Friday, April 30, 2021 by The O'Colly

Friday, April 30, 2021

Ann Hargis... ‘Graduating’ Anna Pope Staff Reporter Rappelling down the side of a building, Ann Hargis ended up lowering herself completely upside down before trying it again. This, among many other things, is part of her job as the First Cowgirl. Whether winning bus rodeos, chauffeuring students in her orange golf cart named Clementine, teaching yoga or supporting school initiatives and activities, Ann is here for the students. While her husband, Oklahoma State University President, Burns Hargis, is retiring, she said this transition is not a goodbye, it’s a graduation. “We are having the time of our lives, it is so much fun, but it’s time for new energy to come in with new ideas,” Ann said. Since 2008, Ann has served alongside her husband not only by providing support but also by leaving lasting legacies of her own, like being instrumental in the creation of

Courtesy of Brand Management After 13 years, Ann Hargis is graduating from OSU as her husband and Oklahoma State University President, Burns Hargis, plans to retire July 1.

Pete’s Pet Posse. From the beginning, Ann tailored her position to the needs of the university and the students, while remaining true to herself. On campus, Ann promotes and engages in

arts and wellness programs, is involved in the Women for OSU Leadership Philanthropy Council, Friends of Music and Friends of the Library. She earned her math and Latin bachelor’s degree from

the University of Texas and met Burns in the summer of 1968. Ann said their relationship has always been somehow connected to OSU, and while she did not attend the university, she fell in love with

the school very quickly. “Had I known about OSU when I was in college, I would have gone to OSU,” the First Cowgirl said. “I love this school.” Ann inherited the title the ‘First Lady’ but decided that ‘First Cowgirl’ was more her style. To her husband, this personal flair reflects her down-to-earth personality. “There’s never been a First Cowgirl, Ann... She thought ‘First Lady’ sounded a little pretentious, so she adopted that ‘First Cowgirl,’ which I love,” Burns said. “I think that was great.” Ann wears many hats in her position, however, her favorite hat involves interacting and showing love and appreciation to students. She tries to intentionally do this by engaging with students while doing her daily activities. Whether it’s doing pushups on the ROTC board during football games, providing a “taxi” service for students or just meeting students on campus and forming initiatives to help better OSU, Ann always See Ann on pg. 3A

Shots and shots Vaccines, music and more at this year’s Calf Fry Ellen Slater Staff Reporter Calf Fry is back this year, but with a slight twist. It will double as both a country music festival and a vaccination clinic. The clinic will be provided on a walk-up basis for attendees, according to Visit Stillwater. People interested in getting the vaccine must pre-register at vaccinate.ok.gov. The Payne County Health Department is distributing the vaccines. The folksy festival is known for being held the week between OSU’s dead week and final’s week, often deemed as an end-ofyear celebration. However, the event does attract more than just college students. Passes are available for festival-goers, some who come from all across the country, to park RVs on the premises. The festival spans Thursday through Saturday, but the vac-

cination clinic is only available Saturday evening. This year’s lineup consists of well-known artists such as Parker McCollum and Riley Green. This will be many festival goers’ first time back at a livemusic event since the pandemic hit last year, as well as some of the musicians’ first performances to a live crowd since, as well. Student Madeline McTigue is one of many who has not been to a live show since coronavirus took over the United States. “As a vaccinated Oklahoma resident I am really thankful that there will now be more vaccinated Oklahoma residents at Calf Fry,” McTigue said. Oklahoma State University Health Center has distributed 11,178 vaccine series, meaning both doses. Many community members are surprised to see that Calf Fry would be including the vaccine. Student and festival goer Mary Keeling thinks that while it is

shocking, it still makes sense. “If I wasn’t vaccinated already I would be getting it done there just to say that I did,” Keeling said. “Cowboys love being healthy.” The vaccine that will be distributed is the Johnson & Johnson, which only needs to be received by each person once, so they will not have to have a follow up appointment. Regardless if it a vaccine in the arm or from a Red Solo cup swig of tequila, there are sure a lot of shots to be taken at Calf Fry this weekend -- something that would have been unimaginable a year ago when the world was hunkered away with no site of live music festivals coming back nor any hope for a vaccine. This time, the light at the end of the tunnel smells a lot like warm beer and looks like vaccine Band-Aid tan lines, and it is happening this weekend in Stillwater.

SEVENTH IN A SERIES “Greenwood Here and Now’ is a project by The O’Colly Media Group that highlights the tragedy and triumph of the Greenwood District in Tulsa, 100 years after the Tulsa race massacre.”

‘Sacred ground to me’ Sen. Kevin Matthews continues to push Greenwood forward So when Matthews decided to run for state

Sudeep Tumma Sports Editor

entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

File Photo Calf Fry is taking place this weekend at the Tumbleweed Dancehall.

George C. McCutchen, senior pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, was his

Before he was a state senator, Kevin Matthews used to own a dry cleaning store on Greenwood called Kevin’s Cleaners. As part of his commitment, he’d donate 10% of sales to each customer’s church — a promise on which he always followed through.

“He said he did that because he knew I was serious about what I promised people because I made that promise and I wrote him a check every week and he was appreciative of that,” Matthews said. Since then, Matthews has put in much time and effort to revitalize the See Greenwood

‘Chhaupadi’, Bring Awareness on Menstruation Taboo Using Design Strategy.

May 3-7, 2021 Graphic Design, MFA Thesis Exhibition Riva Nayaju

Page 2A Friday, April 30, 2021

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Editorial board

Reporters/photographers

Editor-in-chief Ryan Novozinsky editorinchief@ocolly.com

Photo editor Joshua Cleary photo.ed@ocolly.com

News editor Maddison Farris news.ed@ocolly.com

Digital editor Adam Engel digital@ocolly.com

Lifestyle editor Sheyenne Mitchell-Brown entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Sports editor Sudeep Tumma sports.ed@ocolly.com

Design editor Anna Tucker design.ed@ocolly.com

Adviser John Helsley john.helsley@okstate.edu

Newsroom 108 Paul Miller Stillwater, OK 74078 (405)-744-6365

Sports reporters: Chris Becker Jared A‘Latorre Ryan Breeden Alex Callaway Adam Engel Ben Hutchens Sam Hutchens Gavin Pendergraff Dean Ruhl Jacob Sturm Marcus Trevino Megan Bullock Photographers: Joshua Cleary Zachary Hunter Bryan Pizana Alicia Young

News reporters: Amelia Jáuregui Anna Pope Jared A‘Latorre Ellen Slater Rachel Williamson Lifestyle writers: Amelia Jáuregui Ellen Slater Addie Duling Bryanna Nickel Addison Duling Natalie Leding Emmett McKeel Designers: Annemarie Chaney Kayla Ballero Christian Van Curen Emily Weed

News

Courtesy of Brand Management Anne Hargis has been a huge part of the success of Pete’s Pet Posse, and plans to stay involved in the future.

Pete’s Pets Posse: the dog’s bark Anna Pope Staff Reporter Courtesty of Brand Management Passionate about health, Ann Hargis coined the term “America’s Healthiest Campus” as part of her plan to bring healthy options to campus.

Ann... Continued from pg. 1A finds a way to involve students in her day-to-day First Cowgirl routine. While she’s constantly busy, she serves as a sounding board to Burns. Their relationship has been instrumental in shaping the community of OSU, and reflects the kind of support they strive to give the school as a whole. “My purpose, in my mind, is to support what he does and make it either easier or better,” Ann said. “And any way I can improve things on this campus for basically the success of students is what drives me.” She said interacting with students is the most rewarding thing she experiences and every time she steps foot on campus, she sees something uplifting and energizing. Ann also said coming to campus for the first time was daunting because she did not know what to expect from some aspects of campus, like parking. “The first time I was ever on campus I was going to the president’s office and I didn’t know how to turn into the parking lot,” she said. “And you realize that Monroe is actually a street as far as the police are concerned, but as far as the students are concerned it’s a mall, it’s their mall, they are walking on it.” Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, being the First Cowgirl means Ann is constantly busy and never has two days the same. “That’s the exciting part of it because where else can you go from a rodeo to an opera, to a debate, to a game all in the same day?” Ann said. She keeps a demanding schedule, yet said during the pandemic she went from attending multiple events a day to

virtual meetings, spending most of those in yoga pants. Even though working during a pandemic is difficult, Ann said the toughest times she experienced during her years as First Cowgirl were when tragedies struck, like the plane crash in 2011 and the Homecoming parade tragedy in 2015; events that come with no level of preparation. Still, through these hardships Ann saw the entire OSU community fuse together. Ann said actions like this are what reflect the family atmosphere and nature of the

university. Winding down during the pandemic has allowed Ann to start transitioning to the next step in life and prepare for what her days will look like when Burns is no longer the university’s president. Even then, Ann said she will always wear orange and be active in OSU life because of her love of the students and the university. “It’s been a kick,” Ann said. news.ed@ocolly.com

Pete’s Pet Posse is OSU’s dog therapy program helping aid in student, faculty and staff wellness. The Posse is made up of dedicated Cowboys, Cowgirls and Cowdogs. The parents of these caring canines commented about the joy they’ve experienced being part of the posse. Ann Hargis was instrumental in the success of the posse, and hopes to stay involved even after her “graduation.” “To see how much it really, truly means to them, to see the animals on campus and the work that Mrs. Hargis has put into all of this. It wouldn’t exist without her.” - Ragan Jessell, parent of Winston “... It really gives me an outlet to talk to students. Like today, walking downstairs into the student union I immediately got stopped by three or four students who just told me how much it meant to them to be able to pet the dogs. And usually the first thing they say is, ‘Oh I miss my dog so much.’ or ‘I’m having such a bad day and this is just what I needed right now.’ So, I think it’s the satisfaction that I bring something to the students that they might need even though they don’t know that’s what they need.” - Missy Wikle, parent of Murphy “I retired a few years ago and I was looking for something to do so, I got a German shepherd and she needed a job and Pete’s Pet Posse just kind of popped up and I was like, ‘Well this would be a great job for a German shepard.’ cause she really, really loves it. I love coming up on campus and talking to students and getting to know them. Getting to find out where they are from, what their majors are and just being able to talk to them… Several students have talked about the problems they have had with classes or tests or whatever, and I have had some people say, ‘Hey, can I take your dog to class with me for a test?’ Well sorry, no, but you can pet her as long as you want. It’s great.” - Russell Simkins, parent of Hera

Courtesy of Brand Management Ann Hargis dived right in to the OSU community after her husband, Burns Hargis, became OSU’s new president 2008.

“My office is right next to our speech and hearing clinic waiting room so, he’s not only here for the students that come by, because my door is always open, but staff and some of our clients that come into the clinic also look forward to see him and petting him… He’s assisted a couple of times in therapy with the clients here, but during my student meetings we have a rug in the room and two or three of the students will just sit on the floor and lay on him while we have our weekly meetings... It’s a great way to build rapport with the students because they’re always coming into my office if Leo is here and they’ll say things like ‘this is the best part of my whole day’ and ‘I need this stress relief’ and all those... He’s just here for any student that might need him.” - Donita Tefft, parent of Leo

Page 4A Friday, April 30, 2021

News

Service over self

Haley Carr

Jacki Ross-Guerrero knows what it is to be selfless, as her long days are spent caring for animals in need.

Haley Carr O’Colly Contributor Jackie Ross-Guerrero dedicates more time to helping animals than herself. A Stillwater resident who runs the Humane Society of Stillwater as the shelter director, Ross-Guerrero spends most of her days making sure no animal goes without a home. homes for pets in Stillwater, the state hasn’t always been the place Ross-Guerrero calls home. “I’m actually a public health microbiologist by trade,” Ross-Guerrero said. “I worked for the University of Iowa for almost 15 years and then my husband was transferred to Virginia.” Doing public health work in Washington, D.C., took a toll on Ross-Guerrero and her husband, Gilbert. They decided they needed to get back to the Midwest, RossGuerrero said. “I’m from Iowa originally and he was from Texas, so we kind of met in the middle and there was a job opening for him in Stillwater and we just really fell in love with it,” RossGuerrero said. With about nine hours separating Ross-Guerrero and her husband from their families on each side, they settled in Stillwater and started making an impact on the community. “Whenever we move around, I’ve always volunteered at animal shelters,” Ross-Guerrero said. “That was kind of my thing.” She had grown up hanging out in her aunts’ and uncles’ barns with their livestock. Her time with these animals inspired her to become a veterinarian until she realized how much schooling and money it

would take. Volunteering at the animal shelter was the next best option, Ross-Guerrero said. More than 75 dogs and 60 cats lived at the shelter before Ross-Guerrero started her work at the Humane needed help, she said. It took only four months for the Humane Society to ask Ross-Guerrero whether she would become the next shelter director. “I had no idea how to run an animal shelter, but I said, ‘Sure, why not?’,” RossGuerrero said. A little more than a decade later and the shelter has completely changed. Before Ross-Guerrero

“I had no idea how to run an animal shelter, but I said, ‘Sure, why not?’” - Jackie Ross-Guerrero

became the director, there were a few cages, and animals didn’t get to go outside often. Humane Society Treasurer Ruthie Francis was a volunteer before RossGuerrero was the director and remembers what the shelter was like. “It is probably 180 degrees opposite of what it was before,” Francis said. “She’s very immaculate. She, the volunteers and the animal caretakers keep the kennels very clean.” Recently, the shelter has renovated the “middle run” of the shelter to get it up to

Haley Carr Taking care of over 100 animals altogether, Ross-Guererro finds her happiness in making sure that all animals have a home.

Haley Carr Ross-Guererro has a passion for animals. This passion is a great asset for the Stillwater Humane Society as more and more animals are shown the love they so desperately need.

code. Before the renovation, there wasn’t even a bathroom for the Humane Society section of buildings that connect Stillwater Animal Welfare to the Humane Society of Stillwater. The society is working to get estimates to renovate another room. The animal caretakers would do anything for Ross-Guerrero because they love her, Francis said. Animal caretaker Amy Kennedy volunteered at the shelter before she decided she wanted to work there full time. “When I started volunteering, Jackie and I hit it off,” Kennedy said. “She has been just a huge inspiration for a lot of the things I do and why I got into rescue so much… She just puts her heart and soul into everything she does.” Kennedy also recognized the change in the shelter over the years. “I don’t think people realize the shelter wasn’t always in the condition that it is now,” Kennedy said. “It started in a really tough place where it didn’t even have enough money to really even feed all the animals in its care at times. She started from nothing and she bought all the cleaning supplies with her own money and just got it cleaned up. She just started reaching out to the community and just like building all these community connections that have helped make the shelter what it is today.” Reintroducing the Humane Society to the community was Ross-Guerrero’s biggest goal when she started. “You know, she’s reached out to the vets in town and she’s reached out to the businesses in town and now our shelter is seen as one of

the better ones,” Kennedy said. “It’s clean, it’s happy, people want to volunteer here… I just don’t think she brags on herself enough for how much work she puts into it.” Ross-Guerrero has even made TV appearances on a student-run news station at Oklahoma State University to make sure each animal at the Humane Society found its forever home. Larry Magee, a former news producer for “The Daily O,” worked closely with Ross-Guerrero during her time with the station before the pandemic started. “It was great to have the Humane Society and The Daily O work together to actually be there for the community,” Magee said. “Jackie was just so amazing that she took the time out of her busy schedule to come every week to bring a new animal or animals at the same time to the show and she always had something great to talk about.” Ross-Guerrero is a woman with no excuses, Magee said. “For The Daily O, she never said no. She was there every week consistently,” Magee said. “She may have been sick one day and we’d have no idea, that’s how dedicated she is.” As someone who has adopted from the shelter, a volunteer and a foster mom to some animals from the shelter, Lisa Jacobs said she and Ross-Guerrero talk nearly every day. “She’s always asking me how everything’s going if she hasn’t heard from something important about one of the animals in my care, I’ll contact her immediately.” Jacobs has been with RossGuerrero through the harder cases as well.

“I’m sure she shows up to some of these places and she is just angry at what some of these poor animals have been through,” Jacobs said. “I’ve seen her absolutely livid after having to go to a case that was really bad before and it’s undershe says is, ‘Let’s get them out of here, let’s take care of it.’ So, the animal has to breaking to see what some of these poor things have been through.” It’s even more heartbreaking knowing that someone did this and it could have been prevented, Jacobs said. Sometimes Ross-Guerrero wonders whether she is putting too much time into the shelter. “So, you know, I’m trying right time for me to step away and say, ‘OK, I’ve done what I can because there’s still so much someone else could do and maybe it’s time for me to move on,’” Ross-Guerrero said. “I just don’t know if it’s that time yet.” Despite not knowing when her time at the shelter will end, Ross-Guerrero said she loves walking through the doors at work every day. “Not a lot of people can say that,” Ross-Guerrero said. “My mom used to tell me that all the time. You have to love what you do, you have to love being able to get up and go to work every day and I do. Thank goodness the good days do outweigh the bad days because we do have sad days here, we do have days where it doesn’t go the way we want it to go, but I just focus on the good days and think tomorrow’s gonna be better.” news.ed@ocolly.com

Lifestyle

“The one who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish” - Japanese proverb

The wish... “The Student Arts Alliance started a program this year called DIY Wednesday where once a month we set up an art project that students can participate in or pick up the supplies for. In February, our art project was origami and we challenged the OSU community to fold 1,000 cranes. All of the cranes were folded by students and staff on campus! One of the reasons we wanted to do this was to educate people on the history of the paper crane, and one Japanese legend promises anybody that folds 1,000 cranes they will be granted a wish. We thought this would be a great project during the pandemic because our wish would be to protect the community from the spread of COVID-19.” All photos by Abby Cage

- Kayla Loper, Manager of Arts, Culture, & Entertainment

Page 6A Friday, April 30, 2021

Lifestyle

Pushing the style envelope Morgan Malget ModMuze Magazine Editor-in-Chief

Artists in the music industry are constantly pushing the boundaries of what society considers fashionable. As soon as a new trend is spotted on an artist the media is quick to pick up on it, and those trends will often trickle down to the general public. Many individual music lovers’ styles are influenced by their favorite artists. Although some artists’ styles are replicated on a smaller scale, popular groups and genres have an effect on the fashion industry as a whole. The peacock revolution of the ‘60s was inspired by bands such as The Beatles. When their pop-rock music began to gain popularity, designers started to pick up on the changing times and curate fashion for the youth, whereas before it had been geared toward elite members of society. During this time, it became socially acceptable for men, straight and gay alike, to wear bright colors without being judged. Also during this time, the iconic mini-skirt was created by Mary Quant, and flamboyant, ready-to-wear fashions such as bright shift dresses and turtlenecks gained popularity. In the later ‘60s a youth counterculture movement began to grow and because of Woodstock and the artists who performed, like Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, the laid-back fashions of “The Summer of Love” were normalized. This includes bell bottoms, fringe, vests and boho-style dresses. The grunge fashions of the ‘90s were inspired by the music and ideals of grunge bands like Nirvana. Kurt Cobain, the frontman of Nirvana played an especially large role in contributing to the grunge era. He popularized oversized tops, flannel shirts and distressed jumpers and jeans. His

loose and slouchy style has continued to inspire fashion today. This can be seen in Kanye West’s clothing, which features the oversized look of the grunge era. A$AP Rocky is also well known for incorporating the grunge look into his everyday style. Although Kanye’s clothing is somewhat a replication of the grunge era, he has incorporated one of today’s biggest trends, street style, into his designs. Street style emerges from many different types of young influencers such as models, TV personalities and especially artists in the music industry. Often people gain their inspiration for street style through candid images seen on social media or in magazines. Female artists like Ariana Grande, Cardi B and Rihanna have influenced young women through their candid street style looks that incorporate things like oversized clothing that still looks feminine and daring outfits with patterns and embellishments. Their music has also affected how women wear street style because much of their music has undertones of feminism and empowerment, which translates into their fashion. Artists also play a large role in trends by endorsing brands. Rihanna, as well as Rae Sremmurd, have been the faces of Puma, and Travis Scott has done modeling for Nike as well as Adidas. Because these artists have high social status in popular culture, giving their endorsement to a brand tells the public that it has their stamp of approval and it’s much more likely that the brand will become popular. Music, and the artists who produce it, have always had a heavy influence on the styles that we have seen come and go. Whether we realized it or not, artists have continuously set the trends for society. We can assume that whatever the next big trend is, we’ll see it dawned on one of the top artists of today before we ever see people wearing it to class. entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

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Courtesy of GotStyle Music artist Kanye West is well-known for his bold fashion choices, which are changing the fashion game.

Lifestyle

Courtesy of anothermag.com. The fancy and feisty Queen Charlotte wears a gorgeous gown inspired by both her personality and Regency era England.

“Bridgerton’s” take on Regency fashion By now, we have all binged Netflix’s new original series, “Bridgerton,” and become obsessed with the Duke of Hastings, Daphne Bridgerton and the all-knowing Lady Whistledown. Naturally, we are drawn to this series because of its idealistic portrayal of the Regency era in London, but just how accurate was Netflix’s rendition of this time period? This series could not have been released at a more perfect time. Cur-

rently in the fashion world, we are seeing trends that mimic those in the Regency time period. For example, corsets have been making a huge comeback, as well as bodysuits with sweetheart necklines and voluminous sleeves. So, you’re wondering, which elements of “Bridgerton” did Netflix get right and what did they miss? According to costume designer Ellen Mirojnick who designed 7,500 garments for “Bridgerton,” the accuracy of the clothing was very loosely based on the Regency era. Mirojnick created garments that fit the personalities of the characters and gave life to the creative vision for the show,

not to serve as a history lesson. While Daphne Bridgerton’s dresses featured empire waist cuts that were worn throughout the Regency era, many of the fabrics used on her dresses such as organza and silk were off-target for the time period. Mirojnick used colors and patterns to reflect the statuses of the families. The Bridgertons were often shown dressed in blues and other pastels to signify their place in society as the ideal family. Blue represents stability and wisdom, which sets the Bridgertons apart from the other families. On the other hand, the Featheringtons were dressed in

bright yellows, pinks, greens and purples. These obnoxious colors and patterns suited the Featheringtons and their desire to be noticed in society very well. Although the color and fabric choices were not entirely authentic to the Regency time period, they served their purposes in aiding character development for the show. The costumes that Mirojnick created for “Bridgerton” perfectly fit into the time period that the creators envisioned. After all, “Bridgerton” is fictional, so why not stretch the creative boundaries? entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Page 8A Friday, April 30, 2021

News Greenwood... Continued from pg. 1A

Kelly Kerr Sen. Kevin Matthews is working hard every day to try to improve the community of Greenwood.

the Greenwood area and push it toward a better future. But isn’t a simple fix; the events of the Tulsa Race Massacre 100 years ago still lay a crater in people’s minds with so much hate and contempt around the event. “I believe that we should educate people all around what happened before, during and after,” Matthews said. From both sides, there’s so much conflict and damage. Matthews said he believes that can be solved a different way. As part of his many projects, the biggest Matthews has had a hand in is the Greenwood history center. It’s a place where people from all over — irrespective of creed, color, class or gender — can come learn about the history of the Tulsa Race Massacre. From how it was built to how it was destroyed to the significance, people can enrich themselves in the history. Then after the tour, everyone goes into a chamber where there is dialogue and reflection. “The history center and the stories should cause people to not only know what should happen but have discussions around what happened and build relationships and do the kind of things that would keep us from doing that again,” Matthews said. “To stop being so divided, to stop having this habitual hate that we’ve seen across the nation the past few years. And to start to talk to each other instead of looking at our differences and hating each other.” “Ultimately, we want to be a place of reconciliation that the world can look at as people that come from these different

backgrounds and reconcile our differences.” Matthews envisions a Greenwood where people can begin talking and genuinely healing, while the area grows and prospers. And that’s done in more than one way. Matthews, along with being a state senator, is also the membership chair of 100 Black Men of Tulsa, a national organization that’s devoted to mentoring young men and women to put them on the right path. One of its methods is through the Youth Entrepreneurship Shadow Program, which pairs a young man or woman with a business owner over the summer for three hours every day, in an effort to teach them how to run a business. And the organization has also sent kids to engineering firms, law firms and so on. Sometimes it’s as simple as taking these kids to basketball games, football games, field trips, getting them on the right track. “Their national motto is, ‘They will be what they can see,’” Matthew said. “So we’ve got to be examples and show them something other than gang violence, teen pregnancy, illegal drug dealing or any of those negative things that they might see in the community.” Through all of these methods, Matthews hopes to see a better Greenwood. Setting up these sorts of organizations only affects things on a micro scale, but Matthews hopes it will have a profounding effect. “The bigger solution is for us, as citizens of this state and this country, is to create opportunities for dialogue and problem solving around race, economics and culture,” Matthews said.

news.ed@ocolly.com

Friday, April 30, 2021

Cowboys add Texas Tech forward Smith via transfer

Abby Cage

Hub Roberts has grown into a dugout sensation after Twitter videos went viral.

THE HUB

Grad manager looms front, center for OSU Baseball

Chris Becker Staff Reporter Hub Roberts sat in his Aspen Heights apartment alone after transferring from Jefferson State Community College in Hoover, Alabama. Then a 5-foot-8 tall “kid” came running into the apartment. Roberts’ roommate was Colin Simpson, the Oklahoma

State baseball team’s catcher from 20162019. Simpson told Roberts he would be alone in the apart-

Except Roberts did understand. “I worked for the White Sox doubleA affiliate for five and a half years,” Roberts

bedlam baseball Friday - 6 p.m. - Stillwater (ESPN+) saturday - 3 p.m. - norman (bally) sunday - 4 p.m. - norman (ESPNu) ment often because of Simpson’s wild baseball schedule, something Roberts wouldn’t understand.

Dean Ruhl Staff Reporter

said. “I started off as a bat boy, worked my way up to clubhouse assistant and then was assistant clubhouse

manager. So I had a baseball background.” It was just the beginning of Roberts’ journey and deeprooted connection to OSU baseball, one that sees him serving as a graduate manager and the unofficial team comedian. “It’s all kind of weird how everything worked out with me getting into baseball,” Roberts said. Simpson brought up Roberts’ name at a team meeting, the day they met, and Roberts interviewed for a manager position. See Hub on pg. 3B

On Wednesday, the Oklahoma State Cowboys secured a commitment from Texas Tech’s Tyreek Smith. Smith, a redshirt freshman, entered the transfer portal two weeks ago. A 6-foot-7, 220pound power forward, Smith is the second offseason addition by OSU, the other being forward Woody Newton from Syracuse. Smith played in all of TTU’s 29 games, aver-

aging 8.6 minutes of playing time. He averaged 2.6 points and 2.4 rebounds this past season. Smith also was second on the team in blocks with 21. Newton and Smith add extra forward depth to OSU’s roster. They also take fill the two scholarship spots left by point guard Cade Cunningham and guard Ferron Flavors. Guard Dee Mitchell is not expected to retain his scholarship next season, leaving one spot open. Smith was initially recruited by coach Mike Boynton as a three-star recruit in high school, opting for Texas Tech over OSU’s, and 19 other schools, offers. sports.ed@ocolly.com

OSU Athletics Coach Mike Boynton adds another forward via the transfer portal.

‘All Hail Gail’ Brayman took long journey from Rhode Island to OSU

Cowboys host Sooners for second time at O’Brate.

Joel Devick

Bedlam comes to O’Brate Bedlam coming back to Stillwater and Norman

Ben Hutchens Staff Reporter There will be a distinct collegiate feel to the Bedlam series this season. In the recent past, all Bedlam baseball games have been held at Oneok Field in Tulsa and Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, home venues of professional teams. This year, the series is set up

differently. The conference series between Oklahoma State and Oklahoma will be split. The first game, on Friday night, will be at O’Brate Stadium in Stillwater while the following two games will be at Mitchell Park in Norman. Finally, on May 11 there will be a neutral site game at Oneok Field. Oklahoma State (24-12-1) comes into the series with some of its top pitchers injured, but high off of a series-salvaging win against No. 3 Texas. Oklahoma (20-19) enters the set on a lower note, having dropped two of See O’Brate on pg. 2B

Dean Ruhl Staff Reporter The gates open. Abigail Brayman rides her horse into the arena. Her teammates begin the chant: “All Hail Gail.” “She just loves hearing that before she goes into the arena,” teammate Harley Huff said. “So that’s what we do to get her pumped up.” Brayman, or Gail to teammates, is a senior on the equestrian team at Oklahoma State. Her nickname has been around since her freshman year. “I used to be called Big Gail around Bennett Hall my freshman year,” Brayman said. “Usually nicknames on the team come because there’s one or more

Alicia Young Abigail Brayman traveled halfway across the country to attend and compete for OSU.

girls with the same name but there’s no other Abigail.” During Brayman’s sophomore season, the seniors on the reigning team started saying “All Hail Gail.” Brayman said the seniors made the nickname stick. She is a fan of her nickname. She enjoys giving nicknames, too. Teammate Amanda Atkins said Brayman calls teammates Hun. The nickname has become

a trend. “I hear girls say (Hun), and I always think of Abigail because she started that,” Atkins said. “It’s just a really nice way to talk to our teammates.” Brayman has had an impact at OSU, starting her freshman year. This season, she helped the equestrian team win the Big 12 and earn the No. 2 seed in the NCEA National Championships. On April 16, the

team lost 10-6 in the semifinals to Georgia, ending its season. Brayman never won a national championship at OSU. Four years ago, she said she never expected to attend OSU. Brayman, a Rhode Island native, said she has ridden horses since she was a toddler. She said she was born into the industry. “My mother had a barn and she trained See Gail on pg. 4B

Page 2B Friday, April 30, 2021

sports Hubbard’s draft stock resides in late rounds

Chris Becker Staff Reporter Chuba Hubbard made headlines in January 2020. Hubbard announced he would return to Oklahoma State for one more season on Jan. 13, 2020, weeks after his historic 2019 season ended. Hubbard was seen as one of the top running backs at the time in the 2020 NFL draft but opted to return to help his draft stock. It didn’t go as planned. With the 2021 NFL draft inching closer, April 29-May 1, Hubbard’s draft stock doesn’t sit as high as it did a year ago after a challenging 2020. On June 15 Hubbard made headlines, but this time it wasn’t on the field. A photo of coach Mike Gundy surfaced of him wearing a T-shirt with the One American News Network, a far-right news organization, logo. Hubbard took to Twitter to voice his

frustrations. “I will not stand for this,” Hubbard said on Twitter. “This is completely insensitive to everything going on in society, and it’s unacceptable. I will not be doing anything with Oklahoma State until things change.” After conversations between Gundy and Hubbard, Hubbard returned to practice with the team. But he wasn’t the same player as he was in 2019. Hubbard was sidelined with injuries throughout the 2020 season. After leading the NCAA in rushing in 2019, he ran for 625 yards and five touchdowns in seven games. After rushing for 44 yards against Oklahoma in Bedlam, Hubbard wouldn’t see any action the rest of the season. “People say I had a down year, but a lot of people don’t know I was coming off of surgeries,” Hubbard said. “There were a lot of things going on with my body and with my health. The biggest thing for me was helping my team win. I have faith in God that everything will work out.” On Dec. 12, he officially announced he was

O’Brate... Continued from pg. 1B three games against Georgia Southern. “Different, yeah that’s a good way to put it cause we’ve not played it in this format. I personally was in favor of the Bedlam series being in our park or their park depending on who the home team in that particular year (was),” OSU coach Josh Holliday said. It will be a new experience for OSU infielder Jake Thompson, a transfer from Kentucky, who is getting his first taste of Bedlam, because he didn’t play in the first meeting earlier this season. “I’m not sure, this will be my first time going up against them so I’m excited for it… I

Texas Athletics Hubbard’s draft stock has fallen after his performance in the 2020 season.

opting out of the remainder of the season, and would focus his attention on the NFL Draft. As the calendar flips closer to draft day, Hubbard’s stock has drastically shifted to the later rounds of the draft. In the most recent

know how amped everyone gets for it and I’m definitely with that and hopefully we can take it to them,” Thompson said. Holliday expects the series in this new format to be grand with many fans in attendance, both this season and in the future. “I think it will draw fantastic here whenever that returns to the norm and I’m sure they’ll turn out in Norman too,” Holliday said. The Cowboys hosted the Sooners for a non-conference game in late March, and now they are preparing to step it up with the first leg of a conference series. “I like the collegiate feel. We built our stadium to host marquee events and the Bedlam series is a marquee event,” Holliday said.

mock drafts from analysts across platforms Hubbard has been scouted as anywhere from a fourth to seventh round pick. Hubbard’s Pro Day numbers did help his draft stock bump back up, after a drastic slide. He ran a 4.4 40-yard dash, and 4.26

OSU corners working on being even better than last season

Cornerback Rodarius Williams’ departure leaves open spot for freshmen to fill.

Chris Becker Staff Reporter

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sports.ed@ocolly.com

Cornerback crew

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Infielder Jake Thompson prepares for Bedlam series.

20-yard shuttle. Hubbard also had a solid day catching passes in front of scouts from all 32 NFL teams. NFL.com has Hubbard graded at a 5.98 out of eight. His grade is close to six, which is given to “developmental traits-based prospects” and a 5.8-5.9 grade, which is given to “back-up/ special teamer. Chad Reuter of NFL. com released his latest seven round NFL mock draft on April 23. He had Hubbard off the board at pick 167 in the fifth round to Las Vegas, which has seen Hubbard fall. In his March 26 mock draft, Reuter had Hubbard in the fourth round. Hubbard is ranked anywhere from the seventh best running back to the 18th best running back from different analysts. No matter where he falls to, Hubbard said he just wants an opportunity. “I think I’m one of the top running backs, if not the top (in this draft class),” Hubbard said. Wherever I get drafted – first round, seventh round, undrafted free agent – whatever happens, I just need a shot and I’ll be ready for it.”

Cornerback Rodarius Williams made his public announcement. On Dec. 14, Williams, Oklahoma State’s No. 1 cornerback, announced he would head to the NFL. His decision left a hole in the Cowboys secondary. Jarrick Bernard-

Converse stepped up. Bernard-Converse transitioned back to his natural position of cornerback before the 2020 season, making big strides and propelling him to the spot held by Williams last season. “You have to start with trusting each other and trusting the scheme that coach (Jim) Knowles is telling us to do,” Bernard-Converse said. “Just going out and competing every day and playing our hardest and doing our job. I think that is going to be our key focus this year for getting us to the top.” Bernard is not the

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only returner, or body, filling William’s role. Cornerback Christian Holmes returned for his sixth year of eligibility. Holmes, along with younger talent, have stepped up into a role held by two NFL talents before them. One name that came to coach Mike Gundy’s head when talking about a full spring workload being beneficial was redshirt sophomore Demarco Jones. Gundy said Jones fell victim to the COVID-19 hiatus like a lot of other young players around the team. See Cornerback on pg. 4B

sports Hub... Continued from pg. 1B A month later, he was hired. Roberts spent his first two years with the baseball team as an undergraduate equipment manager. The next two years have been spent as a graduate manager, a role Roberts likens to a graduate assistant on the football team. The job changed Roberts’ collegiate experience. “My first week and a half here, I would say I didn’t feel at home here,” Roberts said. “It was more, I would go to class, come home and play Xbox or watch movies, I didn’t have much of a social life.” In his four seasons, Roberts has been at the receiving end of his fair share of applause from OSU fans, and even opposing fans, when he comes out of the dugout to fetch a bat, get a foul ball or even chase down the occasional beer can dropped over the outfield wall. Roberts said he tries to not focus on the crowd during the game, but does find it fun when the crowd gets behind him. “I think what really got the crowd going was when I would take a tumble,” Roberts said. “There’s a lot of guys behind the scenes here, it takes an army to get what we put out on the field. It’s cool to see when people realize that.” Roberts became a sensation on Twitter from his weather reports when Mother Nature strikes. What started as a way to reconnect with a former co-worker quickly grew into a whole production. “It’s kind of taken off I guess. It’s not prepared,” Roberts said. “There’s a few guys when they know weather is on the way they are on call to get the job done.” When Roberts worked for the Birmingham Barons, the White Sox Double-A affiliate, he and the strength coach at the time, Shawn Powell, had a close relationship. Then in 2019, when Baylor was in Stillwater for what was supposed to be the final series in Allie P. Reynolds Stadium, it began to rain heavily. Roberts got an idea.

Hub Roberts has become an integral part of the OSU support staff.

He remembered when Powell would make Weather Channel parodies during rain delays during the Barons games. He thought he would make one for the OSU game and send it to Powell to say hello. Victor Romero, OSU Director of Baseball Operations, saw Roberts’ video and told him to put it on Twitter. It blew up. On May 18, the official first Hub Roberts weather report was tweeted, followed by three other reports until the game was officially canceled. The first weather report received 474 likes, and in total, all reports the first day had 636 likes on Twitter. The weather report had stuck into the minds of OSU baseball fans.

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A week later, Roberts found himself at Chickasaw Ballpark in Oklahoma City for the OSU NCAA Regional, and it was raining. “Typical weather in Oklahoma,” Roberts said. “We go to Oklahoma City the next weekend, and that whole regional I spent maybe 85% of my time at the ballpark. We had rain come in, and they cleared the field. I was like, ‘We have to do it. We’ve got to do it.’” Being in the visitor dugout, he had to show them. He showed a couple of Harvard players and a coach the previous videos. What they said next surprised Roberts. “They said they’d help us out,” Roberts said. “Those ones

from Bricktown I had other teams in the middle of my shenanigans.” However, not all of Roberts’ job has been shenanigans. He has had the opportunity to grow close to coach Josh Holliday in his four years at OSU. He has also grown close to Matt Holliday, Josh’s brother and OSU volunteer coach. He said if he ever needed anything, being 11 hours from home, he could trust either of them to help. “Josh kind of took me under his wing my first year and a half,” Roberts said. “Josh and I, it’s a unique relationship. There’s days when we’re bantering with each other. I can’t thank him enough for the opportunities he’s given me.” Josh said he appreciates what Roberts has done for the program, and their relationship is unique, and he can always count on him for a laugh — or two. “Hub’s one of a kind,” Josh said. “He has a place amongst the group. We’ve sure shared some fun moments together, and just like your players, you have to appreciate everyone involved in your program, and he is certainly one of those guys.” With Roberts’ time at OSU beginning to wind down and he prepares to earn his OSU Masters’ degree in Leisure Studies, he doesn’t know where his next step will lead him. He does know his time at OSU has been worth it, and if presented with an opportunity, he may stick around a little longer. He also said no matter what arises he will finish what he started, and remain with OSU through at least this season. “I love it here,” Roberts said. “I’m not afraid to take a jump. I took a jump four years ago coming here and not knowing much. It’s worked out great for me, some of the best times of my life come from my time in Stillwater.” Reflecting back, he would’ve never imagined what OSU baseball brought to him. “Looking back, if you would have told me, coming out of high school that this would be it, I wouldn’t have believed it,” Roberts said. “It’s really unreal how everything happened.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

Page 4B Friday, April 30, 2021

sports

The perfect match Huddleston learns medical school destination Baylor Athletics The Cowboys cornerback room has become deep with the return of seniors and incoming freshmen.

Cornerback... Continued from pg. 2B The live 11on-11 work this spring has helped his progress. “(The roster size is) why I’m so encouraged, because we haven’t had that luxury here in my other 16 years, because we didn’t have enough players to get the (third-strings) work 11-on-11,” Gundy said. “They worked a lot individually and they worked a lot in 7-on-7, but that’s just like (playing) horse in basketball. “You may be really good at horse, but you’re probably not as good at 5-on5 and 1-on-1. And so those guys are getting really quality work and those young guys are making mistakes and getting corrected.” Freshman early-enrollee Lyrik Rawls heard his name several times Saturday during the OSU spring game. Before the game

Gundy said Rawls, like most other freshmen, was still trying to get his footing within the program. “He’s just trying to figure out what to do, but he does run and make plays,” Gundy said. With the No. 1 corner spot up for grabs, and the rest of the spots also up for grabs, the position battle is ramping up. Holmes is ready for the challenge going forward, and can see the bright future of the position. “Defensively, I feel like we did a great job,” Holmes said. “Seeing the young guys come in, especially the freshman who enrolled early, playing fast. I’d say both (orange and black) did a fine job. I’ve seen more over the spring from the young guys, especially in the corner room. It’s becoming a real deep battle.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

Gail... Continued from pg. 1B trained horses and I grew up doing it,” Brayman said. “I think it’s the way for a lot of girls on the team.” Brayman said her mother has a sale barn in Rhode Island and is the equestrian coach at the University of Rhode Island. Brayman said she chose not to compete for Rhode Island’s equestrian team because it competes in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, making it is more of a club sport. Her father manages and announces horse shows. When Brayman was 15, she became a working student at North Run Farm in Vermont. Her older sister, Madison, had worked at the same farm, setting up an opportunity to be a rider at a Division I school. “Madison went to New Mexico State and then transferred to South Carolina,” Brayman said. “I basically just followed in my sister’s footsteps and took the path she did.” Brayman said her experience at the farm was similar to her sister. “I rode my whole life, but when I went (to North Run) it was completely different,” Brayman said. “(The trainers) took things so much more seriously, and I think I learned so much about the basics and really just how to be good. I think they’re the main reason I’m the rider that I am today.” In high school, Brayman lived in Wellington, Florida, from November to April, competing in equestrian circuits. She said she lived on her own those six months. Her parents would drive her down to help move, then fly back the next day. Brayman attended school online living in Florida. Teammate Katie Schell, who also competing in Florida as a high schooler, said keeping grades up was important. “I knew how important it was for me to work to try to get on an equestrian team,” Schell said. “I knew that coaches would go to shows like that to see Abigail and myself ride. I knew that if I didn’t keep my grades up and keep myself in order my parents wouldn’t allow me to stay and keep showing.” Brayman agreed. Brayman had a personal trainer in Florida because all equestrian events were competed individually. Brayman said she met Schell in Florida. “I knew of Katie but we weren’t

After applying to numerous schools, Huddleston is accepted into medical school at Texas Tech.

Jacob Sturm Staff Reporter As senior midfielder Camy Huddleston hopped on the Oklahoma State women’s soccer team’s bus ahead of the team’s journey to St. Louis, she had a more imminent matchday to think about. The medical school match results arrived at about 8 a.m., during the Cowgirls commute to St. Louis for a weekend battle with the St. Louis Billikens. Huddleston’s results couldn’t have been better. Texas Tech School of Medicine matched with her, opening a potential way to return to the Cowgirls for the fall season. Texas Tech

really friends until we (came to OSU),” Brayman said. “You stick with the people you ride with and work with because you spend so much time with them.” Brayman said being from Rhode Island she never expected to attend OSU. She said she found questionnaires on team websites and filled them out to see her best fit. “From the second I got here, the people were different,” Brayman said. “Everyone was nicer, and it felt like a family. I really wanted to be a part of that.” The equestrian team has become Brayman’s second family. Brayman has a vital role in the “family” as a captain.

provided a likely chance of a deferral option, where Huddleston could return to OSU to complete her Chemistry minor and compete on the soccer team, before starting medical school in 2022. “I already knew I was getting into medical school, so it really wasn’t nervewracking,” Huddleston said. “It’s just whether I was going to Tech or whether I was going somewhere else.” That place could have been UT-Galveston, who offered Huddleston a pre-match acceptance. She took the offer into matchday, before matching with her preferred option. When applying for medical schools, Huddleston focused on universities inside Texas state lines. In Texas, 90% of the medical school applicants must be in-state residents to get state funding. Meeting that criteria, Huddleston’s chances of being accepted increased.

together has really helped the team for the past two years,” Atkins said. “If you ask the girls, they say this is the most team-like they’ve felt.” Brayman said she agrees. “I try not to speak unless it’s something people need to hear because if you say too much people don’t really listen to you,” Brayman said. “I like to lead through my actions rather than my words.” Brayman is reserved inside the arena, but Huff said Brayman is outgoing outside of practice and competition. Huff said she has been friends with Brayman since freshman year. “We’re not that close this year, just because of COVID stuff,” Huff said. “In the years past, we’ve hung

Brayman is a captain on the equestrian team and is described as a silent leader.

The equestrian team has four captains, one for each discipline. Brayman has been captain since her junior year. Brayman is a hunt seat captain, focusing on the fences discipline. Atkins is the other, focusing on the flats discipline. Atkins said her and Brayman’s leadership styles work well together. “She is a little more reserved than I am, so when she speaks she knows what she wants to say,” Atkins said. “I just blurt and use a lot of words.” Atkins said it’s difficult to make an individual sport a team sport. She said she spends time getting teammates to buy into the team culture. Brayman’s leadership helps achieve team unification. Atkins said she has become close with Brayman the past two years. “I feel like Abigail is very smart with her words and how she talks to people and I feel like our dynamic

OSU Athletics

Alicia Young

She interviewed with a myriad of Texas schools, ranking them from her highest to lowest preference, while the schools rank the applicants. Matchday pairs the highest preference to the highest applicant. On top of the potential for a deferral, Texas Tech made a good impression on Huddleston’s virtual interview. “They were the most laid back, and they were the most family-oriented,” Huddleston said. “And so, family is a big thing for me. I’m one of seven kids. I’m very family oriented, so they were very accommodating toward different challenges that come in life.” “I also fell in love with them because of their staff,” Huddleston said. “They were super receptive to everything. They were super nice. They reached out afterward, made sure everything went OK.” See Perfect on pg. 5B

minutes after practice to prepare and clean the horses. Practice lasts three hours. For Brayman and Schell who have two disciplines, they attend two practices a day. Brayman said it feels as if she lives at the training center. She said balancing everything was a challenge in the beginning. “I get really relaxed with my academics,” Brayman said. “I think it’s because my GPA has to be high for team purposes. I think it has actually made me apply myself to my school. I think that’s a big help.” Brayman finds time to volunteer with the busy schedule. In high school, Brayman held an annual coat drive in Providence, Rhode Island. “I’ve always wanted to help people,” Brayman said. “I went to school in Providence and there’s a lot of homeless people and it gets really cold. I took the public bus to school every day,and I would be around those people walking to school every day and it kind of started to sink in that if I could help them in any way I should.” Brayman said she hosted the coat drive for three years. She collected more than 100 coats each year. Brayman said she hasn’t had the coat drive at OSU, but she does volunteer work with the team instead. The equestrian team works with Turning Point, a ranch in Stillwater using horses to assist people with physical, mental or emotional challenges. Brayman graduates this semester and is going to apply to graduate school at OSU to earn her MBA. She said she would like to be the graduate assistant for the equestrian team next year. Brayman, a sports media major, said she wants to add a business aspect to her degree. “I’m not very good with the camera work,” Brayman said. “Adobe isn’t for me.” Schell said Brayman is a great person and better teamate. “Every day she inspires me to be a better teammate,” Schell said. “That’s entirely through her own actions and what she does through doing and not saying.” Coach Larry Sanchez said Brayman has shown tremendous growth. “She understood what it was to be a good teammate,” Sanchez said. “What it is to be a captain. She knows how to apply herself to be the best team member she can be.”

out outside of the team a little bit so I’ve seen a different side of her. I think once you are a little closer to her she is a little more outgoing.” Balancing equestrian and academics is difficult. Brayman said she wakes up at 5 a.m. for either workouts or practice every day. Schell said she and Brayman spend about five hours a day at the training center. Brayman said it’s necessary to practice often to compete with other schools. Brayman said the team will do switch practices on certain days. Switch practices mean riders won’t spend the duration of practice on the same horse. This makes practices longer. “We get out of the facilities at noon on Monday, Wednesday and Friday because we have morning practice,” Brayman said. “Then around 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday when we have afternoon practice.” Schell said riders arrive 45 sports.ed@ocolly.com minutes before practice and stay 45

sports Perfect... Continued from pg. 4B That, combined with the potential flexibility, warranted the top ranking on Huddleston’s Texas match list. OSU success Huddleston has been a key cog in the Cowgirls lineup since arriving on campus. In four years, she has produced six goals and seven assists. Huddleston, a senior helped the Cowgirls win two Big 12 regular season championships in her career, including scoring a 74th minute goal against Baylor to clinch the 2019 regular season title. OSU junior Grace Yochum recognized Huddleston’s effort during their shared time in the Cowgirls’ program. “Just the way she plays and the way she fights, it’s unlike any other player that I have ever played with,” Yochum said. “And I love playing with her.” Huddleston’s spring season ended after the match against the Billikens. She suffered an injury, potentially ending her Cowgirls career, days after learning her medical school match. Interest turned decision The idea of working in the medical field began manifesting in Huddleston’s childhood. As a young kid, she carried the family’s first-aid kit when her father and five older siblings baled hay on their ranch. The experience initially piqued her interest in medicine, leading her toward a fascination in becoming a physician. Then, an eighth-grade Spanish project required Huddleston to talk to someone in a profession she found interesting. Huddleston said being a physician had been on her

mind, prompting her to reach out to the family’s pediatrician, Dr. Tom Rogers, to talk about his daily life. “I told him about my project and he asked about my school and how athletics were going,” Huddleston said. “And so, he gave my mom his home number so that way I could call him on his personal time and ask him questions. So, that was a big thing for me.” Beforehand, Huddleston had been weighing her options between becoming a physician and a lawyer. Her parents were lawyers, giving Huddleston a reason to teeter between the two ideas. After her conversation with Rogers, Huddleston narrowed in on the medical field. “That’s whenever I solidified the plan,” Huddleston said. “I was like, ‘that’s what I’m going to do.’” Friends and foes Growing up playing sports, Huddleston made friends with current OSU teammate Hannah Webb when they were about in sixth grade. Webb and Hud-

“We didn’t have the opportunity to grow up in the same city or anything, but soccer and sports were what bonded us,” Webb said. Once high school started, Webb and Huddleston’s time as club-level teammates finished. Their schools faced each other, adding friendly competition to the local matches. “Those were some of the most challenging,” Webb said. “They were definitely our rival team. Very challenging, very gritty. Man, I don’t know (who won more games), there were some tied games. They won some, we won some. It was back and forth. Those were definitely some of the most fun games.” In those competitive settings, the enjoyment didn’t falter. The former teammates played on opposite sides of the field, providing limited opportunities to interact. “We never really interacted much, but it would always be those random moments where we’d, like, look at each other and make eyecontact and kind of laugh,”

OSU Athletics Huddleston continues supporting the Cowgirls after suffering her season-ending injury.

dleston played on the same club soccer team in the Lake Highland division, despite living an hour apart. The two also played together in basketball, where Huddleston earned all-district, all-county and all-region honors.

Webb said. Eventually, the recruitment started gaining traction. OSU coach Colin Carmichael reached out, starting the recruitment into the OSU program. Carmichael said he talks to each recruit about

OSU Athletics Huddleston turns a chance at an OSU soccer career into a four-year success.

what they want to do and major in. Huddleston isn’t the first player interested in medical school to come through the Cowgirls soccer program. Carmichael is no stranger to athletes in his program going into medicine. “We’ve had quite a few different kids do it,” Carmichael said. “Probably different areas of medicine, but we’ve had some kids go into physical therapy. We’ve had physicians’ assistants. We’ve had ones that want to go on to be medical doctors.” Huddleston chose OSU over Baylor, Arkansas, TCU, UCLA, Kansas, USC, San Diego State and Missouri. Once she made the decision, the task shifted toward bringing Webb to Stillwater. “My real motivation behind looking into OSU was Camy,” Webb said. “She had committed there and I reached out to her. And she was like, ‘Hey, you should really look into OSU.’ And I was like, ‘OSU? OK.’” Four years as OSU teammates later, after learning her fate on the bus ride, Huddleston didn’t gloat about her accomplishment. Most of the team didn’t even hear the news from her.

Instead she told Webb, who had been sitting next to her during the trip. Then, Webb made the announcement. “I kind of kept it to myself, like my pre-match acceptances,” Huddleston said. “I’m not one of those people that just tells everybody everything. And whenever I found out where I matched, I didn’t even (tell them).” The Cowgirls’ elation filled the bus. OSU freshman Kionna Simon remembered the team cheering, yelling and clapping once the news got out. Although the match happened off the field, its success compares well to the Cowgirls soccer matchups. With her next destination determined, Huddleston will use her soccer experiences as she paves her path. “I’m expecting it to be challenging academically,” Huddleston said. “And thanks to soccer and already learning how to balance different things in my life, I think that’ll definitely help me a lot as I pursue my medical education.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

OSU’s biggest challenge Win and repeat Sam Hutchens Staff Reporter Coach Kenny Gajewski knows exactly what record he wants his team to have during Oklahoma State’s upcoming six-game stretch, its toughest yet. 1-0. One game, after all, is all his team can win at any one moment. “We try to remind our kids to focus on today,” Gajewski said. “Every day is the most important day. Last night was the most important game of the year. We didn’t win. Today is the most important practice of the whole year. That’s the way we’re taking this.” That game-by-game mentality adopted by No. 11 OSU has led to remarkable success.

The Cowgirls are 36-6, ranked in the top 15 by every major poll and are contenders for the Big 12 title. OSU has played almost 90% of it’s regular season schedule. The final stretch, however, will be the toughest. Three games against

Coach Kenny Gajewski emphasized the importance of taking the final stretch of games one day at a time.

to get to.” The teams standing in OSU’s way also probably expect to win every game they play. The collision course between the Cowgirls and their highprofile opponents could tempt OSU to become

next 2 April 30 - May 2 @ texas may 7 - may 9 vs. oklahoma No. 7 Texas. Three games against No. 1 Oklahoma. “We’ve put ourselves in a good spot,” Gajewski said. “We’re a game behind the leader in the conference…I think we’ve gotten to a point here at OSU where we expect to win every game we go play. It hasn’t always been like that. But it’s what we’ve worked really hard

unfocused, or be thinking about the implications of the two series during Friday night’s first pitch in Austin, Texas. “We need to be 1-0 after Friday night,” Gajewski said. “It’s what we’ve got to be and that’s what we’re playing for. We need to take this one day at a time.” Gajewski said the only difference between

the regular season games his team has found such success in and the duels with Texas and Oklahoma is the speed of the game. “Everything gets a little faster,” Gajewski said. “Who can manage that, who stays normal. (Those are) the teams that win these games.” For some Cowgirls, staying level-headed during the big games upcoming will boil down to having a short memory when something goes badly. “Things are going to happen,” senior third baseman Sydney Pennington said. “We’ve just got to be able to have a really short memory. Have an ability to move on to the next play or next at bat.” Mistakes made in blowouts are one thing, but mentally getting over errors or poor at-bats against the Sooners or Longhorns will be more difficult for OSU. The feeling of booting a ball may be the

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same, but moving on and focusing on the next ball will be more difficult when the lights are brightest. “I think it’s the same feeling,” Pennington said. “But I think it means a little bit more. It’s a little bit harder to get past in these tougher games because I don’t see these games being blowouts by any means.” While OSU has had an impressive season thus far, Gajewski said resting on their laurels will do his team no good. The next six games present a huge opportunity for OSU. To take full advantage, the Cowgirls will need to go 1-0 six times. “We’ve had a nice year, but we’ve been doing this for the last four or five years,” Gajewski said. “We put ourselves in great spots. This is where the crossroads meet. We need to play very well on Friday night against Texas.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

Page 6B Friday, April 30, 2021

sports

Orange jewelry OSU’s shimmering home run chain Dean Ruhl Staff Reporter Third baseman Sydney Pennington touched home plate, and was greeted by her teammates at the dugout entrance. She lowered her head, and an oversized orange chain was draped over her neck. A large Oklahoma State logo hung as a pendant from the necklace. This is OSU’s home run chain. There aren’t many rules to the chain. To earn the chain, all someone must do is hit the ball over the outfield fence. The chain belongs to whoever hit the most recent home run, until a teammate hits one. “It is really cool because if someone hits a home run, the first thing is ‘where’s the chain?’” Pennington said. “Everyone scatters trying to find the chain.” Coach Kenny Gajewski said they introduced the chain several years ago, after assistant coach Jeff Cottrill was inspired while watching a Miami Hurricanes football game. The Hurricanes introduced a “turnover chain”

OSU’s oversized home run chain has been a staple in the dugout for several years.

during the 2017 season, an idea OSU quickly adapted into a home run chain. Gajewski said the Cowgirls were the first softball team to begin the tradition, which has quickly spread

to other teams. “We are a copycat society, we copy things, they copy things and it kind of cool to know that started here,” Gajewski said. Pennington said

OSU Athletics

with current COVID rules, OSU cannot huddle around home plate like they would in previous seasons. She said she doesn’t mind this, because it makes for better photos and videos of team-

mates wearing the chain. Catcher Reagan Wright said she enjoys the home run chain and compared it to passing the bat. “If one girl hits, you want to pass the bat to the next girl and let her hit,” Wright said. “So one home run, you get to keep it for a while and celebrate your home run but then you’re ready to give it off to the next person because everyone wants to go yard and hit one out.” Pennington said the chain is not something teammates think about when they are in the batter’s box. She said it adds extra motivation to at-bats but doesn’t affect anyone’s performance when batting. The home run chain doesn’t have a nickname, but Pennington said it is something the team will have to talk about. The chain was recently updated. In 2021, the pendant on the chain was replaced with the Mizuno logo, the company OSU uses for bats and gloves. Gajewski said Mizuno is probably happy with the brand recognition they receive from the chain. “It is really cool once you cross home plate to have someone waiting for you to give you the chain,” Pennington said. “It is definitely something cool to look forward to.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

FOR RELEASE APRIL 30, 2021

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By Gary Larson

4/30/21

4 Memo abbr. 5 Western wolf 6 Small amounts 7 Like some kitchens 8 MLB scoreboard letters 9 “Not possible”

11 Listlessness 12 Hoppy lager 13 Wily 18 Tennis units 21 Hogwarts mail carrier 22 Short cut 23 “__ thoughts?” 25 Is the first act 66 Drink to 26 2000 Gere title role “__ Frome” 28 2019 Uber 68 Soap-making landmark, briefly supply 29 Fish in unadon 33 Words of DOWN wisdom 1 TV ET 34 CBS forensic 2 1970 #1 hit with series the line “What is it 36 Reflective good for?” gemstones 37 Swiss peak 3 One of a “Star 38 Kind of green Wars” race with 39 Yellowfin tuna its own -pedia

Daily Horoscope

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4/30/21

50 Staff leader? 52 Letter-shaped opening 53 Silence 57 Voyaging 58 Top medieval chief of staff Tatar 44 Walletful 45 Put the kibosh on 59 Clock-setting std. 47 Common start of 60 Pop duo __ & Him a bumper sticker 61 Thumbs-down slogan 62 Hip-hop Dr. 48 Outlaw Kelly 40 Highest-pitched woodwind 41 Resistance to change

Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency Linda Black Horoscopes Today’s Birthday (04/30/21). Savor a career surge this year. Win professional priz-

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Changes at a higher level can affect you professionally. Don’t get pushy; it would only harden opposition. Imagine success, articulate your vision and proceed accordingly. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — A breakdown can be especially educational. You learn more from failure than success. Slow to assess. Research and explore. Take advantage of a surprising discovery.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is an 8 — Talk gets farther than action with your partner. Express your love and creativity for surprising results. Collaboration generates ideas, possibilities and opportunities. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 7 — Prioritize health, energy and safety. Don’t push against a brick wall. Find alternate solutions to a physical challenge. Test your intuition by researching the data. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Take it easy. Don’t sweat delays. Adapt around an obstacle. Romance and fun arise in conversation. Talk about what you love. Relax with someone sweet. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 7 — Stay home instead of going out. Handle practical chores and duties. Domestic upgrades support your family. Talk about the results you’d like. Discover unorthodox solutions. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 7 — You’re clever and creative. Blocked communications could slow the action. Wait for better conditions to share. Find new connections. Make a delightful discovery. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — Find creative ways to adapt resources you need. Unexpected solutions arise in conversation. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Resolve challenges before launching a personal project. A barrier blocks the path. Talk gets farther than action. Get feedback from experienced friends. New opportunities arise. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 7 — Lay low and savor private alone time. Avoid travel, risk or noise. Savor personal introspection, curious inquiries and good stories. Discover hidden treasure. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 9 — Adapt around social barriers. Participate with groups and teams in innovative ways. Breakdowns lead to breakthroughs. Collaborative solutions spark in connection. Help articulate community dreams.

4/30/21 Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk

Page 8B Friday, April 30, 2021