Monday, March 1, 2021
Mike Boynton The man behind the head coach group chat short months ago, after OSU lost three of its first four Big 12 basketball games, many wondered if maybe Boynton wasn’t the answer the Cowboys were looking for. After the Cowboys strong close Ben Hutchens to the season, where they Staff Reporter earned a 4-seed in the NCAA Tournament, people turned There is only one person their energy to wondering who thinks Mike Boynton when Boynton would get a lacks clarity when communi- long-term extension. cating. OSU signed more than “One of the things that I simply a basketball coach; like to do is I like to be clear Boynton is the leader of the in communication, and my tight-knight group of OSU wife says sometimes I don’t head coaches. Boynton, the communicate well enough master-communicator, started for her,” Boynton said. “She’s to lead and bring the coaches the only one who shares that together through a simple opinion, somehow, because method, a group text. most people think I over Over the summer, when communicate.” the COVID-19 pandemic Boynton, the Oklahoma clouded what the future of State men’s basketball coach, college athletics would look signed a seven-year $21 mil- like, Boynton sent out a lion contract extension on group text that included every Monday afternoon. Just a few single OSU head coach.
“There was a lot of stuff going on this summer, and the truth is we needed each other,” Boynton said. “One of the things I wanted to do was let those (coaches) know I would be there to support them and their teams however I could.” Other coaches agreed. “We were all going through something really similar and not really sure
what the future was going to look like in the summer of last year, so we spent some time kind of talking through it,” said OSU women’s tennis coach Chris Young. The group text isn’t flashy. It doesn’t have a name or even a profile icon and there are rarely GIFs or videos shared, aside from when See Mike on pg. 4
Beginners luck Freshman makes varsity polo team, has never played polo Megan Cherry Staff Reporter For many freshmen on campus, getting involved with a new club or sport can be a great way to meet new people and establish an identity in a new environment. Elyse Warren decided to try a brand new sport and found a new passion. “Horses have always been a huge part of my life growing up, and the college environment felt empty without them. I heard about the polo club in one of my classes and figured I would give the sport a try, not knowing I would fall in love with the whole environment,” Warren said. The sport consists of three players on
Courtesy of Heather Warren Elyse Warren, freshman, managed to make the Oklahoma State Polo Club varsity team, despite having never played the sport.
each team attempting to hit a ball in each respective direction, all while on horseback. Herd manager
Genna Bono has helped to coach Warren and has seen her grow from the beginning
“Elyse has been an extremely helpful, positive, and competitive member both on and off the field. She
works hard for the club and puts in lots of See Beginner’s on pg. 2