‘There’s no way to describe that feeling’ Seniors prepare for last game day in Boone Pickens Stadium
BY HAYDEN ALEXANDER I NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
The Cowboys’ football season is effectively over this year, but for many seniors, Saturday’s game is even more vital than a championship or bowl game; it’s their final game in Boone Pickens Stadium.
Seniors on and off the field are
preparing to soak up every last second they can as their time at OSU comes to a close.
“I haven’t even been able to think about it,” Spirit Rider Keaton Cunningham said. “It hasn’t quite hit me that I’m a senior. It hasn’t hit me that this is going to be my last game with Bullet.”
Cunningham’s time with the OSU
LUISA CLAUSEN STAFF REPORTER
Close to a year ago, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed an executive order prohibiting state agencies, colleges and universities from using state funds to support diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
Rosemary Avance, the chair of the College of Arts and Sciences Equity Advocates, knew then that some things would change, and she was right. Office names and faculty titles were a couple of the expected changes. However, Avance said the accessibility
resources became scarce and hidden.
For example, students were able to access the course pages on Canvas, OSU’s learning management system, and have access to diversity, equity and inclusion resources under “Student Resources.” Now, the link leads to an empty page. The Division of Access and Community Impact, which, prior to the order, was known as the Office of Institutional Diversity, was temporarily down, and its new version does not display a list of the directory board or a list of diversity, equity and inclusion programs and resources for students.
See STITT on page 5A
Spirit Rider team has shaped her time at OSU and her childhood. Her parents served as the OSU Spirit Rider team, with her dad taking over in 1998 and her mom in 2000. They took over the program in 2005.
As a young girl, Cunningham did not fully understand the significance of Bullet, but as she aged, she began to
grasp it.
“When I was little, I just knew that on Saturdays in the fall, we loaded this horse up and drove to Stillwater,” Cunningham said. “I knew he was a special horse, and I knew people loved him, but to me, he was my best friend.”
See SENIOR on page 3A
‘They have to put everything on the line’ Students respond to Gaines’ OSU visit
HAYDEN
ALEXANDER NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
LGBTQ+ students and allies are speaking up after Riley Gaines, a conservative speaker and activist, visited campus Nov. 13.
Izzy Wilkerson is a member of the LGBTQ+ community and said the visit did not shock them, especially on a campus like OSU.
“I don’t think that it’s surprising that Riley Gaines visited this university,” Wilkerson said. “I think that this is a university that probably has a lot of students whose views align with hers.”
Gaines’ platform “Take Back Title IX” aims to return the law to its original wording. Gaines said in her talk she believes transgender women have an unfair advantage over “biological
women” and should not be allowed to compete with those who were born female.
“As it originally stood, it was a very brief piece of legislation, only 37 words, a short paragraph that ensured or prevented sex-based discrimination within any educational program,” Gaines said.
Sophie, an advocate and genderqueer student who asked The O’Colly not to include their last name for safety reasons, said what Gaines is asking for is discrimination.
“I don’t think she realizes how hard it is to be a trans woman, how much violence and discrimination they face,” Sophie said. “The idea of someone pretending to be trans just to get those opportunities is absurd. Misogyny affects trans women too.”
See GAINES on page 5A
Bryson Thadhani
Equity Advocates chair, Rosemary Avance, advocates for DEI efforts.
Hayden Alexander
Students at OSU are speaking out after Riley Gaines visited campus last week.
Bryson Thadhani
Payton Little Conner Fuxa
Ask the Pokes
What are you looking forward to over break?
“I’m looking forward to seeing extended family. A lot of (my) family is coming from Michigan.”
Hayden Alexander, News & Lifestyle editor
My go-to Thanksgiving dish is sweet potato casserole. It’s sweet, crunchy and the perfect fall treat, in my personal opinion. I also cannot resist a piece of my grandma’s lemon meringue pie; it is pure lemony bliss.
Raynee Howell, Assistant News & Lifestyle editor
giving food and Thanksgiving dessert. My favorite Thanksgiving food would have to be stuffing. My mom makes amazing homemade stuffing every year. My favorite Thanksgiving dessert is pumpkin pie or pecan pie, depending on my mood.
Ashton Slaughter, Sports editor
It’s not the fanciest option, but I’ll go with the rolls. Sure, we all love macaroni-and-cheese and mashed potatoes, but I always find myself going back into the roll basket... like a lot.
There is plenty of ham and turkey to go around if you join me at Thanksgiving because the sides are the star of my show. Stuffing, mashed potatoes and multiple dinner rolls are filling up the majority of my plate. Bonus points if it’s King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, but I don’t discriminate.
Katie Lehew, Design editor
I have both a favorite Thanks-
Editor-in-Chief
Kennedy Thomason editorinchief@ocolly.com
Sports editor
Ashton Slaughter sports.ed@ocolly.com
Assistant sports editor
Parker Gerl sports.ed@ocolly.com
Design editor
Katie Lehew design.ed@ocolly.com
Social media editor
Bryson Thadhani news.ed@ocolly.com
Kennedy Thomason, Editorin-chief
Hands down, rolls are the best part of Thanksgiving. A classic, noncontroversial plate filler, rolls compliment almost any food on the table. It’s not the flashiest food, but put some butter on a fresh roll and you’ve got happy guests.
Parker Gerl, Assistant Sports editor
My favorite Thanksgiving food is sweet potato casserole with marshmallows. It tastes like candy and can work on your main plate or as a dessert.
Bryson Thadhani, Social Media editor
Easily my mom’s macaroniand-cheese clears anything. Especially if you put some turkey or ham over it, nothing can beat it.
Payton Little, Photo editor Pumkin pie. I have at least three pieces every year, then two each day for the next week. Yes, it’s really that good.
news.ed@ocolly.com
News & Lifestyle editor Hayden Alexander news.ed@ocolly.com
Assistant News & Lifestyle
editor Raynee Howell news.ed@ocolly.com
Photo editor Payton Little photo.ed@ocolly.com
Adviser
Brett Dawson brett.dawson@okstate.edu
News & Lifestyle reporters:
Bella Casey
Luisa Clausen
Cody Garcia
Jackson Johns
MJ Nyamdavaa
Jocelyne Perez
Ricky Robertson
Megan Roy
Ava Whistler
Aliyah Young
- Taygen Burkhart
“I’m taking a trip with my family down to Texas. We’re going to visit my grandparents and hang out, chill.”
- Tyler Amicrel
“I’m looking forward to having a break from school; and my mom’s Thanksgiving ham.”
- Avery Autry
Sports reporters: Photographers & Designers:
Daniel Allen Dalton Arredondo
Allyssa Brandon
Baylor Bryant
Cayden Cox
Timonthy Christenson
Gina Foster
Kenzie Kraich
Samuel Mitchell
Calif Poncy
Allyn Orndorff
Kaitlyn Robertson
Wyatt Tessier
Will Thorogood
Wyatt Watson
Weston Wertzberger
Jose Brito
Maya Blanks
Delainey Cops
Mykalyn Daidone
Catherine Dzanski
Lilian Easter
Andon Freitas
Conner Fuxa
Riley Harness
Kaytlyn Hayes
Ethan Hilbert
Jonathan Jackson
Michael Jane‘t
Benjamin Perry
Isaac Terry
Cunningham tagged along with her parents to every home game. She refused to sit in the stands and insisted on matching with the older riders. At 10, Cunningham began helping on the sidelines before taking on a more active role with the team.
Cunningham knew she was going to ride one day.
“I had seen probably 18-20 people do it before me, and my whole life, I thought they were the coolest people in the whole world,” Cunningham said. “Whoever was putting the chaps on and getting on the hose every year was the equivalent of my superhero.”
Freshmen are not allowed to try out for the team, and Cunningham did not try out until her junior year, opting to experience the games from the stands.
“I really loved getting to experience game day that way and getting to take a step back to see the game from a different perspective and what Bullet means to everybody,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham could not stay away for long. She made the team her junior year and now serves as the Spirit Rider. After a year in the saddle, Cunningham is preparing for her last game and looking back at her favorite memories.
“My absolute favorite part of game day has always been the pre-game run,” Cunningham said. “That feeling of running a horse as fast as he can go through the middle of the football field, through the middle of the band with 50,000 people yelling, there’s no way to describe that feeling.”
As Cunningham steels herself for an emotional final game, others on the field fight through emotions.
Sean O’Leary is one of many band students responsible for the thunderous sound that fills BPS as Cunningham and Bullet take the field. He is picking up his sousaphone for one last ride. The band has given O’Leary a home for the last four years.
“I feel like I’m a lot more involved than I ever would have been before had I not been in a band,” O’Leary said. “It’s got me a lot more involved in campus activities and all that.”
O’Leary said though it feels like only yesterday that he walked onto
the practice field for the first time, his time at OSU has felt like a lifetime, and it has not fully registered that Saturday is the culmination of that lifetime.
“I’m sure I’ll feel it more once it’s actually game day, but right now it’s kind of like, ‘Oh, it’s just another game day,’” O’Leary said.
The band brings the sound, but the Paddle People bring the heartbeat of BPS to life in a cascade of booms that reverberate around the stadium.
Senior Ella Cox has been a member of the Paddle People for four years and loves every minute of it.
“I’ve been there every Saturday or every home game,” Cox said. “It’s sad, it’s bittersweet, but I’m excited to see the Cowboys play one last time, as a paddle person and getting to wear America’s Brightest Orange.”
Rain or shine, Cox has dedicated the last four years to Paddle People, and she said the group gave her a home on campus and changed her opinion on the color orange.
“I used to hate wearing the color orange, but now I look forward to wearing it every Saturday,” Cox said.
The final game is the end of an era for Cox, but she said she would not trade it for anything.
“I feel like I’m not losing these friends, but I am losing the time spent together, being able to be the heartbeat of the stadium and supporting the team no matter the weather, no matter what. So I am going to miss it,” she said.
Cox encourages the next generation of Paddle People to give it their all and always stay loyal and true to the team and fans. Cunningham shares a similar sentiment toward future riders.
“Every single time you swing your leg over him on game day, don’t let your nerves and your anxiety be the main emotion that you’re feeling,” Cunningham said. “ Let the excitement and the joy of what you’re doing take over.”
On Saturday, Cunningham said every senior in BPS should enjoy every moment no matter the outcome of the game, and she advised every junior, sophomore and freshman to never take it for granted because it’s over before you know it.
“You only get so many times walking into that stadium as a student, and I would go back and be a freshman all over again,” Cunningham said.
The great break debate: Students divided on Thanksgiving hiatus
A semester of quizzes, tests, homework, football games, Homecoming preparation and too many ups and downs to count is winding down.
After 14 weeks, OSU students finally catch a break; however, for some students, the break is tricky to navigate.
This year, Thanksgiving falls on Nov. 28, and instead of returning to one more week of regular classes, dead week and then finals, students will jump right into pre-finals week after the break.
“We have two weeks after our break,” sophomore Christian Garcia said. “What’s the point of coming back when the semester is already done? We just went a full semester without any breaks.”
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, OSU’s fall semester featured two three-day breaks, but to reduce the risk of spread, the university switched to a weeklong combination of fall and Thanksgiving break.
Garcia plays the flute in the marching band and between practicing, performing and school, he is on the verge of burn-out. He said he has not had the opportunity to visit his family since August.
“Being in the marching band, we really don’t have our weekends or anything like that, so it’s hard to get things done whenever we don’t have a break,” Garcia said. “I feel like it’s way too late in the season or the semester to have a break because, by this point, we’re already burnt out.”
November is crunch time for college students as finals approach and classwork wraps up. Homecoming adds to the stress as many students on campus are heavily involved with pulling off America’s Greatest Homecoming.
“A lot of students are experiencing anxiety burnouts, a really big problem, especially getting closer to the end of the semester,” said Becca Krouse, the coordinator of student case management said.
Krouse sees the pros and cons of a longer break but encourages students to take time for themselves and seek help if they need it.
Joseph Dunnigan, the interim director of University Health Services, said he has noticed an uptick in students seeking mental health help, but that is common this time of year. When asked if OSU should implement a few smaller breaks throughout the semester, he said that an extra day off or a three-day weekend sprinkled throughout the semester might help students.
“I do think having breaks is not a bad idea,” Dunnigan said. “It gives students that additional space to recharge and have some time for themselves, but on the other side of things, a weeklong break is nice.”
“I would feel comfortable stating that mental health has been increasing in being a concern in students that are referred over here,” Krause said.
Students, especially those who live out of state, prefer the weeklong break.
Zoe Kelly typically visits her parents in Tennessee during breaks, and three
days is not enough time for her to travel home.
“It takes almost one to two days to get home,” Kelly said. “At that point, if it was only a couple of days, it wouldn’t even matter.”
Kelly said she believes smaller breaks throughout the semester are the solution, as many students work on the weekends and are unable to take quality time for themselves.
“If you had a day off, I think that would allow people to have at least a little time for self-care,” Kelly said.
The ability to travel home is convenient, but the weeklong break also poses an issue for students who do not have the funds to travel home and back. The break leaves them stuck in Stillwater after the campus has cleared out.
“I feel like the students who don’t go anywhere for a break, thats another caveat, maybe there are students here who are going to be feeling isolated,” Krause said.
Courtney Cooper is a graduate student at OSU, and she said she preferred her alma mater, Langston University’s practice of releasing students for Thanksgiving and having them return earlier in January.
“Buying two tickets to go home and back and then go home again and come back again, some people don’t have that luxury of being able to do that,” Cooper said.
Sarah Jones lives in California and she said two weeks would be great, but also expensive to sustain.
“It’s really expensive flying in and out of Southern California so I don’t know if I would be able to spend that much... to be able to go home two times,” Jones said.
There is some debate surrounding fall break, but the schedule is here to stay for now. Both Krouse and Dunnigan recommend students find ways during the break to recharge, whether they are going home or not.
“Practicing self care is always a great way to prevent burnout, just making time to manage stress and keep on top of tasks,” Krause said.
Connor Fuxa
OSU Spirit Rider Keaton Cunningham smiles while riding Bullet in the Sea of Orange Parade.
Bryson Thadhani Many students are excited to head home for break, but others feel the break is too late.
Block 34 to bolster community
KENNEDY THOMASON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
About a year and a half after COVID-19 stalled progress on Block 34, Jim Beckstrom got a call. On the line was Kicker CEO and Stillwater native Steve Irby.
“Steve called and said, ‘Hey, I’d like to donate some money to get Block 34 going.’ And I said, ‘Well, how much?’ And he said, ‘Well, $3 million.’ And I literally fell out of my chair,” Beckstrom said. “I almost welled up with tears in my eyes, like this is really finally gonna happen.”
Block 34, a community gathering space, will feature a stage, pavilion, beer garden, musicians walk and natural playground, among other features. Located to the west of Main Street, Block 34 will be the newest of many additions to downtown. The project broke ground in February, and the green space is estimated to be open in fall 2025.
Beckstrom, the Stillwater Community Center Foundation chair, has worked on Block 34 since the beginning. In 2017, Beckstrom served as chair of the committee to determine what Block 34 would be. After years of discussions and setbacks during the pandemic, Beckstrom said he wasn’t sure if the project would make progress.
Block 34 went through many iterations of what it could be, Beckstrom said, including one plan for it to be a hotel.
Beckstrom said many of the proposed plans would have required the Stillwater Community Center, which lies across the street from Block 34, to be partially or completely torn down. The community did not respond well to those proposals, he said.
just made sense in a way to give back, because really, the money that we got is really from people,” Irby said.
Irby, who took inspiration from the city park in Boulder, Colorado, said he hopes Block 34 will have consistent events, such as a Saturday farmer’s market with music.
“There’s just a lot of potential there that we’ve tried to design in,” Irby said. “I think it will probably kind of evolve organically once we get it going. Just see what works and what people want to want to do.”
Irby said he thinks Block 34 will be a “catalyst for economic development around that area.”
“That end of town is, that’s the old part of Stillwater,” Irby said. “And so I think there’s some character to it.”
The area near Block 34 has grown in recent years, adding Stonecloud Brewing Co., Empire Slice House and Hatch, among others.
Matt Sullins, Stonecloud’s manager, said Block 34 could bring a new “cultural center” to Stillwater.
“I think, potentially, it could kind of be like a cornerstone for even more growth because there are some empty buildings around here that I think are prime for cool spots,” Sullins said.
The city hired Crossland Construction Co., Inc. for about $12.1 million to build a new storm drain on Duncan Street, an interactive playground, music play equipment, composite metal panels and an alternate pavement section for Block 34.
The city has contributed $5.5 million in public improvements, such as new streets, LED lights and a new storm sewer, Interim City Manager Brady Moore said. It acquired the land for $422,518.
BELLA CASEY STAFF REPORTER
He owns Dunkin, but he wants to open Dunkin.’
Stillwater is in line for new businesses and received one this week. Nothing Bundt Cakes opened last weekend, Dunkin’ is looking for a home and the Target talk continues.
Geoffrey Beasley is an OSU alumnus and elementary education major turned businessman who owns the Dunkin Theatre, Huddy McGee’s House of Meats and Oklahoma’s Listening Room at Godofredo’s Pizzeria & Tap Room in Cushing. He is trying to open Dunkin’ in Stillwater, but he’s run into a few roadblocks along the way. Some literal, some figurative.
Beasley is contracted to open at least four Dunkin’ locations but can open up to eight. His Cushing and Perkins locations are being built, and he hopes to open two Stillwater locations but said there is no attractively-priced land available, an issue he attributes to the marijuana industry and other factors.
He said he will build Dunkin’ locations in Perry and Guthrie if he doesn’t find the right fit in Stillwater.
He planned to open one off 6th and Country Club, east of Tinker Federal Credit Union, but there was not good enough access on 6th to allow customers to reach the property.
“So where the median cut through, it cut through to the east of us, making it impossible for somebody to cut through there and get to our parking lot,” Beasley said.
“It was about 20 feet was all it was going to take. We could not make the connection with the landowners on the corner and get them to work with us on the large acreage there where we think Target would go someday.” He said Target would have been a great anchor for development on that corner, but Stillwater just couldn’t get the right peoples’ attention.
But it wasn’t because of a lack of effort.
An OKC developer pitched Stillwater as a candidate for a micro-Target at a conference earlier this year, Kari Moore, director of economic development at the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce, told The O’Colly in September.
Moore helped provide the data for the pitch and said she believes Stillwater could support a Target.
She said she does not think Stillwater is limited by size or ability, but by geographical location.
“When you think of where Targets are located, they’re all off major highways and major intersections,” Moore said. “That’s part of their process. That’s how they decide where to place them, is where there’s major traffic areas. Because Stillwater is kind of this peninsula right between Oklahoma City and Tulsa, we don’t have that major traffic.”
Moore said Stillwater is also unique because it supports local businesses. Boutiques survive while chain stores such as Belk and JCPenney close.
But Sarah Navarro is putting a family twist on a chain store and brought it to Stillwater. The 29-year-old opened Nothing Bundt Cakes in the Bradford Plaza last weekend, moving into the old Sports Clips location.
“Our opening weekend was awesome,” Navarro said. “And I mean, literally, every customer that comes in the door is like, ‘I’ve been waiting for you guys,’ or ‘I can’t believe you’re finally here.’”
Navarro said the community supported her, sharing memories of their first cake or reason to celebrate, two reasons she opened a Nothing Bundt Cakes in Stillwater.
Navarro’s family has a history with restaurants with roots in Dr. Pepper and in Abilene, Texas. They own three Schlotzsky’s in Moore, Norman and Midwest City and brought Dairy Queen to the OKC metro in 2013. Navarro started working as a Schlotzsky’s cashier at 16 and worked her way up through the ranks.
She has a family history with Stillwater, too. Her sister has attended OSU since 2019 and is in her second year of vet school, and her sister-in-law is in her first year of engineering school.
“We’re here for the community,” Navarro said. “That’s the biggest thing. We’re just so excited to be here. The cool thing about the brand is there’s never a day we’re going to be slow, because, literally, there’s a million birthdays every single day, or there’s always something to celebrate, which is what we love about the brand, our family, especially, is the celebration.”
Navarro agreed with Beasley that real estate in Stillwater is expensive, but she sees her location as more than a Stillwater location. She hopes to serve customers from surrounding areas such as Enid, Ponca City and Cushing.
In the midst of the city reviewing the proposals, Beckstrom said hundreds of residents expressed desire for another community space.
“Have a stage on it, have a gathering place, having a place for the city to come together, because right now there really, until this is done, there really isn’t such a place to really get together en masse,” Beckstrom said.
Creating another “lifestyle feature” for Stillwater was a main reason for Kicker’s donation of about $7.3 million, Irby said.
Irby, on behalf of Kicker, has donated to the project on several occasions. After the initial $3 million donation, Irby then also contributed $800,000 for 10 years of programming and another $4.3 million for architectural design.
Simmons Bank, the project’s other major donor, has contributed $1.5 million, which has helped Block 34 meet its design requirements.
Market President Kevin Fowler, who served on the Block 34 task force, said donating to the project was a “perfect fit” because the community could gather for free.
“Stillwater has been really good to Simmons Bank, and we wanted to reward the community in a way, and we were looking for such a naming rights opportunity,” Fowler said.
Both companies will have their names on Block 34: the Kicker Sound Stage and the Simmons Pavillion.
Kicker, a wholesale producer, was a recipient of the Paycheck Protection Program during the pandemic because the company was able to keep its people employed, Irby said. Without the extra pandemic income from the government, donating a lump sum of money wouldn’t be a good business decision, he said.
“But we like the idea of the park and the community aspect and the music, and it all
Block 34 is one of 15 projects listed on the City of Stillwater’s website. Moore said Block 34 is “very ambitious” on the city’s part.
It is common for projects like Block 34 to receive donations from private entities, Moore said. It is similar to the Kaiser family donating to finance the Gathering Place in Tulsa.
“We have a lot of projects, but we have a growing, vibrant city, and so I’m proud of our staff and the amount of work that they’re undertaking in order to keep up with the growth of this city,” Moore said.
Improved public spaces, such as Block 34, could help bolster OSU’s community, environmental engineering professor Mary Foltz said.
“I feel like Stillwater has a sense of community that I haven’t seen in a lot of places, but they don’t necessarily have the infrastructure to support that,” Foltz said.
This project could indicate to potential faculty that the city is invested in its community, Foltz said. Block 34 will “be a hub” for the community, she said.
“It kind of goes with the feeling that you get down there, like it’s community building, it’s finding connection,” Foltz said. “It’s a good space to get together with people. It’s a good place for events.”
Among the other outcomes, Beckstrom said he hopes Block 34 could help “foster the music scene” in Stillwater.
Beckstrom said he hopes the gathering space could be used for large music or theater festivals. The six to eight big stages in downtown Stillwater, which include those in the library and community center, could make the city an ideal location, in addition to it being a good fit with to the community, he said.
“It can handle thousands of people,” Beckstrom said. “The green space is bigger than Guthrie Green. It’s got the capacity to handle a really big crowd, and it’s super exciting.”
Kaitlyn Robertson
Nothing Bundt Cakes is one of many new businesses in Stillwater.
Bryson Thadhani
Stitt
“It has definitely put us much more in the advocacy and a lot less in the resource-providing function,” Avance said. “There’s a potential that we could be reducing people’s access to things that they really need to be able to thrive here, to feel accepted, to feel included. I think that has repercussions for students’ mental health, for students’ sense of community and belonging, but also faculty retention and staff retention.”
The O’Colly requested an interview with the Division of Access and Community Impact. A representative responded via an email that read, “The university is committed to complying with Gov. Stitt’s executive order and has been clear in communicating that commitment.”
The statement addressed why the website had been down for a while, saying it went “under review to ensure its content accurately reflects the mission and programs of the division.”
Avance said the changes made after the executive order were not well communicated, and she advocated for better communication at CAS faculty council meetings. She said when faculty or students come to her to ask about resources, she can’t direct them to the office’s website. When she reached out to the office of the Division of Access and Community Impact to ask when a list of resources would be available, she received no response.
The University of Oklahoma has also adapted to follow the executive order. Still, it has added a webpage explaining how the university would implement the order. The website provided answers about the general bill provisions, the future of DEI training and programs and more. OSU does not have a similar page. The executive order
banned state-funded diversity programs “to the extent they grant preferential treatment based on one person’s particular race, color, ethnicity or national origin.” It also required all state agencies and public colleges and universities to review their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and eliminate functions that are unnecessary for compliance, accreditation, or student and employee support services. The Division of Access and Community Impact, according to an email, stated its focus is to ensure students have access to academic support, career readiness and services to help them pursue their educational and career goals.
The email added that “if students or community members need help locating specific resources, they are encouraged to contact the office directly for guidance and support.”
“We had Safe Zone Training for LGBTQ+ allies, we had affinity groups for students, faculty and staff who belong to all types of different marginalized identities,” Avance said. “And I don’t know what exists anymore. It kind of puts us in an interesting position because our job is to be a repository of information. Our job is to facilitate information from people who are vulnerable and need it and need a way to access it without having to put themselves in a more vulnerable position by maybe making an accusation or coming forward, or whatever it might be.”
Mario Borunda, the associate dean of Academic Community Excellence, is the liaison between CAS Equity Advocates and the CAS Dean’s Office. Borunda is a member of the National Society of Hispanic Physicists and said it is important for minority communities to have proper representation.
Borunda said he understands the university’s responsibility to follow the rules. In this case, not following them could result in a cut of state funding allocated to diversity offices.
Gaines
Continued from 1
Sophie said that Title IX is more than just a 37-word document, and students should take the time to research the law actively.
“The expansion Biden wrote is so much more than just including LGBTQ+ people,” Sophie said. “It has protections for victims of sexual assault, students who are pregnant or nursing, who have kids.”
Instead of fighting for the removal of trans women from women’s sports, Sophie said Gaines and other activists should focus on fighting for equal pay and rooting out coaches who take advantage of their athletes.
“I feel like instead of focusing on trans athletes just trying to exist, you should focus on actually making sports a more welcoming and safer place for women,” Sophie said.
During Gaines’ speech, she gave students the microphone to ask questions and encouraged those who disagreed to step forward, but no one did.
Between the recent election and the current political climate, those who identify as transgender are scared to speak out, fearing hatred and backlash from their peers, friends and family, Sophie said.
“People probably felt unsafe,” Sophie said. “Especially as someone who is transgender or nonconforming, a bunch of people who think you shouldn’t exist gathering in one room, that would be an uncomfortable place to be.”
trans rights, said discrimination does not belong in sports. He said many of his friends struggle with feeling unsafe on campus because they fear sharing who they are.
“If they want to be their true self, they risk their families kicking them out,” Williams said. “They risk losing all their financial support. They risk losing all their friends. They have to put everything on the line.”
Williams said that transition is not an easy process and that those who decide to undergo it do not make the decision lightly.
When asked if there is any chance for productive conversation between the two groups, Williams said there is the possibility but the discussion veers toward removing trans women from sports.
“I would hope that there would be that kind of thing where we could talk about what the world would look like where we can integrate trans women, trans men and trans people into sports,” Williams said.
After competing as a collegiate swimmer against a trans woman, Lia Thomas, Gaines decided to speak out. In recent years, her platform has caught the attention of multiple conservative groups, making what she has to say inaccessible to some.
Wilkerson said if Gaines had not aligned herself with Turning Point USA and the Trump administration, they could see the potential for a compromise.
He added that it is essential to train students to be ready for the workforce and said understanding how to interact with people from diverse backgrounds is part of being prepared to dive into a new industry. However, Borunda pointed out that DEI is not just about race or gender issues, it is also about the inclusion of people with disabilities.
“One of the big things is finding community, finding what community you belong to,” Borunda said. “So I think that that may be the biggest concern I have. How would our faculty and students know who to go to if they’re having an issue? That’s what the websites are there for, right? So, if we used to have, or maybe if we still have, a program that is not on the website, how would our students be able to take advantage of it?”
Although it has become harder to find DEI resources on university websites, the order doesn’t apply to academic research or instruction, student organization activities or programs for veterans, first-generation students or other underserved groups. Borunda said the student organizations play an essential role in fostering a welcoming and diverse community and said students can take advantage of the resources the groups provide. He added that it is important for students to be aware of cultural differences but not let those become barriers when trying to create relationships and build a community.
“We’re looking to make sure that our students are prepared to enter the world,” Borunda said. “In a lot of their classes, they’re going to learn about cultural issues, about race issues, all of those things are preparing them so that they come out and have a better understanding of where they stand in the world and how they can improve things for other people. So there’s all kinds of things that you can do if you are aware of them.”
Sophie said Gaines wants those who oppose her views to show up because she would not make headlines without them.
“She doesn’t get to stay in the headlines if all the LGBTQ+ people decide, instead of going to her event, to go to dinner together, craft or do homework,” Sophie said.
Wilkerson said Gaines’ “rhetoric” is “devastatingly harmful” for everyone involved, whether they agree or disagree. To them, Gaines and others like her pose a threat to the people in their lives that they love and their passions.
“I have trans people that I care about in my life who do enjoy sports and partaking in sports, so I just don’t agree with her,” Wilkerson said.
Jake Williams, an advocate for
“She has allied herself with people who I think would rather see trans people dead or not existing at all than have productive conversations,” Wilkerson said. Williams, Wilkerson and Sophie proposed various ideas for compromise from hormone-level requirements or weigh-ins similar to wrestling. Still, all agree discrimination in any form is wrong.
“It turns something that used to be joyful and fun, that’s about pushing yourself and hanging out with your friends, into a political act,” Sophie said.
To those struggling, Sophie said they are glad those students are here and want them to know they are supported and loved.
“That event just makes it feel like nobody likes us, everyone’s against us, and I want other nonconforming, trans people to know that they’re not alone,” Sophie said.
Bryson Thadhani
A year after Gov. Kevin Stitt’s executive order on diversity, equity and inclusion, OSU has changed office names and websites to align with the order.
Bryson Thadhani
News
$30 million airport terminal set to boost economy, affect general aviation
RAYNEE HOWELL ASSISTANT NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
When OSU professor Matt Vance retired from the aviation program, he never fully left the cockpit.
Vance now teaches seaplane lessons out of a hangar at Stillwater Regional Airport.
The airport’s proximity to Lake McMurtry and Lake Carl Blackwell make for the perfect training grounds for water work, a part of the lesson focused on landing on and taking off from the water. Vance has trained more than 25 people since the start of his retirement more than two years ago.
The hangar Vance rents to store his personal aircraft belongs to Crosswind Aviation, an aircraft rental and flighttraining service. Their shared hanger is directly across from the new airport terminal construction.
After the new 31,375-squarefoot terminal is built, Vance foresees the control tower rules will become more strict.
“Stillwater is under the control of a company, interestingly, and that particular company has more conservative rules than the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), which, as a pilot, I find that very frustrating frequently, because it slows things down at our airport, in my opinion, unnecessarily,” Vance said.
With his aircraft residing in a hangar on the property, his biggest struggle is navigating the area around the runways. The security identification display area (SIDA), blocked off with red lines on the concrete, is always off limits, even when no airliner is present. This is a TSA rule, not a Stillwater airport rule.
Once the new terminal, and the jetways — the hallways leading to the aircrafts — are built, Vance is concerned about the SIDA increasing in size and causing more transportation problems.
“My seaplane does not have steerable nose wheels,” Vance said. “It’s like a bulldozer; the way you steer it is with the brakes, and the more you have to use the brakes, the more wear and tear you’re putting on the airplane unnecessarily.”
Airport director Kellie Reed said when the new terminal opens, the marking in front of the existing terminal will be removed, and the same sized marking will be put outside the new terminal.
“The new site will be spaced for what we need now, which is one aircraft,” Reed said.
“That’s what we operate at a time. Plus we need space for when there’s a mechanical issue and say a plane comes in, it has an issue, it can’t depart, and they bring in a replacement while the other one’s being worked on. So we have to have room for at least two aircrafts, and that’s exactly what we have now.
“So we’re simply shifting it over to the new terminal, and we’ll be removing the old.”
Reed said the marking will only increase if the terminal eventually expands to include more air service, which is a hope and goal for the future.
Although Vance agrees with Reed on the “phenomenal advantage” of a full air service in Stillwater, he said he hopes all of the various tenants feel the same way about the airport’s progress.
“It would not be good if the airport leadership over focused on one tenant at the expense of all the others,” Vance said.
The changes each tenant and user of the airport will experience are based on the type of flight. All charter flights, including OSU Athletics flights, will be moved to the new terminal, which is currently sitting at a cost of more than $30 million, Reed said.
“On the last day, on the afternoon flight, when we received the last flight in the old terminal, we will move all of our security equipment over to the new terminal overnight, and then very early the next morning be ready for that 6 a.m. departure in the new terminal,” Reed said.
The old terminal will become the general aviation building. While most of the equipment is being moved, one important piece will remain in the old terminal. The control tower will remain operating from the old building. Reed said it will support private charter activity in the new ter-
minal out of the old building
while also supporting private general aviation flights.
Vance said the reason the old terminal is turning into a general aviation terminal is directly related to the control tower remaining at the old terminal.
“It’ll be nice to have a general aviation terminal, but the control tower is not being replaced immediately,” Vance said. “The control tower, which is surrounded by that current terminal building, cannot stand without the building beneath it, so they have to leave the building there, to leave the control tower there.”
The creation of a new control tower will be a separate project after the completion of the new terminal. The old tower will be torn down because it’s not built to current design code, doesn’t have fire protection, is not seismically sound, and it’s at the useful end of its life. The fixed-base operator, which is leased on the first floor, is separate from the control tower.
“It (control tower) is not usable or saveable; it will be removed, as well as the second floor of the existing terminal,” Reed said. “Then the FBO will have the opportunity to redevelop that facility, or just utilize the space as it is, or tear it down and build new if they would like to enter into a new lease.”
For now, the old terminal and old control tower will stand.
Lippert Bro LLC will construct the new terminal, and McFarland Architect designed the building; both are Oklahoma-based companies.
In Phase I, the total guaranteed maximum price is $18,592,300. A new parking lot and a four-lane drop-off will be built in addition to the terminal. It will hold inspirations from Oklahoma history. There
will be ties to Native American culture, wide-open spaces with airy areas and windows, a reddirt feel and OSU orange pops, Reed said.
In Phase II, an access road and roundabout will be built, but there is not a set price yet.
OSU Athletics, a long-term partner of Stillwater airport, will benefit greatly from the new charter flights and the modernization of the airport in general.
“This project at the airport is the latest in Stillwater’s continued growth, and we’re excited for what’s to come,” said Gavin Lang, the OSU associate athletic director for communications, in an email. “We want a positive experience for our student-athletes, coaches, recruits and fans. These upgrades to the Stillwater Airport contribute to that.”
The football team is often on charter flights coming out of the airport for athletic events, but the expanded capacity will benefit a large number of travelers, Mayor Will Joyce said.
“For our private planes that come in and out, which are not necessarily all part of the university or part of the athletics, but it just provides a better facility for everybody that uses our airport,” Joyce said. “We just have the two commercial flights a day, but we have tons of private flights in and out of Stillwater all the time. Those, all those users, will have a better experience with this new terminal.”
Joyce also said part of the new design’s goal is to create larger waiting rooms and inside amenities for an overall better experience. For the first phase about 23%) is funded from local funds, including the city general fund and city capital fund.
The Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics also awarded Stillwater airport a $1 million grant, which Reed
said has helped get the project off its feet. The rest of the funding has came from FAA grants.
“As of now, the FAA is committed to funding about $20 million,” Reed said. “Of that we received, this year, almost $16 million from the FAA, and then we have a few million more coming in the next few years.”
As with any changes to the airport, the OSU aviation program is a concern for OSU officials, but Reed said the program should not be affected as it operates in the inter-operations area, separate from the commercial service.
Brendan Pearce, a flight instructor at OSU, said he does not think the project will hinder the aviation program but is concerned about the potential increased traffic.
“There is conflict of interest where we’re all sharing the same airport, the same air traffic control facilities and as an example, game days,” Pearce said. “We see it’s difficult to get in and out whenever there’s a lot more traffic, especially on those days. So it’s possible, with a larger terminal, we get more commercial service, and we’ll be fighting for the same resources.”
But the increased air traffic will not come all at once. As the airport grows and modernizes, it should steadily increase; a potential reality Joyce looks forward to.
“Having a local airline is a benefit for students considering OSU,” Joyce said. “I think it’s a benefit for professors, certainly, considering being employed at OSU and employers throughout town. Having that connection is a positive and has a positive impact on bringing people in, and it’s a positive factor for companies and businesses considering Stillwater in general.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
OUR EYES ARE ON CHRIST!
“ As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he show us his mercy.” (Ps.123:2 NIV)
“My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty...But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.” (Ps.131:1,2 NIV)
“ I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit...he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear (stand in awe) and put their trust in the LORD.” (Ps.40:1-3 NIV)
“But they that wait upon the LORD shall
renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Is.40:31 KJV)
There is something definite and real about waiting on the Lord. I remember years ago when I sensed the Lord speak to me.
“Make yourself available!” I thought I was! I was reading my Bible some and going to church regularly. As I considered this challenge from Lord, I felt I should spend some quiet time daily with the Lord. With my busy days,I decided to spend a hour (5 to 6 a.m.) each day. That decision brought about important changes in my life and service to God. I was learning to wait on the Lord. What a loving and faithful God we have to help us find his best for our lives. It pays off to have a definite, daily time with your Bible and Jesus
Bryson Thadhani
Stillwater Regional Airport started construction on its new airport terminal on Oct. 1.
Paris says ‘bonjour’ to OSU iGEM
AVA WHISTLER STAFF REPORTER
Aiming to use synthetic biology to find an alternative healing method for staph infection, a team of OSU undergrads traveled to Paris to pitch their project as part of the annual International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition.
The iGEM “grand jamboree” hosts students from around the world at the Paris Expo Center every year, creating a space for them to showcase and further their projects using synthetic biology to tackle real-world problems.
This year there were more than 4,500 attendees, including 12 participants from OSU who went for the second year in a row.
Synthetic biology is a field of science that focuses on using “genetic modification to make the world a better place,” iGEM President Jorja Ford said. She said this branch of biology is wide-ranging and comprehensive. It is currently being applied to things like agriculture, space and environmental issues and is being used in beauty products.
Although for some people, the terms “synthetic” and “genetic modification” might have a negative stigma attached.
“(Synthetic biology) is more like an alternative approach on how to make things better using things that we already have,” said Jenny Le, iGEM secretary.
The iGEM competition split student groups into different categories, including climate crisis, conservation, space, software and agriculture among many others. The OSU students were placed in the “infectious disease” category, with their project focusing on staph infection.
“Staph infection is a skin infection that appears on the skin, like a rash
or blister,” iGEM Vice President Tariq Tariq said. “Our method surpasses antibacterials and specifically targets the bad bacteria in the skin without killing any of the good bacteria around it.”
Especially for the increasing number of patients who are either immunocompromised or can’t take the regularly prescribed antibiotics for staph infection, this is great news.
The competition gave the students opportunities to collaborate on ideas and accept feedback from both professionals and peers.
“My favorite part is always the feedback that I’m able to get on the project,” Ford said. “Hearing from professors and other students on how they might have done things differently and how we can implement the great ideas.”
“It’s an awesome atmosphere,” Tariq said. “You’re surrounded by hundreds of teams, and we were near groups of infectious disease people who were working on similar things. They encouraged (us) to walk around and talk to other teams. Overall, it was a very exciting and engaging time.”
After the competition, the students hope to continue to develop their project, further outreach for the iGEM campus club and continue to help further the advancements in synthetic biology in many areas including medicine and cancer.
“I think synthetic biology is going to continue to increase medicine,” Ford said. “Even in cancer biology, synthetic biology has a lot of areas that can benefit the fight against cancer.”
“I also think OSU iGEM is going to continue to contribute a lot to synthetic biology. We have good sponsors helping us out that I think will help us to continue in our goal and making synthetic biology more accessible, as well as fighting a lot of the issues that we have in the world.”
In front of a room of student athletes, distinguished alumni and head coaches, OSU President Dr. Kayse Shrum on Tuesday announced the name of a new facility set to break ground in 2025.
The Boone Pickens Human Performance Innovation Complex will be home to the Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute, and it will sit north of the Sherman E. Smith Training Center. The American Rescue Plan Act is funding the $15 million project.
The institute’s mission is discovery, development and delivery of scientific knowledge to empower all people to reach their optimal performance, Shrum said. This mission is fitting for the Boone Pickens name, Shrum said.
“Today, we’re standing in the house that Boone built,” Shrum said. “He was one of the first business leaders in America to bring fitness programs to corporate offices and encourage his colleagues to put on sneakers and move at work… Boone was quoted saying ‘Good health does not just happen to achieve and maintain; It requires individual effort.’”
Shrum, as a previous practicing pediatrician, said she shares that passion for health and fitness. When Lance Walker, the endowed Rick and Gail Muncrief executive director of HPNRI, met Shrum roughly two years ago, he said it was clear they shared a dream.
“It was a dream for OSU to create a living applied research and development laboratory that could also serve as a dynamic, integrated training ecosystem,” Walker said. “It combines the talents of elite performance practitioners and applied performance researchers. What does all that mean?
“It means OSU has the brain power, the athletic prowess, the innovative vi-
sion to turn the Boone Pickens Human Performance Innovation Complex into a world-class facility to help both elite athletes and the average person to realize their peak performance.”
One aspect of the research facility will focus on OSU student athletes. OSU athletic director Chad Weiberg said it will be the new home of Cowboy Football, putting the athletes immediately adjacent to the indoor practice facility and outdoor practice fields. The facility will also have spaces for student athletes to focus on academic and mental health support, leadership, development and brand building.
“To say all that is a big vision is an understatement, and big visions take big dreamers to see the vision, buy in and help make it happen,” Weiberg said. “Everyone here standing in this place knows that Boone Pickens was that kind of visionary.”
Jay Rosser, Pickens’ close friend and executive director of the Boone Pickens Foundation, said Pickens was competitive in every aspect of his life and believed health and fitness improve productivity.
“The naming of the Human Performance Innovation Complex reflects his leadership in that field and will prove invaluable for future generations of alums,” Rosser said. “Boone was always about doing it first and doing it the best… that’s what will happen here at the Boone Pickens Human Performance Innovation Complex.”
Rosser said the complex will shape the fitness world and help ordinary Oklahomans live healthier lives. The goal of the complex goes beyond training OSU’s elite athletes, but is a facility geared toward public health across the state. Researchers at HPNRI will work toward creating change to improve lives across many demographics including military personnel, OSU students and senior citizens.
“We consider everyone an athlete, how we fuel, how we train, how we regenerate, how our people of Oklahoma eat, move and rest,” Walker said. “These are the tenets of performance.”
OSU President Dr. Kayse Shrum announced the name of a new facility housing the Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute on Tuesday.
Courtesy Jenny Le
OSU’s iGEM club traveled to Paris,
Raynee Howell
Payne County Jail prioritizes inmate mental health
LUISA CLAUSEN STAFF REPORTER
A box filled with thank-you cards sits at Capt. Reese Lane’s desk getting more full as time passes.
Throughout his career, the Payne County Jail administrator watched inmates face mental health illnesses, failing to demonstrate competency to stand trial and returning to jail, struggling without enough resources to help them. But Lane didn’t sit back and watch it. He made it his mission to improve mental health accessibility at the county jail, giving several inmates’ families the hope to have their sons and daughters back.
The stack of letters are thank-yous from the inmates or families whose lives he changed.
“Everyone has a story,” Lane said. “Thousands and thousands of them that will break your heart. You get to know them, and you hear those stories, and it changes how you think and feel.” Lane said he watched the same story repeat. Someone who committed a criminal act during a manic episode is thrown in jail, where their mental health continues to decline. Without the right resources, those inmates cannot stand trial and prove competency, turning a short-term jail stay into a prolonged one.
If the inmates cannot prove competency in the trial, they are sent to the Oklahoma Forensic Center in Vinita, where they receive psychiatric
treatment.
The mental health issue is not exclusive to Payne County. Oklahoma ranks fifth in the nation for rates of mental health illness, which means that between 700,000 and 950,000 adult Oklahomans need services, according to The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
Lane said the issue is complex. A flawed mental health system started to burden county jails with issues beyond their scope. But Lane embraced the reality and said he was committed to finding a way to help inmates facing mental health illness.
With the support of Sheriff Joe Harper, the local and state government and mental health professionals, Payne County Jail started to invest money in approaches focused on helping the inmates struggling with mental health and drug abuse. Lane, with the help of Payne County Commissioner Zach Cavett, applied for a grant through The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The jail received $256,769 from the SQ781 state fund dedicated to providing substance abuse and mental health services.
During the past year, the jail has been working with GRAND Mental Health to provide services for inmates in the county jail and offer them services even after they are released.
“We have a passion for it, and we have leaders who support us,” Lane said. “If the Sheriff’s mindset is that I am paid to get them off the streets and
get them in jail because that’s where they belong, this work wouldn’t happen.”
Inmates at the jail have access to a therapist, Sarah Strader; a psychologist, Linda Evans, who works through TurnKey, the jail’s medical provider; a care coordinator through GROVE, Lindsay Oynsey. Oynsey meets with inmates a few times a week for a restorative competency meeting. She walks them through what they are being charged with, who is talking about them and why they’re talking about them. Meeting with Oynsey is not mandatory, but she said that after explaining the positive outcomes of the meetings, the inmates
chose to do it.
“Sometimes they refuse and want to go back to their cell, but we just keep working,” Oynsey said. “I try to see them early in the morning, but sometimes the medication may not have kicked in. So I don’t hold that against them. I just try again the next day. And there’s always sometimes a big difference in how they answer and how they feel.”
Lane said three out of four inmates who go through the restorative competency are released after their trial. After each thank-you letter or successful story, Lane said he was reassured that he and the team were headed in the right direction.
Evans and Lane have worked together for more than 10 years. The pair said they had their hearts broken over the years when the people they helped couldn’t continue their treatment outside of jail for various reasons. But they also shared the relief when some reached out to them asking how to seek help.
“There’s people that were scared of and people that were mad at a lot of mentally ill people, we’re just mad at them because they’ve done something stupid,” Evans said. “They’re not evil. They’re not really criminals, they’re not anti-social, they’re just sick.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
Bryson Thadhani
The Payne County Jail has devoted years of his career to improve the mental health care at the jail.
WHEN: Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
WHERE: Boone Pickens Stadium
How Presley kept
picking himself up until he became
Cowboys’ all-time receptions leader
BY DANIEL ALLEN I STAFF REPORTER I @DANIELALLEN1738
23 touchdowns.
In June 2019, at a 7-on-7 tournament in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Mike Gundy’s eye stopped on a scrawny, undersized player.
The kid never left the field. Rep after rep. The next snap was coming.
The Oklahoma State head coach knew of a player from Bixby. And in 100-degree weather, this prospect was playing nearly every rep at cornerback and wide receiver. He was quick with a football I.Q.
Once Gundy got word of his name, he told his staff they needed to offer
Brennan Presley.
“I literally saw him control games in high school and in summer 7-on7s,” Gundy said. “And that’s when I said, ‘Guys, we have to take this guy.
I’m just telling you.’”
OSU offered Presley in June 2019. He committed in July.
Since then, he’s etched his name into OSU record books. On Nov. 9, Presley surpassed former Cowboy Rashaun Woods as OSU’s all-time receptions leader in a loss to TCU.
Presley has played in 62 games and caught 297 passes for 3,218 yards and
Bowman’s Senior Day is against his former team; how will his current fans honor him?
squad. In 2023, he opted to use his supersenior season and transferred to OSU. After a three-man quarterback battle the first three games, he led the Cowboys to a 10-4 season and a Big 12 Championship Game appearance and went through Senior Day then.
Those closest to him say, “That’s Brennan.” In their minds, it’s a personification of who he is — a football player.
“We’ve obviously had a lot of really good players here at Bixby,” Spartans head coach Loren Montgomery said. “But if you talk about productivity for the program, the kid made key plays for us from his freshman year to his very last play during his senior year. And the fact that he had the capacity — and you obviously see it — he’s not on the sidelines for very
many plays. He had the capacity in high school to play offense, defense, in the return game or whatever — it’s a testament to who he is.
“You have good players who come through Bixby, but not quite with that resume. We’ve had good players and then ones who are crazy explosive on one side of the ball. But not like that. You won’t find anyone like him.”
See PRESLEY on page 2B
Fresh off a redshirt, Young can be one of OSU wrestling’s anchors
Smith redshirted Young, which Smith told The O’Colly was done in hopes of “getting (Young) further ahead” than where he was at the start of last season. And with good reason.
On Saturday before Oklahoma
For
The
On Saturday, because the NCAA approved a medical hardship waiver for his seventh season, Bowman will play the last home game of his collegiate career. And the best part is, he’s facing Texas Tech, the school where he played his first three seasons at. In 2018, as a freshman, Bowman came to Boone Pickens Stadium and beat the Cowboys 41-17. See BOWMAN on page 2B
Carter Young nearly laughed at the question.
Sitting alongside two of his teammates facing media members for the first time in two years in GallagherIba Arena’s theater room, Young was asked a question to his liking.
Carter, how does it feel to be back?
“It’s good to be back,” he said with a smile. “It was a good break. I think it’s good to have a little break every now and then, right?
“(I’ve) just got to trust the process and everything will work out.”
A year ago, then-head coach John
Now, after returning starter Jordan Williams was dismissed from the team in late July for a second alcohol-related arrest within a one-year span, head coach David Taylor named Young the 149-pound starter for Oklahoma State ahead of the Cowboys’ season opener against Utah Valley.
A former top-10 recruit in the 2021 class, Young knows the feeling of reaching the wrestling mountaintop. Simultaneously, he knows what reaching the lows of the sport feels like.
See YOUNG on page 4B
State’s 2:30 p.m. game against Texas Tech, quarterback Alan Bowman will go through Senior Day festivities.
the third time.
seventh-year quarterback was honored once at Michigan in 2022, when he was a redshirt senior and backup on a College Football Playoff
File Photo
Before Saturday’s game against Texas Tech, Oklahoma State seventh-year quarterback Alan Bowman will participate in Senior Day activities for the third time.
Payton Little
Oklahoma State wide receiver Brennan Presley went from Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year at Bixby to passing Rashaun Woods’ all-time Cowboy receptions record.
Continued from 1
Boone Pickens Stadium and beat the Cowboys 41-17.
Kind of poetic, isn’t it?
“This is gonna be his last home game there, and then he’s playing his old team,” TTU head coach Joey McGuire said. “I know Alan from the standpoint of he’s from Grapevine, and we recruited him (when McGuire was an assistant) at Baylor. Know him well. He and (Texas Tech AD) Kirby Hocutt at media day had great conversation. He’s a great kid, and I know he’s gonna be fired up to play us.”
Although Bowman and the Cowboys (3-7, 0-7 Big 12) may be fired up to play TTU and try to win their first conference game in what’s become head coach Mike Gundy’s worst season at OSU, how fired up will the fans be?
There’s been talk from some about a walkout. A statement.
Fans are still frustrated about Gundy’s controversial comments from his Nov. 4 press conference, when he called fans who criticized of him and his team “weak” and said they “can’t often pay their own bills.” Because of that, there have been rumors of fans coming and cheering on the senior Cowboys then leaving.
Those who are loyal and true through and through will probably stick around, sure, but it’s easy to see why some wouldn’t feel the need to.
But for Bowman, someone who has faced criticism this season for his play, I’d expect Cowboy fans to hoop and holler for him during his Senior Day festivities. Although it’s been a down year for him and OSU, he did lead them to a 10-win season and at times has only been one of the many problems the Cowboys have had.
However, if he plays like he did against Utah or West Virginia — games when he was benched for poor play — will
the hoops and hollers revert back to boos? Surely.
Will they call freshman Maealiuaki Smith’s name? One can imagine.
Fans love a backup quarterback more than anyone, sure, but in garbage-time spurts against Arizona State and TCU, Smith has shown some promise. And with the Cowboys officially out of the bowl-game race for the first time since Gundy’s first season in 2005, many fans are left wondering why keep the not-so-great current guy in when there’s a maybe-great other guy behind him with several more seasons of eligability.
The logic is fair. But Gundy and Co. — even after a bye week, which would be a natural time to give another QB the ropes; see Garret Rangel the week before BYU — still believe Bowman is the best guy for the job.
OSU’s staff has seen more practice, more reps and more throws than Cowboy fans, so even with the qualms about coaching decisions this season, the coaches are still siding with Bowman.
However, fans don’t need to side with him.
They might before the game on Saturday. Heck, they should before the game. He’s given two seasons to the program.
But if the game starts to trend toward a loss — like the Utah and WVU games — and the Cowboys need new life, Smith may be the guy. And, in theory, when looking at the future, he probably already should be starting.
Bowman has had high moments; he deserves to be praised. But ultimately, he’s on his third team for a reason; he’s a fine QB but not a gamechanger.
Saturday will be the test to see if the on-his-third-team quarterback gets benched for poor play for the third time this season.
And if that happens, the fans won’t hold back. Those who stick around, anyhow.
Presley
Continued from 1
Backyard boys
Presley’s father, Arthur Presley, watched through his living room window as his sons huddled for one of their backyard football games.
He watched intently, hoping to see his sons have a big play.
More often than not, the undersized brothers got hit. But that didnt’t faze them.
“You’d get hit and get right back up,” said Braylin Presley, Brennan’s younger brother, who is a junior wide receiver at Tulsa. “That’s all we knew. To us, we didn’t want to be labeled as the weak kid. Because then the (neighborhood) kids would see that you’re the weak one. They’d target you, and we didn’t want that.”
Football was like a religion in the Presley household. Arthur said his boys played “sun-up to sun-down.”
On occasion, Arthur’s aunt — Brennan’s great aunt — would storm into the living room from her house next door to express her concern.
“Arthur and Tia, you gotta get that boy — he’s out there and he’s gonna get hurt.”
But each time, Arthur held his ground.
“Auntie, he’s fine. Let him be.”
Deep down, Arthur withheld his worry.
OSU was interested in Arthur, a Nathan Hale High School standout, but a thigh injury before his junior season in high school made the Cowboys and other programs pump the brakes. He commited to Southwest Missouri State — now Missouri State — the summer heading into his senior year. But a reaggrivated thigh injury led him to turn down his scholarship and return to Tulsa for trade school after college.
So when his wife, Tia, signed Brennan up to play TYAA football as a kindergartener, Arthur was nervous. Especially considering Brennan would be playing up with older kids.
“I didn’t want the same to happen to my boys,” Arthur said. “I was scared for them.”
But during Brennan’s first game in pads and a helmet, magic happened.
On a busted play late in the fourth quarter, Brennan was thrown the ball behind the line of scrimmage. Arthur rose from his seat, fearing the worst.
Moments later, one defender missed. Then a second. And a third.
Shortly after, Brennan maneuvered his way through a herd of defenders to score the game-winning touchdown.
And when he continued to score touchdowns and take big hits the following games, he kept getting back up. Arthur’s mind was changed. At times, Brennan shed tears when his parents told him he couldn’t practice. And he argued with coaches to not pull him out.
Arthur put Brenann ahead of schedule. He played up all his life.
“Looking back on it, I’m glad Tia took him to sign up for that TYAA team,” he said.
A star in the making Dillon Stoner was familiar with Brennan out of high school.
The former Jenks and OSU wide receiver was no stranger to Brennan’s “magician-like play,” Stoner said. There was a reason Brennan won Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year and two state titles.
“With him having the size that he does, it’s incredible to see how hard it is to bring him down,” Stoner said. “It’s like that first tackle on him is so amazing because of that. And he just keeps getting harder to bring down as the games go on. It’s amazing.”
So when Brennan showed up to OSU’s first 2020 spring practice in uniform, Stoner was stoked.
Other Oklahoma high school products on OSU’s roster share similar experiences. Cowboy nose tackle Collin Clay, a Putnam City graduate, remembers the horrors of trying to tackle Brennan.
“I remember the first three times (Putnam City) played Bixby, Brennan returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown,” Clay said with a laugh. “I can’t tell you how many missed tackles we had on him total, but it was a lot.”
Stoner said as an OSU freshman, Brennan would refuse to exit practice — similar what to what Gundy has said of Brennan throughout the current season.
That eventually led to what Stoner called Brennan’s “coming out party,” later in 2020.
OSU played Miami in the Cheez-It Bowl. Brennan caught six passes for 118 yards and three touchdowns, two of which came in the first quarter. OSU won 37-14, Brennan was named to the 2020 AP All-Bowl Team and the college football realm began to take notice.
Several moments stand out from Brennan’s college career.
His Randy Moss-caliber touchdown catch against Iowa State in 2021. His kickoff return for a touchdown in Bedlam against Oklahoma that same year. His 15-reception, 189-yard outing on the road against Houston in 2023. His 16-catch, 152-yard performance against Texas A&M in the TaxAct Texas Bowl weeks later. His circus-like reception against Baylor this season,
when he turned three missed tackles in the backfield into a 33-yard touchdown catch and run.
All of it highlights a force in OSU football history.
“The more comfortable he got with everything, and the more he was able to stop thinking about the playbook and everything like that, he grew into the special player that he is,” Stoner said.
Breaking records Brennan said he didn’t realize he broke Woods’ record. Instead, he got word from an assistant when he went to the sideline mid-drive.
Postgame, Brennan gave a typical response when addressing the media.
“It means a lot,” he said. “…It felt good, but it’s not the way the game (went) or the season that we wanted to have. So, it’s probably something that I’ll think about later. But I’m not really too hung up on it right now.” Team first. Personal accolades second. A familiar mantra Brennan’s displayed throughout his career.
“Truthfully, it wasn’t that shocking to me,” Stoner said. “I think (offensive coordinator) coach (Kasey) Dunn and coach Gundy have figured that out, and I think he should get the ball 10 to 20 times each game.
“It’s a testament to the football player that he is and the athlete that he is, and I’m afraid that record is not going to be touched, at least for a very long time.”
On Saturday, the Cowboys (3-7, 0-7 Big 12) host Texas Tech (6-4, 4-3 Big 12) for Senior Day — Brennan’s last game in an OSU uniform at Boone Pickens Stadium.
Brennan said he’s tried to not overthink the reality of his college career ending, but admitted he occasionally does so. He said he isn’t thinking about the NFL.
Instead, he’s focusing on helping his team win out. Even with a losing record clinched.
For most players, being a program’s all-time receptions leader would be the first thing that would come to mind when talking legacy. But Presley’s team-first mentality will propel him into OSU football lore.
“We use him as an example a lot,” Gundy said. “I’ve been trying to hold him out of practices the last month. He’ll come in and visit with me individually about wanting to practice. I’ve worked to convince him that his body needs a rest. And he refuses to take a break... he just continues to compete.
“As we work toward keeping continuity and core and physical toughness and mental toughness and those things, he’s a great role model for those young players.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Payton Little
Oklahoma State quarterback Alan Bowman has faced criticism this season.
20th The best Oklahoma State football senior classes under Gundy
2011
This one is pretty self-explanatory.
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 highlight Gundy’s best senior classes.
There’s been a handful of especially impactful Oklahoma State football senior classes that have been honored before the last home game of the season.
Before the Cowboys’ 2:30 Saturday game against Texas Tech, another effective class will be given its flowers.
On Monday, during his weekly press conference, Gundy said 26 players will walk for Senior Day. Some, like wide receiver Brennan Presley, have exhausted all their eligibility, while others, like linebacker Collin Oliver, have the option to return despite walking.
No matter who returns or who doesn’t, Gundy knows the significance this class has had on Cowboy football.
“These guys have won a lot of games,” Gundy said. “...Their commitment to the organization has been very special, like all of them. It takes a lot, and those guys have been very successful.”
Even if those wins haven’t come this season, some of the seniors (who didn’t join via transfer) have been members of two of OSU’s most successful teams (2021 and 2023).
Here are the other top senior classes from Gundy’s OSU tenure.
What most refer to as the greatest OSU team in history, the 2011 squad, had many key pieces and seniors that led it to a 12-1 finish and a Fiesta Bowl win, but quarterback Brandon Weeden was at the center of this Cowboy class.
He’s one of the greatest players in OSU history and maybe the school’s best ball thrower.
Around him on Senior Day were second-leading wide receiver Josh Cooper, fourth-leading tackler defensive back Markelle Martin and sack leader defensive lineman Jamie Blatnick.
The big name left off this is wide receiver Justin Blackmon, whose third season at OSU was 2011, making him ineligible.
2020
Although the Cowboys’ 2020 season started with controversy, it ended with an 8-3 record and a great senior class.
Headlining the 2020 Senior Day festivities (which the Cowboys did before beating Texas Tech 44-20) were running back Chuba Hubbard, who was injured at the time (and still walked with the team despite being a redshirt junior), and wide receiver Tylan Walalce.
Hubbard’s season in 2020 was a down year after his All-American 2019 season, but he was still one of the program’s best individual players ever. And Wallace, who was an All-American in 2018 and joined OSU’s long line of stud receivers, played his fourth and final season for the Cowboys in 2020, too. That season, he totaled 59 receptions for 922 yards and six
touchdowns.
Also seniors that season were linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga and wide receiver Dillion Stoner.
2021
Another obvious one, but what’s primarily considered the secondgreatest Cowboy team ever had a great senior class too.
Like 2024’s group, it was deep with impactful players.
Running back Jaylen Warren, wide receiver Tay Martin, linebackers Malcom Rodriguez and Devin Harper, safety Kolby-Harvel Peel, cornerback Jarrick-Bernard Converse and defensive end Brock Martin. The list could keep going.
This may be OSU’s deepest senior class of all time. Not only are there key contributors all around the roster, but there’s also someone like Rodriguez who is all-but guaranteed to be a future Ring of Honor player years from now.
When this class left, there was a regression from its 12-2 season, which makes complete sense.
Overall thoughts
This year’s senior class is kind of in the middle of all of these. Like each class, it has an all-time great Cowboy, Presley. It has other great players, like Oliver. It even has another great OSU player who isn’t a senior but is likely NFL bound, Ollie Gordon II.
Because of this, even if it’s not as flashy as some of the other great classes under Gundy, the group that’s leaving this year is legitamite. It’s why Gundy spoke so highly of its experience and commitment to the program.
OSU goes 7-3 against Texas Tech in 10 EA Sports College Football 25 simulations
Last home game for Oklahoma State? Great. Nothing has changed.
EA Sports College Football 25 (for the 11th straight game) believes OSU is going to come out on top. The Cowboys play Saturday at 2:30 p.m. against Texas Tech — which is listed as OSU’s rivalry on the game. I simulated the matchup 10 times and made it an afternoon kickoff with 15-minute quarters.
Below are the results of The O’Colly’s weekly OSU game simulations:
Average score, result OSU went 7-3 against TTU, and the average score was OSU 32.2-TTU 30. The 2.2-point margin of victory means EA Sports projected OSU to not only cover the 3.5-point spread favored the Red Raiders’ way but win outright.
The over/under game total of 67.5 went under, as the game total was 62.2.
Cowboy statistics On average, OSU had 432.8 yards of total offense. TTU, on the other hand, had 416.2. Against his former team, quarterback Alan Bowman completed 59.3% of his passes and threw for 214.5 yards, 2.7 touchdowns and 0.6 interceptions on average.
Running back Ollie Gordon II averaged 16.9 carries for 131.5 yards and 0.9 touchdowns. Eleven game simulations in, and Gordon still hasn’t fumbled once. As for the wide receivers, Brennan Presley led the way on Senior Day, averaging 3.9 receptions, 59.1 receiving yards and 0.8 receiving touchdowns; De’Zhaun Stribling averaged 3.3 receptions, 50.1 receiving yards and 0.6 receiving touchdowns; and Rashod Owens averaged 2.6 receptions, 34.1 receiving yards and 0.3 receiving touchdowns. On the defense, safety Lyrik Rawls led the Cowboys in tackles six times and cornerback Cam Smtih and defensive end Kody Walterscheid led twice each. Kicker Logan Ward went 16 of 19 kicking field goals and 41 of 43 kicking PATs.
More results On Presley’s Senior Day in the simulations, it wasn’t just his receiving that stood out. He also returned an opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in the third game sim — his first return touchdown since Bedlam 2021.
Heading into the Cowboys’ final home game, EA Sports is trying to give fans a last glimpse of hope. A win against TTU — maybe OSU’s biggest Big 12 Conference rival now — would put fans into a better headspace heading into the Thanksgiving week.
File Photo
Oklahoma State running back Jaylen Warren is one of the best seniors head coach Mike Gundy has had.
OSU women’s basketball remembers the 4 in game ‘for them’
game last Saturday, the legacy of the four took precedence in the Cowgirls’ 64-62 victory over Fairfield.
The Oklahoma State women’s basketball program has continued to pay tribute to four members of the OSU community for 13 years.
On Nov. 17, 2011, head coach Kurt Budke, assistant coach Miranda Serna and long-time OSU supporters Olin and Paula Branstetter were killed in a plane crash. The accident took place early in the evening in Perry County, Arkansas, when the four took an unannounced recruiting trip.
With fans and families in attendance for the Cowgirls’ Remember the 4
“We appreciate that they do this every year,” Budke’s sister, Sara Harden, said. “They always seem to care, and we really appreciate that.”
Budke was starting his seventh season with the Cowgirls when the crash happened, having taken OSU to five postseason appearances, including three trips to the NCAA Tournament.
Just half a year before Budke’s death, the Cowgirls were ranked top 10 in the nation after victories against six Top-25 teams. The head coach’s legacy made his loss even greater to the OSU community.
Many would think a loss like that
Inconsistencies have plagued Young for most of his collegiate career. Through his first two seasons at OSU, Young held a 26-23 overall record.
At times, he’s displayed flashes of brilliance, recording a handful of notable upsets and ranked wins. But at the same time, headscratching losses and struggles have neutralized what could have already been a prolific career.
Young said he spent most of the offseason analyzing what past tendencies and habits sent him into slumps — particularly his struggles on bottom. Still, he watched a freshman Williams take his starting spot and develop into one of OSU’s bright spots.
With Williams originally set to be the 149-pound starter, Young could have entered the transfer portal and sought a fresh start.
“Oklahoma State is the most storied program in the history of wrestling,” Young said. “Who wouldn’t want to wrestle here?”
Redshirts are used more common in wrestling than in most sports. In many instances, they give struggling wrestlers — or wrestlers in need of immediate development — a break to enhance their skillset.
Young, Taylor said, is no different.
“I think redshirts (have) benefits,” Taylor said. “I think, typically, you’ll see them right off the bat. But sometimes (they) wrestle, and sometimes you need them later in time. I just think in a redshirt year, it’s got to be focused (on development). You’ve got to kind of figure out what you want to do and make sure you’re still getting better — that’s the most important thing.
“Carter, I think, has done that.”
An opportunity awaits Young one year after hope might have been lost. The precise scenario he dreamt of for most of the past season is coming to fruition — a second chance. And not to mention, a rejuvenation of his love for the sport.
“I just think it’s kind of helped (me) to regain that hunger,” Young said. “Going in every day and not having the opportunity to wrestle for a while — I think it just motivates you. I’d say I’m more motivated this year than I have been in years past.”
If the redshirt year served its purpose, Young could emerge as one of the anchors of this year’s Cowboy team. Maybe “trusting the process” isn’t so bad.
“He actually is looking really, really sharp,” Taylor said. “He looked really good in wrestleoffs, and (I am) really excited for him to go out and compete. He seems to be in a really good headspace right now. And yeah, he’s looking really sharp.”
would cause a team to lose its season, but the 2011-2012 Cowgirls did just the opposite. The team ended up winning the Women’s National Invitation Tournament with six straight wins, finishing with a record of 22-12. They would also see eight wins in one of the nation’s top conferences.
“That’s the cool thing about this place,” OSU head coach Jacie Hoyt said. “When we fall down, we don’t stay down.”
Although Budke’s death was felt throughout the OSU community, so was the loss of Serna and the Branstetters. Serna was in her seventh year with the Cowgirls, following Budke to Stillwater from Louisiana Tech.
The Branstetters were part of the
OSU community for decades, as they met on campus in the 1950s. The couple provided an annual aviation scholarship for the school as part of their love for flying. They both learned to fly at 40 years old and became the first family to fly over the North Pole, furthering their excellent use and dedication toward OSU.
Wins and losses, X’s and O’s — they meant nothing at the end of the Cowgirls’ win.
The athletes on the court knew what they were playing for that day.
“I came out knowing it is bigger than just us and showing these families that we care and this game was for them,” guard Stailee Heard said. “I think our team knew that.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
OSU cross country punches tickets to nationals with Midwest Regional Championship titles
KENZIE
As success continues for Oklahoma State’s cross-country teams, so does head coach Dave Smith’s legacy.
OSU’s men’s and women’s cross country teams swept the Midwest Regional Championship in Peoria, Illinois, last Friday, punching their ticket to nationals Saturday.
And who other than Denis Kipngetich to lead the pack for the Cowboys? The sophomore standout was the first to cross the finish line for the second time in his career, giving him the Midwest Regional crown in back-to-back seasons.
Not far behind Kipngetich was freshman Laban Kipkemboi, taking the silver spot. The duo was two of five athletes who placed in the top 15 for No. 2 OSU, further contributing to its dominating 25 points. This put the Cowboys 18 points ahead of No. 4 Iowa State.
The women’s results practically mimicked the men. The team had four athletes place in the top 15, as sophomore Josephine Mwaura led the Cowgirls with a fourthplace finish. Mwaura set a personal best on the course, missing the first place mark by 11 seconds.
“(Mwaura) is really just a silent killer,” assistant coach Abbie Fredrick said. Led by Mwaura, the Cowgirls continued the trend of personal bests, with five more athletes posting their best times. This put No. 19 OSU ahead of No. 23 Minnesota to take the top spot in the Midwest Regional with 61 points. The Cowgirls were favored to win the regional, but the dominance with which they did it was pleasantly surprising for OSU fans. The team has exceeded expectations throughout the season, and made it count when it mattered most. Fredrick does not take that for granted.
13. Colleen Stegmann –20:15.94
27. Lilly Lavier – 20:31.56
After the Big 12 Conference meet Nov. 1, Smith wasn’t sure how his athletes would respond. Despite a hard couple of weeks of training in early October, the Cowboys geared up and continued to make their mark in OSU record books.
“They put in so much hard work, and it’s just really been awesome to see that shine through,” Frederick said. “They’ve brought us back from something that we thought was going to be a building year, and it still is, but we’re doing much better than anticipated.
“We’ve been in a little bit of a rest phase now, and it seems to be paying off,” Smith said. “I think we’re in a good position.”
Both OSU’s men’s and women’s teams will compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships on Saturday in Madison, Wisconsin.
File Photo
Oklahoma State 149-pounder
Connor Fuxa
DANIEL
@DANIELALLEN1738
Before the nearside official could raise his right hand, elation had already struck Luke Surber.
On Sunday, Surber, Oklahoma State’s starting 197-pound wrestler – ranked 19th nationally per InterMat rankings – downed No. 7 Trey Munoz of Oregon State, 5-0. It highlighted the Cowboys’ 36-3 win at Oregon State and suggested Surber might be back to his peak form.
As his right hand was raised, signifying his win against Munoz, cheers from the OSU bench erupted. Surber, however, was emotionless. He had a stone-cold expression.
“It was exciting, you know?” Surber said. “But I expected it.”
Surber began the 202324 season ranked No. 11 in InterMat’s 197-pound rankings. Preseason accolades poured in, and several pundits thought of Surber as one of the weight’s potential AllAmericans come Nationals.
Shortly after came relentless training in the wrestling room.
“I think when you’re coming off an injury, there’s just things that you’ve got on your mind,” Cowboys’ head coach David Taylor said. “But, I mean, Luke is in great shape.
“He can score in a lot of ways. He’s a good scrambler and he’s really good on top… I could see that.”
Amid ongoing rehab from the injury, Surber was unable to fully participate in team workouts in the early stages of the summer. Still, Taylor gave Surber various workouts feasible for his condition.
Oklahoma State wrestling opening home duals:
No. 3 Oklahoma State vs Wyoming
When: Friday 7 p.m. Where: Gallagher-Iba Arena
Where to watch: ESPN+
No. 3 Oklahoma State vs No. 23 Arizona State
When: Sunday 1 p.m. Where: Gallagher-Iba Arena
But a pectoral muscle tear in the Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas weeks after the Cowboys’ season opener hindered in-season momentum for Surber. And after two months of awaiting his return to the mat, Surber didn’t duplicate his efficiency from earlier in the season, finishing the year 13-9 with a 0-2 finish at Nationals.
Where to watch: ESPN+
“It was tough,” Surber said. “It wasn’t too fun. But it was just a tough year for me. But I’ve learned some stuff (from that), I guess.” Surber said he took a large portion of the offseason to reflect. To analyze what went haywire through the tail end of the season prior. Injuries can put a damper on a wrestler’s efficiency, particularly when the wrestler is forced to miss extensive time like Surber did.
But Surber said he spotted some tactical things late in the season – not finishing takedowns, improper stances on the mat and premature shot attempts all of which he deemed fixable.
Within a month, Taylor said, Surber was able to rejoin full workouts.
“I was like, ‘Man, if you’re doing that now, imagine what it’s gonna be like when you are back on the mat,’” Taylor said. “So, when he got back to wrestling, it was no getting in shape. He was already in great shape. It was just getting back on the mat.”
Now, Surber is 2-0 after a pin late in the second period against Utah Valley’s Kael Bennie and the shutout win against the seventh-ranked Munoz.
“I don’t expect anything less from Luke,” Cowboys’ 125-pounder Troy Spratley said. “He’s a great competitor, and I know that he’s gonna go out there and (not do) anything less.
“I just think you’re seeing a healthy Luke Surber. And I think that’s what you’re what you’re gonna see for the rest of the year.”
Surber is back, and perhaps most importantly, healthy. Sunday’s win against Munoz would suggest he’s near peak form. He rose only two spots in the 197-pound rankings afterward despite an upset win. On Friday, when No. 3 OSU hosts Wyoming at 7 p.m. at Gallagher-Iba Arena, Surber will face off against 16th-ranked Joey Novak – another opportunity to rise in the ranks with a win.
But Surber said he’s not worried about his ranking in the long run. He’s had similar situations in the past.
“You can look at the rankings, or whatever,” Surber said. “Last year I was pretty dinged up. So, I’m not really looking at that stuff. It’ll all take care of itself. I have a tough schedule, and I’ll get to wrestle some good guys. So, it’ll all take care of itself.”
Lutz says Oklahoma State has ‘got to be better’ at closing games
gave up open 3s and only won 80-71. After the game, Lutz called the second-half defense “disappointing.”
Oklahoma State men’s basketball started 3-0 for the first time since the 2020-21 season and currently sits 3-1 after losing to FAU in the Charleston Classic on Thursday.
But with how the Cowboys have closed games this season, they’re probably fortunate to only have one loss.
In two of those three wins, OSU’s second-half defense faltered, leaving first-year head coach Steve Lutz to voice frustration with the Cowboys’ inability to close games.
“They’ve got to correct it,” Lutz said. “We’re at the point of the season where you know what’s going on. You’ve done a good job, and then you still keep doing the same things over and over (again)... eventually, that’s going to get you beat.”
“We held (Southern Illinois) to 19 points over 14 minutes, and then we gave up (18) points in the next six minutes, which is absurd,” Lutz said. “We’ve got to be better in those areas.”
Oklahoma State men’s basketball Charleston Classic schedule:
*all times in CST*
Thursday, Nov. 21: FAU 86-78
Friday, Nov. 22: OSU vs. Miami at 1 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 24: Seventh-place game: 11:30 a.m.
Fifth-place game: 2 p.m.
Third-place game: 4:30 p.m.
Championship game: 7:30 p.m.
In OSU’s game against Southern Illinois — an 85-78 win last Thursday — the Cowboys led by 18 with 6:26 left. But the Salukis took advantage of OSU’s late-game lapses and rattled off an 18-6 run, cutting the Cowboys’ lead to four with less than 30 seconds left.
And in the prior game, though not to the same degree, OSU let St. Thomas-Minnesota chip away. The Cowboys led by 17 with 10:01 left, but instead of putting the Tommies away, they
Lutz can only coach from the sideline, though. The Cowboys are looking for their “on-court coach,” Lutz said, for high-leverage moments, like when opposing teams spark those late-game comeback attempts. OSU has seven seniors in its rotation who have the experience to fill that role — Bryce Thompson, Devo Davis, Marchelus Avery, Khalil Brantley, Brandon Newman, Patrick Suemnick and Abou Ousmane. Whether it’s Newman, who played for Lutz last season at Western Kentucky, or Thompson, who’s in his fourth season at OSU, Lutz said there are a number of players capable of stepping into the vocal-leader role.
“I haven’t found him yet,” Lutz said. “I think we’ve got several guys that have tried to at different points in the game and tried during different games. But, (nobody) has emerged to be that guy.
“When you have all 14 new players on the team, they’re still feeling each other out. Even though we’re on practice (number) 38 or 39, they’re still feeling each other out.”
Payton Little
Oklahoma State head coach Steve Lutz’s teams have lost multiple leads this season.
In modern college basketball, teams are emulating a change that has happened in the NBA and WNBA.
More so than having a set player at each position, teams are prioritizing players who can play in multiple spots.
Oklahoma State women’s basketball is no exception. Just one season after having a team filled with players who had to slot into the lineup at the position next to their name on the box score, OSU has several players who can play different positions and can play either a traditional one through five or play small-ball.
It starts at the top of the roster. Anna Gret Asi, one of the team’s leading scorers from last season and a player with significant starting experience, can play any position from point guard to forward. Micah Gray and Stailee Heard, both of whom are listed as guards, can play one through four. Down low, Mercer transfer Stacie Jones can play forward or center.
The Cowgirls’ roster reflects a change in basketball, and after going away from this newfound style last year, they are caught back up with the rest of the sport.
A key part of that positional versatility is OSU’s increased depth. The Cowgirls have a surplus of capable players, specifically at guard, and are faced with the challenge of getting all of those players on the floor. Luckily for head coach Jacie Hoyt and her staff, Asi, Gray and Heard can play up and down the lineup and can play wherever she needs them to, not the other way around, as it has been so often
throughout the history of basketball.
“The best teams have the most depth. I think you can look across the country and see that, and we have a lot of weapons,” Hoyt said. “We don’t know who it’s going to be on any given night, but I know as a coach, it’s a really great feeling knowing that you have those weapons ready.”
Although the abilities of OSU’s guards to play multiple positions are valuable, Jones is the key to the Cowgirls’ versatility.
When OSU wants to play big, 6-foot-6 center Tennin Magassa is an elite rim protector and has solid touch around the basket, but she isn’t an asset guarding on the perimeter. When teams want to take advantage of her slow-footedness, OSU will sub her off for one of its bench guards or forwards and move Jones down to center.
Although she doesn’t have the size or power of Magassa, Jones is a decent rim protector in her own right, and she is a good defender on the perimeter, so she eliminates the threat of the other team hunting a switch.
Jones hasn’t been a consistent factor in the box score, but her role in making the Cowgirls as switchy as they want to be is invaluable in smaller lineups.
As the season goes on, Hoyt is likely to settle on one or two lineups that she goes to in crunch time, but the optionality that Jones, Magassa and the rest of the Cowgirls offer is invaluable in one of the deepest conferences in college basketball.
“This team is very unselfish, so it’s fun, to be honest,” Gray said. “You get to find different options. Teams can’t really guard you because if they take one option, the other option is open.”
When Arkansas was revealed to be Oklahoma State soccer’s first-round opponent in the NCAA Tournament, it was clear the Cowgirls had their work cut out for them.
As the nation’s most productive offense with nearly four goals per game, the Razorbacks’ presence is undeniable, and what happened Friday night in Fayetteville, Arkansas, reflected what those stats suggested. Arkansas dominated OSU, 4-0, scoring all four goals in the first half and going on the defensive to protect its lead in the second, ending the Cowgirls’ season.
“We knew that if we could set the tempo early, the game would be played on our terms — and I thought it was,” Arkansas head coach Colby Hale said. “I thought in the second half we didn’t create as much. We had a couple of nice chances, but we saw the game out, and the most important thing at this time of the year is surviving.”
The same issues that have plagued OSU all year showed up again. Ever since Big 12 Conference play began, early goals have been a thorn in the Cowgirls’ side. Arkansas exploited that, scoring early and putting the pressure on an OSU offense that struggled to score outside of the counterattack. Naturally, those counterattacking opportunities don’t present themselves when the other team takes an early lead, especially one as resounding as the one the Razorbacks took.
Although a 4-0 loss in the first round is a tough pill to swallow, this season was a success for OSU.
Seniors like Alex Morris, Mollie Breiner and Grace Gordon are nearly impossible to replace in one offseason, but the leaps made by Gracie Bindbeutel, Katelyn Hoppers and others set the table for a multi-year run for head coach Colin Carmichael and the Cowgirls.
Throughout the season, Carmichael and the veterans of the OSU rotation referenced the importance of ending the NCAA Tournament drought, and they accomplished that goal.
Still, dropping the final two matches of the season by a combined score of 9-0 is less than ideal.
The young attacking group that showed flashes of being a good unit this season is mostly returning (barring entering into the transfer portal), but the headliners of one of the best defenses in program history, the unit that carried OSU most of this season, are all out of eligibility.
With the season now over, it is easy to see the value in it. However, defensive collapses late in the year, and the loss of program pillars will dominate the discourse about the Cowgirls until the spring season.
“The athleticism (and) aggression they have around the 18, we knew for us to have a chance to win we had to hope they had a little bit of an off day and miss some of those chances,” Carmichael said. “We understood that coming in, and I think they’re a really good team with a chance to go very far.”
Connor Fuxa
Oklahoma State guard Anna Gret Asi is one of the several Cowgirls who can play multiple posititions.
Jose Brito Oklahoma State wingback Alex Morris is one of the few seniors who are out of eligability.
To anyone who has watched Texas Tech this season, this will come as no surprise. Brooks made his name last year, rushing for more than 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns. This season, he is on pace to come close to replicating that production despite missing a game earlier this season. Against an Oklahoma State defense that has struggled to stop the run all season and now has nothing to play for on the schedule, Brooks will likely eclipse 100 yards on the ground if he’s healthy.
TTU is coming off of a loss to Colorado, but it was just two games ago when the Red Raiders went into Jack Trice Stadium and knocked off a then-undefeated Iowa State team. Needless to say, TTU’s offense has shown flashes of explosiveness this season, and those flashes may show often against OSU on Saturday, with Brooks at the center of it all.
sports
Game Day Preview
Red Raiders to watch
3 Storylines
We all know Oklahoma State’s season has been a colossal failure.
An 18-year long bowl streak is over. Mike Gundy has made headlines for his comments in the media multiple times. The on-field development of quarterback Maealiuaki Smith and some other young players seems to have gone by the wayside.
However, something can be said about finishing a season strong, especially with such a large group of players leaving, whether it be to the NFL or to graduation.
With a bye week to rest up, gameplan and make personnel decisions, will OSU come out on Senior Day and show fans a glimpse of what many thought would be the norm this season? Only Saturday can everyone know what kind of product the Cowboys will put on the field. Still, if they take the field and look no better than they did against TCU, then there has to be real consideration given to making changes heading into a season-ending matchup with a red-hot Colorado team.
Lost in the mire that has been this season is the fact that a couple of all-time greats for Oklahoma State will be moving on after this season.
Brennan Presley, who set OSU’s career receptions record this season, is one of those Cowboys. His contributions have been recognized, but that is not the case for every member of this OSU team.
For reasons out of his control, Collin Oliver will be walking Saturday having not played a game since September. A Jones fracture in his right foot ended Oliver’s season against Arkansas, and as a result, one of the best defensive players in OSU history appears to be headed to the NFL.
Oliver’s freshman season was his best. After an 11.5-sack performance as a freshman, Oliver was widely projected to be an early first-round pick. Since, his role has evolved, and he was moved to play all over the defense instead of just coming off the edge, and his production suffered because of it. Oliver is not currently projected as an early pick in April’s NFL Draft, but that doesn’t sour the impactful career that he had for OSU while playing a variety of roles.
This may sound harsh, but it’s honest.
Quarterback Alan Bowman said early in the season he would not return for an eighth year of college football, meaning this is his last year at the helm of the Cowboys. Now, it is clear that Garret Rangel was set to become the starter for the rest of the season before his injury against BYU, and if Mike Gundy and his staff thought Bowman was their best chance at making a bowl game, that is understandable.
However, a bowl game is now off the table, and OSU has a freshman in Maealiuaki Smith who has shown a few flashes of potentially being a good player. The criticism Bowman has received has been strong, perhaps too strong, at times during his OSU career. He was solid during the Cowboys’ 10-win season a year ago, but at this point there just isn’t any logic to giving someone who can’t contribute a next season a lionshare of the snaps, especially at a position as important as quarterback.
Stats don’t always tell the full story, but in the case of TTU and Rodriguez, they tell a lot of it. Rodriguez leads the Red Raiders in tackles with 100 (32 more than the next player) and sacks, and he is tied for the lead in pass breakups and forced fumbles. Rodriguez does it all for the Red Raiders, on the ground or through the air.
With OSU’s lack of use for a traditional tight end, he doesn’t have that to lean on, but the Cowboys typically try and get Ollie Gordon II involved in the passing game at some level, and Rodriguez could play a role in shutting down one of the few elements of OSU’s offense that actually works from time to time.
leading TTU as conference’s best back
CALIF PONCY STAFF REPORTER
Only one thing has been certain when Texas Tech takes the field this season.
If Tahj Brooks is playing, he’s rushing for at least 100 yards.
TTU’s star running back, who emerged as one of the Big 12 Conference’s best players in the shadow of Ollie Gordon II last season, surpassed the 100-yard mark in every game he’s played in this season. As a result, TTU still has a chance, albeit slim, to win the Big 12.
without him — a loss to Washington State — they looked a lot like OSU has this season, scoring just 16 points. Following Brooks’ one-game absence, he picked up where he left off, and TTU rattled off four straight wins to open Big 12 play. Brooks is heading to Stillwater to clash with Gordon and the Cowboys on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Most of Gordon’s struggles are hard to put on him, but regardless of the circumstances, there is an argument to be made that Brooks has stolen the spot that Gordon occupied last season. By no means is his dominance as extreme, but Gordon’s down-season has allowed Brooks to throw his hat in the ring for a title most assumed Gordon would have until he went to the NFL. The battle between Gordon and Brooks will be telling. If OSU can establish Gordon for one of the only times all season, it has a chance. But if Brooks does what has so often this season, the Cowboys could be in for a long day. Brooks
Despite rushing for more than 1,500 yards last season, Brooks flew under the radar on the national scene because of Gordon’s sucess. This season, it has been the opposite. Gordon and Oklahoma State have struggled. The Cowboys have yet to win a Big 12 game and he has crossed the 100-yard mark three times all season. Brooks, on the other hand, has crossed that threshold nine times. In the Red Raiders’ lone game
Tahj Brooks, No. 28, RB Jacob Rodriguez, No. 10, LB
Courtesy Texas Tech Athletics
Courtesy Texas Tech Athletics
Bryson Thadhani
Payton Little
File Photo
The O’colly sports picks
Pick Leaderboard: Point / Counterpoint
Wright 15-5 Week 12
Chris Vannini
13-6-1, Week 1
Week 2
Carmichael 6-14, Week 3
11-8-1 Week 8 Dave Hunziker 13-7, Week 9
Steve Lutz 6-14, Week 10 Jacie Hoyt 9-9-2, Week 11
BRENNAN PRESLEY IS THE BEST OSU SENIOR SINCE...
PARKER GERL
10-9-1, Week 5 Nicole Auerbach 6-13-1, Week 6 David Taylor 11-9 Week 7
McMurphy 4-16, Week 4
Berry Tramel ???, Week 13
Presley is the best OSU senior since Tylan Wallace. The OSU wide reciever was a 2018 Biletnikoff Award Finalist and a First Team All-American. To see how dynamic Wallace was, just look at his 2018 game log. He posted two games with 220 or more receiving yards (!) and caught 12 touchdowns. I don’t think Presley is quite the player Wallce was, but the fact that Presley was able to become OSU’s all-time receptions leader at 5-foot-8, 175 pounds is impressive. Both fall on the bestOSU-recievers-of-all-time list.
Malcom Rodriguez. The Cowboy linebacker was in the 2021 senior class and totaled 409 tackles across five seasons. His best season was 2021, when he finsihed with 130 tackles, three sacks and an interception as the best player on a stacked Jim Knowles defense. In that 12-2 season, Rodriguez was a catalyst for OSU having one of the best defenses in the country. He’s a future Ring of Honor player; Presley should join him up there. So Rodriguez is naturally the best pick when looking at the best senior since Presley.
