Friday, May 7, 2021

Friday, May 7, 2021

graduation edition

Red dirt retirement Hargis’ historic presidency comes to an end after 13 years

Courtesy of Jenifer Lopez Despite graduating last year, Jenifer Lopez is returning to OSU this weekend for the graduation ceremony.

For real this time 2020 grads return to graduation After 13 years, Burns Hargis announced his retirement, effective July 1, and is current wrapping up his time at OSU.

Maddison Farris News Editor After serving four presidents, Deb Lane’s experience told her that Burns Hargis would not be a good fit for the job in 2007.

“So I knew of him,

and I said, I don’t think it’ll work. He’s not from academia, he doesn’t understand the system. He’s just a businessman.

“And I very, very quickly realized how wrong I was.”

In October, 2020, the 18th president of OSU announced his retirement, effective July 1.

While he may be moving on, the impact Hargis has had on OSU will last more than a lifetime, and the shoes he is leaving

behind will be hard to fill.

Lane, who is also retiring this summer, considers Hargis the best of all the presidents she has worked for, and has found him to be a great source of stability throughout the course of their work together.

“I don’t think we could have had a better president,” Lane said. “His calmness and thoroughness and thoughtfulness, I think,

Joshua Cleary

has helped not only me personally, but the university as a whole, the campus community.”

Over a decade of commitment leaves mixed emotions as Oklahoma State University President Burns Hargis waves goodbye to the people he has spent the last 13 years getting to know, cherish and love.

“It’s bittersweet,” Hargis said. “It’s, you See Red on pg. 2A

America’s brightest give orange Record breaking $1.2 million raised in 1,890 minutes

By Anna Pope Staff Reporter Haley Crenshaw technically graduated from OSU in July 2020 with a degree in animal biotechnology.

But when she makes the trip from Houston, Texas, to OSU’s graduation this weekend, she’s not coming as a spectator.

She’s finally making her trip across the stage.

“I just felt like I was owed it, you know?” Crenshaw said.

Crenshaw is one of many OSU graduating seniors from the spring 2020 and fall 2020 semesters that did not get to have an in-person graduation ceremony. Some students will not return to be a part of the ceremony, but many are going to great lengths to be recognized for graduating.

Another student coming from out of the state is Hanna Hampton, who graduated in May of 2020 with a degree in economics with a focus pre-law.

She will be driving over seven hours from San Antonio, Texas, to walk.

Hampton said getting a degree is a representation of the invaluable source of education, She said her education is something she will be able to rely on and said graduation is to not only honor her accomplishments but honors the people who matter most to her.

See Real on pg. 3A

Courtesy of OSU News In 2018, the Give Orange event had raised $610,277. Three years later the event raised nearly twice that number in the same 1,890 minutes.

By Amelia Jauregui est Orange. Different programs and units on Staff Reporter In just 1,890 minutes, the OSU community raised over $1.2 million toward the fourth annual Give Orange event.

Give Orange is a fundraiser in which the cowboy community can come together to support the university and all things America’s Bright-

campus share how OSU is changing lives and how any financial support will go right back into the cowboy community.

Why 1,890 minutes? Oklahoma State was founded in 1890 with the help of four families who donated 200 acres of land to build the university.

OSU is built on donations, and Give Orange

is a way to continue that tradition.

Amanda Davis, associate vice president of Annual Giving and University Programs, shared that Days of Giving are becoming increasingly more common throughout universities all across the country. For OSU specifically, there has been three years of experience with Give Orange, as well as a better understanding of digital outreach, especially due

to the pandemic.

“Because of the pandemic we’re all a lot more accustomed to participating in big digital moments, and days of giving are largely digital,” Davis said. “I think also as a result of the pandemic and the difficulty it’s caused for everyone, everybody is just really eager to participate in fun and positive moments.”

See America’s on pg. 5A

Visualizing Femme Highlighting women artists and examining the feminized subject within the Gardiner Art Gallery’s permanent collection.

Curated by Art History MA Candidates Jacie Earwood and Macy Jennings Image: Anita Jung, Sending: The Legend of Iris #7, 1991 (detail)

eighth 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.

See on pg. 4A

Opens May 10

gardinergalleryofart 108 Bartlett Center for the Visual Arts For more information about this exhibition and the gallery please visit art.okstate.edu/gardiner-gallery or contact us by email at gardinergallery@okstate.edu

Page 2A Friday, May 7, 2021

news The grass is greener

Red...

Continued from pg. 1A know, when you go to college, you don’t know exactly what to expect.

I mean, you sort of know, and that’s why retirement is.”

Burns and his wife, Ann, have poured their hearts into serving the cowboy community since 2008, and most would say they never failed to bring on an atmosphere of positivity and progress to the school’s campus.

Ann rode shotgun anywhere that Burns went. Their time here was a team effort, and she sees him as a perfect fit for the university.

“Burns is a visionary with the ability to attract the people to execute his vision,” Ann said. “Not only does he attract the right people but he also creates the enthusiasm to accomplish the task. P.S., he is very, very funny!”

Over the past 13 years, OSU has seen exponential growth in fundraising, campus development and revamping of the college grounds. From his wife, Ann, advocating for a healthier campus, and Burns spurring appreciation for the arts, OSU has grown significantly during this run.

Throughout his tenure, Hargis raised over $2.2 billion in private support and recruited more than 80,000 new donors. His $1 billion branding success campaign reached its goal almost two years earlier than expected.

The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts and the Spears School of Business fall among the impressive buildings that have been added to campus during his tenure.

With so much time poured into the university, the opportunities for Hargis to meet and work with influential people were endless.

One of those: former member of the Oklahoma State University Board of Regents, Lou Watkins. She served on the board with Burns before he decided to run for the school’s presidency, and even had a hand in encouraging him to apply.

“I have known for many, many years of the kind of person he is,” Watkins said. “He has such strong, wonderful leadership skills. And he’s smart.

He cares about people. He’s a problem solver. And I’ve known that since he ran for governor in 1990.”

Maddison Farris News Editor Among the many achievements that OSU has acquired in the past 13 years, a personal favorite of President Burns Hargis’ is the sprinkler system.

When asked what his proudest achievement during his time at OSU was, Hargis was happy to share the feeling of accomplishment that came after installing a sprinkler system in the campus grounds.

“People laugh when I say this, but it was putting in a sprinkler system,” Hargis said. “We didn’t have a sprinkler system. It’s unbelievable! We’re an ag school and people were dragging hoses around on the grounds.”

With prior experience in agriculture and landscaping, Hargis rallied his troops and got the job done.

“I worked at a nursery in highschool and I put in yards and I know what you’ve got to do for that so it was kind of difficult to get them to get after this, but we finally did… You can’t have anything in Oklahoma without a sprinkler system,” Hargis said. news.ed@ocolly.com

Editorial board

File photo Burns and his wife Ann plan to continue to stay involved with OSU in various ways in the future.

It’s not goodbye, just see you later.

but few were found worthy to to even be compared to the qualifications and zeal for the school that Burns brought to the table.

“I think that he was so right for the position that even though we had tremendous respect for others who applied, there just wasn’t much question that he loved OSU and it was apparent then,” Watkins said.

Hargis jumped straight into the position, ready to meet all of the new people and give OSU the name-recognition it deserved.

Rick Davis, current chairman of the board of regents, recalled the work Hargis has done for the educational and agricultural quality of the campus.

“In the library lawn, for example,

there was no sprinkler system, it was dirt,” Davis said. “There was nothing there but dirt. Because it was the time of the year where it was needing water.

“One of the first things he says is, ‘We’re gonna make this place look great.’”

The lawn is now green, lush and decorated with thriving gardens, topped with seasonal installments of shrubs trimmed into cowboy boots and hats.

Davis said he’s found Hargis to be a strong leader and level-headed administrator. His calm yet inspirational demeanor brings an important dynamic to the regular functions of college administration, and his humility made progress and forward movement so easily attainable.

While Hargis is sure to miss the people he works with, there’s one group he’ll miss the most.

“He told me that he was going to retire, he said, ‘Rick, it’s going to be difficult.’ I won’t say he got terribly emotional, but it’s tough,” Davis said.

“He said, ‘The thing I’m gonna miss the most is the students.’

“He says, ‘If you get down or you get tired.’ He said, ‘Walk out this door during class change. It’s like putting battery charger, it charges you back up.’”

Hargis said the students of OSU hold a special place in his heart.

“I actually had a president tell me, he said, ‘If you get frustrated and down, and you just need to get reawakened, wait til class time changes and go out and walk around campus,’” Hargis said.

“And I’ve done that a few times.

And really, it works. It really works.”

Students, and their feedback, have always been important to Hargis.

“I’m very proud of this,” Hargis said, “In 13 years I’ve never turned down a meeting with a student.”

A season of change faces students and faculty alike, including a transition to OSU’s newly appointed president, Kayse Shrum. Still, hope for the future remains high, in part due to Hargis’ work in leading the university ahead.

“You know, people used to say, ‘(He ranks) second to Henry G. Bennett.’ I’m not sure he’s second to Henry G. Bennett,” Watkins said.

“I’m not sure Burns isn’t the greatest leader that we’ve had at Oklahoma State University.” news.ed@ocolly.com

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

Watkins described the process and circumstances Hargis faced in light of being a current board member at the time the position became available.

“He had resigned from the board in order to apply for the presidency,” Watkins said. “It actually was against the rules for anybody serving on the board of regents to be selected. And so he had to actually wait a little while before he, before we could put the blades in motion for him to go through the process because he was a member of the board of regents.”

So from the beginning Hargis had great support from those close to him as he chased the presidential position.

OSU conducted a national search,

Sports reporters: Chris Becker Jared A‘Latorre Kylie Austin Ryan Breeden Alex Callaway Adam Engel Joseph Fazio Ben Hutchens Sam Hutchens Gavin Pendergraff Dean Ruhl Molly Smith Jacob Sturm Marcus Trevino

Lifestyle writers: Maleeha Hameed Jonathan Harrington Amelia Jáuregui Ellen Slater Christopher Sneed

Photographers: Joshua Cleary Zachary Hunter Bryan Pizana Alicia Young

Designers: Annemarie Chaney Kayla Ballero Christian Van Curen Emily Weed

News reporters: Addie Duling Claire Hosterman Amelia Jáuregui Anna Pope Jared A‘Latorre Ellen Slater Robert Owens

News

2021 Spring commencement details: Stadium parking will be avaliable for graduates and attendants

OSU President Burns Hargis will be the speaker at this year’s graduation

Students will be seated on

Everyone entering the stadium will be subject to the OSU athletics clear bag policy

All gates will open one hour before each ceremony

All seating will be distanced, and attendants will be seated in groups of 4

Real...

Continued from pg. 1A

Courtesy of Hanna Hampton Hanna Hampton, a 2020 OSU alumna, is driving all the way from San Antonio to walk at OSU’s graduation.

“It’s closure, it’s a celebration, it’s a new beginning of the rest of your life,” Hampton said.

Hampton said she was upset because she opened her certificate in the mail and hung it up. That was it. Hampton said she does not know why graduation could not be delayed until August of 2020 and held in Boone Pickens, where graduation is scheduled to be this spring semester.

“I’m extremely excited to get to walk now,” Hampton said.

“I was very frustrated, although I do get the sense of responsibility of having to keep everyone and their families safe during COVID.” Hampton is not the only graduate from the 2020 spring

semester to return. Jenifer Lopez graduated in May of 2020 and received a degree in strategic communications. She is traveling from Moore, Oklahoma, to have her moment and experience closure.

“I had to make sure I was able to come back,” Lopez said.

Lopez said having the coronavirus pandemic block her from walking across the stage was hard but is incredibly thankful for the ability to come back and celebrate. Lopez said OSU holding an in-person graduation is just a testament to the vaccines and things like mask-wearing. Having the degree is an accomplishment, but Lopez said attending college is an asset.

“Not everyone gets the opportunity to go to college and I was really fortunate to and so to have this degree, I worked really hard for, it just means a lot,” Lopez said. news.ed@ocolly.com

Page 4A Friday, May 7, 2021

News

All about history Freeman Culver wants to preserve Greenwood’s buildings

Sudeep Tumma Sports Editor Freeman Culver just wanted to fix North Greenwood Avenue.

In 2019, when people started riding the trendy e-scooters down the uneven, broken down street, many of them were simply falling down.

So Culver, the president of Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, went to the city of Tulsa and asked to be a part of the “Improve Our Tulsa” program — a $639 million budget devoted to street and infrastructure. Culver was only asking for less than $500,000, but Tulsa claimed it didn’t have the cash to make that happen.

Then, the words “Black Lives Matter” were painted on the road, the city scrambled and said it was ready to fix the roads.

Those are the types of things Freeman has to deal with.

“Everybody wants to be the president of the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, but nobody wants to be the president of the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce,” Culver said. “I knew it would be a spotlight, but I didn’t know it would be so hot. Even when you’re doing the right thing, it’s hot.”

Freeman has to deal with so many challenges, his job is difficult, but his passion for preserving the history that is Greenwood is so important to him.

A big part of Freeman’s job revolves around fundraising — he raised $600,000 for the chamber this year.

But it’s all going toward preserving the

Kelly Kerr Freeman Culver, the president of Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, is looking to promote the district of Greenwood.

historic buildings in Greenwood. Because that’s what Freeman is all about.

“We want to be very historical because what happened down in Greenwood — good, bad or indifferent — that is American history,” Culver said. “Madam C.J. Walker,

Booker T. Washington, all these successful Black entrepreneurs settling in this area, that’s American history. The tragedy that lasted only 18 hours, it was a race riot/massacre, that became American history.”

There are only 10 buildings left in the commercial Greenwood area, which Freeman hopes to preserve as historical landmarks.

He envisions Greenwood as a historical site, but one that could be a destination site, similar to Eureka Springs in Arkansas or Beale Street in Memphis.

But the most important thing for Freeman is to keep those buildings from being bulldozed down.

“If that happens, it would just be a story,” Culver siad. “You won’t see the cultural landscape, you won’t be able to touch the bricks, it would just be a story. To be honest with you, I’m a freedom-loving person, and I’m not going to let that happen, we’re not going to let that happen.”

Freeman wants to preserve “Black Wall Street,” the area where those 10 buildings are left but said people won’t give him the benefit of the doubt.

He isn’t looking for any recognition or praise, he just wants them to let him do his thing.

And he’s gotten much support from people and/or organizations outside of Tulsa, but Freeman would love to have support in Tulsa.

“The main thing is getting the story out there and preserving the buildings,” Freeman said. “You keep the buildings intact and people can’t say it didn’t happen. The buildings are very important. We’ve got to keep the buildings. I’m going to be a drum major for that justice. We get the buildings, keep them intact, preserve the businesses down there and everybody will know that Black Wall Street was once here.” news.ed@ocolly.com

A Stillwater summer Joyce shares exciting plans for coming months

By Megan Cherry Staff Reporter

With the spring semester coming to an end, Stillwater residents are questioning what is next for the town and what plans are in place moving forward. Stillwater Mayor Will Joyce has quite a few plans on the calendar for the summer of 2021.

“There are a ton of events happening in town that can be viewed on the Visit Stillwater events calendar,” Mayor Joyce said. “In terms of City-sponsored events, we plan to host Boomer Blast–the 4th of July fireworks show–at Boomer Lake.”

The event at Boomer Lake is a free and all are welcome to join in on the fun. Weather permitting, it will take place on independence day.

Masks will not be required.

“The current mask ordinance expires on May 25. I do not anticipate that it will be extended. After it expires, private businesses and organizations are still free to have their own requirements regarding mask-wearing. We will also still encourage residents to follow public health advice and remain cautious about the spread of coronavirus,” Joyce said.

As the vaccine continues to become more and more available to the public, there will be more gatherings to attend. As of now, at least 37.1% of residents in Payne County have received their first dose of the vaccine, these numbers are expected to rise over the next few months.

“If people continue to get vaccinated and take simple precautions like washing their hands often, staying home if they have symptoms, and wearing a mask when in high-risk areas (like airports), I think fall in Stillwater will be awesome, like usual.” Joyce said. “With that said, we will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate action if there’s a risk that a resurgence of Covid might overwhelm our local health system or disrupt education at OSU or the public schools.”

Events will be posted on the Visit Stillwater events calendar and residents are urged to stay updated on locations and keep an eye out for new events. entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of Rachel Janway This summer is expected to reunite Stillwater with classic events, such as Boomer Blast, are making a comeback as coronavirus vaccines become more and more effective and available.

Lifestyle

What do I get mom?

A guide to last-minute gifts for Mother’s Day

By Natalie Leding Staff Reporter Aside from the basics of buying her flowers, chocolate and jewelry, there are hundreds of other things your mom will love that will be easy to get.

First off, it’s important to take into account how fast you can get a gift.

Shopping online is good for getting things in a time crunch.

Shopping locally is another way to browse without having to stress about getting something shipped in time.

Local stores that offer good trendy gifts for your mom include J. Cole Shoes, Pecks Lodge, Elizabeth’s, Rhinestone Cowgirl, Greige Goods, Wooden Nickel, Jo & Co, T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods.

Another thing to consider is, what your mom would want based

America’s...

Continued from pg. 1A However, as the growth of digital events has increased significantly in the past year, Davis doesn’t believe that there was a huge difference in their approach to the event.

“It’s just that we reached a level of critical mass that inspired all our partners on campus to really work harder than they ever have before,” Davis said. “That’s how we got to $1.2 million.”

The Foundation raised exactly $1,203,741, and it couldn’t have been done without some very generous donations from people in the OSU community.

“Shoutout to OSU Athletics, KOSU, the Alumni Association, the Student Foundation and student donors,” Davis said. “These are all groups that have always participated in some way with Give Orange, but they have really gone above and beyond this year.”

Amanda Davis also acknowledged the College of Education for having some of the best participation out of all the colleges on campus.

While there was much to be excited about on this successful 31 and a half hours of giving, Davis was easily able to pinpoint her favorite moment; a moment that included the iconic “voice of the cowboys” and a major breakthrough.

“We were fortunate through partnership with the athletics department to have Larry Reese record an announcement that we had broken the million-dollar mark, which was the first time that had ever happened in the history of Give Orange,” Davis said. “That announcement was played over the loudspeakers here in the foundation building and it was a really great moment of celebration.” entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

on her hobbies and interests. Here are gift examples based on what type of mom you have that you will be able to find at local stores and online.

For the sporty mom: First off, a yoga mat with its own holder is a great gift for the mom that stays active on the go.

To complement this accessory you might think of a baseball cap or new tennis shoes your mom might like.

Another popular gift among active women is athletic wear or “athleisure” such as a tennis skirt, leggings and biker shorts.

Additionally, your mom might be into supplements to support her daily dose of vitamins. If so, I would suggest looking into Vital Proteins.

Vital Proteins Beauty Collagen Peptides- $42

For the foodie mom: If she’s looking for her ways to cook, an air fryer is a perfect gift for her.

Or you could get her something to help keep her safe instead of using sharp knives like this avocado cutter. This is the one my mom got after she had an accident cutting into an avocado.

OXO Good Grips 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer$9.99

For the girly mom: You can never go wrong with a gift card for her to get her nails done or have a spa day.

Additionally, you could make her a basket full of self care items such as face masks, nail

polish, a foot peel mask and dry shampoo. To top it off, throw in a few filler items like her favorite candy and drink.

A must for the self-care basket is The Original MakeUp Eraser that’s great for sensitive skin.

The Original MakeUp Eraser$20

For the plantloving mom: If your mom is outside planting new flowers and crops to her garden she might need a new pair of gardening gloves to protect her hands.

Along with that, you could get her a new planter, watering can or a plant mister if she likes succulents.

MOAMI Plant Mister- $9.99

For the Oklahoma State University Mom: The Union bookstore has a lot of great options to look at and find the perfect OSU shirt or accessories she would like.

A must for game days is a pair of orange earrings your mom can wear to show her school spirit.

Local boutique Rhinestone Cowgirl sells OSU-themed Styrofoam cups that are the perfect addition to game days or supporting her love for OSU.

For the trendy mom: If your mom is always staying up to date on the latest fashion trends you could get her some stylish sneakers or sandals from J. Cole Shoes, across from The Hideaway.

Trendy moms often love cute

accessories they can add to staple items like new watch bands, a bandana to tie on her purse, new hair clips or a key ring bracelet.

Coolcos Key Ring Bracelet Wristlet- $10.96

For the busy mom: Helping her stay with her busy life is sure to impress her. Stationery items such as a planner and pens will help her complete daily tasks with ease.

Another way you could help her is by getting her a robot vacuum so she doesn’t have to worry about keeping the floor clean and instead spend time relaxing.

Additionally, wireless earbuds help busy moms multitask while being on the phone or listening to music.

Some more staple items that can help your busy mom’s life is a stainless steel tumbler and you could even find some stickers to give her so she can customize it and make it her own.

Lastly, if your mom is always on her computer an amazing gift would be to get her blue-lightblocking glasses that can protect her eyes and keep her from getting headaches.

Blue Light Blocking Glasses$16.98 There are a million things you could get your mom for Mother’s Day to make her feel loved and appreciated.

At the end of the day, she will love anything you get her because of the effort you put in. When in doubt, make her a gift basket full of her favorite things and a heartfelt note.

You can never go wrong with homemade gifts. entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Page 6A Friday, May 7, 2021

News

Joshua Cleary

For the students Organizations ready to see what new president will do for them, student body

By Anna Pope Staff Reporter Student-led organizations want to hit the ground running with newly designated Oklahoma State University President, Dr. Kayse Shrum.

There are over 500 student organizations registered on OSU’s CampusLink and even more that are not online. These groups represent a range of student academics, social involvement, religions and activism. Some student organizations work with the OSU President to serve as a voice for the student body and act on issues in the university.

Like Shrum, the incoming Student Government Association (SGA) President, Jack Edwards, and Vice President, Alex Bias, will be new to their positions next fall. In addition to transition-

ing back to a standard learning environment and hearing Shrum’s knowledge on the subject, Edwards said he would like to see a boost in overall student engagement.

“If we have to summarize our platform into one thing, it’s really making SGA an organization that serves students and not the other way around,” Edwards said.

To reach out to students, Bias said their administration is planning to give brochures to incoming freshmen and target older students to establish a sturdy connection with SGA. Bias said after meeting Shrum, she is eager to help in Shrum’s creation of a shared vision between students, faculty and staff.

In addition to being the new OSU President, Shrum is also the first female president of OSU. Destinee Adams, Director of OK State Stand United (OKSSU), said

this is a celebration of women and hopes to see more emphasis and aid in women’s organizations as well as diversity programs and organizations.

Next year, Adams said she hopes the new diversity program is still implemented under the office of the president because that was where the commitment was made to have a new diversity plan.

“Seeing the first steps and first initiatives the president’s office takes to implement the List of Emergencies on campus, I hope we actually see something,” Adams said. “Whether that be just a scholarship for a student or whether that be anything on our list, honestly.”

In addition to SGA Leadership and OKSSU, organizations like the Resident Hall Association (RHA) Eco-Representatives would like to draw attention to sustainability in OSU Housing

and Residential Life.

Hani Shwiyyat, vice president of sustainability for RHA and leader of RHA Eco-Representatives, said RHA serves as the representative body for over 5,000 on-campus residents and the Eco Representatives is made up of residents who want to help on-campus living become more environmentally friendly.

“In terms of sustainability, we (Eco-Representatives) would like to see President Shrum endorse OSU Sustainability and all of their efforts and use her platform to acknowledge the importance of sustainability at OSU,” Shwiyyat said.

Dr. Kayse Shrum will make a full transition into office this summer, as current OSU President, Burns Hargis, is set to retire July 1. entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

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Lifestyle

Did wellness days compensate?

Students evaluate the spring 2021 semester

By Natalie Leding Staff Reporter Now that spring semester 2021 has come to a close, students and faculty at Oklahoma State University are able to evaluate how wellness days affected them and the university.

On Dec. 17, 2020, President Burns Hargis released what he anticipated from the spring semester as well as introduced “wellness” days.

These days were meant for students to focus on mental health and have time off after finding out spring break was canceled.

This left many students and faculty members wondering what the spring semester would bring.

The Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies and professor in Mass Communications, Gina Noble, compared wellness days to spring break and said the two did not match up.

“I think they were beneficial but not as much as spring break is,” Noble said.

OSU campus organizations such as Student Affairs and the Department of Wellness planned events for students to participate in.

According to the Wellness Calendar, events were held such as group fitness classes and intramural lawn games where students could play mini-golf, Spikeball and Cornhole in front of the Colvin Center.

“These resources are here to help you live your healthiest life,” according to the Department of Wellness website.

Sophomore Garrett Meldrum said he loved seeing the activities happening on campus, and it gave him a sense of normalcy again.

“Noticing the little things going on around campus has given me

pexels.com Burnout was a popular issue for students in the spring 2021 semester. Wellness days sought to alleviate that issue, but its effectiveness is debated.

a better feeling of just the campus being alive again and providing students with that natural college life that is necessary for us students here on campus,” Meldrum said.

In addition to fitness-based activities, the Department of Wellness hosted events focused on mental health such as “Talk About it Tuesday.”

“I wish we could’ve helped

students more with mental health issues because I heard there were long waits to speak with someone,” Nobel said.

Some students enjoyed wellness days but didn’t think they accurately compensated for spring break.

“I really enjoyed the wellness days; it was really nice to have a break from school and a day all for myself,” Freshman Emily Youker

said. “One thing that I wish OSU did differently is have five wellness days instead of just three.”

Junior Gavin Stika agreed with Youker and said the five days would have better replaced a spring break.

Some students still went on a vacation to get away from college, for example, junior Trent Lutze.

“I still went on a little weekend trip with my buddies, just to get my mind off of school for a bit,” Lutze said.

While wellness days were meant to be “days off” according to Hargis and OSU News, Meldrum said it couldn’t happen because it was one day in the middle of the week.

“It is also hard to praise the university for coming up with this alternative because it doesn’t even make sense when homework and school are still going on during these days. It is a glorified snow day at its best,” Meldrum said.

On the other hand, Youker said she felt like wellness days did their job.

“I do think that the wellness days were effective in keeping students and faculty at OSU mentally healthy during the pandemic,” Youker said. “It provided days for everyone to just have a ‘me’ day and regroup themselves.”

Wellness days left many students unsatisfied because they felt like they needed more time off and a full week to mentally unwind.

With news that fall will be back to normal, students are hopeful that wellness days won’t be necessary.

“Students will find it comforting to go back to normal in the fall even without wellness days,” Stika said. entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Page 8A Friday, May 7, 2021

Friday, May 7, 2021

Udwadia leaves OSU, prepares for next step Jared A’Latorre Staff Reporter Jay Udwadia said farewell to Stillwater after nine years coaching the OSU men’s tennis team.

Udwadia’s decision comes from his absence of leave he took early in the 2021 season. He cited his reason to focus on his family for personal matters.

Udwadia will take the job as the director of tennis at North

Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village, Calif.

Westlake Village is 40 minutes away from UCLA. UCLA is where Udwadia takes daughter to see their eye doctor.

Udwadia was thankful to the people that gave him the opportunity to be the head coach at OSU. “I enjoyed my time at Oklahoma State and want to thank Mike Holder and everyone at OSU for their support,” Udwadia said. “It was a great experience, I’ll particularly miss my players, coworkers, fellow coaches and everyone and supported our program, especially Mike and Anne Greenwood.”

OSU Director of tennis and See Udwadia on pg. 3B

OSU Athletics Oklahoma State tennis coach Jay Udwadia departs from program permanently after a leave of absence earlier this year.

Win, rest, grind Cowgirls looking forward to NCAA Championships

Pitcher perfect “In my six years here, this is by far the best 1-2-3 punch that we’ve had,” Gajewski said. “Logan gets left off a lot of conversations and thoughts but really she’s performed very, very well and (she’s) somebody that we count on.”

Eberle and Maxwell pitch with different hands, and their signature pitches go in different directions, but the results are the same. Excellence.

Coach Kenny Gajewski pegs the duo as the most high-powered pitching staff he has ever taken into a series with the Sooners.

“It’s the best,” Gajewski said.

“Not even close …. These two kids have ace stuff. This is what it’s all about. I feel good. They need to be

The Cowgirls won the Big 12 Championship and it wasn’t close.

Now they turn toward rest and chasing the elusive national championship.

“We saw a lot of good golf from top to bottom, everyone contributed,” coach Greg Robertson said. “They put their feet on the accelerator from the get go, and never let up.”

The scoreboard shows OSU was the best in the Big 12 by a large margin, but it wasn’t always the case. Early in the season Baylor couldn’t be beat. The Lady Bears were the unanimous best team in the country, and won their first five tournaments of the season.

See Pitcher on pg. 4B

See Win on pg. 4B

This year’s Bedlam is different, as pitchers dominate conversations

Sam Hutchens Staff Reporter Reagan Wright remembers the first time she caught Carrie Eberle.

It’s hard to forget when you look a little silly.

“It was not pretty the first time I caught her because I really had never seen anyone throw a drop ball like that,” Wright said.

There is a similar tale played out in dozens of clips on Twitter

posted from the Cowgirl Softball account with the other OSU starter Kelly Maxwell.

The lefty starts a pitch belt high, but in a flash the pitch elevates.

Like climbing an invisible ramp, Maxwell’s rise ball generally leaves catchers triumphantly holding their arm in the air with a glove containing the softball that a helpless batter has harmlessly waved at.

OSU has it’s best pitching in years, something coaches, stats and fans can attest to. As Bedlam looms, another fact Cowgirls fans begrudgingly recognize is their team has not beaten Oklahoma since April 27, 2011. After a decade of defeats to the in-state Sooners, the 2021 Cowgirl’s possess a key ingredient to avenge recent history.

Chris Becker Staff Reporter

Cowboys desperate for win streak with season winding down BASEBALL NEXT 3 Chris Becker Staff Reporter It doesn’t get easier.

Oklahoma State dropped two of three to rival Oklahoma this past weekend, and injuries aren’t making it easy for the Cowboys moving forward.

Coach Josh Holliday and the Cowboys (25-14-1, 8-10) now have the task of a three game series against

May 7-9 at Kansas May 11 OU May 14-16 Baylor Kansas this weekend. The last time the Cowboys travelled to Lawrence, in 2019, they scored 27 runs in the first game of the series before dropping the next two.

The Cowboys weekend rotation has been stretched thin with injuries to pitchers Parker Scott and Justin Wrobleski. Both have been in the dugout, but no return plans have been made public.

OSU closer Brett Standlee stepped into the starting rotation, and made his second start of the season Sunday against Oklahoma, but was pulled due to a medical precaution according to ESPN. The Cowboys arrive in Lawrence losing seven of their last nine Big 12 games, but they do come in winning their most recent game in extra innings of a rivalry game.

The series against a struggling Kansas team couldn’t come at a better time.

Kansas has not won a Big 12 series this season and See Cowboys on pg. 3B The Cowboys look to bounce back despite injuries to key starters.

Joel Devick

Page 2B Friday, May 7, 2021

sports THE FIELD No.1 Oklahoma State No. 2 Illinois (Big 10 champion) No. 3 Auburn No. 4 SMU No. 5 Notre Dame No. 6 Alabama No. 7 Baylor

Chris Becker

Oklahoma State will host a NCAA regional for the first time since 2018.

Cowboys to host regional at Karsten Creek

Chris Becker Staff Reporter Oklahoma State men’s golf team will be the top seed, and host an NCAA Regional for a chance to play at the NCAA Championship.

The Cowboys, the No. 4 overall

seed, will be one of 13 teams in action on May 17-19 at Karsten Creek, one of the nation’s prestigious golf courses. The field is composed of five conference champions representing the Big 10, Southland, Colonial Athletic Association and Conference USA on top of eight other teams.

Big 12 rival Baylor will also take part in the Stillwater regional as the No. 7 seed.

OSU has won

its last four regional appearances, including 2016 when Karsten Creek hosted a regional. The last time an NCAA title event was held at Karsten Creek was the 2018 NCAA Championships, OSU also won. The Cowboys also lead the country in overall regional wins with 14.

OSU is one of three Big 12 schools to be the top seeds at its respective regionals.

Stillwater is one

of six regional sites.

The other sites this year are: No. 1 Oklahoma (Albuquerque), No. 2 Florida State (Tallahassee), No. 3 Clemson (Kingston Springs, Tennessee), No. 5 Texas (Noblesville, Indiana) Wake Forest (Cle Elum, Washington).

The Cowboys will enter the regional after capturing the Big 12 Championship on the final hole of the tournament. OSU defeated Oklahoma by one stroke after a

Texas triple-bogey.

It was the Cowboys fourth win of their season.

The Cowboys will have to finish inside the top five of the Stillwater regional to move on to the NCAA Championship May 28- June 2 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. Fans will be allowed at the event, and admission is free for all spectators.

No. 8 Sam Houston (Southland champion) No. 9 Little Rock No. 10 Ole Miss No. 11 Northwestern No. 12 College of Charleston (Colonial champion) No. 13 Middle Tennessee (C-USA champion)

Cowboys in the Walker Cup Labron Harris, Jr.-- 1963

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Dave Eichelberger--1965 Bob Dickson--1967 Danny Edwards--1973 Lindy Miller--1977 Philip Walton--1981, 1983 Willie Wood--1983 Scott Verplank--1985 Brian Montgomery--1987 Bob May--1991 Alan Bratton--1995

OSU Athletics

Austin Eckroat plans to travel to Florida to compete in the Walker Cup.

Eckroat attending Walker Cup Chris Becker Staff Reporter Austin Eckroat joins the long list of Oklahoma State golfers to compete in the Walker Cup in Juno Beach, Florida.

Eckroat, No. 11 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, will become the 21st different OSU golfer to compete in the prestigious event when he tees off

Saturday at Seminole Golf Club. Counting duplicates it will be the 27th time a Cowboy will compete in the match play event.

He is the first Cowboy since 2015 to make an appearance in the Walker Cup since Jordan Niebrugge in 2015.

“It means a lot to play for your country and being a Walker Cup player has a nice ring to it,” Eckroat said.

Eckroat is one of four Big 12 golfers that will be on the U.S. team at this year’s competition. Eckroat joins No. 2 Pierceson Coody (Texas), No. 14 Cole Hammer (Texas) and No. 16

Quade Cummings (Oklahoma). Hammer, Cummings and Eckroat have competed against each other for years, and have grown in their relationship, which included taking trips to Seminole to play practice rounds.

Cummings and Eckroat each got the call from the USGA while competing against each other at the Seminole Intercollegiate in February.

“We were both pumped to get in,” Eckroat said. “The first three get in on points, outside of that it’s a pick. You think you have a good chance but it’s up to somebody else. It wouldn’t surprise me if we get paired

together in at least one of the matches. It’s a really cool opportunity and we will both be pulling really heavy for each other.”

The competition falls into the end of Eckroat’s busy OSU schedule, but he welcomes the added event, and it happens to be in between the Big 12 Championship and NCAA Championship.

“I’ll be going about every week right through August,” Eckroat said.

“This is going to add another event into an already hectic schedule, but it’s going to be fun.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

Kris Cox--1995 Trip Kuehne --1995,2003, 2007 Edward Loar0--1999 Casey Wittenberg--2003 Rickie Fowler--2007, 2009 Jonathan Moore--2007 Morgan Hoffmann--2009 Peter Uihlein--2009, 2011 Jordan Niebrugge-2013, 2015 Austin Eckroat--2021

sports Cowboys...

Continued from pg. 1B comes in with a 4-11 conference record. Kansas has not played a Big 12 game since April 25, a 2-1 win against TCU. Instead they have played five nonconference games, two against Sacramento State and three against North Dakota State.

The Jayhawks lost three of those five games.

The Cowboys offense has been able to consistently find ways to get on base. However, the lineup isn’t injury free either and has rarely been this season. Star freshman utility Nolan McLean has been out of the lineup with a back injury, with no timetable

to see return either.

In the last three Big 12 series, No. 3 TCU, No. 6 Texas and Oklahoma, the Cowboys have had 12 or more hits in four of nine games, and less than five hits just once. In those nine games the Cowboys have racked up 87 hits and 46 runs. However, the Cowboys left 84 runners on base in the nine games.

The Cowboys have hopes for Omaha, but with the previous struggles, the Cowboys will need to find a way to get back to .500 in Big 12 play, as their RPI ranking, the main rankings used for NCAA Regionals, is slipping.

All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+. Friday’s game will be at 6 p.m, Saturday’s at 2 p.m. and Sunday’s will be at 1 p.m. sports.ed@ocolly.com

OSU Athletics Oklahoma State baseball hopes to turn its luck around in Lawrence, Kansas this weekend.

Udwadia...

Continued from pg. 1B Cowgirl tennis coach Chris Young knew the challenges that came up for Udwadia. Young said that Udwadia would be remembered for leading a team that was always nationally recognized.

“I think it’s the level of consistency that he had with the program, I think the guys were consistently a top-25 team in the country,” Young said. “I think he did a good job in recruiting and always having high level players here and the program just had a good consistent standard.”

During Udwadia’s time at OSU, nine players have been All-Americans, four singles players and six doubles pairs have reached All-Big 12 honors. Udwadia also collected his 200th win while acting as the head coach at OSU. Young shared his thoughts on being grateful to be in the same department as him.

“It was a lot of fun to be with him in the beginning and all the way throughout his tenure and to always know that they were always going to have a good solid program, that’s really important,” Young said.

Interim head coach Scoville ‘Sco’ Jenkins took over this season for Udwadia after his leave of absence. Jenkins explained what it’s like to be in a new position as the head coach compared to just being an assistant.

“I was playing with my son and I fell asleep on the floor for 30 minutes, I didn’t know where I was,” Jenkins said. “I’m getting hotels for everything, talking to multiple

kids every single day, I forgot to call a kid yesterday, I just forgot. It’s a lot more administrative work, but this is what I wanted so I can’t complain.”

The question to come: who’s next?

Young said while there’s a nationwide search, Jenkins will be considered as the permanent head coach because of the history and familiarity with the program. “(Jenkins) is going to get strong consideration, but there is going to be a search,” Young said. ”I think anytime that a change like this is made, it’s just good to evaluate all aspects of the program, and to make sure that everything is set moving forward. The good thing is he’s had this season kind of as an on-thejob audition for the position, so he definitely has an advantage over everyone else in the process.”

Young said the opportunity of being a head coach is very exciting, but also a giant leap going from an assistant to being in charge.

“It’s very exciting to have your first chance to lead a program and see what that’s all about but I think it’s a lot bigger jump from being the assistant to being the person in charge than people realize until you get in that role because there’s so many things that come across your desk, there’s so many things that you have to handle, because basically, every decision involves you,” Young said.

Udwadia will make an exit from Oklahoma State after coaching two matches in the 2021 season.

After the consistency of nine years coaching the squad, the next permanent head coach will have some big shoes to fill. sports.ed@ocolly.com

Page 4B Friday, May 7, 2021

sports Pitcher...

Continued from pg. 1B them. They don’t need to be anything else.”

Opposing batters see their statistics plummet against Eberle, a senior, and Maxwell, a sophomore. OSU see’s it’s winning percentage rise with either in the circle.

“It’s nice to have Carrie do what she does consistently game after game,” Gajewski said. “Kelly continues to marvel us with the way she’s improved here and just continues to throw the amount of innings that she does…I’m thankful we have both of them.”

Eberle has 18 wins on the season so far, and Maxwell has 14. Both have ERA’s under 1.20 and only a combined three losses.

The statistics are there, and the record speaks for itself.

This duo is special.

“They are two of the best in the country, as their numbers show,”Gajewski said.

Eberle transferred from Virginia Tech in 2020 after winning 2019 ACC Pitcher of the Year. Though she would once again have to earn her spot at a new school, the gamble paid off.

Eberle earned her spot as the primary pitcher and has, along with Maxwell, been a huge part of OSU’s success.

“In our game, pitching is the key,” Gajewski said. “Especially as you get into conference and the postseason, runs are at a premium. When you have kids like Carrie, Kelly and Logan that are getting the majority of our innings, you feel pretty good.”

Eberle and Maxwell threw the first combined-perfect game in OSU history on March 24 against North Texas. The pair did not allow any runners on base, and only one ball was hit out of the infield.

The two have made their mark on the Cowgirls record book. Now, they could be the ones to finally help OSU break

OSU Athletics

The Cowgirls look for their first win against Oklahoma since April 27, 2011

through and put a dent in OU’s almost imperfection-free season.

Historical, few teams and players do. The Sooners are a perennial powerhouse. This year, No. 1 OU is as good as ever, winning its first game 29-0 and going 40-1 on the season.

For a team like No. 9 OSU, however, a team in conversation to host a super-regional, go to the College World Series and potentially be the last team standing, it matters not what they do against North Texas. It matters what the Cowgirls can do against the best.

OU certainly fits the bill.

When OSU welcomes OU to Stillwater this weekend, much will be at stake. The Big 12 regular season title for one, and in-state pride for another.

The stellar pitching lineup OSU wields could be the weapon the Cowgirls need to end the

bedlam softball Friday - 6p.m. - ESPN+ Saturday - 5 p.m. ESPN Sunday - 11 a.m. ESPNU multi-year losing streak against their in-state rivals.

This year, OSU’s pitching is a strength. A strength which has propelled it to the top of the Big 12.

“I don’t know that there’s a better pitcher in the conference than Carrie,” Gajewski said.

I think she’s the cream of the crop. Then you start looking at Kelly and Logan, what they’ve done. Feel pretty good. Not taking away anything from anybody

Looking back Summarizing wild Cowgirls season

else. There’s some good pitchers over at OU and Texas and Baylor has some veterans, but I love ours. I’ll pick them any day.”

May 7th will be the first Bedlam softball game of the year. With the historically good pitching staff, the pieces could be coming together for OSU to beat OU — a win which would go a long way towards bringing a conference title to OSU, and a balance to the rivalry.

“I am going to make (Bedlam) a big deal,” Gajewski said.

“Because it is a big deal. Not just the fact that we’re playing for a Big 12 Championship. It’s a big deal because of what these girls have done. They have put themselves in this spot. “(OU) has something that we want. We’ve got to go get it.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

OSU Athletics After a Big 12 championship win, Oklahoma State anticipates the national stage.

Win...

Continued from pg. 1B

Coach Mike Gundy expects Oklahoma State to carry momentum from spring practice into summer workouts.

Ben Hutchens Staff Reporter It is only fitting the 2020 season began with a COVID-19 cancelation.

The Oklahoma State soccer team finished a season unlike one any of the players will ever again experience.

Stretching from early September to early May, the eight-month behemoth was finally laid to rest after OSU’s loss in the NCAA tournament Wednesday against Texas A&M. Instead of facing Oklahoma to begin the season, COVID-19 forced the Cowgirls to Manhattan. Junior Grace Yochum’s chip-in goal elevated the Cowgirls over Kansas State.

The team was simply glad to be playing after a period of time

when college spring sports were a question mark.

OSU’s season was dramatic early on. They defeated Iowa State off of a second-chance penalty kick in the 86th minute and No. 4 West Virginia with late-game heroics from sophomore forward Olyvia Dowell.

The Cowgirls came into the middle portion of their schedule with a perfect record and top-5 ranking, but struggled, losing twice and drawing once.

OSU finished the fall 3-0, including ending the season with the game that was postponed, a 1-0 Bedlam victory.

The Cowgirls almost had a flawless spring, going 6-1. The strong showing was important because postseason seeding was on the line.

OSU was given a 10-seed in the NCAA tournament, a pleasant surprise from what OSU coach Collin Carmichael expected. The Cowgirls were rewarded for an excellent spring and playing in a strong conference with a trip to North

OSU Athletics

Carolina for a condensed NCAA Tournament.

The largest goal differential in the entire tournament came in OSU’s 7-0 steamrolling of South Alabama, the school Carmichael previously played at.

Texas A&M, OSU’s Sweet 16 opponent, gave the Cowgirls trouble with their athleticism, making it hard to counter-attack.

A back-and-forth struggle remained tied after 90 minutes of regulation. OSU fought through 18 minutes of extra time with 10 men after a red card from Charmé Morgan to send the game into a penalty kick shootout, where the Cowgirls lost 4-3.

“I’ll remember most about this season that we left our mark here in the NCAA tournament,” OSU forward Gabriella Coleman said. “We made it to the Sweet 16, of course we didn’t make it to the Elite 8, but I made it far with this team and I’m really proud of them for that.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

OSU noticed, and upped its game.

The Cowgirls finished seventh in the first team event of the season in September, and then found their stride. OSU didn’t finish any worse than third place the rest of the season. The Cowgirls won in their fourth event of the season, and then tallied three more wins including the Big 12 Championship.

“It’s a great conference,” Robertson said. “For us to go (to the Big12 Championship) and do what we did, not just win, but separate ourselves, says a lot about this team. Not just their skill level, but their competitive nature.

But now since winning the Big 12 they have been practicing, and most importantly resting, from the long grueling grind of a full season.

“We gave them a couple of days off to get a little bit of rest and get caught up with school,” Robertson said. “It gets a little tricky this time of year because of finals and stuff like that, so we have to balance that a little bit.

“But we won’t be doing anything too different from what we’ve been doing.”

The Cowgirls return on May 10-12 as the No. 2 seed in the Stanford Regional.

The regional is the next step on the Cowgirls path to their ultimate goal: a national championship for the women’s sports at OSU. The Cowgirls, No. 6 in the country, are one of seven conference champions in the Stanford regional along with: USC (Pac-12), Denver (Summit), New Mexico State (WAC), Cal Poly (Big West), Sacramento State (Big Sky) and Navy (Patriot).

Wake Forest, No. 3 in the country, is the top seed in the regional, and host Stanford is the fifth seed.

“It’s a good momentum boost because our season isn’t over yet,” Robertson said. “We still have the NCAA Regionals.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

sports

Joshua Cleary

Donovan Williams tore his ACL his freshman year, but won’t let it get him down.

‘It is about my family’ Williams’ journey through tragedy, injury

By Grant Ramirez Staff Reporter Donovan Williams was the show in Nebraska.

He knew packed gyms and screaming fans, all there to see him.

It was any kid’s dream. On and off the court, Williams was the man.

Less than a year later, seeing just two people in the stands was his worst nightmare.

Williams’ freshman year on the Oklahoma State basketball team didn’t go as he expected. Still, his parents drove seven-hours from Lincoln to Stillwater almost every weekend OSU hosted a game at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Nebraska’s Mr. Basketball, who averaged 28 points per game as a senior at North Star High School, rarely saw the floor.

Williams felt like he was letting down two of the most important people in his life.

“I love my parents so much that it took a piece of me when they would drive down here and come to games and I wasn’t playing,” Williams said. “That was probably the hardest thing I went through in my life. Watching my parents drive seven hours every weekend to watch me just sit the bench. That hurt me.”

His parents told him, ‘You’re good,’ and ‘You’re gonna be fine.’ But they were his parents.

To him, that’s what they’re supposed to tell him. To him, it was personal.

“It felt like something I have to do,” Williams said. “I have to make sure when they come back here that I’m playing. Or I’m not doing something right.”

--Williams got his shoes back eventually.

Williams and his friend Greg Hill didn’t go to the same school in their hometown of Rockford, Illinois, but basketball brought them together. They met at the local YMCA when Williams was nine.

Before Williams moved to Lincoln, he and Hill were constantly at practice, workouts, camps or just hanging out at the house. They traded basketball shoes pretty much every day.

“We probably end up with the same shoes we had at the beginning because we used to trade so much,” Williams said.

The two of them, along with three others that were a part of their core group, did everything together. Those were the boys.

As friends do, sometimes they got into it because Hill wasn’t as dedicated to basketball as Williams was. Right before they were set to play on the same high school team, Williams’ mom, Liz Seitz, decided to move her family to Lincoln, her

up early and started scrolling through his social media. A ‘R.I.P Greg’ post came onto his screen.

Shock, disbelief, anger - it all flooded over Williams.

He asked his parents to find out if it was really Hill. By the time he got a call back, he had smashed the TV and mirror in his hotel room. Being away from his family to confide in and finding out over the phone, made it even harder.

Hill was at a going away party for one of his friends who was leaving for school. Someone

File photo File Donovan Williams was a star in Nebraska, but now he’s packed into a deep room of guards.

hometown.

Rockford was a hard place to live in, and an even harder place to grow up in. An hour outside of Chicago, it’s one of the most dangerous cities in the country.

“I chose to move to Nebraska before they entered high school because I didn’t feel it was safe at all,” Seitz said.

“Even if you have your kids in the best places, bad things were still happening.”

The morning of July 31, 2016, Seitz got a call from her son, now 15. He was away at a basketball showcase in Houston.

Williams was beside himself, screaming into the phone.

“He was asking us to find out if it was Greg,” Seitz said.

“This can’t be Greg. Is it Greg?”

Williams had woken

came in and shot up the crowd, killing Hill.

“Donovan was devastated,” Seitz said. “I think that he holds a lot of those things still really close to him. I hear him say things like I need to make it for the people that didn’t. I need to do this for my friend who can’t.”

Williams has dedicated a lot to his late friend. He talks about him frequently. He wears a picture of him around his neck.

A ‘GH3’ is tattooed across his right forearm, next to the date of his death in roman numerals.

“I think about it all the time… what could have been,” Williams said. “Every year I get older I just think about how proud he’d be of me, going from where I was to where I’m at.

Kinda crazy.”

---

An 11-year-old Williams contemplatively looked out the car window.

It was July. He was heading to his first basketball tournament since his grandma’s death.

She was still fresh on his mind.

He turned to his left, looking at his mom.

“He said, ‘You know mom... I’m going to win every game this weekend for grandma,’” Seitz said. “That’s just out of the blue, an 11-year-old kid.

“That’s really who he is.

Doing the best he can for the people that are important to him.””

Other than at North Star, no one in Nebraska liked Williams too much.

Everywhere he went, people came to see him play.

Opposing fans hoped to see him fail.

Williams is ultra-competitive. Seitz says Williams is the most competitive spirit she’s ever been around. Since Williams was three years old, he would challenge anyone to any game.

And he doesn’t just crave victory, he expects it. No matter what it is, he truly believes he can and will win.

That competitive fire though, hasn’t always come off as endearing to spectators.

“What I’d put as the confidence and basketball savvy he had on the court, that’s a special characteristic the top players have,” North Star coach Tony Quattrochi said. “But that certainly can be perceived, and was, as him being arrogant.”

Williams didn’t hide his confidence. It gained him notoriety across the state.

Quattrochi didn’t want his players talking trash during a high school game, but Williams couldn’t help himself. He entered a gym, did his thing and made sure the whole place knew about it.

But those close to him know Williams’ reputation is miscast.

Williams’ ferocity on the court doesn’t come from an angry or selfish place. It’s driven by love.

“So many people from the outside just see this hard, competitive kid and what a lot of times in high school came off as kind of conceited or cocky,” Seitz said. “And once you really know him, he’s always doing this for others.”

See Family on pg. 6B

Page 6B Friday, May 7, 2021

sports Family...

Continued from pg. 5B Even when he was little, Williams would seek out Seitz in the stands after he hit a shot, pointing to her. He’s always been a momma’s boy.

This one’s for mom. This one’s for his grandma. This one’s for Hill.

Every shot for the people that mean the most to him. “(He doesn’t care about) all the people that have a lot to say, not all the outsiders,” Seitz said. “But the people that he loves, he always just wants to do the very best for.”

--there.

All Williams could do was sit

Sometimes he would pick up a controller and play video games.

Do whatever he could just to make the time go by.

The COVID-19 pandemic was tough for everyone, and athletes were no different.

Williams didn’t have a great first few weeks on campus. He underwent a severe culture shock.

“His senior year Donovan was pretty dominant in our state,” Quattrochi said. “Now all of a sudden he’s going into a situation where there are nine, 10 guys just as talented as him.

“He got humbled. A lot. I know that talking to him.”

Williams was used to having the ball in his hands. North Star needed him to take shots even when he was double and triple teamed. It was his team’s best chance to win.

OSU didn’t need that from him. And Williams was more than willing to adjust his game, but it took time.

“He may be the classic example of kids who struggle as freshmen because they have no idea how hard it is to be successful in college,” OSU coach Mike Boynton said. “He was trying to shoot over two guys for about two months.

And his shooting percentage was probably the worst on our team as a result.”

His confidence fell off - an unfamiliar place for someone as self-assured as Williams.

Donovan Williams continues to fight back despite tragedy and setbacks.

He passed up open shots in practice. Williams told himself to keep shooting, but it wasn’t much help if he didn’t truly believe the shots would go in.

For one of the first times, basketball didn’t come easy to him.

And after a long day in the gym, he spent a lot of time confined to his room, left alone with his thoughts.

Being so far away from his mom and family was tough. Not having any in-person class and not being able to interact with other students was hard, too.

It’s that stage that showed him where he doesn’t want to be. It motivates him.

“Since I’ve got here and it’s hit me… I’m not denying it,” Williams said. “I’m not running away from it. I know I’m not at the level as some of our guys yet. Everyone has a different path.”

Once the season started, Williams got a few limited chances on the court. He knows he didn’t make the most of them.

Still, even when the team

Joshua Cleary

started having success, he wasn’t complacent with not contributing.

“The patience part was tough cause I know what I’m capable of,” Williams said. “I’m not a guy who will ever back down or ever quit.

I’m not trying to be selfish, but I want to play. I’m not gonna go out there and say, ‘Oh, I wanna score.’

I just want to be a part of the team winning.”

Williams started having his best practices right when he tore his ACL for the second time in three years.

He was obviously hurt when it happened, but he’s waiting his turn.

He has no doubt he’ll get through the injury again.

In the meantime, he’s going to be as good a teammate as he can.

Over the last half of the season, he was consistently one of the first guys on the floor to congratulate his guys during timeouts.

“I think I reacted to it in the most perfect way that I could,” Williams said. “Everything I do with my teammates is real. It’s not

for the camera. It’s just me caring about all my teammates. All of them.”

After all, his teammates helped him through his lowest moments.

Keylan Boone kept Williams up. They could relate to each other.

Boone was another player who didn’t have the impact he had hoped as a freshman.

Isaac Likekele is one of Williams’ closest friends on the team.

He always reminded Williams his time was coming.

“I’m a firm believer in that,” Williams said. “And I know once my knee gets back to 100%, I’m gonna be a problem.”

The biggest thing that kept Williams’ head up, though, was his family.

It’s always his family.

Williams can always count on his sister to bring a smile to his face. She’s very comforting whenever Williams is in a dark place.

Both his dad and step-dad, help him through a lot, too.

His brother, Bryson Williams, is a defensive tackle at Wisconsin.

He was also used to being that guy before he got to college. The brothers talk all the time, but not much about sports. They just joke around with each other.

He talks to his mom every day, too. She means the world to him. She helps him with stuff he wouldn’t want anyone else to help him with.

“She put food on the table and clothes on my back,” Williams said.

“She knows how much I appreciate her, as much as I tell her. I would take a bullet for my mom.”

Basketball has always been close to Williams. He carried around a ball before he was even strong enough to shoot.

To get up at 7am every day and workout for hours, he has to enjoy it.

But overall, none of this is for him.

“I love this game, but where I wanna go has nothing to do with me,” Williams said. “I already know what I want to do. And I dreamed of it since I was a kid.

“At this point it’s just about my family. It’s about my family.

That’s really all that’s in my vision.” sports.ed@ocolly.com

FOR RELEASE MAY 7, 2021

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

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Daily Horoscope

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis ACROSS 1 “Fear the Walking Dead,” e.g.

8 Fixed up 14 Legendary name in racing 15 Keeps away from 16 Tight deadlines may make an job __ 18 Reversal 19 Picked up 20 Leaves for a drink 21 How it looks, with “the” 24 An electrician who is testing results may become a __ 30 Schooner pole 33 Where FDR was once governor 34 Face with courage 35 Counting everything

By Jeffrey Wechsler 37 Poetic devices 39 Link to another 5 Take story? responsibility for 40 “Shameless” 6 Butter network, briefly component 41 It may be raised at an outdoor heels wedding 8 Discuss ad 42 An electrician nauseam resolves legal 9 At any time matters at __ 46 Glum curfew 47 Old AT&T rival 11 Comics dog that sounds like two okay?” letters 12 Bookish sort 56 A stressed 13 Wichita-toelectrician may Memphis dir. need an __ 16 __ feeling 59 They may be 17 Big field in Silicon going around Valley 60 Saskatchewan 22 Cocktail word neighbor with a tilde 61 Patronize, as a motel soon” 62 Person well over 24 Dispassionate 70, probably? type 25 UPC bar code DOWN developer 1 Executed, in 26 Travis of country Exodus music 2 City near Venice 27 Account 3 “Are you __ out?” 28 Square 29 Sit a spell 4“ 30 Catchall abbr. hard”

Level 1

2

3

5/7/21

Thursday’s Puzzle Solved

©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

31 Contradictory prefix 32 Marquee figure 36 Capote nickname 37 “Leave me alone!”

38 Chits 40 Roller coaster sounds 43 “Wait, what?”

44 Dot on a map 45 Disprove 47 Creator of an iconic bear

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48 Understood 50 X-rated stuff 51 __ sapiens 52 Surmounting 53 Pre-euro currency 55 Slightly 56 Critical-care ctrs.

57 Chop (off) 58 Number of World Series wins for the Astros

4

Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency Linda Black Horoscopes

year. Disciplined, consistent work behind the scenes pays off. Switch courses with

applause.

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 9 — You know what you want. You may not know how to get there. Don’t get pushy. Share ideas, resources and solutions.

Review and revise plans carefully.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is a 7 — Teamwork resolves a challenge. Coordinate actions carefully to navigate an obstacle. Slow to avoid accidents. Discuss plans and strategies. Determine roles and responsibilities.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 7 — Careful, thorough efforts can advance.

Professional barriers abound. Take extra precautions. Keep priorities practical.

when others are not. Revise plans. Study options.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Contribute to grow a joint endeavor.

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ments could spark. Stick to practical priorities. off today. Tempers could be short, temporarily. Avoid provoking an upset. Release resentments. Listen more than speaking.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 7 — Physical efforts could seem limited.

Don’t push into a brick wall. Wait for better conditions. Prioritize health. Sometimes the best action is inaction.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — Work could interfere with fun or Your positive attitude is contagious. repairs and upgrades. Keep your cool, especially when others don’t. Provide comfort and support. Share simple pleasures like laughter.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Get intimately involved in an intellectual project. Study and note your discoveries. Wait for better conditions to publish or launch creative works. Connect for the inside story.

A barrier blocks the road; wait for better conditions to advance. Generosity looks good on you. Wear it without fanfare.

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

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