instead was looking forward to one thing: Homecoming.
“We can still have a winning season, we can still make a bowl game, so we can still kind of leave the legacy on (and) at least kind of send the program going with the boat floating, and I think that’s what we have to fight for,” Bowman said.
“So I’m excited to get back home — Homecoming night game should be a great atmosphere, so it should be a lot of fun to be able to play in front of our fans and hopefully get one and get back in the win column.”
For an OSU team that’s closer to its season ending after a Black Friday game in Boulder, Colorado, than a 19th straight bowl game appearance for head coach Mike Gundy, the positives, the things to look forward to, have been sparse. Even when they have come, they’ve usually come crashing down.
A top-14 home matchup against Utah ended in a 22-19 loss, the Cowboys’ first of the Big 12 season.
When backup quarterback Garret Rangel got the starting nod against BYU, he played great, until he broke his right collarbone.
So Saturday’s 6 p.m. Homecoming matchup against Arizona State is another opportunity to right the ship, to at least conjure up some sort of momentum and
direction.
Some Cowboys, like linebacker Justin Wright, aren’t focusing on the theatrics of the weekend. All Night Pomp and Homecoming and Hoops be damned.
Not because the Tulsa transfer doesn’t find the traditions important, but because he recognizes what OSU needs — a win.
“I’m treating this game like I would any other, honestly,” Wright said. “Head down, just working all week. All week, we’re gonna be kicking butt, running to the ball, being very, very physical... It’s gonna be a great week; that way, it translates onto the field.”
Wright’s mindset is valid, especially for a Cowboy defender. After the Baylor loss, Gundy said he told his players they needed to do some “soul searching,” and for the first time this season, he was disappointed with his team’s effort.
A large part of that fell on the defense, which allowed 567 total yards — 345 were on the ground, a season-high mark for the Bears.
And with running back Cam Skattebo leading the Sun Devils on Saturday, the Cowboys certainly have their hands full, hence why Wright is putting his head down and focusing on the grind.
But like Bowman, other OSU players know what Homecoming means to Stillwater, the university and its alumni.
So when letting down those things and people is at stake, it means more.
“Oklahoma State is known for a huge Homecoming — America’s Greatest Homecoming, at that — but I feel like it does have a point; I feel like it gives us even more of a reason to go out and play harder than what we have been doing,” running back Ollie Gordon II said.
“...Defending the house during Homecoming week, I feel like that’s huge. And it’s under the lights? I feel like that’ll be huge.” sports.ed@ocolly.com
Gordon said. “… Certain teams wouldn’t have the energy if their season was going how ours is going. I just love the grit; I love the hustle. Everybody out here is moving full speed.”
Despite the Cowboys’ up-anddown, uncertain quarterback play with Alan Bowman and Garret Rangel, Presley has made the most of the dreadful 3-5 season. He’s caught a team-high 56 passes for 563 yards and six touchdowns, matching his receiving-touchdown total from last year.
On Monday, head coach Mike Gundy said Presley “should be an All-American.” That’s the kind of impact he’s having.
“Obviously, a legend at Oklahoma State, and (he’s) continuing to write his story,” Bowman said. “I’m just blessed to be his teammate. Blessed to be able to throw the ball to him — cause more often than not, he’s open.”
Thirteen more catches would make Presley stand alone. But he’s chasing additional OSU history, too.
Presley is 61 yards shy of passing Hart Lee Dykes and joining the top five in all-time receiving yards. He’s also got a shot at catching Tylan Wallace’s 26 career receiving touchdowns, which is the sixthmost in school history (Presley has 22).
“It’s pretty nice for us to see,” Arthur Presley, Brennan’s father
said. “Sometimes me and my wife sit back and we think about it and we’re just like, ‘Wow.’ He’s done this, he’s done that and he’s done this. I have to give a lot of credit to (head) coach (Mike) Gundy and (offensive coordinator) coach (Kasey) Dunn.
“The bottom line is that he always wanted to go to Oklahoma State, and thank God they picked him.”
And stats aside, Cowboy fans hold Presley in a high regard for what he’s done against their rival Oklahoma.
A Tulsa native, Presley caught 20 passes for 255 yards in the last three Bedlam matchups. He furthered his OSU-legend status with a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown in the 2021 game that helped the Cowboys claim a 37-33 win.
Now, Presley is on the brink of being number one. There are many moments one could point to from his five-year rise, but this will be the highest feat.
Whether it’s against ASU or next week against TCU, Woods is likely going to pass his torch to Presley.
“I think it’ll be pretty fire seeing BP (break the record),” Gordon said. “Seeing all the work he puts in and all the stuff behind closed doors that people don’t really get to see, I feel like it’ll be huge for him to get that… I’m not gonna be surprised when he does get it.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
File Photo Oklahoma State wide receiver Brennan Presley said he isn’t thinking about breaking records.
Jose Brito
Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II said it’s “werid” to assume he’d quit on his team.
Andon Freitas Oklahoma State quarterback Alan Bowman said he’s “excited to play in front of (OSU) fans” Saturday.
Gundy’s 20th
How OSU has fared in Homecoming games under Gundy
ASHTON
SPORTS
@ASHTON_SLOT
Editor’s note: This is a story from “Gundy’s 20th,” The O’Colly’s weekly series to commemorate OSU football head coach Mike Gundy’s 20th season as the leading man. This week, we talk Gundy’s history in Homecoming games.
Throughout Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy’s 20 seasons, there may not have been a more boom-or-bust Homecoming game than Saturday’s 6 p.m. matchup against Arizona State. Bigger matchups? Sure. OSU defeated No. 6 Texas in 2018, for example.
More important games? Definitely. In 2015, after a car drove into a crowd of people during the Homecoming parade, killing four people and injuring dozens, the No. 14-ranked Cowboys beat Kansas 58-10.
But no Homecoming game has felt like the final straw to OSU’s season — a final grasp at a fleeting chance of keeping its year alive.
This one does, as OSU (3-5, 0-5 Big 12) enters Saturday on a fivegame losing streak. A loss would be Gundy’s worst start in Big 12 Conference play, surpassing the other five-game skid the Cowboys went on in his inaugural season at the helm in 2005 before defeating No. 13 Texas Tech at home. With a win, the Cowboys’
bowl-game hopes remain alive with a game against TCU next. With a loss, OSU’s worst conference start under Gundy would be cemented, and would need a 3-0 record to close out the season to be bowl eligible.
“I’m responsible to get everybody ready to play at the highest level they can,” Gundy said. “I didn’t do a good job last week. I saw what happened.
“This game, this Saturday, is more important than anything.”
Gundy’s Hoco record
OSU is 13-5 under Gundy in Homecoming games.
Aside from 2020 — when all Homecoming activities were canceled because of COVID-19 — OSU has played the highlyattended game with Gundy on the sidelines.
Biggest wins
2007: OSU beat No. 25 Kansas State 41-39.
A ranked win for Homecoming is great, but this one is huge for Gundy because it was his first.
After losses to No. 2 Texas in 2005 and No. 23 Texas A&M in 2006, he finished on the right side of Homecoming against a ranked team.
2016: OSU beat No. 10 West Virginia 37-20.
An underrated win for Gundy is his 100th career victory against a No. 10 Mountaineers team when Mason Rudolph threw four touchdowns in the midst of a
seven-game winning streak.
2018: OSU beat No. 6 Texas 38-35.
Already mentioned, but it was that huge. Five total touchdowns from Taylor Cornelius against an eventual Sugar Bowl-winning Longhorn squad for an unranked team was a signature win in Gundy’s career.
Fun fact
For the first time under Gundy, OSU will play a Homecoming game in November.
The Cowboys’ schedule has marked the occasion closer to November a couple of times (one Oct. 28 game, two Oct. 29 games and one Oct. 30 game), but has never made the jump to November.
An OSU loss also would… End an eight-game Homecoming winning streak and would give the Cowboys their second loss in the last 12 Homecoming games.
OSU has become seemingly unbeatable in these games, especially against unranked opponents, the Cowboys are 10-0 in those matchups — so losing to ASU would be disappointing, no matter how disjointed and unreliable OSU has been.
A win, though?
Simply business as usual for Homecoming.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
OSU goes 6-4 against Arizona State in 10 EA Sports College Football 25 simulations
ASHTON SLAUGHTER
SPORTS EDITOR
@ASHTON_SLOT
Call it a broken record, but EA Sports College Football 25 thinks Oklahoma State is going to win its first Big 12 Conference game Saturday at 6 p.m. against Arizona State in the Cowboys’ Homecoming game.
I simulated OSU’s crucial home game 10 times and made it an evening kickoff with 15-minute quarters. Below are the results of The O’Colly’s weekly OSU game simulations.
Average score, result
The Cowboys went 6-4 against the Sun Devils, and the average score was OSU 31.9-27.1. The 4.8-point margin of victory meant EA Sports not only projects OSU to cover the 3-point spread but also completely flip the line the Cowboys’ way.
The over/under game total of 58.5 seems pretty spot on, as the game total average was 59.
Cowboy statistics
On average, OSU had 391.7 total yards of offense. ASU had 358.3 yards of total offense.
Cowboy quarterback Alan Bowman completed 63.3% of his passes and threw for 219.4 yards, 2.4 touchdowns and 0.5 interceptions on average.
Running back Ollie Gordon II averaged 18.1 carries for 131.6 yards and 0.7 touchdowns. Now on Week 10 of sims, Gordon hasn’t fumbled once in any game.
As for the wide receivers, Brennan Presley averaged 3.4 receptions, 60.4 receiving yards and 0.8 receiving touchdowns; De’Zhaun Stribling averaged three receptions, 42.5 receiving yards and 0.7 receiving touchdowns; and Rashod Owens averaged 2.6 receptions, 33.6 receiving yards and 0.3 receiving touchdowns.
On defense, safety Lyrik Rawls led the Cowboys in tackles four times (and tied with safety Trey Rucker once), Rucker led twice (and tied with Rawls), cornerback Cam Smith led twice and defensive end Kody Walterscheid led once.
And kicker Logan Ward went 18 of 21 kicking field goals and 28 of 29 kicking PATs.
More results Presley returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown in Game 7, which was his first return touchdown in a weekly sim. Since The O’Colly simmed OSU’s season before its first game, Presley hadn’t returned a kickoff for a touchdown.
Games 2 and 9 went into overtime. ASU won the first OT game after an OSU turnover on downs, and the Cowboys took the second in a double-overtime thriller that ended with a Sun Devils missed field goal.
EA Sports still has faith in the Cowboys. Which, to be fair, if there’s any week to have faith in OSU, it’s Homecoming. The Cowboys have won their last eight Homecoming games, so maybe EA Sports can finally nail a game prediction.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
File Photo
Oklahoma State safety Lyrik Rawls led the
File Photo
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy has multiple signature wins in Homecoming games, including a 2018 victory over Texas.
Game Day Preview sports
sun devils to Watch
Cam Skattebo, No. 4, RB
Clayton Smith, No. 10, DL
This is an easy calculation.
Opposing rushers have torched Oklahoma State all year. A quarterback, running back or anybody with a pulse has established the run against OSU. The Cowboys’ defense is 133rd of 134 FBS teams in opponent rushing yards per game and is 134th in opponent yards per rush.
Fortunately for Arizona State, Cam Skattebo has more than a pulse. Skattebo has racked up 848 rushing yards this season, good for third in the Big 12 Conference, despite being on an ASU team that came into the season expected to finish near the bottom of the conference. Skattebo’s tough, gritty style is virtually guaranteed to cause issues for OSU’s defense, and he could join the growing list of players to have career days during their trip to Stillwater.
3 Storylines
Oklahoma State’s defensive struggles bear one question: How will Arizona State’s offense choose to attack the Cowboys?
Cam Skattebo is one of the most underrated running backs in America, and quarterback Sam Leavitt has been dealing with injuries but is set to play Saturday.
The Sun Devils could have their pick of the litter in terms of ways to attack OSU’s defense Saturday, but odds are Skattebo is in line for a big day, and ASU will look to establish the run early.
Oklahoma State has routinely outperformed expectations under head coach Mike Gundy, but there is a real argument to be made that the Cowboys don’t have a single strength this season.
Last season, OSU made its mark in the trenches. Ollie Gordon II had holes to run through, and the Cowboys rode the star running back to a 10-win season. When Gordon has found holes, he runs like he did last year, but all too often the reigning Doak Walker Award winner has been running into jumbles of defenders with little chance to do anything. With no Gordon to lean on, quarterback Alan Bowman has struggled, and OSU’s wide receiver corps hasn’t often gotten the ball on time.
Defensively, the Cowboys are 133rd of 134 teams in total yardage allowed, and the eye test backs it up. OSU needs to find something to lean on if it wants to win three of its last four games and make a bowl game, and what better time than Homecoming?
In the last two weeks, Oklahoma State has had some good moments on offense. After three straight games with less than 20 points to start Big 12 Conference play, OSU has scored 35 and 28. The offensive line has given Gordon just enough space to have a passable running game, and Alan Bowman, despite some not-so-great moments, has quarterbacked much better than he did early in conference play.
The main issue has been the consistency. Against Baylor, OSU scored 14 points in the second quarter. During the other three quarters, OSU matched that total. It was a similar story in the third quarter against BYU.
OSU’s offensive flashes are worth complimenting, especially against BYU, which has one of the best defenses in the Big 12. The key to OSU putting together a solid game is getting Gordon established, and its ability to do that this season has been inconsistent. However, the improvement shown in that area since the bye week is encouraging, and OSU has a chance to right the ship against an ASU team that has a good but not great defense.
Coming out of high school, many expected big things from Clayton Smith. A four-star, Smith originally committed to Oklahoma. After a turbulent time in Norman, Smith transferred to Arizona State and immediately became a key player for the Sun Devils.
After a 4.5-sack 2023 season, Smith already has four sacks this year. His pass-rushing ability could go either way against an Oklahoma State offensive line that has had moments of solid pass protection but has also shown it can be beaten. The OSU offensive line of last season is nowhere to be found, and Smith could put pressure on quarterback Alan Bowman early and often, or Bowman could be given time to find open receivers; it just depends on which version of the line shows up. Smith is also an asset in the run game. So if OSU attacks through the air or on the ground, Smith could have a day against OSU.
Skattebo starring in his second season as Sun Devil
CALIF PONCY STAFF REPORTER @PONCYCALIF
Describing Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo to someone who’s never seen him play is difficult. His speed doesn’t leap off the screen; he is listed at 5-foot-10, and that may be the Sun Devils taking some liberties; his build is more reminiscent of an undersized college middle linebacker. Yet, despite having no overwhelming physical skill, Skattebo is unquestionably one of the best running backs in college football.
In his second season at ASU, Skattebo is third in the Big 12 Conference in rushing yards with 848, and he has 10 rushing touchdowns and averaged 5.7 yards per carry on 150 attempts. Although impressive, Skattebo’s statistics don’t begin to tell the story of his dominance.
Many running backs are hit with the age-old cliche of looking like a bowling ball in the open field. For Skattebo, the comparison to a ball rolling down the lane and knocking over pin after pin is accurate. His game against Utah this season is a perfect example.
With 1:33 left in the third quarter, Skattebo took a handoff on a routine halfback dive. The ASU offensive line let a Utah defensive lineman through with no resistance, dooming the play for most — but not Skattebo. Skattebo put him on skates and broke through untouched before running into a duo of Ute de -
fenders. Skattebo ran through one and made the other miss before losing his balance and falling to the turf. Instead of going down, Skattebo put his hand on the ground while stumbling to his left, regained his balance and took off down the sideline for a 50-yard touchdown.
Plays like this have happened commonly throughout Skattebo’s time in Tempe. Those plays where a player does something that defies logic, not because it’s an unreal feat of athleticism, but because the effort of a player leaps off the screen.
With Oklahoma State’s 133rd-ranked run defense next on the docket, Skattebo’s little-known name will reach another new audience.
“People are fired up about him, obviously, how hard he plays and the plays that he’s making, specifically in the fourth quarters,” ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham said during a press conference with ArizonaSports.com. “People are saying a lot of good things, and it’s a testament to him. I told people before the season started how much work he’s put in to put his body in a position to go do what he’s doing.”
Skattebo has 848 yards on the season, and he has a real chance to surpass 1,000 Saturday. Should Skattebo reach this milestone, he could become the second Big 12 player to do so this season, joining UCF’s RJ Harvey.
When Skattebo has rushed for more than 100 yards this season, the Sun Devils are 3-0, and if he does so Saturday, that record could move to 4-0.
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Courtesy Arizona State Athletics
Courtesy Arizona State Athletics Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo is one of the nation’s best this season.
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Payton Little
Bryson Thadhani
Program
Continued from 1
As for Iowa, the Cowboys’ biggest rival on the mat, the university was forced to install a women’s program because of a Title IX fallout. OSU, of course, is facing no such fallout.
“In a perfect world, we could have them,” OSU athletic director Chad Weiberg told The O’Colly “But we’re certainly not in that perfect world right now.
“The bottom line is that it becomes a financial issue.”
That’s not to say it can’t be done in the future.
However, a laundry list of things would have to fall in favor of the OSU women’s wrestling club to initiate the infancy stages of becoming a varsity sport.
In Weiberg’s “perfect world,” there would be no lingering issues. Notably, there would be no House v. NCAA settlement, which would implement direct payments from schools to student-athletes, increase benefits for student-athletes and instill scholarship limitations to notable scholarship sports, which alone would make conditions for a varsity women’s wrestling program challenging.
“We’re already in the process of trying to figure out the money that we may be having to include for the revenue sharing, or whatever comes out of the House settlement,” Weiberg said. “The new scholarship limits or whatever. And that’s just with the sports that we have. So we really just are not in a position to even, at this point, to consider (adding) additional sports.”
Weiberg said all things considered, he and his colleagues within the athletic department feel “very fortunate” OSU has 18 scholarship sports to begin with. He’s adamant it gives OSU a change to manage any potential aftermath from the House v. NCAA settlement.
Gallagher-Iba Arena also doesn’t
have the capacity to house an additional varsity team, as it already hosts the men’s and women’s basketball teams in addition to the wrestling team.
The Cowboy Wrestling Club lets the Cowgirls practice free of charge at its training center. It paid for their USA Wrestling memberships and keeps the Cowgirls afloat while they prolong their search for facilities.
Weiberg and Co. already face everyday challenges with financial allocation in OSU’s current 18-scholarship sports slate.
Football, of course, receives the highest allocation. Men’s basketball is next, followed by men’s wrestling and then baseball.
By the time each scholarship sport is accounted for, no money is left for additional use. That means no money to form a new scholarship sport.
“I think that there’s a lot of schools out there that have more sports than we do, and they’re really trying to figure out how they can manage this,” Weiberg said.
“It’s just an economic reality.”
OSU isn’t the only in-state university attempting to add a varsity women’s wrestling program.
In January, treasurer of the University of Oklahoma Women’s Wrestling Club, Maureen Manzon, ignited similar efforts after posting a GoFundMe to fund a women’s club team for the Sooners.
Much like OSU’s, the attempt swiftly gained traction and is now in the stages of recruiting.
“They’re just trying to get as many girls to join us as they can, like we were,” Dare said. “It’s pretty cool.”
As for any potential women’s Bedlam wrestling duals in the future, Dare said she wouldn’t be opposed.
“That would be cool, obviously,” Dare said. “We see really good Bedlam wrestling duals already. Imagine what the women’s wrestling duals could be like. We’re in the state of Oklahoma, a (wrestling hotbed). Of course, OU and OSU could attract good talent. And you
know, of course, in return, fans would get a chance to see some very competitive duals between the women’s teams.”
Now, the spotlight is on Dare and Co., and they’ve been making moves.
Former OSU 165-pounder and All-American Izzak Olejnik was recently named the club’s inaugural head coach.
Olejnik told the The O’Colly it’s his longtime dream to serve as a wrestling head coach and that wrestling under Smith might have put Olejnik in a position to have long-term success.
“I saw what it was like for a coach to really care about his athletes and want success from them, but also a lot more than just success,” Olejnik said. “And so, that’s kind of something that I’m going to take with me.
“And hopefully, I’ll leave that same mark on whoever I coach, starting with these girls.”
In March, the Cowgirls — despite not offering scholarships — added Persaeus Gomez, the No. 4 recruit nationally at 130 pounds. She became Colorado’s first fourtime state champion women’s wrestler.
Gone are the days of two to three girls being present for practices. Now, Dare said, they’re essentially full.
The first women’s NCAA Championships are set for 2026.
Dare said she doesn’t know whether club teams will be eligible to compete, but she hopes for the Cowgirls to be participants.
Through it all, Dare has remained steadfast in her effort to build the OSU women’s wrestling club.
Maybe soon, she hopes, that endowment will come.
“Five to 10 years from now, I want this to be a varsity sport,” Dare said. “I want to come back as an alum and say, ‘Hey, I started that. Hey, we started this.’ It would be so fulfilling to come back in the future and know that everyone here right now laid the foundation for something like this.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
How OSU softball, Gajewski created commitment videos for recruits in class of 2026
Kenny Gajewski was sitting in his bright orange Ford-150 Raptor on his land.
There was a perfect sunset, and the vision was starting to come together.
The Oklahoma State softball head coach had just created a one-ofits-kind commitmentannouncement video with an incoming prospect. It’s not the only one, either, as the Cowgirl softball program has gotten creative in letting recruits announce their decisions.
“I knew what they wanted to do; I just didn’t know how we could quite get it there like that,” Gajewski said. “...(Then) I was like, ‘Dude, this could be cool.’”
In the first video, Gajewski, sitting in his truck, turns up his radio and listens to a commentator announce a strikeout by Peyton May, a class of 2026 right-handed pitcher from Norco, California. Then Gajewski, on the phone with someone, says, “Hey, we got a good one.”
Seconds later, Morgan Wallen’s song “Cowgirls” can be heard, and May and Gajewski pose together to announce May’s
commitment to OSU. The same concepts were used for a video with Reese Poage, an infielder from Mustang, who joined May and pitcher Kennedy Allen from Chandler as class of 2026 commits.
Though Gajewski had never done something similar, he was all in.
“I was like, ‘I’ll do that in a heartbeat,’” Gajewski said of the videos. “The stuff people were commenting, it’s like, that may be the baddest thing I’ve ever seen. It’s really cool.”
Perfect Game Softball ranks May as the No. 18 prospect in her class, and On3Sports tabs Poage as a four-star prospect and Chandler as a threestar — a good start to OSU and Gajewski’s 2026 class.
Creative commitment videos like the 28-second-long clips with Poage and May aren’t done often in college softball. But with more scholarships on the way, don’t be surprised to see more, as Gajewski said his staff is constantly looking for new ways to better the program.
“Everybody’s thinking about how we can get better,” Gajewski said. “Nobody is afraid here to say, ‘What about this? Have you thought about this? That’s what I think we have going here.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Cowgirls finish fifth at Schwab Women’s Collegiate Challenge
GINA FOSTER STAFF REPORTER @GINAFOSTER04
Thitaporn Saithip led the No. 21-ranked Cowgirl golf team to a fifthplace finish in the Charles Schwab Women’s Collegiate Challenge, which started Monday and ended Tuesday. Saithip concluded the tournament
tied for fourth place, the best finish in her collegiate career. The junior carded rounds of 2-under and 1-under. On the second day, she carded a 2-over 73.
Grace Kilcrease tied for sixth, with an even score after 54 holes. She carded a 5-under 66 in the first round, followed by scores of 2-over and 3-over.
Kilcrease finished in the top 10 in all five events this fall. It’s the longest top10 streak in the program since Isabella
Fierro had six straight in the 2020-2021 season.
Ellie Bushnell posted a 4-over 75 and a 2-over 73 on the first day while carding another 2-over score in the third round. She placed 28th with a combined 8-over score.
Freshman Lucy Darr competed as an individual. She carded scores of 75, 73 and 74 to finish one shot behind Bushnell to tie for 29th.
Tarapath Panya shot 11-over to tie for 33rd. Panya posted a 6-over 77 in the opening round and improved in her second 18 with a 1-over 72 and carded a 4-over 75 to conclude the tournament. Summer Lee scored 79, 72 and 78 to place 50th in Fort Worth.
The Cowgirls will return to the course on Feb. 3rd at the FAU Paradise Invitational in Boca Raton, Florida, to begin the spring season.
Bryson Thadhani
Oklahoma State softball head coach Kenny Gajewski is making commitment videos with his class of 2026 commits.
File Photo
Izzak Olejnik wants to build the Cowgirl Wrestling Club into a scholarship program as the team’s first head coach.
A rotation in flux, Thompson’s importance clear in OSU’s victory over SMU in exhibition
CALIF PONCY STAFF REPORTER @PONCYCALIF
The Steve Lutz era is officially here — kind of.
Oklahoma State defeated SMU 89-78 this past Saturday in a home charity exhibition game at Gallagher-Iba Arena. It’s difficult to make any major statements for a game that doesn’t actually count, but Lutz’s Cowboys showed enough for a few takeaways.
Rotation still in flux
OSU trotted out a starting lineup of Khalil Brantley, Devo Davis, Bryce Thompson, Robert Jennings II and Abou Ousmane. They got some run together, but in reality, not one player on the OSU roster is a hundred percent certain they will be starting in the season opener against Green Bay.
Thompson exploded for 24 points and is the most-experienced player in terms of Big 12 Conference play, so it would be shocking if he wasn’t one of the first five against Green Bay. But outside of Thompson, every spot seems to be up for grabs.
“We’re nowhere near having a set lineup,” Lutz said. “If you look across the board, the highest-minute guy was 22. You went from 22 and Connor (Dow) was the lowest with eight. Obviously, we played a bunch of guys and we’re going to continue to do that until we figure out who can maintain intensity at the level we need it at that’s gonna allow us to win basketball games.”
Ousmane led OSU in minutes with 24 as the lone true center, but after him, there were eight players between 16 and 22 minutes.
Offense looked good, but defense…
An 89-point outing in the first game with a new system will please any fan, but allowing 78 will activate the brakes on any hype train.
OSU’s defense showed flashes of what Lutz is hoping to establish. There were countless times when Cowboys dove on the floor or picked up their guy full court. But there were also countless times when SMU got wide-open 3s or
lanes to the rim.
“I thought our defense was at times good; the problem was that we had some major breakdowns,”
Lutz said. “We’d be playing good defense, and then all of a sudden, the bottom would fall out of it and we’d give up a transition basket or a straight-line drive.”
Defensive struggles are to be expected early on, so this isn’t a huge issue, but if OSU wants a strong start, it would be beneficial for the systematic transition to be streamlined, if possible.
Bryce Thompson will be focal point
It’s not surprising; it’s more so the speed at which Thompson seems fully healthy after his right shoulder injury from last season and how quickly he has picked up Lutz’s system.
Under Mike Boynton, the offense wasn’t nearly as free-flowing or movement-based as Lutz’s seemed against SMU. In Thompson’s first game under Lutz, the guard moved well off-ball, which led to him getting more open looks. Thompson turned those looks into 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 5-of5 from deep. Now, will Thompson shoot 100% from 3-point range this season? No. But for the first time in his college career, Thompson will be operating in an offense that generates open looks, and he won’t be forced to primarily beat his defender oneon-one. He flashed his self-creation skills a few times, but his movement and intense on-ball defense at this juncture of the season was surprising.
“I thought Bryce played hard,” Lutz said. “The thing I’m going to talk to him about now is — can we get a couple rebounds? Can we generate some assists? I want him to be aggressive. I love his experience. I know he’s a team player; he’s not a selfish player, but there was a couple opportunities for him to drive and kick, and he may have attacked the rim and cost us an open three instead. He was phenomenal. He played the right way, and if he’ll play with that energy and effort, he’ll be a productive player for us.”
Cowgirls show promise in 81-46 win against SNU
KENZIE KRAICH STAFF REPORTER
@KRIACH20
Oklahoma State notched its first (unofficial) win at Gallagher-Iba Arena on Tuesday in an exhibition matchup against Southern Nazarene. The Cowgirls won 81-46 against the Crimson Storm, with performances from one key returner and a surprise transfer.
The contest was full of ebbs and flows, but a few insights were evident throughout the 40 minutes of play.
Injuries shift Cowgirl lineup
Seeing Stailee Heard and Rylee Langerman on the bench without a uniform on is a foreign sight to the Cowgirl crowd, but Tuesday night, the duo was seen in street clothes on the bench. On top of two returners missing OSU’s first game on its home court, two highly anticipated newcomers in Jadyn Wooten and Ténin Magasa didn’t play either.
“It’s really exciting for us to think that we have two or three potential starters on the bench,” said head coach Jacie Hoyt. “So our best basketball is definitely still ahead of us.”
Heard made a name for herself in her freshman campaign, averaging 12.9 points and 6.3 rebounds a contest while shooting 50% from the field. She could be playing point guard on one possession and a center the next, as the Cowgirls utilized her versatility all season.
Langerman might not have put up as strong of a stat line as Heard with 4.9 points and 3.9 rebounds a game, but she was described as one of the team’s most dedicated leaders last season. Although OSU played four upperclassmen against SNU, only one of them was a returner, making Langerman’s absence felt even more.
Wooten and Magasa are coming off impeccable seasons themselves, making the success of their first performances as Cowgirls widely expected. Wooten is a 5-foot-6 freshman who Hoyt said she is excited to see back on the floor to help head her offense. Magasa is a 6-foot-6 transfer, a likely candidate to take over the center position when ready.
“When we get Ténin back, she’s going to completely change the game,” Hoyt said. “(Jones’) style is very different from her, so I think we’ve got a great blend of styles that we can play and things that we can play with.”
Point guard role in flux
Last season, the Cowgirls turned to Anna Gret Asi and Heard to lead their offense from the point guard position. This year, it was understood Wooten would take that role and allow the other two to play the positions they were recruited for.
With Wooten out against SNU, OSU turned to fifth-year transfer Alexia Smith to handle the Cowgirls’ offensive load. Smith is not a true point guard, and that isn’t the position she was recruited to play for OSU, but she is in the same situation as Asi and Heard were last season.
So Hoyt gave praise to Smith for filling
in those areas once we get (Wooten) back.”
So what do the Cowgirls need to do to fill the point guard position? Get Wooten healthy.
The standout freshman is going to be a huge benefit to the team when she is back, as Wooten will give players like Asi and Heard opportunities to play their natural positions, giving OSU a better chance to win games.
New transfer, big impact
Stacie Jones might be one of the most overlooked pickups in the transfer portal this offseason. The fifth-year transfer from Mercer averaged 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 46% from the field for the Bears, and she made her presence at GIA known to everyone with her performance Tuesday night.
“I just love who she is and the way she responds to things,” Hoyt said. “You just saw her response over and over again, and then to have the type of game she did tonight, that’s who we need her to be.”
Jones put up 22 points, 8 rebounds and three steals while shooting 10 of 12 from the field. These numbers complemented Asi’s 16 points and four assists nicely, creating excitement surrounding the pair’s potential.
Statistically, it is easy to see Jones’ performance jump off the page, but her ability to create for teammates and herself on an open court is fun to watch. Her style and pace of play fit in with how Hoyt has voiced she wants her team to compete.
Asi and Heard held a large portion of the scoring for OSU last season. Before Tuesday’s matchup, it was questionable who would help relieve the duo in scoring.
Enter Jones.
The 6-foot-1 forward might be the answer to that question; at least that’s what it looked like. Fans do not need to worry about her getting comfortable and cocky after putting up a near double-double; she
Payton Little
Oklahoma State guard Bryce Thompson scored 24 points against SMU.
Lilian Easter
Oklahoma State forward Stacie Jones scored 22 points in the Cowgirls’ exhibition game against SNU.
Men’s, women’s cross country confident heading into Friday’s Big 12 Cross Country
KENZIE KRAICH STAFF REPORTER @KRIACH20
Upholding Oklahoma State’s reputation at the Big 12 Cross Country Championships is no easy task, but director Dave Smith and his team are heading into Waco, Texas, with one thing on their minds.
Winning.
It’s what Smith’s teams do best, and it is what he fully expects to achieve by Friday afternoon, despite appearances from No. 2 BYU and No. 4 Iowa State.
“I told the guys… ‘Hey, we’re not going to fear anybody, but we’ve got to respect everybody,” Smith said. “We’re going to have to earn this one.”
The Cowboys are favored to win the conference title, as they have been ranked No. 1 since August. This pressure has only seemed to enhance the men’s performance, earning them meet titles at every competition, but Smith is focusing on relaying what is truly important Friday.
“We need to be very focused on who we’re trying to beat as a team, and sometimes that means you have to let individual accolades or titles be secondary,” he said.
Emphasis on the word “team.” This one in particular has four consecutive
Big 12 titles under its belt, and looks poised to run its way to a fifth. This is not an easy feat for the Cowboys, but the consistency of leadership and culture is what Smith finds most prevalent over the years.
He credits his upperclassmen Fouad Messaoudi, Will Muirhead, Ryan Schoppe, Victor Shitsama and Alex Stitt for leading OSU to heights it has been to in recent years.
“They are the culture setters on our team,” Smith said. “They’re the guys that say, this is who we are; this is the way we do things; this is who we’re going to be.”
With the help of its experienced roster and talented underclassmen
Denis Kipngetich and Brian Musau, OSU is looking to add yet another title to its Big 12 resumé. Musau is returning to the meet having secured the individual conference title in 2023, and Kipngetich is entering the meet fresh off a course record at the Weis-Crockett Invitational last week.
Although winning has been of no issue to the Cowboys this season, Smith has once again humbled his team.
“You can’t get to the top of the mountain and then relax and think you’ve made it,” Smith said. “You’ve got to understand that now is the time when you’re most vulnerable, and you’ve got to be dialed in, more focused than ever before.”
As for OSU’s women, they have big shoes to fill.
The Cowgirls’ confidence has taken a backseat after losing seven of last year’s roster to graduation and injury. Moving forward in the postseason will only prove to be more challenging.
“These women have got to do it for themselves, and the challenge is for them to truly believe they belong in the race,” Smith said.
The last time out, Sivan Auerbach finished No. 39 at the Wisconsin PreNationals — overall, the Cowgirls finished 12th at Pre-Nats — setting a personal best in the 6K (20:07:07). The graduate student has shown constant growth throughout the season, making her OSU’s frontrunner to get on the podium at Big 12s.
“I think (Auerbach) found her rhythm,” Smith said. “I think she found a race plan that works for her, and I think she is really confident right now. I think the next time out, she’ll be even better.”
At the conference meet, the Cowgirls will have their hands full against No. 1 BYU, No. 4 West Virginia and No. 6 Utah. OSU is leaning on runners like Auerbach, Victoria Lagat, Colleen Stegmann and Josphine Mwaura to hold onto or exceed the fourth-place position this weekend.
OSU has chance to make Homecoming & Hoops mean something again with Lutz
ASHTON SLAUGHTER SPORTS EDITOR @ASHTON_SLOT
Ever since I’ve been at Oklahoma State, Homecoming & Hoops has seemingly been a trial and error event.
In 2021, my first year here, the men’s and women’s basketball teams took to the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house for Homecoming & Hoops. It was underwhelming, even with a head coach as charismatic as Mike Boynton. It felt like a less-than version of the NBA All-Star Saturday night events with a dunk contest and a 3-point contest, but it also couldn’t shake the vibe of intramurals with it being performed in front of everyone on a fraternity’s court.
In 2022, rapper Waka Flocka Flame came to Stillwater and performed in Gallagher-Iba Arena. It was... OK? Not worth the $40,000 it cost to book him and the $21,342 for the stage for a total of $61,342, in my opinion.
In 2023, OSU booked another rapper, this time Rich Homie Quan, and it, too, just didn’t have any sort of great razzle dazzle.
As for 2024? Well, nobody really knows. There’s a Homecoming Pep Rally on Friday from 9:30-10:30 p.m. That’s really all that’s known.
But I remember fun things happening before I got here — Mike Gundy and Mason Rudolph ripping off their shirts to the enjoyment of the crowd in 2017 and even Gundy wearing his No. 12 jersey from his OSU quarterbacking days in 2018.
With Gundy, women’s basketball head coach Jacie Hoyt and more coaches returning and available to make appearances at Homecoming & Hoops, for most, nothing can change other than the excitement and humor of the bits they do.
But with new men’s basketball head coach Steve Lutz, the Cowboys have a chance to bring some excitement back to the event — some rowdiness, even, which is what Lutz keeps saying he wants back in GIA.
The Cowboy leading man’s first chance to make an impression on the students before OSU opens its regular season against Green Bay Monday night at 8 p.m. is at Homecoming & Hoops. Even though no music artist has been announced and there seems to be no true framework for a large idea or spectacle, students will still show up. And if things go right, they could leave with some excitement for the upcoming basketball seasons — both men’s and women’s hoops.
But more importantly, if we’re being honest, is that they leave high on men’s hoops. Not because women’s basketball doesn’t matter, but because the students already like Hoyt. They’re already familiar with who she is and the growth of women’s basketball, if OSU has a good team this season, students will come support her and the Cowgirls.
Men’s basketball, however, has hardly seen great support in recent years, even with it being the second- or third-biggest sport on campus.
Lutz wants to breathe new life into the program, and the students seem to be a large part of his vision.
So all eyes will be on him to make this Homecoming & Hoops — and however many he’s here for — more of a fun, lessdorky product.
“I think the conference meet is going to be an eye-opening experience for us because we’re facing the No. 1, No. 4 and No. 6 teams in the country,” Smith said. “So even ranked No. 18, we’re going in as a clear fourth team in the conference.”
A lot of Cowgirl fans might be questioning the team’s ability to hoist another postseason trophy, but Smith and his athletes are focused on the game plan, putting themselves in successful positions entering championship meets.
“I think that we can still do great things this year,” Smith said. “We are good enough. We are ready, and I’m confident we’ll get it done.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
OSU announces throwback jerseys for Homecoming celebrating its 125th season
CAYDEN COX STAFF REPORTER @CAYDEN_COX05
On Wednesday, Oklahoma State released special Homecoming uniforms that celebrate the team’s 125th season.
The Cowboys will wear their modern black jerseys and pants, but with a retro twist.
Up top, a black helmet features the interlocking “OA” logo. The logo was the official emblem for the O.A. Association, which was an organization founded by the Oklahoma A&M College student athletes in 1909. From 1909 to 1913, OAMC athletic teams wore the interlocking OA logo. This Saturday will be the first time since the start of World War I that the school is featuring the OA logo.
The uniforms also feature black sleeves and socks with horizontal orange stripes. The stripes come from the school’s earliest mascot, the Tigers.
The Oklahoma A&M football team decided it needed to create an identity and select a mascot. The students of OAMC admired Harry Thompson — a popular faculty member who had ties to Princeton University — so they had made their decision. Oklahoma A&M would be the Tigers, and its colors would be orange and black. With
it came the first official uniforms for the OAMC football team. The uniforms featured black sleeves and socks that had thick orange stripes on them.
On Saturday, the Cowboy football team will feature these black and orange horizontal stripes on the sleeves and socks of their uniform.
The helmet the OSU football team will wear features more throwbacks details. The decal featured on the front bumper of the helmet is a block OAMC. The block OAMC was not only present on the front of the baseball team uniforms throughout the mid1900’s, but head football coach Ed Parry wore the block OAMC on his attire during the 1908 season. Prominent on the back bumper of the helmet is a blend between old and new. The word “Tigers” in the same modern script font that appears on many OSU athletic uniforms can be seen on the back bumper of the helmet. There will also be a “125” decal on the back of the helmet celebrating the 125th season of OSU football.
These uniforms can be seen in action at 6 p.m. Saturday, when OSU hosts Arizona State in its Homecoming matchup at Boone Pickens Stadium. The Cowboys are looking to break their five-game losing streak and earn their first Big 12 Conference win.
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Courtesy CowboyFB/X
Oklahoma State will wear throwback uniforms for Homecoming against Arizona State.
File Photo
Fouad Messaoudi is one of the upperclassman who Dave Smith credits for leading Oklahoma State.
Payton Little
Oklahoma State men’s basketball head coach Steve Lutz speaking during press conference in Stillwater at Boone Pickens on Sept. 23 2024.
The Scotland streets
Growing up in Airdrie, Scotland, a suburb of Glasgow, Carmichael took to the game like a fish to water.
“When I grew up, it’s pretty much as soon as you’re walking, you’re kicking a soccer ball,” Carmichael said. “You played at school, you played through the church league, a bunch of kids played in the boys brigade, and then if you were good, you went on to the youth professional teams at 11.”
Carmichael’s experiences in Airdrie molded him. He knew from the first time he kicked a ball that he would never leave the sport behind.
“Our whole life centered around playing soccer, soccer practice, watching soccer, playing in the street with your buddies,” Carmichael said. “It was by far the No. 1 sport.”
But when Carmichael’s dad got a job offer in Houston, he was forced to leave the place he called home, his friends and a world that showed soccer the respect he thought it deserved.
Carmichael was forced to chase his dream of playing professional soccer in a country where the sport was an afterthought.
Sticking with two USA’s Despite the lack of love for the sport, Carmichael found a way to stay connected to the game that had his heart. He got involved with a “pretty good” local club and continued playing.
After graduating high school a year early, Carmichael was eyeing what was next. He had stayed in contact with teams back in the United Kingdom, and when an opportunity to play with Doncaster Rovers presented itself, he took it.
Just six years after leaving, Carmichael was headed back to the U.K., fulfilling a dream he had since he was a boy.
But a grown Carmichael had mixed feelings.
“I thought, ‘Great, I’ll be there’ but I was absolutely miserable,” Carmichael said. “It was the northeast of England; it was cold, it was rainy, the soccer was just so tough, and I was used to Houston. The beach, I had my own car, the sunshine, all that stuff, so I really wasn’t happy.”
The soccer wasn’t as perfect as Carmichael remembered, either.
He had gotten used to the U.S.’ free-flowing, Mexicaninfluenced style, and the European game’s physical nature was overwhelming.
After getting used to playing kids his age who had never played anything outside of the finesse game of the U.S., playing grown men in Scotland caused Carmichael to rethink playing overseas. Carmichael returned to the States, momentarily leaving behind the idea, but he didn’t give up.
Fast forward a few years, and Carmichael had found a way to the University of South Alabama to play soccer at the collegiate level. He was a solid player who played in big spots for the Jaguars.
But Carmichael pivoted. He knew that he wanted to remain in the game, but it had become clear that he wasn’t destined for the Premier League as a player.
So while he was on the Jaguars roster, a head coaching position opened up at St. Paul’s Episcopal High School in Mobile, Alabama, and Carmichael seized the opportunity. Despite having no experience as a coach, Carmichael didn’t want to let a chance to be around more soccer pass him by.
“I played high-level soccer, but my coaching was just little clinics at that point,” Carmichael said. “What I did know was fitness, so I ran the you-know-what out of those girls, and they got super fit, and we actually did really well; we made it to the state tournament two years in a row and won our district.”
Carmichael knew he made the right decision immediately. He spent two seasons as the head coach at St. Paul’s Episcopal, and learned what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.
And when Karen Hancock was tasked with starting the women’s soccer program at South Alabama, she knew whom to appoint as her primary assistant.
Hancock and Carmichael were in similar stages of their coaching careers, but Hancock was a few steps ahead — she spent two seasons as an assistant at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock and was put in charge of South Alabama’s women’s team.
Roy Patton, the head coach of the men’s team, pushed Carmichael toward Hancock’s staff, saying there was an opportunity for Carmichael to rise the ranks faster in the women’s game.
Hancock saw more than a promising young coach in Carmichael; she saw a great teacher.
“He demonstrated early on that he was passionate about the game, he loved the game, and that rubbed off on the players,” Hancock said. “He was a fit, young guy, and he was able to run all over the place and teach that way.”
Carmichael threaded the needle. He had gone from playing to coaching without having to spend time away from the game he loved and fell into a perfect coaching situation.
He had no interest in the logistical side of being a head coach. Booking hotels, figuring out travel and lining up opponents were not why he loved the game. Hancock was comfortable handling administrative duties and allowing an eager Carmichael to work on the player development side.
“I was really quite fortunate,” Carmichael said. “I got to come in and do a lot of coaching. Obviously, we all recruited, but I got to do the part I loved.”
Development was, and still is, Carmichael’s forte. His wide range of experiences has allowed him to integrate multiple styles into his own, and his mix of English and American soccer culture made him the perfect coach to add to a young staff.
But Hancock and Carmichael were tasked with a challenge — starting a program from scratch.
“There was just an explosion of all these women’s programs coming on the board,” Hancock said. “It was not only an opportunity for those women to go play college ball, but it was an opportunity for young coaches like me and Colin to find places to coach.”
After two seasons in charge of the Jaguars — in which Hancock said USA became “the strongest program in Alabama” — she was offered the head coaching position at another upstart, Oklahoma State. So she left behind limited resources for a better opportunity.
Carmichael could’ve replaced Hancock at USA, but he wanted to follow her to OSU. He had a visa issue with South Alabama, and he told Hancock if OSU figured out the situation, he was in.
They acquired the visa. He joined OSU.
Building the Cowgirl program In the beginning, the wins were hard to come by.
OSU was adjusting to playing in an established Big 12 powerhouses like Texas and Texas A&M beat OSU up for the rest of the 1990s, but when the new millennia came, the Cowgirls turned a new leaf.
By 2003, Hancock and Carmichael had been through the ups and downs of Big 12 play, and it was time to turn experience into wins. OSU finally broke through, winning its first Big 12 championship.
It was the first time Carmichael and Hancock brought in multiple recruiting classes with an idea of what they wanted in a player. Development was key, and Carmichael began to discover some of the traits he looks for in recruits to this day.
“When you go to these youth soccer events, you and I could go pick out the best players; that’s not hard, but that kid is typically going to UCLA,” Carmichael said. “Our bread and butter has been find the next kid, identifying the kid who is playing against the kid who is trying to bust her ass.”
OSU stayed relevant the next few years. The Cowgirls were given limited resources compared to most programs in the Big 12, yet they were always near the top of the standings, and Carmichael believed it was time to become a head coach.
“I think most people get to the point where it’s like, the buck needs to stop with me, and that was never intended to be a slight at Karen or the athletic director; it’s just something I needed to fulfill me,” Carmichael said.
Texas Tech, Wisconsin and SMU showed interest in Carmichael. OSU was faced with a decision — roll with what was working or take a risk on Carmichael, who was younger and showed promise but had no experience running a program.
OSU higher-ups decided to give Carmichael a raise and name him Hancock’s co-head coach. It worked for two seasons, but it was odd.
“I just remember (AD Mike) Holder came in and said, ‘Listen, I love both you guys, but this co-head coach thing is kind of weird’, and part of me agreed,” Carmichael said.
“Even though it was kind of working, he basically just gave us options: either Colin goes, we thank him for his service and Karen’s coach again, or Karen moves to an assistant and Colin becomes head coach.”
Following two seasons as cohead coach, Carmichael was named head coach. Hancock moved into a secondary role as an assistant. Carmichael got to mold a program in his image for the first time.
The leading man
The Cowgirls found immediate success under Carmichael, winning four straight Big 12 championships beginning in 2008.
Since the four-peat, OSU has won two more conference titles, but for the first time, Carmichael has begun to view things outside of wins and losses as equally important, namely relationships.
“As a younger coach, I would’ve said it wasn’t (as important as winning); I just wanted to win,” Carmichael said. “Everything I did was about ‘I gotta win, I gotta compete’ and I still feel that way. Ask my son when we play a video game and I lose, I get mad. I am much more aware now of the importance of the experience these kids have here, knowing they can’t all have a good one, but just trying.”
When Carmichael roams the sidelines at practice, he rarely responds with a scream or a chew-out; he approaches his players with a jovial tone, poking fun at a missed pass or complimenting a made goal.
“If a player messes up, they don’t just get one chance; they get a bunch of chances,” senior defender Mollie Breiner said.
“It’s expected that you make mistakes; I feel like he encourages us.”
Carmichael’s patience is rare for someone in his post, and it plays a part in his developmental track record.
Logan Heausler is from Carmichael’s American home of Houston, and she said the coach’s reputation for turning low-mid-ranking recruits into stars is one of the main things that brought her to OSU.
“I came in, and in club it’s a lot different speed of play — you’re faster than all 10 girls on the field; at this level, everybody is the same,” Logan
Heasuler said. “That was something I had to learn. He’s very good at building players and developing them into what they need to be.”
The epicenters of soccer talent in the U.S. are typically in large cities. Stillwater isn’t quite that, and Carmichael realizes that small-town life isn’t for everyone, so he often targets small-town kids.
“A.D. Franch is from Salina, Kansas; Melinda Mercado is from Sapulpa, Oklahoma — not Tulsa, Sapulpa,” Carmichael said. “Those kids come on visits and love it, but then maybe the kid from Plano (Texas) may come and visit and say, ‘Huh, maybe.’”
As most programs do, OSU has taken the identity of its coach. Most of the time, it’s relaxed. But when it’s on, it’s on. Practice gets fiery. But only during those couple hours, and then it’s a friendly environment.
The familial feel of OSU soccer has attracted recruits, and kept former players around. The program’s all-time leading goal scorer, Grace Yochum, only spent a few months away from Stillwater before returning to fill the third assistant spot on Carmichael’s staff.
“I just absolutely loved my time here; I loved playing for him,” Yochum said. “I love everything he’s about and everything he’s grown this program into. I had the best five years of my life here.”
In his nearly three decades at OSU, Carmichael has filled many roles. Assistant, coach in waiting, coach on the brink of leaving, co-head coach, head coach, lead recruiter and most recently, father figure.
A coach only goes as far as his love for the game and devotion will take him, and Carmichael knows that as well as anyone. But his fire for the sport burns just as bright as the little kid running around the streets of Airdrie’s did. He’s never stopped being around the thing he loved more than life itself, soccer, and he doesn’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon.
“If the competitive fire ever goes, I know I’m not getting any younger,” Carmichael said. “If that ever goes, I’ll walk away, but it’s still there,” Carmichael said. “As you start getting older, you start contemplating what’s next; for me, there’s not a next at this point.”
Jose Brito
Oklahoma State soccer head coach Colin Carmichael has filled many roles across his 29 years in Stillwater.
Snapshots from Osu-Baylor
CENTER LEFT: The linemen before a snap.
CENTER RIGHT: OSU wide receiver Rashod Owens navigating defenders.
BOTTOM
BOTTOM RIGHT: OSU cornerback Kenneth Harris trying to bring down a Bear.
Baylor defeated the Cowboys 38-28 last weekend in Waco, Texas. Here are some of our staff’s best photos: TOP LEFT: Baylor wide receiver Ashtyn Hawkins catching a ball over OSU cornerback Korie Black.
MIDDLE: OSU running back Ollie Gordon II getting tackled.
RIGHT: OSU head coach Mike Gundy looking down at the sideline.
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Andon Freitas
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The O’colly sports picks
Pick Leaderboard: Point / Counterpoint
Will Ollie Gordon II or Cam Skattebo finish with more RUSHING yards Saturday?
I’ll take Gordon. I think he’s run well the past couple of games and the Cowboys will continue to try and get him going. Arizona State’s defense is really good at stopping the run, as it’s given up the second-fewest rush yards per game amongst Big 12 Conference teams, but if Gordon can find a couple of seams, I think he could have a monster game on Homecoming.
Uh, OK, I’ll happily take Skattebo. He has 150 carries on the season for 848 yards and 10 touchdowns. He can even catch, but that’s for another point/counterpoint. Skattebo’s become the lifeline of ASU’s offense and had his way in games against Utah and Kansas. With quarterback Sam Leavitt returning, the offense should return to its normal form, and Skattebo will surely be the focal point.
