Friday, April 11, 2025
The Boys Are Back In Town
Red Dirt’s rise through the eyes of Josh
Crutchmer
BY RAYNEE HOWELL
The sound of a raspy voice mixing with the strum of an acoustic guitar floated out the Wormy Dog Saloon windows on The Strip one night, reaching 21-year-old Josh Crutchmer on the sidewalk.
Crutchmer turned to a friend and asked “Does that sound like Americana?” In which, his friend replied “As f**k.” A quick “Let’s go” response from Crutchmer set him on a new path.
“We walked up there, and the person playing was Stoney LaRue,” Crutchmer said. “That is the day that I sort of stepped out of my life because I went and saw that, and I
I
ASSISTANT
NEWS AND LIFESTYLE EDITOR I @RAYNEEHOWELL
wanted to do it every night forever.”
And he did just that for the next year. Watching performances from LaRue, Cody Canada and Jason Boland on a weekly basis.
When Crutchmer wasn’t in the newsroom or at a sports event fulfilling his role as sports editor for The O’Colly, he could be found on a barstool watching the Red Dirt scene unfold in front of his eyes. With the losing record of the Oklahoma State football team in fall 2000, he said he wrote in a sports column about how he’d rather be at the Wormy Dog, listening to music.
The artists caught wind, and by October, Crutchmer was interviewing all three for a feature story. Years
New OSU Esports team wins first Big 12 Championship
CONNOR FUXA ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Going into the first Big 12 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament, Oklahoma State junior gamer Evan Simons’ expectations were low.
“I thought we were just gonna completely, just crash and burn,” Simons said.
His doubts were not due to a lack of confidence but a lack of preparation. Three weeks before the tournament took place, the Student Union basement at OSU flooded, leaving the esports team without a place to practice.
“We hadn’t had any in person practices in three weeks,” The basement had flooded,” Simon said. “I (hadn’t even) played the game in three weeks.”
See ESPORTS on page 6A
later, he still writes about the bands — in his own books or for features in Rolling Stone — but the relationship has extended beyond interviews.
In August, Crutchmer was sitting on a blanket in a field in Challis, Idaho, next to Canada’s wife and manager, Shannon. The group was watching the Braun Brothers Reunion, a Red Dirt music festival, featuring Canada and his band.
Wade Bowen was performing when Canada’s wife tapped on Crutchmer’s shoulder.
“She says, ‘Hey Josh, he’s doing it,” Crutchmer said.
The concept of a Cross Canadian Ragweed reunion — the band Canada fronted in the early days of Red
Dirt — seemed so far out of Crutchmer’s mind at the time. Earlier that year, Canada said the band would never reunite. He wasn’t sure what Canada’s wife meant.
“I was like, ‘Oh, she must mean he’s gonna play a song with Wade or he’s going to the bus to get a beer,” Crutchmer said. “It took a whole full five minutes… I do this double take and my eyes pop out of my head with little springs on them, and she’s laughing at me…
“I didn’t really know what I’m gonna say, but I go, ‘Hey, you know it’s my story right?’”
Flyin’ Cowboys make tough journey through Bataan Memorial Death March
MEGAN ROY STAFF REPORTER
The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) program at Oklahoma State has never advertised itself as being easy.
If it did, it would be lying.
The annual Bataan Memorial Death
March is more than just a marathon. It is a challenging feat of physical and mental endurance: 26.2 miles of rugged terrain through high elevation at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
Knowing these two things, it is only fitting that OSU’s AFROTC Detachment 670 sent 28 participants to New Mexico this past March to represent the Flyin’ Cowboys.
See MARCH on page 6A
Courtesy RPR Media
Cross Canadian Ragweed reunites for first time in 15 years to headline four sold-out shows in Boone Pickens Stadium.
Courtesy
Tyler Epps crosses the finish line securing ninth place.
Cross Canadian Ragweed appears at City Council
of what Red Dirt has become.
“This is the biggest moment for our scene,” Cooper said.
The sold-out concerts will bring thousands to town to see Ragweed play together for the first time in nearly 14 years.
Cross Canadian Ragweed members Cody Canada and Randy Ragsdale strolled into city hall, with family members in tow.
During the City Council meeting Monday, Canada and Ragsdale made their first public appearance of the week, three days ahead of the sold-out, four-day “The Boys From Oklahoma” concert series. Stillwater Mayor Will Joyce declared April 7-13 “Red Dirt Music Week,” prompting the appearance of nearly half of the reunited band.
Canada, who briefly addressed the council, said it’s an honor to get to play again in the city where Ragweed claimed its fame.
“We love this city,” Canada said. “I say it all the time; if it wasn’t for this city, I wouldn’t have anything, a band or my family or even my friends.”
Starting Thursday, “The Boys from Oklahoma” concerts will feature Ragweed, Turnpike Troubadours, The Great Divide, Stoney LaRue and Jason Boland & The Stragglers, among others. The concerts will be held in Boone Pickens Stadium, a first for the venue. Red Dirt Rangers band member John Cooper, who also attended the meeting, said he “couldn’t be prouder”
Editor-in-Chief
When creating the concerts, Canada said giving back to the community was a priority.
“The very first thing I told everybody when we signed up to do this was we’re gonna do our best to bring a lot of money to the local businesses in Stillwater,” Canada said.
This became a particular focus after a historic wildfire burned 26,301 acres of southwest Stillwater, claiming 98 homes and damaging an additional 123 about a month ago.
Mayor Joyce said benefit concerts from the Red Dirt Rangers, as well as fundraising efforts from Ragweed and other Red Dirt bands, were instrumental in helping the community.
Joyce said he is grateful the concerts are bringing visitors to the “welcoming place” of Stillwater.
“It’s really great to see this not just be about everyone in the community coming out and seeing a show, but this show and this scene and music itself being such an integral part of the community here in Stillwater, throughout Oklahoma, and really, throughout the whole country,” Joyce said.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Editorial board
Ashton Slaughter editorinchief@ocolly.com
Sports editor
Parker Gerl
sports.ed@ocolly.com
News & Lifestyle editor Hayden Alexander news.ed@ocolly.com
Design editor Megan Turner design.ed@ocolly.com
Photo editor
Payton Little photo.ed@ocolly.com
Social Media editor
Bryson Thadhani news.ed@ocolly.com
Assistant News & Lifestyle editor Raynee Howell news.ed@ocolly.com
Assistant Sports editors Kenzie Kraich, Calif Poncy,
Sam Mitchell
Assistant Photo editor Connor Fuxa
Assistant Social Media editor
Jose Brito
Assistant Design editors
Alexandra Guinn, Tobey Lunceford
Adviser Brett Dawson brett.dawson@okstate.edu
Free Red Dirt shows to catch:
Midway Stage
Where: Outside Boone Pickens Stadium
Friday: 1 p.m. — Wight Lighters
2 p.m. — Mustang Red
Saturday: 1 p.m. — Adara Kay
2:30 p.m. — Johnny Mullenax
4 p.m. — Kaitlin Butts
Sunday: 1 p.m. — American Slang
2:30 p.m. — Avery Stinnett
4 p.m. — Jason Scott & The High Heat
April on Elm
Where: Outside Eskimo Joe’s
Friday: 1 p.m. — Cassie Latshaw
2:15 p.m. — Emily Hollingshed
3:30 p.m. — Caroline Grace
Saturday: 1 p.m. — Ben Brock & Megan Marlene
2:15 p.m. — Amber Watson & Levi Humphries
3:30 p.m. — Billy Moore
Sunday: 12:30 p.m. — Jacob Tovar Trio
2:15 p.m. — Monica Taylor & Travis Fite
3:30 p.m. — Red Dirt Rangers
Side Stage Sessions
Where: Coney Island
Friday: 1:30 p.m. — Gus Burns
2:30 p.m. — Amber Watson
Midnight — Eyebolt
Saturday: 2:30 p.m. — Casey West
3:15 p.m. — B.C. & The Big Rig
Midnight — Meat Wagon Cowboys
Sunday: 1:30 p.m. — Joe Mack
2:30 p.m. — Meat Wagon Cowboys
Midnight — Adara Kay
Sports reporters: Photographers & Designers:
Daniel Allen
Dalton Arredondo
Baylor Bryant
Cayden Cox
Timothy Christensen
Gina Foster
Allyn Orndorff
Kaitlyn Robertson
Wyatt Tessier
Will Thorogood
Wyatt Watson
Weston Wertzberger
Newsroom
News & Lifestyle reporters:
Bella Casey
Sungjoo Chung
Luisa Clausen
Audie Martin
MJ Nyamdavaa
Richard Robertson
Megan Roy
Kareem Sawan
Kennedy Thomason
Alli Themer
Olivia Upton
Aliyah Young
Jose Brito
Maya Blanks
Mykalyn
Daidone
Catherine Dzanski
Lilian Easter
Andon Freitas
Cody Garcia
Kaytlyn Hayes
Ethan Hilbert
Jonathan Jackson
Jane‘t
Michael
Benjamin Perry
Bailey Schmitz
Bryson Thadhani
The O’Colly Staff
Kennedy Thomason
Cross Canadian Ragweed members Cody Canada and Randy Ragsdale showed up to the City Council meeting to support the city’s “Red Dirt Music Week” proclamation Monday.
Chief Beckner suggests students take caution, be aware ahead of concerts
the street, because there are going to be a bunch of folks that don’t know where they’re going.”
“The Boys From Oklahoma” concerts are happening this weekend at Oklahoma State. As concert-goers make their way to Stillwater, students are advised to exercise extra caution during the sold-out concerts’ fourday run.
More than 43,000 people are expected to attend the concerts, daily, and multiple events are being held throughout Stillwater to celebrate the occasion.
OSU sent several emails to students, faculty and staff detailing parking restrictions and offering safety advice.
Chief Michael Beckner said OSUPD will be out in full force throughout the weekend, working 12-hour shifts to ensure everything runs smoothly. Beckner emphasized he does not expect a rise in crime over the weekend.
“It’s not that it’s going to bring more crime or more danger or anything like that,” Beckner said. “It’s just bringing more people.”
Beckner said students should operate as usual but be aware that there will be an increase in population. He recommended walking to class instead of driving and being hyper vigilant when crossing the street. Beckner pointed out that many concertgoers have never been to Stillwater and may not be used to the layout of the campus and city crosswalks.
“Make sure before you walk across the crosswalk that you look both ways,” Beckner said. “Make sure that the people see you as you’re crossing
OSUPD will monitor the Rave Guardian app and offer assistance to students. Beckner encourages students to utilize the app, call them at (405) 744-6523 or report directly to an OSUPD officer if they see anything suspicious or out of the ordinary.
“If you see something that is out of place or suspicious, you’re more than free to call,” Beckner said. “It may take us a little bit longer for some of the safe walks and stuff, as we have a lot more people on campus… it’s just another day.”
Beckner said situational awareness will be students’ strongest ally. He recommends that students make personal safety decisions based on their comfort level and be prepared for larger crowds across the city and Washington Street, a.k.a. The Strip.
“When a lot of people get together and spaces are tight, sometimes tempers may flare, so just have situational awareness,” Beckner said. “Enjoy yourself and let the patrons from other places enjoy themselves and have a good time. Don’t put yourself in a situation where it could lead to a fight or something else happening.”
“The Boys From Oklahoma” is not Beckner’s first rodeo, and he promises that while the concert may be inconvenient for some, it will be over before students know it.
“It’s going to be disruptive to some folks,” Beckner said. “It’s really bringing a lot of publicity and a lot of talk about OSU in the news and all over the place. So it’s good for that. It’s also good that people are coming back to OSU that haven’t been here in years.”
U.S. government revokes OSU international students’ visas
traveling to be prepared.
Oklahoma State has joined the list of colleges reporting a number of international students’ visas have been revoked.
Elisabeth Walker, the director of the Office of International Students and Scholars, said in a Faculty Council meeting Tuesday eight students had their immigration records terminated by the U.S. government.
The Trump administration previously threatened to send students back to their home country for allowing “illegal protests.” There currently is no confirmed direct connection between previous protests on campus and the revoked visa statuses, yet political activity has been cited as a reason for at least one student.
“There was one (student) two weeks ago, five last week and two today,” Walker said. “What they’re doing is auto canceling their electronic immigration record, and for one of them, they cited the reason was political activity. For the other seven, they said it was due to some criminal activity.”
Walker said from talking to students she’s learned that the criminal records have been anything from a speeding ticket to a previous arrest.
“The action that our office is taking is reaching out to the students, telling them this has happened, talking to them about their immigration-related options, and guiding and supporting them on what they want to do,” Walker said.
A university spokesperson confirmed eight visas have been revoked.
“The university is continuing to monitor the situation and is focused on providing appropriate guidance and support to those impacted,” a university spokesperson wrote in a statement released to The O’Colly.
The identities of the students affected are not known. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prevents OSU from releasing further details.
During Tuesday’s faculty council meeting, Walker was asked if OSU plans to implement a travel advisory for international students. Walker said no, and cautioned students who are
“I would not (say) to not travel,” Walker said. “I would advise them on a case-by-case basis. If they have a valid visa, I would say they need to carry more documentation, be more prepared, but I wouldn’t tell them to be afraid and not to travel.”
Walker said her team closely monitors updates, proclamations and executive orders released by the current administration for potential student impacts and updates its website regularly.
At least 16 university students across Oklahoma have had their visas revoked according to News On 6.
Multiple Students for Justice in Palestine chapters, including OU, OSU and UCO released a statement Friday vowing to resist the presence of ICE on campus and reject the “unjust revocation of student visas.”
“This marks a dangerous intensification of the long-standing US tactic of threatening indiscriminate deportation, which has been used to crush movement and terrorize communities from the Red Scare to the War on Terror,” the statement read.
The groups demanded that OSU, OU and UCO declare campuses as safe sanctuaries for international and undocumented students.
Pro-Palestine activism has been confirmed as a reason for revoking student visas, according to The Associated Press. Mahmoud Khaliil, an activist and student at Columbia University, had his green card revoked by the Trump administration in March for his role in the CU protests.
Other schools across the country including Ohio State, Harvard, Stanford and UCLA also have discovered students have lost their visas. Other college officials have said the termination of students’ legal residency status has come with little notice to students or schools.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a press conference last month that he has removed at least 300 visas.
“It might be more than 300 at this point,” Rubio said. “We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas.” OSU is currently home to 1,554 international undergraduate and graduate students representing 102 countries.
Hayden Alexander contributed to this article.
Payton Little
Several universities have reported students losing visas for criminal or political activity.
Payton Little
At least 43,000 concert goers are expected to visit Stillwater during each day of the concert series.
“A Minecraft Movie”: Kind of worth watching
nifer Coolidge’s character’s subplot where she starts dating a “Minecraft” villager is short, but my theater burst out laughing at each joke. The main villain, Malgosha, also gets a funny running joke at the end of the movie that was also a hit with my theater.
Unfortunately, that is about it for positives.
A crate opened, dropping a zombie child onto a chicken. Jack Black, as Steve, said, “Chicken Jockey.”
And the crowd went wild.
“A Minecraft Movie” based on the 2011 video game “Minecraft” hit theatres April 4. It ended the weekend with a $157 million domestic opening — breaking the record for the largest domestic opening for a videogame adaptation — and $144 million overseas.
With an audience score of 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, is “A Minecraft Movie” worth the hype? No, and yes… kind of.
One of the driving forces getting audiences in the theaters are the memes that have surfaced from the trailers over the past few months. On TikTok, people have edited clips of Jack Black saying “Minecraft” phrases in the trailers in a certain inflection that has been deemed “hilarious.”
Phrases include Nether, flint and steel, water bucket release and, most famously, chicken jockey, had audiences cheering and clapping when they came up during the movie.
“A Minecraft Movie” is a fun, entertaining theater event, and that’s about it. It’s an experience very similar to when “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame” came to theaters in 2018 and 2019.
Starting off with the pros: Black and Jason Mamoa are having the time of their lives, and it shows. The two actors show amazing chemistry on screen. From their bickering, to their physical comedy and their bromance, Black and Mamoa are two of the highlights of the movie.
Besides Black and Mamoa, “A Minecraft Movie” is pretty funny. Jen-
With a fairly weak plot, a forgettable soundtrack, uninspired performances from the other actors and a lack of creativity with the use of “Minecraft” elements, “A Minecraft Movie” falls flat, and you will probably forget most of it after a couple of days.
One of the biggest issues with “A Minecraft Movie” is the images on screen. The “Minecraft” world is done in 3D animation, but with a hyperrealistic flare.
Compared to the simple design of the game, the movie is ugly. The world itself looks fine, but the animals, villagers and monsters are unsettling. The movie looks especially rough when the human characters are sharing the screen with the “Minecraft”characters. The human characters are not well-integrated into their environment, and they stick out like a sore thumb.
And that speaks to the biggest problem with “A Minecraft Movie.”
It’s not animated.
“Minecraft: Story Mode,” an episodic point-and-click video game, showed back in 2015 that an animated “Minecraft” story could work. However, in an animated movie we probably wouldn’t have gotten the-now iconic
“I am Steve” from Black.
It sounds like “A Minecraft Movie” is not worth the watch, but if you have a group of friends that grew up on the “Minecraft” game and love a bit of Black’s humour, it might be worth buying a ticket and seeing this movie in a theater.
You won’t experience the next “Citizen Kane,” but it will likely be a fun theater experience to share with close friends.
Traffic advisory warning ahead of ‘The Boys From Oklahoma’
Stillystock puts spotlight on local alternative music
Last Friday, the McKnight Center lawn at Oklahoma State hosted the third annual Stillystock music festival.
The event benefiting the Greenwood School of Music and a food drive that helps the food pantry Our Daily Bread.
“Stillystock came partially from Woodstock but then also we are fundraising for the GSM Prep Rock Academy as well as Our Daily Bread, stocking their food pantry,” said Sav Foster, Stillystock student coordinator and drummer of local band White Subaru Outback. “All the money we receive goes back to GSM Prep Rock, and all the food goes back to the food pantry.”
Unlike the many country-focused music festivals in Stillwater, Stillystock highlights the alternative and emo music scenes typically found in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
“There’s obviously a lot of country music in Stillwater. It’s hard to escape but eventually you get tired of hearing ‘Friends in Low Places,’” Foster said. “Oklahoma City and Tulsa have an emo scene that is starting to take off, and most of the bands here perform there despite being Stillwater bands, and I think they deserve the opportunity to play their hometown.”
For many alternative bands in Still-
water, their struggle is not finding an audience but a place to perform. Stillwater-based band Garden Ants — composed of OSU Greenwood students Aaron Sageser, Donald Stark, Connor Edens and Erik Martinez — mostly performs gigs in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
Edens and Stark said it’s easier to play in the cities because police tend to be called to Garden Arts shows in Stillwater.
“Most of the venues here that do live music just want country music so there’s not a lot of places here, but hopefully that will change soon,” Edens said.
In addition to White Subaru Outback and Garden Ants, members of up-and-coming Stillwater band DREAMSICKLE — Asa Thompson, Jacob Sanchez, Cole Thompson, Aaron Kerr and Bradford Demuro — shared their experiences performing in Stillwater.
“We perform at Stonecloud and The Bait Shop but Stillystock is probably one of the coolest shows we have played recently in Stillwater,” guitarist Thompson said. “Last year, Stillystock was not near as big,” Thompson said. “But if they continue to play into the production and marketing, I think it will just keep getting bigger.” As Stillystock continues to grow, so does its impact on its artists. Fans of DREAMSICLE can find its new EP “Seething” coming out May 9.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Gundy hinted at surprise guest for concert series; Here are our guesses
Oklahoma royalty, from nearby Muskogee. She could pop in for a one-song cameo to show love for her home state.
Why it’s unlikely: Her pop-country might not quite match the Red Dirt vibes — but she’s a proud Okie.
When Mike Gundy casually dropped a hint about “big” special guests possibly showing up to “The Boys From Oklahoma” concerts, the rumor mill went to work.
With shows sold out and an already stacked lineup featuring Turnpike Troubadours, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Stoney LaRue and more, Stillwater’s country scene is buzzing. But who could that unannounced guest be?
Here’s who we think might make a surprise appearance.
Toby Keith Tribute
Why it makes sense: A Toby tribute would bring the house down, especially in Stillwater. Expect Solo cups to go flying. If not in person: Maybe a video tribute or cover by one of the performers.
No Chance, But Imagine If… Garth Brooks
The dream: Oklahoma’s most iconic country artist shows up for a surprise acoustic set in his home state.
It’s time to welcome “The Boys From Oklahoma” to Oklahoma State and concert attendees should prepare for a high amount of traffic. More than 43,000 people per day are expected to make their way to Stillwater. High traffic is nothing new for OSU. During Homecoming, more then 70,000 alumni visit Stillwater to celebrate, but this time, construction is a factor.
The City of Stillwater released a traffic advisory detailing road closures and construction on multiple of the major highways in and out of Stillwater. For people heading to and from OKC north and southbound I-35 have been narrowed north of Guthrie and over the Cimmaron River. Alternative routes include eastbound
SH-33 to northbound US-177 through Perkins, northbound US-77 through Guthrie to eastbound SH-51 and eastbound SH-66 to northbound US-177. The east and westbound lanes of SH51 are narrowed to one lane at SH-108 in each direction. For Tulsa commuters I-244 is down to one lane at US-75 in Tulsa.
US-412, the Cimarron Turnpike,is down to one lane at mile marker 33 near Glencoe. East and westbound US412, westbound US-421 at mile marker 39 to mile marker 41 near Glencoe are also down to one lane.
If you are traveling, allow extra time for construction. Students walking to class or on campus should be hyper vigilant when crossing roads and stick to the designated crosswalks. In a post on X, OSU Police and Saftey reminded concertgoers that OSU is a campus and to be prepared for pedestrian traffic.
“If you’ve got a ticket to the concert, don’t try and get one from OSUPD,” the post read. HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
news.ed@ocolly.com
Most Likely Candidates:
Wyatt Flores
Why it makes sense: He is one of the fastest rising Red Dirt artists with deep Oklahoma ties, including sold-out wildfire relief shows in Stillwater. He has a big fanbase here, including his family.
What shows: Flores has shows set the Thursday and Friday this week but has a 12-day break before his next show on April 24 in North Carolina.
Zach Bryan
Why it makes sense: Bryan is an Oklahoma native and close friends with Turnpike. His surprise appearances aren’t unheard of. Stillwater is part of his musical DNA.
Why it’s a maybe: He’s a big enough name to warrant his own show — but he’s been known to show up unannounced before.
Long Shots: Carrie Underwood
Why it makes sense: Underwood is
Reality check: He’s busy with his Friends in Low Places bar in Nashville and hasn’t played a small-town show like this in a couple years.
But still… nothing would get a crowd full of pokes more excited than Garth walking out singing “Friends in Low Places.”
Reba McEntire:
The dream: Oklahoma queen of country music drops in with a surprise ballad and leaves everyone in tears.
Reality check: More than unlikely, nearly impossible. But just imagine the crossover moment with these red dirt acts.
Gundy said not to hold him to it— but now we’re all holding our breath. Whether it’s a surprise duet, an unannounced walk-on or just a legendary Oklahoma cameo, there’s a strong chance these sold-out shows still have a trick or two up their sleeve.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Payton Little
White Subaru Outback band member Aaron Sageser jumps off stage at Stillystock festival.
ASHLEY YARBROUGH STAFF REPORTER
Boys
Continued from 1
Crutchmer broke the story of “The Boys From Oklahoma” reunion in October — a story he began to tell 25 years earlier.
The Great Divide
Three cowboys — Kelley Green, J.J. and Scott Lester — and a hippie — Mike McClure — came together to form The Great Divide. The group was the start of the first peak of Red Dirt in Stillwater, Crutchmer said. With each show, the crowds doubled, and eventually tripled.
Hastings Entertainment, a retail chain that sold music, books and movies, began selling The Great Divide CDs by the caseload.
“They would go to the manager and say, ‘I have two CDs. Would you consider selling these?’” Crutchmer said. “The manager goes, ‘You can give me 10 CDs, and if they sell, I’ll buy some more.’”
Eventually calls came in to Hastings from locations in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri and Arkansas to see if it had The Great Divide CDs to send to the stores.
“You could imagine the parallel today with how Wyatt Flores did,” Crutchmer said. “They blew up just like that, it just happened in a world that was different in media perspectives.”
The band got an Atlantic Records deal and became mentors to Ragweed, Jason Boland and The Stranglers and Stony LaRue. It elevated the bands to the next level. Without them, Crutchmer said he believes “The Boys From Oklahoma” would never be a thing.
“Without The Great Divide, so much of Red Dirt and the larger notion of country music as we have it doesn’t exist, and nobody really appreciates that,” he said.
Cross Canadian Ragweed
The Ragweed feature started it all for Crutchmer. His feature story appeared in every Red Dirt band’s press release, and it made him realize he could turn his love for music and writing into a career.
He was on a high, but it was short-lived. Crutchmer was coordinating with the OSU media relations department, trying to get on a
flight with the basketball team to cover a game in Colorado. The plan was never locked down, and Crutchmer decided to instead attend Ragweed’s second studio album release party at the Wormy Dog.
January 27, 2001.
A plane carrying 10 passengers en route to Stillwater, crashed into a field 25 miles east of Denver. All 10 — Nate Fleming, Daniel Lawson, Bill Teegins, Kendall Durfey, Will Hancock, Pat Noyes, Brian Luinstra, Jared Weiberg, Denver Mills and Bjorn Fahlstrom — were casualties.
Crutchmer could have been on the plane, but instead he was at Wormy Dog.
“We kind of watched it and experienced it all together at the Wormy Dog,” Crutchmer said. “They ended up playing from midnight to 2 a.m. because they didn’t know what else to do. It felt like we should all do something besides just cry.”
In the following days, Crutchmer helped The O’Colly cover the tragedy while also attending memorials and funerals. It was a time he remembers as rough and numbing. During that time, he got a call from Canada.
“He goes, ‘Hey how are you doing up there?’ and I said ‘Not good, man,’” Crutchmer said. “He goes ‘Why don’t you jump in our van and ride with us? We’re playing Dallas on Thursday and then Friday we’re playing back in Stillwater, so you can ride back home with us.’”
Crutchmer said he never looked back after that. He knew he was integral to Red Dirt, and Red Dirt was integral to him. It picked him up when he needed it most.
Stoney LaRue
Crutchmer’s love for Americana music led him to the Wormy Dog where he first heard LaRue sing.
“I heard a raspy voice singing really, really, really, in tune, and whatever it sounded like, it sounded really good,” Crutchmer said.
It stuck him to the bar chair.
LaRue was in the same first interview as Ragweed. He was one of the bands featured in Crutchmer’s story. He was also good friends with Boland and Canada, and together they rocked the Wormy Dog on their respective days of the week, Wednesday being LaRue’s night.
“(Cody) Canada used to make his home playing acoustically. So did Mike McClure.Their acoustic roots in Stillwater laid the foundation for (Jason) Boland and (Stoney) LaRue”
- Josh Crutchmer, The Daily O’Collegian, 2000
Jason Boland & The Stragglers
On a Tuesday night at the Wormy Dog, LaRue introduced Crutchmer to Boland. Crutchmer became welcome at all his shows and at the Yellow House — a house in Stillwater that was home to almost every Red Dirt artist at different points, including Boland and LaRue.
“Jason went on to have a remarkable career, playing the style of music that has only just now caught on. He was like Zach Top 20 years before Zach Top existed,” Crutchmer said.
Boland’s Honky-Tonk style and deep voice set him apart, and people couldn’t and still can’t get enough, Crutchmer said.
After a few brushes with death, Boland — who struggled with substance abuse — got sober. Crutchmer said Boland was one of the first artists to get sober in the mid-2000s. For the next 20 years, he continued to write songs and tour with a clear head.
Boland and the band took Turnpike Troubadours on tour as an opener for two years.
“He never really gets credited for the influence on Red Dirt that I think he’s had,” Crutchmer said. “Your life isn’t completed until you’ve taken at least one spin through Boland’s catalog.”
Turnpike Troubadours
The Turnpike Troubadours are from Tahlequah but performed in the same circles as the other boys from Oklahoma. They raised the bar to the next level.
“They were the first ones to sustain an arena tour from the position in Red Dirt,” Crutchmer said.
Even with insobriety and tension causing the band to break up, Turnpike rose to a level never before seen for the genre. A trajectory Crutchmer said couldn’t be undone.
“If Ragweed really wanted to bring this full circle, the only way to do it was to have Turnpike be a part of it, too,” he said.
Around the time of the Turnpike breakup, McClure had found sobriety. Red Dirt was in a position for McClure to come back in full force, in whatever form he chose.
The Mike McClure Band
McClure is more than just a frontman for The Great Divide.
He created The Mike McClure Band after The Great Divide’s split, but he also produced seven of Ragweed’s albums; reiterating Crutchmer’s point that he is integral to the growth of Red Dirt. He also has producer credits on projects by LaRue, Turnpike, Boland and Whiskey Myers.
McClure’s path to sobriety in recent years has led to a rekindling between members of The Great Divide. It made a new project and “The Boys From Oklahoma” reunion possible. Crutchmer said “The Boys From Oklahoma” would be missing something — like a family reunion without the patriarch of the family — without the band.
“He put his own life back together and put his own band back together,” Crutchmer said. “He becomes happy as a musician and songwriter and starts writing the best songs of his life.”
A tribute to Wyatt Flores The Great Divide, particularly Scott Lester and Kelley Green, played a key role in Flores’ development as an artist.
The two would hang out and drink beer with buddies. One of those buddies was Noe Flores, Wyatt’s dad.
“His little boy Wyatt tags along with The Great Divide and latches onto Kelley Green and Scott Lester and looks up to them musically,” Crutchmer said. “So when I say none of this happens without The Great Divide… none of it happens.”
Wyatt headlined The Ryman and The Grand Ole Opry. In a full-circle moment, The Great Divide opened for him.
As genres shift and constantly change, Wyatt is sticking close to tradition and Red Dirt is not close to losing its meaning in Stillwater.
“Now Red Dirt as it started out, it doesn’t really exist.” Crutchmer said. “Although, I see Wyatt trying to change that. Wyatt wants to come here and reestablish Red Dirt here.”
Payton Little
Josh Crutchmer is working on a third book, titled “Never Say Never” that will follow Cross Canadian Ragweed’s reunion and “The Boys From Oklahoma” concert series.
File Photo
Stoney Larue (right) and Cody Canada performing in 2000.
Esports
Simons was not alone. Teammate Grant Adamson also was unable to touch the game for three weeks leading up to the tournament.
The inability to practice did not show at all in their gameplan. With the team winning the double-elimination tournament in dominant fashion. The Cowboys went 6-0, claiming victory over Houston in the championship game.
The victory punched the OSU gamers’ ticket to Arlington, Texas, for next month’s May Madness tournament.
If the inability to practice wasn’t enough to make this win impressive, the team also had to overcome the fact that it hadn’t played a single game together before the day of the tournament.
OSU adviser Shaun Noll was contacted about competing in the tournament about a month before, but he wasn’t able to get the full details to put together a roster until only a few days before.
“We hadn’t really done anything, basically as a team prior to the qualifier,” Simons said “I was asked the day before if I wanted to do this and I said, ‘Sure’... as of the tournament we (had) the team one day,” Adamson said.
That chaos wasn’t OSU’s only obstacle. The first-ever event had some issues as well.
“There were a lot of shenanigans,” Adamson said. “The rules were very unclear, and some teams maybe used them and took advantage of their interpretation a little bit, and it made the event run very long.”
Long is an understatement.
The event as a whole stretched out from 10:30 a.m. Saturday until 1 a.m. Sunday.
The long runtime, the lack of team continuity and the inability to practice leading up to the tournament didn’t show one bit in OSU’s route to winning.
The title win wasn’t the only big moment to come out of the tournament for OSU. After five-plus years of being called the “Gamers of OSU” and being unaffiliated with Oklahoma State, the team finally is officially a
part of OSU. “It’s the OSU Esports team now, which is a big deal,” Noll said. “For us to be able to go in and really call ourselves OSU Esports, instead of the Smash team from the gamers of OSU, in terms of legitimacy, that’s a big deal in ESports. We are able to use the brand on stingers, overlays, you name it, on streams, and that’s a big deal for recruiting and retention. And so that’s why we’re super excited to be trusted with that.”
Being called OSU Esports also opens the door to compete in Big 12 organized events like the tournament last month. Noll’s goal now is to continue to grow.
His idea is to create tournaments and schedule them around Big 12 football.
“Part of my goal is to get the Big 12 together and to kind of take the reins on (scheduling events),” Noll said. “I think it would be really cool to kind of schedule those tournaments (formed) around who they’re playing in football, and it kind of creates a fun week for each of the colleges.”
Noll’s idea was mirrored by his gamers. Simons said he wishes they had a set schedule similar to football, as right now there is not much structure in the Big 12 Esports scene.
Now the team turns its attention back to the present. It’s preparing to play in the prestigious College Esports Commissioners Cup, an event many gamers have dreamed of reaching.
“We’re excited for nationals now, because this is the best opportunity we’ve really had to do something like this,” Adamson said. “I have played (video games) for years now and actually wanted to do something like this, and now we finally get the chance.”
The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate team for OSU will now prepare to compete in CECC May Madness, May 2-4 in Arlington.
This time, Noll has found the team a place to set up shop for a month on the fourth floor of the Student Union to practice and prepare.
Regardless of the fact this tournament will be taking place the weekend before finals, Noll says his team is “100 percent bought in” and ready to compete.
March
The Bataan Memorial Death March is a living tribute to the 75,000 American and Filipino soldiers who were forced to march approximately 65 miles through jungle heat after surrendering to Japanese forces during World War II’s Battle of Bataan.
The soldiers were given little food or water, and those who fell behind were executed. Nearly 10,000 men died.
Every individual has their own internal motivation for taking on such a difficult challenge. For one cadet, the memorial march struck especially close to home.
“My mom sent me a Facebook post obituary for one of my family members,” said Amanda Eilerman, a senior AFROTC cadet. “His name was Arthur Knackstedt... and he was a survivor of the Bataan Death March.
“So, it became a personal challenge, but also like a personal honor to be able to do something like that.”
“These people didn’t know if they were even going to make it back home,” said Braden Langbehn, a sophomore cadet who served as AFROTC’s Bataan commander. “It’s just about honoring them — and then also helping and watching others that are willing to do it.”
The Bataan heavyweight category mandates for ROTC participants to complete the marathon in uniform and with a 35-pound weight minimum. OSU Bataan participants began training for the Bataan last October.
The training started small, with workouts dedicated to building back strength and endurance. Eventually, cadets were rucking multiple miles around Stillwater in uniform and carrying their respective 35-pound rucksacks.
Throughout this training and during the march, the cadets had the support of cadre, active-duty officers and enlisted personnel who lead and mentor AFROTC cadets.
Maj. Michael Vander Sys was the designated cadre to oversee the Bataan and all its hard preparation. He competed in the marathon alongside his cadets.
“It’s very painful,” Vander Sys said. “There’s no comfortable way to train for this. It’s just how much discomfort and pain you can endure.”
Cadet Tyler Epps, a first-time participant, finished ninth total in the individual heavyweight male ROTC division. He was the first OSU cadet to cross the finish line after missing the previous year’s event due to injury.
“If you ask anyone, they will tell you the last mile was the worst part of the
entire thing,” Epps said. “You could see the end right there, but it’s just so far away.”
Vander Sys was under no commitment to complete the march with his cadets, and yet he did.
“Could I just do the administrative part and drive you there? Probably,” Vander Sys said. “But it’s not even a question in my mind whether I should participate. This is my team.”
During the marathon, Cowboy cadets stood out among a sea of participants with their bright OSU orange Bataan t-shirts. Even more noticeable was the large block of wood they carried along the way, a special gift.
“We are the only people that complete the Bataan Death March with a 4x4 piece of wood,” Eilerman said. “It’s a gift from our colonel, to make a hard thing even harder.”
While each participant had to endure their own mental battles during the march, none was ever truly alone.
“Going through the pain together, it was like a way to bond,” Langbehn said.
Eilerman called it “an honor” and “a privilege” to complete the event not just for the Air Force, but for OSU.
“Once I completed it was just this wave of satisfaction... finishing first for Oklahoma State,” Epps said.
Participating in the Bataan Memorial Death March is an embodiment of AFROTC’s core values: integrity first, service before self and excellence in all that we do. As Bataan commander, Langbehn would remind his team that those values translate far beyond the White Sands Missile Range.
“Continue to prepare. Always finish,” Langbehn said. “Whatever you are doing in life. Go through and face the challenge. Finish strong no matter what has happened.”
The Bataan is “an experience that greatly helps you figure out who you are and how to better yourself as a person,” Epps said.
Vander Sys could not be prouder of his cadets. Over the past three years, he has watched them grow in strength, numbers and commitment to the event, often inspiring newer cadets to rise to the challenge.
“It is incredible to see, because it is all led by them,” Vander Sys said.
The Bataan Memorial Death March is just one of many ways Oklahoma State’s AFROTC Detachment 670 honors those who came before, while preparing cadets to lead with strength and purpose in their future careers.
“My favorite part of being at OSU is being a Flyin’ Cowboy,” Eilerman said. “Go Pokes, baby, forever and ever.”
Courtesy Detachment 670
The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets travel in a pack during the march.
The Esports team is now officially affilated with Oklahoma State.
News
Artists respond to Steadman’s wild world in student-focused exhibit
while getting paint thrown at them in the middle of downtown Stillwater added a colorful layer of complexity.
Splatter-painted dresses and dance videos aren’t the typical pieces displayed in museums.
But that’s exactly what’s on display right now for the “Ralph Steadman Student Showcase” at the Oklahoma State Museum of Art.
Part of the showcase is highlighting Jessica Oliver’s Special Topics course, where a dance film inspired by Ralph Steadman’s illustration of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass” will be on display.
For Kenzie Davis, a junior studying secondary education with a minor in dance, the film has combined her passions for dance and videography.
“I grew up making my own little videos, and I love being in front of a camera,” Davis said. “It was also cool to have our dance recorded because we will be able to go back and look at it whenever we want.”
Davis has had ample experience in dance, making her the perfect candidate to be a part of this film.
“I’ve been dancing my whole life, literally,” Davis said. “My parents put me in it when I was 2 years old, and I have been doing it ever since. I’ve done jazz, tap, ballet, contemporary/ lyrical, modern, hip-hop and even a little bit of acrobatics. It’s something I have always enjoyed doing and plan to keep on doing as long as my body allows.”
The dancers researched Steadman’s work, choreographed the dance, performed and filmed it. These may seem like doable tasks, but doing them
The film follows five dancers’ experience in the museum, but takes a twist when they’re transported into a world filled with Steadman’s unique and creative characters.
The experience gave the dancers an opportunity to see their work come to life, but for Davis it’s an opportunity to step into the competitive world of filmmaking.
“My friend went to film school in Florida, and once I graduate we plan on working in film together and making our own projects,” Davis said. “I would also love to work in dance once I graduate. The film world is hard to get into so I’ll have to find a stable job for the time being, and I would love to work at a dance studio and choreograph competition pieces.”
The arts don’t always get the recognition they deserve. The showcase gives students the opportunity to display the work they’re so passionate about.
“We have so much talent here at this school, and everyone should be given the opportunity to show it,” Davis said. “It also boosts the confidence of the students and gives them a platform to showcase their hard work.”
The student showcase is giving not only the dancers but also other students an opportunity to display their work.
Julissa Saldivar, a studio art major, got the opportunity through her class to study Steadman’s work and create pieces in response. The sketches created are displayed as part of the showcase and highlight the students’ unique interpretations of already unique pieces.
OPEN YOUR HEART TO GOD!
“Open your heart and let him in. God will remove all your sorrow and sin. He may not pass this way again, so open your heart and let him come in.” These are words from an old hymn.
Many struggle so hard to take this step, not wanting to give up their independence; not wanting to humble themselves before God. In the Psalms, David said: “When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all the day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” (32:3-5 NLT)
It seems so simple, and it is! Yet, so many
struggle with honesty and humility. These qualities are of great importance with God. The truth is another has paid the penalty for your sins and mine. That is the good news! What we could not do (get rid of our sins), Jesus did by dying in our place. Therefore, “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven,whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.” (Ro.4:7-8 NIV)
Again, blaming friends or relatives will not help; getting religious does not help, thinking you are among the “better” people does no good. Trust what God has done for you through Christ. Get honest and humble yourself before God. Confess your sinfulness, and God will freely forgive. You will be free of guilt and stand innocent before God. Then you can begin a lasting and fruitful relationship with this great and loving God.
“I was intrigued by his artwork titled ‘Angels’ from the book ‘The Big I Am,’” Saldivar said. “It was an incredibly chaotic composition of several figures falling from out of the sky. Once I researched more about the piece, I found that it represented Steadman’s view on God and the existence of a higher being. Even without this information, I was interested enough to focus my project on this particular artwork.”
Steadman has been known for his unique techniques, known to intrigue people and invoke an even deeper sense of wonder when viewing his work.
“An insightful moment I can remember was learning about the process of how he makes some of his artwork,” Saldivar said. “For example, I learned that he will often take dirty paint water and pour it over a blank canvas. Once it dries, he will interpret the stain and create a wonderful illustration of an animal.”
Similarly to Saldivar, Roya Revels, a studio art major, was fascinated with Steadman’s technique. So much so that she wanted to incorporate it into her finished piece.
“My favorite part was studying Steadman’s linework and recreating it,” Revels said. “There’s a lot of life in his illustration style, and the combination of depth and movement makes the work pop out toward the viewer. I enjoyed drawing the ruffles on Alice’s dress, the shapes of the soldier and his horse and incorporating my own style.”
The students toured the exhibition as part of their class, and some of them didn’t know who Ralph Steadman was before visiting the museum. But after a quick tour they were soon
familiar with his work and personality.
“Going through the exhibit felt like taking a look at his life and was how I learned more about him,” Revel said. “I learned that he’s not afraid to draw difficult subjects he finds important and has a broad imagination when it comes to bringing literature to the visual medium.”
The exhibit has pieces from more than 60 years of Steadman’s work. The vast collection includes his illustrations for Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland,” Steadman’s “Gonzovation Trilogy” collection, which highlights endangered species, nine works of U.S. Presidents, more than 20 images of celebrities and more.
With such a vast exhibit on display, it’s a wonder anyone could choose just one piece to focus on. That wasn’t a problem for Revels.
“I chose the ‘Through the Looking Glass’ commemoration because I love the concept of the books and was interested in Steadman’s rendition,” Revels said. “I thought about how loose the linework was and used that to make a neat but free-handed replica.”
Like any work of art, there were some hiccups along the way to get the piece to where it is today.
“I am not good at drawing men,” Revels said. “I was struggling to draw the soldier for a while; he looked very wacky. After a while I figured it out.”
The students’ work will be on display at the OSU Museum of Art until April 19. There will be a reception highlighting the artists April 18 from 5-7 p.m. The reception also kicks off OSU Arts Week and the Stillwater Arts Festival.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Ashton Miller
Student work will be on display at the OSU Museum of Art as part of the Ralph Steadman exhibit until April 19.
ASHTON MILLER O’COLLY CONTRIBUTOR
Food truck prepares for four-day concert series in BPS
oilfield and put project pizza into motion. When the insurance check hit, he bought the first trailer he could find and got to work. With his wife Anastacia by his side, Raven Rock Pizza was born.
like ‘We usually don’t do food trucks in our stands,’ but I guess it was just the right person who knew me and happened to know my pizza.”
When Aaron Simons began working in the oilfield, making pizzas for the first-ever concerts in Boone Pickens Stadium was not what he expected his future to hold.
After seeing a pizza food truck at a Fourth of July celebration, it dawned on Simons. This was his ticket out. With 10 years in the oilfield under his belt, he wanted to move on.
“I just kind of started praying, and it’s kind of one of those things where the more you put into it, the more (that) comes out,” Simons said. “So in a year and a half, I was still pipelining, but I was trying to figure out my recipe… what kind of pizzas I wanted to do… and our trailer actually burnt down.”
The loss of the trailer was the push Simons needed to fully leave the
At first, the truck stopped at events across Oklahoma, but Simons’ goals were bigger. He wanted to cook pizzas at a stadium; preferably one as big as AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
With no luck upon reaching out to the Dallas Cowboys, Simons continued cooking pizzas day in and day out for his food truck. He coined the motto “World Pizza Domination,” and never stopped working. One conversation in the parking lot with the owner of Harlan Ford in Okmulgee changed the future of the brand.
“Me and (Fred) Harlan were talking, and I told him about my Dallas Cowboys story, and he’s like, ‘Hey, I know the athletic director of OSU,’” Simons said. “And then they had me kind of come up and interview, and they’re
Now, three years in, Raven Rock Pizza has two stands in BPS. The operation has grown from Simons and his wife to several community partners. At football games, the crew has run its concession stands by hiring high school sports teams and church groups.
But this week’s four-day “The Boys From Oklahoma” concert series is a whole ‘nother beast. Each show is sold out with spots for around 45,000 people each night. To feed a sold-out football stadium crowd for four nights in a row, Simons had to prepare in ways he has never before.
With school, work and church, finding people to work the stands on days other than Saturday was a struggle. With a call to the community and close friends on Facebook, Simons was able to fill the 12-14 spots he needed to open the stand for each day.
Access to food and resources was another obstacle.
“My food distributors just didn’t have enough of my products that I use,” Simons said. “I’ve been having to source it from other places, and I don’t generally buy stuff from Walmart, but we’re having to buy almost 2,000 hot dogs from Walmart… Sam’s (Club)... all the little local areas... just to get hot dogs and buns.”
With these few adjustments, Simons believes he’ll be able to accomplish his dream of “feeding a million people,” over the weekend. Both stands, located in sections N225 and N110, will be open. He credits the support from the Lord and his community for making it possible.
“It’s just a humbling experience, truly,” Simons said. “If you were to just say ‘Hey go facilitate this.’ There’s no way you can do this by yourself. If I didn’t have the great team with me, I mean, none of this would be possible.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
Courtesy Aaron Simons
Raven Rock pizza began as a food truck and is now a staple in Boone Pickens Stadium during football season.
11-3
Bedlam Beatdown
How the Cowgirls’ chances to beat OU went ‘downhill’; what OSU needs to fix moving forward
PARKER GERL SPORTS EDITOR @PARKER_GERL
OKLAHOMA CITY — As Rosie Davis trotted around third base Wednesday night at Devon Park, it appeared Oklahoma State softball could be headed toward a win over its in-state rival.
Davis, the Cowgirls’ second baseman, hit a home run over the right center-field wall to give No. 18 OSU a 3-0 lead over No. 2 Oklahoma in the third inning. The Sooners hadn’t shown much life.
But in the fourth inning — after OU responded with two runs in the third — Sooners second baseman
Ailana Agbayni made a catch that flipped the game entirely. OU quickly downed OSU 11-3 in five innings, winning a non conference Bedlam
Don’t doubt OSU yet, but something needs to change
meeting and handing the Cowgirls their third straight loss Wednesday night.
“I think that (Agbayni’s catch) was definitely the turning point of the game,” Sooners coach Patty Gasso said. “And (then) we just got hot. We just had some really outstanding at-bats.”
The Cowgirls, up 3-2, loaded the bases for leadoff hitter Tallen Edwards. She had zero outs and a trio of quick baserunners — Megan
Bloodworth, Rachel Hathoot and Tara Vandewater — to work with. Edwards delivered a feasible hit. A missile up the middle at Agbayni, forcing the Sooner second baseman to make a big-time play. And that she did. A diving grab prevented any OSU runs and sucked the life out of the Cowgirls, as their next two at-bats were a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.
on page 2B
OKLAHOMA CITY —
Perry, not Kenny Gajewski, was in a postgame press conference Wednesday night.
The Oklahoma State softball coach jokingly gave himself the double-P nickname after the Cowgirls’ 11-3 run-rule loss to Oklahoma in the midweek Bedlam clash at Devon Park. In theory, there wasn’t much to be positive about. After leading 3-0, the No. 18 Cowgirls allowed 11 unanswered runs, and the No. 2 Sooners ended the game after five innings. But Gajewski, per usual, stayed level-headed See DOUBT on page 2B
Breaking
— the Cowboys have done better than almost everybody. As of Thursday morning, OSU has compiled the third-best transfer portal
class in the country according to On3. com. The Cowboys were ranked No. 1 as recently as Monday. OSU coach Steve Lutz was hired last April, meaning
Bryson Thadhani
The Cowgirls’
Bedlam loss to Oklahoma marked OSU’s 12th loss of the season, tying its loss total from last season. Now OSU has a three-game series with Iowa State to bounce back.
Courtesy OSU Athletics
Isaiah Coleman led Seton Hall in scoring 15 times last season.
Bryson Thadhani
Cowgirl coaches may have pulled pitcher Ruby Meylan too late.
Bedlam
The Sooners went to the plate after Agbayni’s catch and put up their best offensive inning of the night, a five-run frame that featured a single, a double and a homer, kicked off by a couple of walks that put pressure on OSU pitcher Ruby Meylan.
“The big blow was Tallen’s basesloaded ball that they caught,” OSU coach Kenny Gajewski said. “I thought that ball had a chance to go to the wall and score all three runs. And then they bounce right back out and score five… that was the ballgame there. It kind of just went downhill there.”
Trailing 7-3, the Cowgirls subbed Katie Kutz for Meylan with two outs in the fourth. OU plated four more runs off Kutz in the fifth to make it 11 unanswered runs and run-rule OSU.
Meylan recorded two strikeouts in her 3 ⅔ innings and gave up six hits and five earned runs. Gajewski said he had no regrets about the timing of when he and pitching coach Carrie Eberle went to the bullpen.
“I’m not second-guessing that at all,” Gajewski said. “Ruby is our ace, so we’re gonna let her go.”
The loss puts the Cowgirls at 23-12
on the season, tying their loss total from last season (49-12). Now OSU has a three-game weekend series with Iowa State coming up — each game starting at noon at Cowgirl Stadium.
Before the season, Gajewski said this might be “his most talented team” in his 10 seasons as OSU’s coach. So far, it hasn’t played like it — but Gajewski’s confidence hasn’t wavered.
“It’s probably taken a little bit longer than I maybe thought (for us to click),” Gajewski said. “But it’s OK. We have a chance to do whatever we want to do. It’s still ahead of us… I feel good. I don’t feel good currently, but I feel good about what I think we can do.”
Ahead of their series with the Cyclones, the Cowgirls sit 5–5 in Big 12 play. They’ve lost series to Texas Tech and Arizona and have defeated Baylor and Houston.
Now, OSU has four conference series and a couple of nonconference games to turn a corner.
“The last thing we need to do right now is separate ourselves or feel sorry for ourselves,” Edwards said. “We have to come together… We need to grab onto our pitchers, and our pitchers (need to) grab onto us and just do the damn thing.”
Doubt
“I told our team afterwards, ‘We can’t keep saying here it goes again; we got to find a way to get tougher, and we gotta find a way to dig in and go,’” Gajewski said. “And that’s what this team is lacking right now; it’s just lacking that last little toughness piece to get us through.
“And we’ll get there. I know I’m Positive Perry here, but that’s how I feel. I love these kids. And I’ve seen it; I’ve seen it happen. So it’s just a matter of us getting some momentum, and we just can’t seem to get it right now.”
As Perry said, the Cowgirls can’t find a lick of momentum. When they were up 3-0 after three-and-a-half innings and pitcher Ruby Meyaln was dealing, it was there. But then it came crashing down in the bottom half of the fourth, when OSU went in leading 3-2 and ended the inning down 7-3 with Katie Kutz in the circle.
OSU (23-12, 5-5 Big 12) has been in worse spots the past few years. Before entering the regional round in 2023, the Cowgirls lost 11 of 13 games.
They have been in much better spots: winning 10 straight from the Big 12 Championship to a couple of games into a Women’s College World Series run in 2022 and another 10 consecutive games last season heading into the conference tournament, which included a Bedlam series win.
But in recent memory, the Cowgirls haven’t been in a weirder spot. More than usual, their lineup 35 games into the season seems unsettled. Gajewski has gone from starting the season coaching in the dugout to first base and now back to his normal spot at third. The offense can’t get rolling when Meylan and the rest of the pitching staff play well. Everything seems a little out of whack in Stillwater.
Again, Positive Perry believes his team can flip it around. And if Gajewski has earned anything over his team’s five straight WCWS appearances and his 10 years at OSU, it’s to not doubt where his teams can finish. Despite OSU’s funk, a turnaround is possible with a team that
he called in the preseasson “the most talented” squad he’s coached. But for now, OSU doesn’t have its usual swagger.
When Meylan and OSU were riding a 3-2 lead entering the bottom of the fourth, she seemed safe to stay in.
But when the runs started coming, it seemed like going to the bullpen — despite no arm at this point being close to the ace’s caliber — was the right move.
Easy to say in hindsight, but Gajewski and pitching coach Carrie Eberle may have pulled Meylan too late. Once Kutz entered, it was already a five-run inning.
“I thought that was the ball game there; it just kinda went downhill,” Gajewski said.
But he stood by the timing on going to the bullpen.
“Yeah, I feel good; I’m not secondguessing that at all,” Gajewski said.
“Ruby’s our ace, so we’re gonna let her go, and then we’re gonna get her to a point; if it’s not good, we’ll get her out. But I thought we could score runs, to be honest.”
The Cowgirls didn’t, though; something that has become a problem, as at his weekly Tuesday press conference, Gajewski said the Cowgirls’ bats need to take pressure off his pitchers.
He reiterated that Wednesday.
“It’s time for us as an offense to maybe score 10 runs for her one time… it’s time for us to pick her up, and we’re not doing that enough yet,” Gajewski said.
Meylan, in ace and stand-up fashion, took the blame for the loss. Gajewski said the clearly frustrated and emotional Meylan is the first to do that when she doesn’t throw a zero.
However, as Gajewski said postgame, his team needs to dig in. Because for now, they’re at the point where, even with a lot of season left, a switch needs to flip.
It’s not time to doubt OSU yet. That would be unfair.
But riding a three-game losing streak with Big 12 entering full swing, there are only so many games Gajewski can be Positive Perry. And surely he knows that, too.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Connor Fuxa
Tallen Edwards said the Cowgirls need to “do the damn thing” after losing 11-3 to Oklahoma.
Connor Fuxa
Thirty-five games into the season, OSU softball hasn’t found momentum.
Cowboys adjusting to Grantham’s scheme
CALIF PONCY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Nothing was up to snuff in Stillwater last season.
Oklahoma State football delivered its most disappointing season in recent memory, posting a dismal 3-9 record and going winless in Big 12 Conference play.
Changes to the roster and coaching staff followed, so naturally, a revamped offense has been in the limelight. After losing Ollie Gordon II, Brennan Presley, Rashod Owens and others, OSU’s offense has been the center of attention for most fans, but the changes on the defensive end will be just as significant.
Under former defensive coordinator Bryan Nardo, OSU had the 126th-ranked scoring defense last season. Part of that was injuries to Collin Oliver and Nick Martin, but Nardo never caught on at OSU, and Mike Gundy’s risky move to hire him from a Division II school never panned out.
After firing Nardo, Gundy went in the opposite direction, hiring Todd Grantham, a seasoned defensive coordinator with SEC and NFL experience.
The move comes with a philosophical change, as Nardo was originally brought in to run a 3-3-5 defense, while Grantham has run a 3-4 in his past stops at Georgia and Florida.
“There’s times where they’ll turn people loose and they’re lost...,” Gundy said. “...They’re going through a 100% transition. Offensively, half of what we do is what we’ve done forever. So they’re going to be further behind in that transition.”
Along with a schematic transition, OSU is working through a lot of new personnel on both sides, but especially defensively. Oliver, Martin, Korie Black, Kendal Daniels and other stalwarts of OSU’s
defense are gone, and the Cowboys attempted to plug those holes in the transfer portal.
Kyran Duhon, Chandavian Bradley and others were brought in on the defensive line, while Brandon Rawls, Bryan McCoy and Trip White are tasked with replacing Martin and Oliver at linebacker.
While change is abundant at every level of the defense, it’s most notable at defensive back.
“There’s so many of them playing that I have the roster up top, you know, and a lot of them changed numbers and they’re rotating in,” Gundy said. “I’m hoping in a week and a half we can get a little more consistency with who’s playing because they’re just rotating in right now. That’s what they’re doing.”
Among that ever-changing group are a couple of notable names, most notably former Oregon and UCLA cornerback Jaylin Davies. Davies recorded more than 100 tackles and four interceptions during his time as a Bruin, and now he is part of an OSU secondary looking for a leader.
“It’s a unique room,” Davies said. “It’s one of the best rooms I’ve been a part of. Not stars-wise, or with hype or anything, but all of them just really play. Everybody knows how to just play the ball, get the ball and just play man.”
Typically, someone in Davies’ shoes would be lagging behind teammates, learning a system that’s foreign with terminology common to the rest of the position group. In this case, Davies is up to speed with not only his fellow defensive backs but also the defense as a whole.
As OSU’s defense was last season, it’s hard to imagine it getting much worse, but with a slew of new players and a brand-new system, the Cowboys’ defense is still in the process of figuring out what it’s going to look like next season.
“It’s a lot different than defenses I’ve played in in the past,” OSU safety Dylan Smith said. “But I think it’ll be great.”
Former Cowboys coaching OSU’s revamped O-line
A couple of former Cowboys are looking to revamp Oklahoma State football’s offensive line.
As part of his offseason coaching changes, OSU coach Mike Gundy brought in Cooper Bassett and Andrew Mitchell as co-offensive line coaches. Bassett played tight end and defensive line for OSU from 2009-12, while Mitchell was on the Cowboy O-line from 2008-10.
Here is a look at OSU’s linemen:
Tackles
At tackle, the Cowboys added a big 6-foot-6 JUCO product in Tyler Brumfield. He played at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, earning NJCAA first team All-America honors as a sophomore last season.
The Cowboys also picked up Louie Canepa from the transfer portal after his three seasons at New Mexico State. Canepa played in four games last season and helped the Aggies finish fourth in Conference USA in rushing yards per game.
Bassett will also have returnees Noah McKinney and Jack Endean to work with. McKinney saw action in four games last season, and Endean has yet to play in an OSU uniform. They’re both former three-star recruits.
Guards OSU has a blend of newcomers and returners to work with at guard.
The Cowboys picked up 6-2 La -
vaka Taukeiaho from Weber State, where Taukeiaho spent two seasons and started nine games in 2024. Taukeiaho went more than 600 snaps without allowing a sack. Austin Kawecki is heading into his fourth season as a Cowboy and could be in line to have his most significant role yet. Kawecki played in seven games for OSU’s struggling line and saw more than 25 snaps in games against BYU, Baylor and Arizona State.
Davis Dotson is also heading into his fourth season at OSU and appeared in seven games last season. He’s a 6-6 Tulsa native and is a former three-star recruit.
Centers
The Cowboys used the portal to bolster their center position, bringing in Kasen Carpenter and Jakobe Sanders from Tulsa.
Carpenter, a 6-3 former three-star recruit, played two seasons for the Golden Hurricane and appeared in all 12 games in 2024. He also played 873 snaps last season — second-most on the team — and made 11 starts.
Sanders was born in Stillwater, attended Stillwater High School and has a grandfather, Robert Turner, who played football at OSU. Sanders saw action in three of TU’s games last season and is headed into his redshirt sophomore season. Carpenter and Sanders are replacing Joe Michalski, who played four seasons for the Cowboys and earned honorable mention honors for Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2023.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Payton Little
New OSU defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is ushering in a new system as the Cowboys look to bounce back from a dismal season on the defensive side of the ball.
File Photo
OSU offensive lineman Noah McKinney saw action in four games last season.
Additions
Isaiah Coleman
The Cowboys ranked 11th in the Big 12 in points per game (73) last season. Bringing in Coleman should improve OSU’s shotmaking and give it a proven scorer.
Coleman played the past two seasons at Seton Hall and averaged team highs of 15.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals as a sophomore. In 2024-25, he made 29 starts and scored 20 or more points in 11 games.
At 6-foot-5, Coleman has good size to score in various ways. Lutz got an up-close look in a Dec. 8 matchup with the Pirates when Coleman dropped 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting in a loss to the Cowboys.
“Isaiah was at the top of every opponent scouting report last year but still found ways to put the ball in the basket at a high rate,” Lutz said in a press release.
Vyctorius Miller
Miller comes to Stillwater from LSU and a famous family.
A Los Angeles native, Miller’s father, Vyshon Miller, is the rapper Silkk the Shocker, and his uncle, Percy Miller, is known as Master P. “(Miller) comes from a successful family who have given him a great foundation for success,” Lutz said. “He’s a hard-working, highly skilled, competitive guard with great size and unlimited potential.”
Also 6-5, Miller scored at least 15 points in seven of the Tigers’ 13 nonconference games, and as a true freshman, averaged 8.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists. He played 19 minutes per game but was limited by ankle injuries during the final six weeks, which caused him to miss seven games over two separate stints. Miller is a former four-star recruit and was ranked 60th in the class of 2024 by 247Sports.
Anthony Roy Roy began the 2024-25 season in
Stillwater and will do so again in 2025-26. This time, though, Roy will wear orange.
Playing for Green Bay, Roy dropped 27 points on Lutz’s Cowboys in their season opener, giving Roy his first of nine 20-point outings. Roy led the nation in scoring (25.7 points) before suffering a season-ending foot injury in December.
“He will thrive in our system and style of play,” Lutz said.
Roy previously played for Langston University in Oklahoma, where he was the Sooner Athletic Conference Player of the Year, leading the Lions to a 35-2 finish. Roy also shared the backcourt with Cowboy guard Aruto Dean’s older brother, Toru Dean.
An Oakland native, Roy began his collegiate career at San Francisco (2020-21), where he appeared in eight games as a true freshman under current Florida head coach Todd Golden. After a season at Wenatchee Valley College in Washington, Roy transferred to New Mexico State for the 2022-23 season, averaging 10.3 points.
The 6-5 guard was a four-star recruit in high School.
Kanye Clary
A Mississippi State transfer, Clary was Lutz’s first Spring signee.
Cary suffered a season-ending injury in November but averaged 6.3 points and 19 minutes to help MSU start 6-1. Before his time with the Bulldogs, Clary — a 5-11 guard — averaged nearly 17 points at Penn State.
“Kanye is a fast point guard who will fit seamlessly into our up-tempo offense,” Lutz said. “He’s full-go now and ready to be a playmaker for our team.”
In 2023-24, Clary started 20 games for the Nittany Lions and ranked eighth in the Big Ten with 16.7 points per game while shooting 38% from 3-point range. He also scored 20 or more 10 times.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
‘I think Jhasmin is a star’: Hoyt talks Player’s impact
CALIF PONCY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @PONCYCALIF
When Jacie Hoyt got to Oklahoma State, Jhasmin Player wasn’t on her radar as a potential assistant.
After Hoyt spent four seasons at Kansas City, one of her first jobs as the Cowgirls’ coach was to fill out her staff. She scoured the market for the best fits. Little did she know the best one would come to her.
“(Player) actually reached out to me,” Hoyt said. “She was in a great spot in Dallas at SMU, and I knew that she went there originally to get back closer to home, and so I really didn’t even try with her because I didn’t think this would be an option she’d want.”
Fortunately for Hoyt, it was more than an option for Player; it was a desire.
Three seasons later, Player’s contributions to the Cowgirls are clear as she exited for the head coaching job at Incarnate Word, which the university announced March 28.
She played a big role in OSU landing Anna Gret Asi, whom Hoyt referred to as “one of the best players to ever play here.” Player was instrumental in securing Tenin Magassa, who led the Big 12 in blocks last season. And Player served as the interim coach while Hoyt missed time during her pregnancy and after the birth of her daughter.
Now Hoyt will be forced to adjust to life without Player.
The loss will be immense. Player’s expertise in European recruiting is clear when looking at OSU’s rosters since Hoyt arrived. Asi, Magassa, Lior Garzon and Praise Egharevba have all been key parts of NCAA Tournament teams over the past three seasons. Player also played a role in recruiting Maria Anais Rodriguez, who didn’t play much as a freshman after coming over from Spain late in the process.
Despite Player’s importance, Hoyt, in some ways, wanted to see her go.
“When she shared that desire to be a head coach, it was really my job as her head coach to push her into that space,” Hoyt said. “I think Jhasmin is a star. I think she is someone our game really needs.”
Hoyt’s trust in Player was made clear when she appointed her as acting head coach when she had to miss time. That trust was reciprocated. While it was professionally discussed, Player approached Hoyt as a friend, looking for advice on her next move on multiple occasions.
“Jacie and I had a lot of conversations, just as friends and not necessarily as colleagues, and she told me I was ready,” Player said. “She was really supportive in the process, and that’s important for me to state because there is a lot of head coaches who are not.”
Now that Player is on her own, she will use the skills she developed at OSU and her past stops to mold IWU in her image.
“I’ve made my strength two things: I favor that state I’m in, and I favor international,” Player said. “If I’m in Oklahoma, I’m not recruiting the Minnesota kid. I’m spending 50% of my time here in Oklahoma and the other 50%, I’m spending in Europe.”
The proof is in the pudding with Player. Her track record at OSU is well documented, but her past stops reflect her effectiveness in recruiting as well. During her time at Kansas, Player was specifically tasked with recruiting Europe. That season, she landed six European prospects.
Player’s potency as a recruiter has been her super power as an assistant, but IWU comes with a set of challenges that OSU, SMU and Kansas don’t. She no longer has the aid of the Big 12 brand or an NCAA Tournament history, as the Cardinals have an 0-1 all-time record in the Big Dance.
Player, of course, wants to change that, and it all starts with her biggest strength.
“Here in San Antonio, the same deal,” Player said. “Take care of Texas because there is a great amount of talent in Texas. Outside of that, take my talents to Europe and fill in the space from there.”
If Player can carry over her success in recruiting, IWU will be competing for the Southland Conference in no time. Should that happen, Player’s journey could be similar to Hoyt’s.
During her time at Kansas City, Hoyt learned lessons that she uses today, but she didn’t have to practice them with the nation watching. She learned from her mistakes and slowly blossomed into the coach she is today, a coach who had a case to win Big 12 Coach of the Year and has taken OSU to the NCAA Tournament in two of her three seasons.
“I feel like her path is at a similar place to where mine was,” Hoyt said.
If Player can follow in Hoyt’s footsteps, IWU landed the star that Hoyt thinks it did. For now, Player has to prove she can do it on her own.
Regardless of her success at IWU or in her coaching career, she will always look back on Stillwater as the place that made it possible, both personally and professionally.
“I have a nine-month-old who will always say she was born in Stillwater,” Player said. “We didn’t go to Oklahoma City, we didn’t go to Edmond, she was born right here at Stillwater Medical. That’s how much Stillwater meant to me. We had fun, we won ballgames, but most importantly, we figured out the type of kid that fits the Stillwater culture. Not Jacie Hoyt’s style of play, but kids that fit the culture.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
-Mekhi Ragland, F -Ryan Crotty, G -Arturo Dean, G
-Ben Ahmed, F (not signed yet)
-Robert Jenninngs III, F
-Andrija Vukovic, F
Courtesy OSU Athletics
Kanye Clary became OSU’s first addition of the offseason when he announced his commitment.
Jhasmin Player (right) was key to OSU’s international recruiting before becoming the coach at
How Oklahoma State baseball’s Brayden Smith’s ‘Soto Shuffle’ highlights his unique persona
DANIEL ALLEN STAFF REPORTER
Ryan Cougill glanced across the room, frustrated by how he was about to respond.
Brayden Smith, one of Cougill’s former players at Iowa Western Community College, was on the other end of a phone call, seeking advice from his old coach. Seven games into his junior season with Oklahoma State baseball, Smith had yet to establish consistency on offense, hitting .207 with eight strikeouts to that point.
That’s when Cougill gave him his two cents, repeating advice he’d given Smith many times before.
“I told him to be himself,” Cougill said. “That’s why he was so successful for us (at Iowa Western). He’s a unique prospect, and that’s why I told him to just be himself.” Cliché? Sure. But fitting.
After two stellar seasons playing under Cougill at Iowa Western, Smith transferred to OSU.
Early in his first season with the Cowboys, Cougill said, Smith had steered away from being himself. And he has since gone on perhaps the biggest offensive tear this season.
In that span, he’s batted leadoff, in the nine-hole and in other slots in OSU’s lineup. He’s played center field and second base as Cowboys coach Josh Holliday continues to navigate an injury-riddled roster.
And perhaps most notably, Smith has revitalized his Soto Shuffle spin-off, a move where Smith shakes his head while sliding back into the batter’s box shortly after taking a pitch for a ball. It’s similar to how New York Mets star Juan Soto shuffles side to side after taking a pitch.
All of it, Holliday said, highlights the unique elements Smith provides to OSU’s lineup.
“He’s a baseball player — he shows you that all the time,” Holliday said. “He plays second base. He’ll bat lead-off. He’ll bat threehole. He’ll bat two-hole. He’ll bunt. He’ll hit the ball the other way. And occasionally, he’ll hit a home run.
“At the end of the day, he’s a baseball player. He’s really all about
what makes one up.”
Maybe it’s mere coincidence, but teammates and coaches said bringing back the “Smith Shuffle” has led to Smith’s hot hitting. Smith, however, said its return wasn’t something that was forced, claiming it happened “organically.”
“I don’t really think much of it,” Smith said. “I think it’s kind of just something that I’ve always done. Yeah, people have pointed it out to me. But I honestly don’t think about it a lot. It just happens.”
Cougill, however, suggested it to be a product of Smith’s “hyper fixation” on honing his craft. And Holliday has since echoed that sentiment.
“I think it’s more just about hyperfocus — that’s what I think it all comes down to,” Cougill said. “Doing all you can do to be a ballplayer, which is what Brayden does.
“When he goes to swing, it’s either, ‘Yes, yes,’ or ‘No, no.’ Eventually, some of that fast twitch and bounciness will come along. I think it’s all just a result of him being locked in on the moment. He’s so determined in everything that he does, and I think his little shuffle is a product of that.”
Heading into a pivotal threegame road series at No. 24 Arizona (23-9, 8-4 Big 12) in Tucson, Smith is riding a 17-game hitting streak. His .309 batting average and seven home runs rank second among the Cowboys’ consistent starters.
Not many expected OSU’s season to be on the edge near the midway point, but it is. For the Cowboys (15-15, 4-6 Big 12) to salvage a season that withheld immense expectations in the preseason and manage a way to a 13th-straight regional appearance, it likely will need Smith to prolong his hot hitting.
And his Soto Shuffle spin-off will be there with him, waiting to dazzle all who witness it.
“What he is is an awesome kid who has a great motor,” Holliday said. “Probably the highest-running motor of our positional player group. The (players) love him for that.
“He’s got his quips and movements in between at-bats. He’s unique.”
Holliday emphasizing consistency as Cowboys enter pivotal Big 12 stretch
Few would have imagined in the preseason that Oklahoma State baseball would enter something of a do-or-die series eight weeks into its season.
Yet it has.
Five days ago, the Cowboys were riding high after a three-game sweep of then-No. 22 Kansas State. OSU pitching held a potent Wildcat offense to five runs and 12 hits, outscoring K-State 21-5.
That’s the brand of baseball fans and pundits foresaw in the 2025 Cowboys.
Two days later came the product more consistently on display, as four costly errors and an array of pitching blemishes led to a 10-6 loss to Oral Roberts on Tuesday at O’Brate Stadium.
Inconsistency has been a recurrent woe for OSU this season. At times, the Cowboys have shown glimpses of a well-rounded, even championship-caliber ballclub, downing now 14th-ranked Louisville, Texas A&M and Mississippi State, though, the latter two are a combined 6-18 in SEC play.
At other times, OSU has played down to its competition. That’s resulted in an uninspiring .500 start, and despite being tabbed in the preseason as the nation’s No. 17 ranking and Big 12 favorite, OSU is in danger of snapping its streak of 12 straight regional appearances.
And heading into a three-game series at No. 24 Arizona (23-9, 8-4 Big 12) at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, the road ahead doesn’t ease up.
How can the Cowboys patch those holes? Simply put, establish more consistency. Limiting selfinflicted wounds and errors and stringing together cleaner outings.
“I think probably for this group as much as any other that I can remember, has just been to try to create any momentum that you can and carry it,” OSU coach Josh Holliday said after Sunday’s series-clinching sweep of K-State. “We were able to do that. And we need to be able to do that moving forward.”
The pitching rotation has been perhaps the biggest letdown for the Cowboys (15-15, 4-6 Big 12). Experts deemed ace right-hander Gabe Davis as a potential firstround prospect. D1Baseball even named him a preseason third-team All-American. But the Davis experiment failed; old woes for the 6-foot9 flamethrower resurfaced, and he was demoted to the bullpen.
Against Kansas State, Holliday moved righty Sean Youngerman from closer to Day 2 starter. And it sufficed.
With lefty Harrison Bodendorf already establishing himself as a formidable ace and righty Hunter Watkins showcasing potential as a feasible Day 3 arm, Youngerman’s new role should establish some consistency within OSU’s starting
pitching rotation. Sure, pinpointing a new closer will take time. Neither Bodendorf nor Youngerman is likely to tally consecutive career outings as they did against the Wildcats — a combined 23 strikeouts and no earned runs through 15 ⅓ innings — but if the rotation as a whole can log more dominant outings down the stretch, it should buy OSU’s offense time to find its footing.
Perhaps most importantly, it will diminish some of the weight placed on OSU’s defense, which has already been gutted by costly injuries.
Starting shortstop Avery Ortiz hasn’t played since March 9 as a result of an undisclosed injury suffered in a series against Illinois State. And starting third baseman Aidan Meola will undergo seasonending surgery.
Drew Culbertson has filled in for Ortiz. However, his .158 batting average hasn’t provided stable footing, and most of Culbertson’s hits have come via bunt singles. Jayson Jones has started in place of Meola and, despite flashes of brilliance, has struggled to establish consistency at his new post. During Tuesday’s loss to ORU, Jones was responsible for three of OSU’s four errors, all of which were overthrows to first base on ground-ball plays. Each of Jones’ errors led to runs for the Golden Eagles.
“I think right now, we’re all trying to figure it out still,” catcher Ian Daugherty said. “But we need to be better. We need to be cleaner and can’t keep hurting ourselves. We know we have the team to do it. But at some point, it’s really just a matter of putting it all together.”
Holliday said Friday that his Cowboys are “nowhere close” to full strength. He reiterated that Tuesday. That makes cleaner baseball even more important.
As OSU’s lineup continues to gel and the offense develops its identity, the pitching will need to pick up the slack. But simultaneously, the defense, Holliday said, needs to limit “self-inflicted” hiccups.
Otherwise, the coming weeks could be grim.
“The game of baseball has an amazing way of rewarding you when you’re fundamentally sound and an amazing way of penalizing you when you make mistakes,” Holliday said. “The game showed that (Tuesday) and has shown us that all season. Every time we made a mistake, we were penalized. That’s just the way it goes. Execution across the board has not been at a high enough level to win games. We’ll talk about the things that we need to work on, move quickly and focus on what lies ahead.
“We’ve shown our product when we have maintained consistency. Now, we just need to string together more of that, and I think we’ll be fine.”
Catherine Dzanski
OSU’s Brayden Smith
Catherine Dzanski
At 15-15 on the season, OSU baseball has six Big 12 series left, starting with No. 24 Arizona.
DANIEL ALLEN STAFF REPORTER
How Oklahoma State’s Lane has improved in sophomore season
DALTON ARREDONDO STAFF REPORTER
In golf, it’s not always about how many wins a golfer has; it’s also about the progress that’s made.
Gaven Lane is the latest case for Oklahoma State men’s golf. He’s totaled four top-20 finishes in his second season at OSU, crediting playing to his strengths.
“My course management, playing a little smarter golf, my skills, learning how to use what I’m best at an advantage rather than trying to do everything well,” Lane said. “Just pick what I know I can do well and use that (to my advantage).”
In his freshman campaign, Lane competed in every event and posted a top-10 finish in his collegiate debut at the Sahalee Players Championship.
Lane showed what he is
capable of last season, OSU assistant Stratton Nolen said.
“He’s been a great guy for us, and a great team person,” Nolen said. “I mean, his freshman year, I would say, probably didn’t go exactly how he’d want, but you could tell, ‘Holy cow, this guy’s got potential.’
Just (needed) more time, more practice, more reps and he can be a huge contribution to the team, and this year has obviously been significantly better.”
Lane missed the first two tournaments this season due to a hip injury. But he has overcome the struggles and finished in the top 20 in the Jackson T. Stephens Cup and Amer Ari Invitational. To top it off, he claimed his first topfive finish, placing fifth in the Maridoe Invitational.
“Don’t try to show that you’re better than your shot,” OSU assistant Derek Ernst said. “Just go to that next shot. So no reaction to anything, leave the past in the past, and let’s focus on
the one shot coming up right here. Because all we can control is that next shot.”
OSU coach Alan Bratton was impressed with how Lane bounced back at the Haskins Invitational. He claimed 20th place in the tournament, closing with a 68.
“I was really proud of him at Augusta,” Bratton said. “To start off with, he shot 76 in Round 1 and ended up putting up two solid rounds. Played five-under the last two rounds. So that’s good, that’s what you want to see out of young guys is each day is a new day, and to come back with a good afternoon round when you’re playing 36, shoot 76 and then come back with 71 is what you want to see, some good growth.”
Lane has a deep connection with sophomore Preston Stout. They competed against each other in high school and amateur events.
“I mean, he works hard, really takes care of his body,” Stout
said. “I think that’s probably the thing I’m most impressed with him about. He’s had a lot of problems with his hips, and it’s been impressive seeing him taking care of his body and trying new things to try to help make that better, and help his hips function better.”
John Wild, whose long game is similar to Lane’s, said Lane’s driving ability is what separates him from the field.
“I mean, when you have a wedge where other guys are maybe having an eight iron, it’s a really big advantage,” Wild said. “ When you’re driving it straight along that distance, it’s a pretty lethal combination. Obviously, he’s long, but I think he’s got really good hands that maybe some people might overlook, and he’s not afraid to try some shots that maybe other people wouldn’t be able to execute.”
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Courtesy OSU Athletics
After a solid, but underwhelming freshman season, Gaven Lane (right) has been playing the best golf of his college career since returning from injury.
sports
Bryson Thadhani
Mike Gundy said he will be “involved” in the concerts at Boone Pickens Stadium. Oklahoma State coaches preparing for busy weekend in Stillwater due to
‘The Boys From Oklahoma’ concerts
watch this thing. Central Texas, Arkansas, Kansas City. I mean, they’re coming from everywhere to see this concert.”
How Ercan has settled into Stillwater, role with OSU tennis as freshman
GINA FOSTER STAFF REPORTER @GINAFOSTER04
Oklahoma State women’s tennis’ global prominence brought in the final piece of the team for the spring season.
Melisa Ercan, a freshman from Adana, Turkey, thought of becoming a Cowgirl from the moment she entertained the idea of playing collegiate tennis.
Ercan had already made a name for herself in the professional circuit before deciding to improve her skillset at OSU.
She has won five professional titles, three junior singles and one junior doubles title. In her junior career, she reached No. 26 in the ITF junior rankings. Ercan also competed in the Australian Open the past two years.
Ercan said her first big grand slam in the women’s Australian Open, which she won while injured, was one of her greatest tennis moments.
“I still want to be good in my pro career but, at the same time, compete against college students as well,” Ercan said.
Ercan said coach Chris Young played a huge role in making OSU her first choice.
quick recruitment of her,” Young said. “I’ve known about her for a long time. Obviously, she was one of the best juniors in the world for the last couple years, so everybody knew who she was.
“I was just surprised that maybe she was open to it, but once we got to talking about it, it was a quick process.”
As one could imagine, the international transition was not easy.
“When I first came here, it was actually not easy because I started the semester a bit later,” Ercan said. “I really like Stillwater because I have really good friends here, and everybody was so helpful. It’s a small place, but I really like it.”
Although she concedes there isn’t much in Stillwater, Ercan emphasized her love for the quality of the restaurants in town. She didn’t leave out how nice it is to watch other sports every week.
While just a freshman, Ercan is undecided about her major — she has narrowed it down to marketing or international business — but she’s certain her future at OSU will be fulfilling.
Mike Gundy is used to being a part of something going on in a packed Boone Pickens Stadium.
This weekend, though, will be a new experience for the Oklahoma State football coach, who as of his weekly Tuesday press conference, had been told he was involved in some way with “The Boys From Oklahoma” concerts, a string of four sold-out shows from ThursdaySunday to raise NIL money for OSU athletics.
“I’m involved in some of it; I need to find out,” Gundy said. “They asked me to do it. I said I would do it. I’m not sure what I’m doing yet.”
Although Gundy wasn’t sure what role he’ll play with Cross Canadian Ragweed, Turnpike Troubadors and other Red Dirt artists and bands, he knows two things: he’s more of a Motown guy — credited to his mother, Judy — and it’ll feel like a fall Saturday for four straight April days in Stillwater.
“You’re talking about a game day four days in a row,” Gundy said.
As Gundy spoke inside the Sherman E. Smith practice facility, sound checks from BPS could be heard. It served as the Cowboys’ background noise for their day of spring practice.
The noise didn’t bother Gundy’s squad; if anything, he was thankful for it.
“We’re very appreciative, very thankful,” Gundy said. “Those shows sold out in like an hour. It’s a big hit.
“I know that I live in my little world — I don’t know much about anything going on in the world other than what I do here. But I know that people have told me there’s people coming in from New Mexico to
Indeed they are, which is why Kenny Gajewski and OSU softball are preparing for some more folks to attend their weekend series against Iowa State. The Cowgirls are at home for the first time since March 23.
And after losing to Oklahoma on Wednesday and dropping a series against Arizona last weekend, Gajewski is looking for passersby and those in town looking for something to do ahead of the concerts to come party in the Cowgirls’ outfield decks. After all, a new mega-sized deck is in left field.
“I think people are pretty excited about what’s coming this weekend at night, but I also think they’re excited about what’ll be happening at 12 o’clock each day, too,” Gajewski said. “And I think it gives us a great opportunity for people to just be walking by, to be able to come on and jump on those decks.”
Gajewski will have recruits in Stillwater for the anticipated weekend. He said OSU will also market the weekend for recruits who aren’t in town.
Gundy potentially sharing the stage with the Red Dirt artists isn’t a bad recruiting tool either. It wouldn’t be his first time — on Aug. 12, 2023, his 56th birthday, he joined country artist Zach Bryan on stage at the BOK Center in Tulsa, throwing up “Go Pokes” hand signs during Bryan’s finale song, “Revival.”
Because Gundy grew up in a household with Motown, not Red Dirt soundchecks, as background noise, he admittedly doesn’t know the words to Ragweed’s music. However, he likes what he’s heard.
“I do like their music,” Gundy said.
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“We talked a lot with Chris, and I really had a chat with donors and everybody,” Ercan said. “I think the sport that they have here is just really big. I’m really grateful for that.”
When Young heard Ercan was considering a collegiate career, he quickly reached out to her and her parents. At the time, she was about to play in the Australian Open.
Once that event concluded, she was open to talking.
“School was getting ready to start about that time, so it was kind of a
“The atmosphere here is just crazy, it’s so nice, and the friendships and the people that I know here, I think, will last a long time in my life,” Ercan said.
Ercan was used to the individualism of the sport before this semester; however, she’s recognized there’s much more to play for now.
“In normal pros, you don’t get that much support; you play for yourself,” Ercan said. “I think in here you play for yourself, for your school, for everybody who graduated here. I think, in general, it just makes you practice every day and work harder.”
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Kaytlyn Hayes
Melisa Ercan has become one of OSU’s best players as a freshman.
MIDDLE LEFT:
MIDDLE:
MIDDLE RIGHT: Karli Godwin high fives
BOTTOM LEFT: Bedlam graphics inside the
BOTTOM RIGHT: Ruby Meylan smiles toward the dugout.
Oklahoma State softball lost 11-3 in run-rule fashion against Oklahoma on Wednesday at Deon Park in Oklahoma City.
TOP LEFT: Rosie Davis tags out an OU runner on a steal attempt.
TOP RIGHT: Amanda Hasler and Karli Godwin look on as Tia Warsop slides into home plate for a run.
Ruby Meylan winds up for a pitch.
Connor Fuxa
Chance Marick Bryson Thadhani
Chance Marick
Connor Fuxa
Bryson Thadhani
Connor Fuxa