The O'Colly, Friday, February 14, 2025

ROADS TO GLORY

2025 OSU softball schedule

Friday vs. UCLA

Friday vs. Kentucky

Saturday vs. Texas A&M

Saturday vs. Auburn

Saturday vs. Alabama

Feb. 21 vs. SIUE

Feb. 21 vs. Central Arkansas

Feb. 22 vs. SIUE

Feb. 22 vs. South Dakota State

Feb. 23 vs. Central Arkansas

Feb. 27 vs. South Dakota State

Feb. 27 vs. Wichita State

Feb. 28 vs. Nebraska

Feb. 28 vs. Missouri

March 2 vs. Drake

March 2 vs. Tulsa

March 5 at North Texas

March 7-9 at Texas Tech

March 14-16 vs. Houston

March 21-23 vs. Baylor

March 26 at Georgia

March 27-28 at Georgia Tech

March 29 vs. Penn State

April 2 at Arizona State

April 4-6 at Arizona

April 9 vs. Oklahoma

April 11-13 vs. Iowa State

April 15 vs. Wichita State

April 17-19 at UCF

April 23 vs. Texas

April 25-27 at Kansas

April 30 vs. North Texas

May 2-4 vs. Utah

May 5-8 Big 12 Championship (OKC)

May 16-18 NCAA Regionals (TBD)

May 23-25 NCAA Super Regionals (TBD)

May 29-June 6 NCAA WCWS (OKC)

How OSU has taken it ‘up a notch’ for Gajewski’s 10th season as coach

ASHTON SLAUGHTER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Playing softball until June isn’t the goal for Oklahoma State softball. It’s the expectation.

As coach Kenny Gajewski enters his 10th season at the helm, he has built a Women’s College World Series regular. If OSU makes it to Oklahoma City this summer, it will be the sixth straight season the Cowgirls are one of the last eight teams.

Gajewski believes his team can win the final game. He’s thought that for a couple of years, but with each passing softball media day, OSU remains ringless while Gajewski tells reporters each team, year after year, is the best he’s had. This season, a “good nucleus” returning along with the addition of a few standouts makes him confident.

“All the pieces are here to have a really incredible year,” Gajewski said.

Reliving the pain

Anything is on the table at a Gajewski press conference. He’ll laugh, cry, make you think. So, when he was asked at media day about how last season ended, his emotions weren’t surprising.

The Cowgirls went 49-12, won a Bedlam series at OU for the first time since 1997. They advanced to Oklahoma City again and were eliminated in two games.

“Last year hurt,” Gajewski said before a 17-second pause. “I think it just hurt because we just didn’t play our best at the end. And Lexi (Kilfoyl) was so freaking good. And so, I felt like it slipped some... it’s part of this learning curve, right? The last steps are the hardest, and they hurt the most.”

During the Cowgirls’ four consecutive trips before last season, they were eliminated after three games in two straight WCWS (excluding 2020 because of COVID-19), missed the championship series because of two straight losses to Texas and lasted three games again. Because Gajewski wants to avoid the hurt, he still strives to improve.

This season’s adaptation is not coaching third base. Gajewski brought in friend and longtime Division I softball coach Greg Bergeron to coach third and the infield. Gajewski said Bergeron is “better” than him at coaching there.

Otherwise, the makeup of the staff looks the same. On the field, though, it’s a little different.

Kilfoyl, a top-three finalist for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year last season, is gone, but Karli Godwin, the Cowgirls’ D1Softball Freshman All-American first baseman from last season, is back after breaking school records.

Along with Godwin, Rosie Davis, Tallen Edwards and others are back in Stillwater. Now, it’s all about blending the old with the new.

On the same page

Everyone is on the same page — it’s about winning the last game.

A highly-trouted transfer portal class gives the Cowgirls a sense of newness, but the vibes around the program are similar. What has cranked up is the trash talk, courtesy primarily of transfers Ruby Meylan and Megan Delgadillo.

“They battle,” Gajewski said. “They talk more trash during games, and Cheese (Delgadillo) does it to Tallen like, ‘You got no shot to get me out here.’ And she got thrown out last week, and Ruby is over there waving at her bye, and I’m just like, ‘This is legit.’” Although the intrasquad scrimmages can get fiery, it’s all love.

“We fight, but we love each other,” Meylan said.

“Yeah, we give a hug at the end of the day,” Delgadillo said.

“Every day,” Meylan said.

For a program that’s made five straight trips to Oklahoma City, an edge doesn’t have to be there. Although OSU isn’t a softball bluebood and hasn’t won a title, the Cowgirls have become one of the sport’s best gauges of consistency.

But when you’re still the chaser, not the chased, it makes sense. That competitiveness, along with Gajewski and OSU’s willingness to adapt even after almost unparalleled success, can help them get over the hump.

Reaching OKC isn’t the problem; being close to a title isn’t the issue, but the Cowgirls have to get one. Can this be the year?

“I didn’t prepare them enough,” Gajewski said of last year. “So, back at it. And that’s what we tried to do; let’s take the preparation up a notch, and let’s do it.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Connor Fuxa

Kenny Gajewski believes this is the best team he’s had at Oklahoma State.

How OSU landed new leadoff hitter, ‘spark plug’ Delgadillo

thing I feel I need to do on my own.’”

Delgadillo eventually updated her parents with pictures of Oklahoma. She said, her parents started blowing up her phone, saying, “What the heck are you doing?”

Kenny Gajewski didn’t know it, but he had just chatted with his next leadoff hitter.

Oklahoma State Softball’s 10th-year coach traveled to Fort Collins, Colorado, in June to recruit. Megan Delgadillo was there to coach. A one-of-a-kind run-in led from one thing to another.

Now, Delgadillo is hitting atop OSU’s order with what Gajewski called “spark plug” energy. Somehow, he left Colorado with a Preseason All-American and a key piece to the Cowgirls’ quest for a sixth straight Women’s College World Series trip.

“We’ve never had anybody quite like her,” Gajewski said.

Recruiting a star

As Gajewski toured Triple Crown’s pitching lab, he crossed paths with a visiting travel ball team for which Delgadillo was an assistant coach. Gajewski only recognized the squad’s head coach, though.

“We’re just talking about his team and his kids,” Gajewski said. “He’s got (Delgadillo) on his staff. I don’t even (recognize) her. But I noticed she was wearing orange lulu (Lululemon) shorts. So, I was like, ‘Nice shorts.’”

The travel team stepped away before its coach circled back and asked Gajewski if he knew who the girl wearing orange shorts was. Gajewski said no.

“That’s Delgadillo,” Gajewski was told. “I was like, ‘Oh, crap. Where did she end up?’ Gajewski thought surely the sought-after transfer already ended up somewhere. But Delgadillo was still waiting for her fifth year to get approved, leaving schools hesitant to officially offer the former Cal State Fullerton star. She was still in the portal, uncommitted.

So, OSU’s coach began to talk with Delgadillo, asking if she would even consider the Cowgirls.

“Hell yeah,” Delgadillo told Gajewski.

So, Gajewski worked the phones and got an official visit booked. Delgadillo flew to Stillwater the next morning, though she kept her plans quiet.

“I called my brother and was like, ‘Hey, I’m just letting you know I’m going to Oklahoma, but I don’t want to tell mom and dad because they’re gonna try to go with me. This is some -

She met hitting coach Vanessa ShippyFletcher, visited Cowgirl Stadium and had dinner with coaches. Once she wrapped up her visit, Delgadillo returned to Fort Collins and met with Gajewski again.

He gave his final recruiting pitch and told Delgadillo she had an official offer, regardless of whether her fifth year was approved. She would either play in orange and white or serve as a student coach — Gajewski was the only coach to make that promise.

The offer was enough for Delgadillo to commit on the spot, even though she told coaches she was with, “Don’t let me commit tonight” before Gajewski’s presentation.

“I knew he was being genuine and honest,” Delgadillo said. “... I want to grow as a human being, and I knew that he would help me and his staff (would too).”

Once Delgadillo told Gajewski she was coming to Stillwater, the room went crazy, Gajewski said. The celebration was so loud that he was “sure we probably got the front desk (of the hotel) called because we were all pumped and screaming.”

‘Wow’ offense with Delgadillo

Four games into OSU’s season, Delgadillo has shown glimpses of why Gajewski and co. were excited to land her services.

In her first 14 at-bats at the Puerto Vallarta Challange in Mexico, Delgadillo recorded eight hits and drove in two runs. She also stole five bases, including three against Florida State in a 9-6 win.

“When she goes, this offense is… wow,” Gajewski said.

The Cowgirls went 2-2 in Mexico with losses in a rematch against FSU and against Louisiana Tech. Delgadillo went 1 for 6 in defeats but 7 for 8 with four runs in wins.

Gajewski said there’s still a “learning curve” for Delgadillo, but her combination of base stealing and bunting with a “lethal” slap game makes her a “triple threat” atop OSU’s order — one unlike the Cowgirls have had.

“When she comes up (to bat), there’s pressure,” Gajewski said. “The (opposing) defense feels it.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

‘Fiery’ Meylan leading Cowgirls’ pitching staff

boost,” Meylan said. “But then again, none of it matters until June (during the postseason). ... People can say what they want to say, but I have to go prove it.”

Ruby Meylan and her older brother often went at it like siblings do.

But, Meylan had the qualities that put her over the top. She was the younger sister who wanted to win a bit more, which is why she had no problem picking those battles.

“We’re always beating on each other, but I would always win,” Meylan joked. “I’m more fiery, and I’m more competitive. That’s just always been who I am.”

Meylan still has that fire, and not just for tussles with her older brother.

After two seasons at Washington, she transferred to Oklahoma State this summer and took over as the Cowgirl Softball’s ace pitcher. Meylan welcomes the challenge that comes with her position and wants to be the next OSU pitcher to help the Cowgirls reach the Women’s College World Series.

An All-American in 2023 and a Second-Team Preseason All-American this season, Meylan was the gem of OSU’s transfer portal class — which Softball America ranked second-best in the nation. Coach Kenny Gajewski has also said Meylan “has a chance” to be the best pitcher the Cowgirls have had.

Expectations are high. But they don’t mean much to Meylan, at least not right now.

“It gives me a confidence

Meylan went 27-17 with a 2.31 ERA in her All-American season and guided Washington to the WCWS. She put up a 2.55 ERA last season with 139 strikeouts.

Through OSU’s first four games, Meylan pitched 6⅔ innings. She recorded 12 strikeouts while only giving up five hits and two runs. OSU won both games she appeared in but lost the two without her.

The rest of the Cowgirls’ pitching staff — RyLee Crandall, Kyra Aycock and Katie Kutz — combine with Meylan to make for a talented group. Crandall was a highly-touted transfer from Baylor. Aycock was on the 2023 Big 12 AllFreshman team. And Kutz, a former top-10 recruit, had two strong games to start the season.

At OSU’s media day, Gajewski said he feels “really good” about the bullpen.

Meylan is the head of the snake, though. She wears the ace title and the additional expectations that come with it — a high-pressure position suited to her “fiery” demeanor.

“I always want the ball in my hand,” Meylan said. “I’m never gonna walk around and say, ‘I’m the one.’ But I’m gonna do everything I can to lead this team in that position. It’s a pride thing. I’ve worked my butt off for 20 years to get to this spot. I like it.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy OSU Athletics

Ruby Meylan transferred to OSU after two seasons at Washington.

Courtesy OSU Athletics

run-in with OSU coach Kenny Gajewski in Colorado brought Megan Delgadillo to Stillwater.

PARKER

With no Texas or OU, Big 12 baseball is OSU’s to take; but Cowboys can’t settle for that

day is “every bit of 6-foot-9.”

Sure, OSU has one of its more talented rosters under Holliday. But can it end its postseason struggles?

I’d assume that if a program gave itself as many postseason opportunities as OSU has, eventually, things will be resolved. But the Cowboys have experienced no shortage of heartbreak in recent years.

A three-word phrase sits above Oklahoma State’s bullpen at O’Brate Stadium.

Make It Happen.

Etched in metal letters and tethered to the cobblestone layer below the 28.8-by-67.2-foot scoreboard that towers over left field, it serves as the mantra for the OSU baseball team. One that motivates players and coaches each time they enter the state-of-theart palace opened ahead of the 2021 season. It commemorates the rich history of the program and the plethora of talent that has come through, all while serving as a memorandum of what is expected.

This year, OSU has the team to make it happen — pun intended.

Under coach Josh Holliday, OSU has cemented itself as a perennial Big 12 Conference contender: two first-place finishes in the regular season, seven second-place finishes and two conference tournament championships. With the departures of marquee brands Texas and OU to the SEC, the Big 12 is OSU’s to lose in 2025.

TCU will be good as usual. Newcomer Arizona returns seven position starters from last year’s Pac-12 Tournament championship team. You can’t ever count out a Dan Fitzgerald-coached club in Kansas, which boasts the Big 12 Preseason Pitcher of the Year in sophomore right-hander Dominic Voegele. Nor can you overlook Texas Tech’s abundance of offensive firepower. And who’s to say Arizona State won’t be better this season?

All of the above are good clubs that could get hot and contend for the Big 12 crown. However, this is one of Holliday’s most-talented lineups since his inaugural year coaching OSU. And among the aforementioned bunch, the Cowboys check every box to be the preseason favorite to win the conference. But it can’t stop there.

Holliday has fielded a championship-caliber roster ahead of this season, making the pressure to return to the College World Series higher. OSU hasn’t been to Omaha since 2016, but that could — and should — change this year.

The Cowboys return six position players from a 2024 team that won 42 games, finished second in the Big 12, won a conference tournament and hosted a regional. While Holliday was tasked with retooling his starting pitching rotation for a third-straight year, he reeled in a transfer portal haul with arms capable of doing so.

In came left-hander Harrison Bodendorf from Hawaii and right-handers Hunter Watkins from Grand Canyon, Mario Pesca from St. John’s and Sean Youngerman from D-II Westmont College. Returning is right-hander Gabe Davis, who earned preseason third-team All-American honors from D1Baseball, is the No. 63 prospect in MLB.com’s Top 150 Draft Prospects list and who Holliday said team’s media

In 2019 came an all-time NCAA Super Regional against Texas Tech, a bestof-three set decided by a combined five runs in favor of the Red Raiders.

In 2022, OSU clashed with Arkansas in one of the sport’s most memorable regionals. That year’s Stillwater Regional set an NCAA record for most runs scored in a regional. Arkansas and OSU combined to score 66 runs in three matchups, and the Razorbacks advanced.

In 2023 came a team of destiny in Oral Roberts — arguably one of the best No. 4 in college baseball history — that had one of the sport’s most memorable Cinderella runs to the College World Series.

And then a year ago, the Cowboys hosted a preseason top-five team in Florida, which boasted two-way star Jac Caglianone. OSU held a 2-0 advantage and was only one win away from clinching a regional championship, but the Gators got hot. The rest is history.

But the 2025 OSU baseball team is different. It’s deeper in the bullpen, more complete in the starting rotation and has a lineup with firepower that can carry the team to victory.

Perhaps it’s as simple as garnering a more feasible regional draw. That might help, but the path to Omaha is grueling regardless.

Talented teams endure daunting regional pools each year. The best teams, however, find a way through. If any team is built to get OSU over the regional hump, it’s this one.

Holliday said his pitching staff is further along at this point than it has been in recent years. Yes, even better than last year’s pitching staff, which tied for the lowest team ERA (4.08) since 2016. Time will tell if that’s true.

Fans and pundits will get a gauge of how ready this team is when the Cowboys clash with No. 15 Clemson, Louisville and No. 19 Texas in the Shriners Children’s College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field. Two weeks later comes a weekend in Houston, where standoffs against No. 3 Tennessee, No. 1 Texas A&M and No. 16 Mississippi State await at Daikin Park — home of the Houston Astros.

Holliday hinted late last season that this year’s nonconference slate would be “the most difficult” he has pieced together during his OSU tenure. He wasn’t lying. And what better way to test whether a team can compete with the big dogs than these first three weekends?

Opening Day is drawing closer. Fans are eager to fill the 8,000-seat ballpark on North Bellis Street. Preseason buzz and euphoria are nothing new for a program like OSU. But perhaps this year, it feels a little different.

The Cowboys have a chance to “Make It Happen.” Let’s see if they will.

Can Oklahoma State get past dreaded regional round, return to Omaha?

Ahead of its season opener in Arlington, Texas, the Oklahoma State baseball team faces what’s become a common conundrum.

It features six returning starters, an influx of newcomers and a newlook starting pitching rotation. It’s a good problem to have and a task OSU coach Josh Holliday and pitching coach Rob Walton dealt with the past two offseasons.

At the same time, OSU is faced with another familiar problem: It hasn’t reached a regional championship since 2019, nor a College World Series since 2016.

The Cowboys have appeared in a regional every season under Holliday, excluding the COVID-19-shortened 2020 year.

But an eight-year Omaha drought is a lengthy one, especially for the Cowboys, whose 20 College World Series appearances are the sixth-most among D-I programs.

Coming off a 42-19 campaign that ended abruptly with a loss to Florida in the Stillwater Regional championship game, Holliday’s players said during OSU’s media day that they’re hungry to end the drought.

So, is this year’s team the one to exorcise those postseason demons and return back to the sport’s promised land?

“I think for me, I’m more focused on the big picture, and this is one of the most consistent programs in the country, obviously,” D1Baseball’s Mike Rooney said. “I think if you keep giving yourself chances, and with the talent level that Josh (Holliday) has fielded this year, you’re going to eventually have success in the postseason. I don’t think there’s any question about that.”

On Friday, No. 17 OSU will begin its 2025 campaign against No. 15 Clemson in the annual Shriners Children’s College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field. On Saturday, a Louisville team awaits that’s hopeful for a bounce-back year. Then on Sunday, a clash with No. 19 Texas will close out the Cowboys’ weekend in the Lone Star State.

It’s a daunting opening weekend. But it’s an opportunity for Holliday to toy with the lineup, figure out which batting order fits best and how to maximize his roster.

“I think a weekend like this will expose some of the things that need to be worked on, which isn’t always

good for the moment but it’s always good and helpful in the long haul,” former OSU coach and current OSU baseball color commentator Tom Holliday said. “But I also think that when you get to Big 12 play, you’re going to have a seasoned group, a group that already has a level of toughness to it.”

With left fielder Nolan Schubart, a preseason first-team All-American and projected first-round draft selection, senior infielder Aidan Meola, former top-50 recruit Arkansas transfer Jayson Jones and returning sophomores Avery Ortiz and Kollin Ritchie, both of whom Josh said in the fall he expects to have “big seasons,” the Cowboys have no shortage of talent to combat their slate in Arlington.

As for the pitching rotation? The Cowboys brought in left-hander Harrison Bodendorf from Hawaii and right-handers Hunter Watkins from Grand Canyon, Mario Pesca from St. John’s and Sean Youngerman from D-II Westmont College. Returning is 6-foot-9 right-hander Gabe Davis, who garnered preseason third-team All-American honors from D1Baseball.

The 2024 starting rotation of Sam Garcia, Brian Holiday and Carson Benge logged a collective ERA of 3.25, while the pitching staff as a whole posted a 4.08 team ERA, tied for its lowest since 2016.

The success of the 2025 pitching staff remains to be seen. But the talent, Rooney said, is there to emulate last year’s efficiency. That paves the way for OSU’s offense to showcase its abundant firepower.

A college baseball season is lengthy, with 56 to 58 games before conference tournaments and regionals one week later. But this lends itself to roster development. If years past are indicative of anything, it’s that Holliday and Co. have mastered that.

Now it becomes a matter of carrying that into regional play.

“I think the position players are the more proven commodities, but I also think that the pitching staff is very interesting and it’s just a matter of who emerges and how it all comes together throughout the year,” Rooney said. “But I think that by May, as is the case with almost any team, you’re going to see what this team is made of; the days of February and March are merely a small sample size of that. And I think that by the end of it, this team could have the talent to make a statement.”

Payton Little

Josh Holliday (right) is entering his 12th season as head coach at OSU.

File photo

Struggling in Regionals has become the meme of OSU in recent memory.

2025 OSU baseball schedule

Friday vs. Clemson

Saturday vs. Louisville

Feb. 16 vs. Texas

Feb. 18 vs. Texas State

Feb. 21-23 vs. UT Arlington

Feb. 26 at Abeline Christian

Feb. 28 vs. Tennessee

March 1 vs. Texas A&M

March 2 vs. Mississippi State

March 4-5 vs. Winthrop

March 7-9 vs. Illinois State

March 11 at Dallas Baptist

March 14-16 vs. West Virginia

March 18-19 vs. North Dakota State

March 21-23 at Utah

March 25 vs. Wichita State

March 28-30 at Kansas

April 1 vs. Missouri State

April 4-6 vs. Kansas State

April 8 vs. Oral Roberts

April 11-13 at Arizona

April 15 vs. Oklahoma

April 18-20 vs. Houston

April 22 vs. Dallas Baptist

April 25-27 at Cincinnati

April 29 at Oral Roberts

May 2-4 vs. UCF

May 9-11 at Baylor

May 15-17 vs. Arizona State

May 21-24 Big 12 Championship

May 30-June 2 NCAA Regional

June 6-9 NCAA Super Regional

June 13-16 NCAA College World Series

Baseball

With tools to be OSU’s ace, Davis has ‘chance to be fantastic’ his junior season

ALLEN STAFF REPORTER

Gabe Davis smiled at the question, acknowledging its significance.

Are you more confident than you were before?

The Oklahoma State baseball pitcher nodded his head and took a moment to reflect before he spoke.

“I would say that I definitely had some issues with being confident on the mound, trusting my stuff and believing in myself,” Davis said this past week at media day. “But after this summer and proving what I can do, I feel like I’m in a good spot. And I feel like (I need to) take that confidence and build on it.”

Davis, OSU’s 6-foot-9 right-handed flamethrower, hasn’t had the easiest route to the spotlight his first two seasons at the college level. But he said he’s ready to put his past behind him and focus on his longterm goals: earning a spot in the starting rotation, aiding OSU to a Big 12 championship and to its first College World Series appearance since 2016.

As a freshman in 2023, Davis turned heads with his high-90s fastball and sharp slider, but pitch command issues hindered his consistency. He finished the season with a 7.92 ERA and .290 opponent batting average through 22 appearances and 25 innings.

As a sophomore, he began the season as a high-leverage reliever, dazzling in outings against Arkansas and Oklahoma. Shortly after, he slotted into the starting rotation, but the pitch command struggles resurfaced, and he was demoted back to the bullpen. Despite holding a sub-three ERA for the majority of the season, that number ballooned to a 4.17 through 18 appearances and 45 1/3 innings pitched.

Davis chalked up his woes to a lack of confidence. It’s a common struggle for young pitchers, and he said managing his mind during his junior season is more important than ever.

“I think’s he’s got a chance to be fantastic,” Cowboys coach Josh Holliday said. “I believe in Gabe, and I love the story and how much he’s grown since he’s been here.

“I think what you’re always trying to do is figure out that ideal rhythm as to how they best perform and how they bounce back. Gabe certainly has the tools to both start or close for us.”

Regardless of Davis’ role, Holliday said having a talent like Davis is beneficial for depth of the pitching staff. Whether a starter, closer or high-end reliever, Davis has the kind of stuff that can speak for itself when he takes the mound.

“To me, it’s about the number of innings he can handle; that’s the key,” D1Baseball national writer Mike Rooney said. “Obviously his stuff and velocity is overwhelmingly good, but (OSU) only got 45 innings out of him last year. If you told me Gabe Davis is going to throw 70-plus innings for OSU this year, I would tell you that I don’t care what his ERA is, that’s a huge win for Oklahoma State. A kid with that arm and that kind of stuff, if he can be on the mound and competitive for that many innings, that’s a huge win.”

In January, Davis garnered preseason thirdteam All-American honors from D1Baseball. He is also the No. 63 overall prospect in the MLB Top 100 Draft Prospect rankings, which would put him in second-round territory. He pitched for Team USA’s college team this past summer.

Pundits are taking notice of Davis’ talent. For OSU to return to college baseball’s promised land, he will need to back up the preseason hype.

“I’m definitely blessed in the aspect of being able to use my long (limbs) and being able to throw hard,” Davis said. “Honestly, it’s just about trying to hammer my mechanics and making sure that I’m staying consistent and making sure my release is always the same.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Jones poised for bounce-back season in first year with OSU

CALIF PONCY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Reclamation projects are nothing new for Josh Holliday.

Before last season, the Oklahoma State baseball coach brought in Lane Forsythe, a player once seen as a star at Mississippi State who fell out of favor in Starkville. The move paid off. Forsythe became a key part of the Cowboys’ 2024 Big 12 championship team and recorded career bests across the board.

Forsythe is gone, but Holliday wasted no time finding another highly-touted player with SEC experience.

Insert Jayson Jones.

Jones was the Perfect Game’s 35th-ranked overall recruit in the 2022 and had offers from several nationally renowned programs. Eventually, Jones decided to forego the 2022 MLB Draft and play for Arkansas.

“We had him in camp at a young age and he was a very talented, gifted recruit,” Holliday said. “We, I think, got the silver medal in his recruiting process. This summer, he decided he needed a different environment, and it was a good fit.”

The parallels between Forsythe and Jones are clear.

Both came to Stillwater after falling short of expectations at title-contending SEC programs. Upon entering the transfer portal, both were seen as elite defensive players with offensive warts.

Although Jones primarily played in the

outfield during his college career, Holliday sees him as a versatile player who can plug in at first or third base and left or right field.

Jones’ elite ranking coming out of high school was earned at shortstop; Perfect Game ranked him as the second overall recruit at the position. Forsythe played shortstop for the Cowboys last year, leaving a hole at the position that two underclassmen, Brock Thompson and Avery Ortiz, have filled.

Jones is likely to occupy the outfield, but his positional versatility is one of the things that made him an intriguing portal prospect.

“Another good, quality athlete with good offensive potential and some good versatility,” Holliday said.

Jones’ defensive ability paves the way for him to become an everyday player for the Cowboys, but he has a lot of work to do at the plate.

In his two seasons at Arkansas, Jones hit .195 and six home runs.

If Jones and the Cowboys want this partnership to be mutually beneficial, he will have to turn those numbers around. Holliday said he believes he can, but only time will tell if Jones can become what so many thought he would be a few years ago as a recruit.

“Jayson was, at one point in his career, an incredibly gifted and an incredibly heralded player,” Holliday said. “He was in a program where he was learning and playing behind some really good players, and now, he’s our player. Now we get a chance to grow with him. Jayson’s got his own story. He’s just working really hard on writing it right now.”

Payton Little

Pitcher Gabe Davis “has the tools,” OSU coach Josh Holliday to start and close games for the Cowboys.

Courtesy OSU Athletics

All-American.

OSU women’s golfer Grace Kilcrease has a goal this season to be an

Cowgirl golf’s depth key heading into spring season

GINA FOSTER STAFF REPORTER

The Oklahoma State women’s golf team kicked off its spring season successfully on Feb. 3 and 4 at the FAU Paradise Invitational with a second-place team finish and an individual win at the Texas State Invitational.

Although there was an array of triumphs through the 54 holes, there is always room for improvement in the six remaining tournaments.

Freshman Summer Lee has began to make her mark in the program. She took home first place at the Texas State Invitational, the first freshman Cowgirl to do so since 2020.

Each of the Cowgirl freshmen, Lee, Lucy Darr and Tarapath Panya, have made their way into the lineup this season. Coach Greg Robertson said he’s impressed with their work ethic.

“A lot of times you get freshmen, they come in, they think they’re hard workers, but then they find out real quick, when they’re around somebody like (Grace) Kilcrease, that ‘Maybe I don’t really work as hard as I thought,’” Robertson said. “But this group, they’ll put in the time, they’ll put in the effort. I think it’s going to be a matter of just continuing to get them experience in these tournaments, getting them comfortable with being in situations where they’ve got opportunities to win.”

Kilcrease started her Cowgirl career with a win at Pebble Beach in the fall. She has gone on to have six consecutive

top-10 finishes. In the first tournament of the spring, Kilcrease tied for fourth alongside teammate Thitaporn Saithip. That tied Saithip’s career-best finish.

“One of my main goals is to be an All-American,” Kilcrease said. “Just trying to play as consistently as I can and keep putting myself in position to win, just always trying to be near the top and committing to my game.”

The Cowgirls have depth, which provides an opportunity for every player to compete for a spot in the lineup.

Ellie Bushnell posted multiple rounds in the 60s, proving the spring is a canvas for great things.

Marta Silchenko was out for the fall season due to a back injury, but made a positive statement with her solo third in her spring debut.

“They’re only going to raise the level of everybody’s game, but I think it’s been good to see, especially these younger players, grow a little bit,” Robertson said.

OSU’s depth allows its lineups to vary.

The Cowgirls will travel to Sarasota, Florida, this week to play at PGA West.

The team will travel to two other courses that have hosted PGA Tour events and one that currently hosts a tour event.

“Everywhere we’re going is pretty exciting,” Robertson said. “From having some pretty good weather to the golf course that we’re playing, the competition that we’re going to face, I think, is pretty exciting with what we have moving forward.”

Cowboy golf has ‘a lot of confidence’ after strong start with young roster

round isn’t going to necessarily derail it. Somebody’s ready to step up every single day, and we have to continue that.”

The Oklahoma State men’s golf team looks different for one reason. It has no seniors.

The Cowboys’ roster rundown: Five freshmen, four sophomores and one junior. Despite the lack of experience, the team has two victories: the Jackson T. Stephens Cup in October and the Amer Ari Invitational in Hawaii last weekend. Assistant coach Derek Ernst said the team is starting to find a groove after the two wins.

“We’re feeling pretty confident,” Ernst said, “Everyone’s meshing well; everyone’s getting along really well.”

“There’s a lot of confidence right now amongst ourselves and the five guys that we got, because it’s the same five that we won (the) Stephens Cup with, and the same five won in Hawaii. So we’ve just got to keep running that and keep it going.”

OSU is ranked No. 9 and is likely to rise after its most recent victory involved taking down top teams such as Auburn, Arizona State and Texas.. In addition, the Cowboys broke a school record by winning the tournament with a score of 64-under. Depth has been a big part of OSU’s success, coach Alan Bratton said.

“It’s a comforting thing as a teammate, and that’s an important component of having a good team,” Bratton said.

“So it’s nice to see that. It’s nice to know that a hiccup somewhere in a

The team’s leader is sophomore Ethan Fang, a transfer from CaliforniaBerkley. He has four top-10 finishes, including a third-place finish at the Amer Ari Invitational. Fellow transfers Eric Lee and Preston Stout both have three top-25 finishes.

Freshman Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson and sophomore Gaven Lane have also stepped up. Fahlberg-Johnsson has two top-10 finishes in the past two wins of the season, while Lane has two top-20 finishes.

The Cowboys have a quick turnaround as they play in this weekend’s Gators Invitational at Mark Bostick Golf Course in Gainesville, Florida.

The field includes Florida, UCF, West Virginia and Penn State.

The lineup going to Florida is Fang, Lee, Stout, Lane and Fahlberg-Johnsson. Sophomore Johnnie Clark will compete individually.

The Gator Invitational is a two-day tournament, where there are 36 holes played on the first day as opposed to 18. Fang said it brings an opportunity to carry momentum into the next round.

“I definitely prefer 18, 18,18, but sometimes the 36 hole days, if you’re playing good in the morning, you can keep it going in the afternoon, so it could work out in your favor,” Fang said.

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Juan DeLeon/Big 12 Conference

OSU golfer Ethan Fang earned a third-place finish at the Amer Ari Invitational.

OSU equestrian finds ‘pride’ in preparation, sets high standards for spring season

KENZIE KRAICH ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @KRAICH20

Show up. Pick a horse. Ride. Win. A simple equation often overused when discussing equestrian.

It’s easy to overlook all the preparation a team must undergo to be at the level of Oklahoma State’s equestrian program.

Although OSU’s success is well defined on paper with a fourth-place ranking in the latest National Collegiate Equestrian Association poll and dozens of Most Outstanding Performer awards, OSU coach Larry Sanchez believes greatness is found in preparation.

“The girls are so meticulous as a whole about how the horses are turned out and how the barn looks,” Sanchez said. “It’s a pride that they take. ... To me, that just shows that they really care about this program.”

For most sports on campus, athletes show up to practice or games and have little or no involvement in preparing equipment. Equestrian is the opposite.

“It’s not a show up and compete and then go home,” Sanchez said. “You’re invested in the day by the time the competition arrives.”

For a 2 p.m. match, most riders will arrive at the arena around 8 a.m. to begin preparing not only themselves, but also their horses and the barn. From cleaning tack (stables, saddles, etc.) to banding the horses, members of the Cowgirl team are involved in the everyday upkeep process.

These practices aren’t universal in the equestrian world, but OSU has found great success in applying them.

The Cowgirls are 5-3 heading into the spring season and have seen major milestones inside the ring.

“Everybody has two feet in,” senior Riley Hogan said. “They’re all dedicated. They all want it.” Hogan, a strong leader for the Cowgirls, has seen the highs and

‘Let’s break records’:

OSU track & field embracing expectations, goals in 2025

KENZIE KRAICH ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @KRAICH20

Two teams call for two very different approaches, and that’s the narrative surrounding the Oklahoma State men’s and women’s track and field teams.

The men are returning a majority of pieces that contributed to last year’s Big 12 Conference and national success. But they learned a thing or two throughout this past year.

“We had a rough day at the (cross country) national championships, and it didn’t go the way we wanted to,” said OSU coach Dave Smith. “We went too hard and got too aggressive at our training, so we’ve really dialed it back.”

This digression might be seen as an obstacle for most teams, but the Cowboys have leaned into it, breaking several records along the way.

Notable athletes such as Brian Musau, Laban Kipkembio, Hafez Mahadi, Mehdi Yanouri and Fouad Messaoudi have put themselves in OSU’s record books early in the indoor season. Messaoudi’s mile time shattered the school record and put him top 10 in the NCAA.

The dynamic of the men’s team has become an interesting one to witness with Dennis Kipngetich and Musau leading the pack as sophomores, while showing respect to veterans like Ryan Schoppe.

“Those guys are phenomenal talents,” Schoppe said. “It’s just teaching them what I’ve learned over the past four or five years and hoping they can use it to the best of their advantage.”

It’s safe to say whatever Schoppe has shared with the two sophomore phenoms has worked as they both placed top 15 at cross country nationals just a few months ago.

ing just one of the five All-Americans from last season. But Smith is not allowing this hurdle to define his team or discourage it from its potential.

“I just had a conversation with (the women),” Smith said. “I said, ‘Stop being differential. Break through, take control, stake your claim and let’s become the athletes that we know you can.’”

If that hadn’t been inspiring enough, athletes such as Sivan Auerbach, Emma Robbins, Victoria Lagat and Saara Hakanen have all found themselves among OSU’s best in their respective events.

Auerbach has been a consistent role model for the Cowgirls as she was awarded Big 12 Women’s Scholar Athlete of the Year for 2024, but Smith thinks the best is yet to come in her career.

“She’s approaching every race as something she wants to take control of rather than something that’s about to happen to her,” Smith said. “She’s taken the bull by the horns and is doing a great job.”

Robbins has been a new addition to the Cowgirl roster, but is already making a big impact. The Kansas State transfer broke an OSU record in the weight throw that stood for 20 years — a record that she owns at both her alma maters (KSU and LSU).

“Having (Robbins) come was just an enormous boost to us,” Smith said. “She is, so far, throwing better than she’s ever thrown in the weight, and (she’s) knocking on the door to be one of those national qualifiers.”

lows of OSU equestrian, but she is more confident than ever in her team’s ability to make a strong postseason run.

The Cowgirls have a tough slate the next couple of months, traveling to No. 9 Baylor and No. 5 SMU and hosting No. 3 TCU and No. 7 Fresno State. OSU faced all these teams in the fall, coming out with wins against Baylor and SMU and losses to TCU and FSU.

The Cowgirls rank third in the Big 12 Conference heading into the spring season behind TCU and FSU, but that isn’t standing in the way of their goal to win their fifth straight conference title.

Although rankings are easy to lean on throughout a season, Sanchez and his riders focus on what they call, “the road to Ocala,” Florida, home of the World Equestrian Center, which hosts the NCEA championship.

This road has proven to be successful in previous years as the Cowgirls are one of two teams in the NCEA with 10 conference championships (the other being No. 1 Auburn in the SEC).

Wins and losses aren’t emphasized in the OSU equestrian program, but getting a top-eight bid to nationals comes a lot easier with a “W” next to its name.

However, the No. 4 beside the Cowgirls’ name doesn’t mean much to a 26th-year coach.

“To get into the nitty gritties of that ranking is not worth our time because we have no control over it,” Sanchez said. “We have control over the next meet that’s coming up and whether or not we put ourselves in a position to win every point that we can.”

Setting aside outside expectations, numerical rankings and win-loss records, OSU equestrian has its eye on one thing.

“Larry always says that you’re not going to remember that one team that lost to X, Y and Z,” Hogan said. “You’re going to remember that they won nationals.”

To get where it wants to be, the men’s team will need to focus on taking it slow, one meet at a time. Smith does not care to see podium placings at the events leading up to the conference and national meets; he wants to see his athletes thrive on the big stage like he knows they can.

Returning five of the six AllAmerican athletes from last season’s squad, the Cowboys are favorites in the Big 12 Conference and are looking to make a statement during nationals for indoor and outdoor competition this spring.

The women, however, are return -

Robbins came to OSU due to her connection to throwing coach Greg Watson, who she has followed from two other programs before becoming a Cowgirl. At her previous schools, Robbins said there was nothing quite like the dynamic she has experienced at OSU, giving her reason to believe this women’s team can go far over the spring season.

From the outside looking in, the women’s team has a long way to go, but Robbins believes wholeheartedly that this team has the capability to exceed expectations.

“We can do it,” Robbins said. “Let’s break records. Let’s set the standard. … Let’s go out there and do something no one has done.”

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Oklahoma State XC

Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Dave Smith knows that “every other team” wants to knock

Courtesy OSU Athletics

How Epps’ fresh start reshaped her mindset

kids to the sport.

Gracie, the oldest of the Epps children, quickly set her focus on tennis.

Gracie Epps came to Oklahoma State for a new start closer to home. Since arriving in Stillwater, the bluechip women’s tennis prospect has only improved.

That improvement begins with her skillset and extends to personal growth.

“I learned how to do a forehand,” Epps said. “That’s the first one. I didn’t really have that before I came here.” While her on-court development stands out, Epps has grown in other ways since transferring from Georgia.

She’s improved her ability to be a team player.

“I really learned how to be a team player in everything,” Epps said. “I really learned how to take a step back and (that) not everything has to be about me all the time. It’s so cool getting to serve other people and getting served by teammates, and really just be a servant after God’s own heart.

“I think that’s really been able to be portrayed here, so it’s been really fun. This has been God-given for sure.”

Epps said it’s an honor to play for coach Chris Young, who previously coached her dad at Oklahoma Christian.

Tennis runs in Epps’ family.

Her grandpa was a tennis coach and her parents both played at OCU before raising six kids in a tennis-loving household.

Epps’ mother, Summer, said in an interview with UTSA in 2019 that they started family tennis to introduce their

“She just loved it,” Summer said in the UTSA interview. “She would watch it all day long on Tennis Channel. Any time the TV was on, it had to be on Tennis Channel.

“She just couldn’t get enough; it was like she was a little sponge and just wanted to know about tennis strategies and strokes, and I was not ready for that. I was just like, ‘You’re 8. We should really be playing every sport possible.’ But she kind of put her blinders on and said, ‘This is what I’m gonna do.’ So I said, ‘OK.’”

After her freshman year at Georgia, Epps transferred and felt instantly at home with her OSU teammates.

“Everyone has very different personalities — a couple more bold, a couple more relaxed — and so just getting to kind of see how we all integrate with each other has been really cool,” Epps said. “Getting to play on a team like this, you know your teammates are going to be fighting alongside you, so you know you can fight with them.”

Although she is 40th in ITA’s rankings, Epps has greater goals for herself than a successful match or season.

“My biggest goal for myself is just to serve God in everything that I do, be able to represent him, even when I’m being competitive, and make sure that people know I’m a Christian first, and a tennis player after that,” Epps said. “I think that’s the most important goal. Other than that, just to serve my teammates in the best way I can, whether that’s on court or off court.”

Taylor rebuilding Cowboy Tennis with youth, new faces

for the Cowboys. Taylor said he was impressed with Onofrei and Stecker’s performances considering they had arrived only two weeks prior.

Oklahoma State men’s tennis is entering next era of coach Dustin Taylor’s program: a rebuild.

The Cowboys are 2-6, their worst start to a season in the Taylor era. Last season marked the end for many Cowboys, such as Tyler Zink, Alex Garcia, Leighton Allen and Goran Zgola.

Throughout the years, Taylor has added veteran depth through the transfer portal, but this time around, Taylor has added six freshmen to the roster. Most of the Cowboys’ season has been on the road, but when the opportunity came to show out in front of the OSU crowd, the freshman class took it.

After the Cowboys defeated Saint Louis 7-0 in their home opener, Taylor said he was impressed with how the freshmen performed in front of the home crowd.

“They really embraced what it is to be a Cowboy and the pressure that comes with it,” Taylor said. “And pressure is a privilege. They brought the energy and they brought the passion and they represented well. They looked about as comfortable as you’re going to look for your first experience here at the Greenwood (Tennis Center), and then a match where everyone can play. And you got to respect everyone.”

Freshmen Ian Bracks, Nicolas Kobelt and Matei Onofrei all secured wins in the home opener. Onofrei teamed up with fellow freshmen Ben Stecker to secure the doubles point

“They’ve been in Stillwater a combined five, 10 days at the most.” Taylor said after the match.

Since their home opener, the Cowboys have gone 1-2 with a 5-2 home loss to Nebraska and a 4-0 loss at Washington. In their most recent match, the Cowboys claimed a 4-0 win at Seattle. Bracks and Stecker paired up to win one of the doubles courts against Seattle, and each secured a win in singles.

Bracks has been one of the standouts from the freshman class. He is 3-2, including a win against No. 117 Conrad Brown (UCSB), 6-3, 6-7 (4), 1-0 (10-5). Bracks, who has become a key contributor on and off the court for the Cowboys, said he always dreamed of suiting up in the orange and black.

“It feels really incredible playing here in Stillwater with the Greenwood Tennis Center,” Bracks said. “It is a really good atmosphere. Great fans. Having the Greenwoods in attendance makes it really special. I’ve been dreaming about playing here as well since I was a younger kid from Oklahoma. Playing for Oklahoma State means a lot to me.”

The Cowboys are in the middle of another long road stretch and will return to the GTC on March 13. Despite a rough start to the season, Taylor is set on building the next generation of Cowboy tennis. And it starts with the deep freshman class he’s brought to Stillwater.

Catherine Dzansk

Gracie Epps decided to transfer closer to home after two seasons at Georgia.

Oklahoma State, Lutz finding

CALIF PONCY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

those really good things and string them together.”

Whatever first-year OSU coach Steve Lutz has been preaching, it’s finally shining through.

A few weeks into the Big 12 season, the Oklahoma State men’s basketball team appeared outclassed.

With double-digit losses to BYU, Kansas State, West Virginia and Utah, the Cowboys seemed destined to head into the home stretch of the conference season lacking any hope or momentum.

Now, OSU is a winner of two of its last three, with the loss coming in a tightly contested game at Houston, one of the toughest places to play in the country. Behind Abou Ousmane, Jamyron Keller, Bryce Thompson and Arturo Dean, OSU looks like a different team than the one that ran up and down the court looking disconnected.

“I think we definitely have a bit more momentum,” forward Patrick Suemnick said. “Earlier in the season we had good moments; we had bad moments. I think that we’re starting to take some of

In his past stops, Lutz’s teams have thrived on fast-paced offense and aggressive defense. To start the season, OSU could only seem to do one of those things at a time.

The Cowboys would have stretches of good offense, but their effort wouldn’t reciprocate on the other end. Against FAU, Miami, Nevada, Tulsa and Seton Hall, OSU scored at least 75 points. In four of those five games, the opposition scored at least 70.

Whenever OSU fixed its defensive issues, the offense would begin to fade. In the five-game stretch to begin conference play, OSU failed to crack 70 points in four out of five games.

Now, for the first time in the Lutz era, OSU is doing both.

In four of its past five games, OSU has forced at least 10 turnovers, with the only exception coming against Kansas State, which dominated OSU and scored 85 points. OSU is still allowing

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SINCE 1957,

points, but it has been able to cover up its blemishes with bursts of offense, and vice versa.

“I think we’ve become a better team over the last two weeks outside of the K-State game,” Lutz said. “We just need to keep building upon it. We can’t take steps backward.”

The key to avoiding backward steps is for OSU’s key players to maintain their performances.

Heading into the season, Keller was expected to have a big role.

As one of the few holdovers from Mike Boynton’s final team, Keller had a familiarity with Big 12 basketball that only Bryce Thompson, Connor Dow and Robert Jennings II could match. Despite his experience, Keller didn’t play more than 20 minutes in a game until December when OSU played Seton Hall.

Since then, Keller has emerged as a major part of the rotation, recording at least 20 minutes in OSU’s past six games.

“Jamyron is a very good player,” Lutz said. “He should be a very good player for us for a long, long time. I’m excited about him.”

Keller’s emergence as a defensive

player makes him a good fit next to Dean and Thompson, who have stepped up on the defensive end as well.

With the Big 12 Tournament less than a month away, OSU is getting into a groove at the perfect time. As the bottom tier of the Big 12 becomes clear, OSU has played its way out of it, at least for now.

When OSU plays the best the Big 12 has to offer, it remains likely to come up short, but it is clear that Lutz’s message is getting across in a way it wasn’t the first few months of the season.

With winnable games against TCU, UCF and Cincinnati left on the docket before the Big 12 Tournament starts March 11, OSU has a chance to build even more camaraderie and confidence when the lights are the brightest.

“I don’t know what (Texas) Tech is going to be, but a top-15 team coming into Gallagher-Iba, with a little bit of momentum, you’d like to think that all the fans would come out and support it,” Lutz said. “That’s where you start to show the Big 12 that you’re going to be a serious contender.”

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Catherine Dzanski

February 14, 2025

Valentine’s day edition

Degrees or wedding rings

BY RAYNEE HOWWELL I ASSISTANT NEWS AND LIFESTYLE EDITOR I @RAYNEEHOWELL

Mark Thomas came back from the Navy in 1970 to finish school, but he left with more than just a degree.

He left with a wife and a wedding ring.

In his first semester back, he met Linda in a philosophy class. Their professor, Jerry Hurst, told Linda she needed to meet Mark to form a study group.

After getting a few exams under their belts, the two began dating.

“Fifth Dimension was our first date,” Linda said. “And Fifth Dimension was a pretty good gig back then. I mean, you

wouldn’t believe who all went to Gallagher-Iba (arena). It was really neat and memorable, it wasn’t just “Oh, we had a Coke.’”

Nothing about the early days of Mark and Linda’s relationship was forgettable. Throughout the first few months together — from the concert in GIA to dates on The Strip sharing a pizza at Hideaway or grabbing a burger at The Coachman — Mark quickly realized he found the one.

“She had gone home for the Christmas holidays, and I think I missed her,” Mark said. “I was back on the East Coast, visiting my Navy buddies, and I got back,

and I guess I made up my mind.”

In January 1971, the couple got married. 54 years later, the Thomases can still be found in Stillwater spending time with grandchildren, attending wrestling matches and football games.

Linda and Mark are also long-time members of the First Christian Church across from GIA. Right outside the window on Sundays, the couple can see the place their relationship began.

GIA holds many memories for alumni, but current students are still experiencing its magic.

RachelKate Puckett and Zac Robbins spent an eventful first date together,

enjoying Pickleball and gummy worms, before ending the day at GIA.

“Our first date was a hoot and holler,” Robbins said.

As a track and field athlete, Robbins has access to facilities like GIA and Boone Pickens Stadium, which he used to his advantage when planning dates and even, his engagement.

The 11-month love whirlwind between Puckett and Robbins led the pair to the GIA for a second time. The entire day of their engagement, the couple stopped at many places in Stillwater that held memories.

Love & Basketball: How Dow, Williams navigate their relationship as athletes

Landry Williams prayed for a husband.

The Oklahoma State women’s basketball player had recently arrived in Stillwater after transferring from Kansas City with coach Jacie Hoyt. The Tulsa native was driving to watch her brother,

Boden, a basketball player at Owasso, play at an Oral Roberts team camp. When she walked in, Owasso was playing on a court, and Broken Arrow was on one next to it. She saw a “tall shooter boy,” who, unbeknownst to her, was Connor Dow. Their brothers had played AAU basketball together for “a long time,” but the two never truly knew each other. She couldn’t get him out of her head for the next two days, but she knew what she prayed for.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @ASHTON_SLOT See BASKETBALL on page 7B

veteran, got his start in law enforcement at the Corinth Police Department in Mississippi in 1995. Beckner said he wanted a change of pace after serving as a medic in the army.

“I wanted something different, so I

became a cop and absolutely fell in love with it,” Beckner said.

Beckner transitioned to the university beat in 2006 and quickly realized he had found his calling as an officer.

“I fell in love with it,” Beckner said.

“You could actually have some interaction and change minds about police and mold young minds and watch them grow in their career.”

Beckner served as interim police chief at the University of Alaska Anchorage before moving to commander of patrol operations at Augusta University.

Raynee Howell

Bryson Thadhani

Payton Little

Connor Dow (left) and Landry Williams (right), OSU basketball players, are engaged.

Courtesy Mark and Linda Thomas

Kennedy Thomason

Western Payne County Ambulance Trust Authority Chair Jerry Moeller announced Monday that Stillwater’s ambulance fee will increase from $5 to $6 starting July 1.

Stillwater ambulance fee increasing

KENNEDY THOMASON STAFF REPORTER @_KENNEDYPAGE

Stillwater residents will see an increase on their utility bills soon.

The Western Payne County Ambulance Trust Authority (WPCATA) is increasing its ambulance fee from $5 per month to $6 starting July 1. The change was announced during the City Council meeting Monday.

Jerry Moeller, chair of the trust, said the trust began contracting with LifeNet Health, Inc., in 2014, and it hasn’t raised its fee in 15 years.

“Obviously, the expenses of LifeNet increased, the need for our subsidy to pay them those increases, that’s increased as well,” Moeller said.

Stillwater residents can opt out of the program, which citizens can do through the city’s utilities office. Opting out could leave residents with a $3,000-$3,500 ambulance fee. If

residents participate in the program, the trust will write off about 40% of the fee, Moeller said.

The trust operates independently of the City Council, so Moeller attended the meeting to share that the fee will be raised. He said the trust anticipates the fee increase will be able to pay for services for the next 10 years.

The trust contracts ambulance services that provide assistance to those in western Payne County. Cushing is in charge of the eastern half, Moeller said.

The trust recorded 7,499 911 calls in 2024, an about 22% increase from 2022. It also recorded an increase of 45.2% from 2022 to 2024 in interfacility transfers, which could be sending patients from a nursing home to a hospital.

“With that volume increase you saw, we have to add more trucks on the road, more hours, (and) we’ll have to pay (more),” Moeller said.

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Adviser Brett Dawson brett.dawson@okstate.edu

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“I don’t believe in love at first sight, and I would say that’s because love is something you build with somebody; it doesn’t just automatically come when you first see them.”

- Megan Blair, junior

“No. I think first sight gets you in the door, but then after that it’s about developing that relationship and getting know somebody.”

- Hayden Faulkner, graduate student

“No. If you fall at love at first sight, you just want to sleep with them or not get to know them. It’s lust or attraction, simple as that.”

- Lola Simpson, senior

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OSU interim president shares future priorities

don’t control, but being good teachers, being good researchers, being good colleagues, is something that we can do,” Slevitch said.

Oklahoma State’s interim president has announced his priorities.

Jim Hess, whom the OSU/A&M Board of Regents appointed last Friday, shared his immediate priorities to the Faculty Council on Tuesday as he takes the mantle of the highest position on campus. He said building a new veterinary medicine teaching hospital and funding student scholarships are his top concerns.

“There are lots of other things that the legislature might be interested in other places, but I need for them to be interested in our needs,” Hess said.

The Henryetta native’s appointment comes after the BOR accepted former President Dr. Kayse Shrum’s resignation Feb. 5. She stepped down two days earlier.

Hess, who also serves as the CEO of the OSU Veterinary Medicine Authority and Trust, said a veterinary medicine teaching hospital will cost $295 million, and the university will request $15 million per year from the legislature. That will take 20 years of financing.

Hess said he also plans to focus on private fundraising for student scholarships.

“Tuition waivers are great, but that’s a discount of money that we can spend on something else,” Hess said. “What we need is cash. We need more private donations for scholarships so we don’t have to give as many waivers.”

Prioritizing student scholarships marks a departure from Shrum’s plan to ask the state legislature for funding to cover the deficit from tuition waivers.

Faculty Council Chair Lisa Slevitch said Shrum’s departure left faculty “really surprised.” With Hess serving temporarily, Slevitch said it was a good sign to see him at the meeting, which took place three days after he accepted the interim position.

“There are certain things... that we

When the BOR brought Hess to Stillwater for his appointment, he said the group did not give him a timeline for the search process for a permanent president to begin.

“We have some work to do in order for all of us to attract the person, whoever that is, that would come take a permanent job and lead,” Hess said. “We need to be able to attract them with an institution that’s ready.”

When he spoke with the board, Hess said his two requirements were to have his wife in Stillwater and have the freedom to make a “hard decision.”

Hess begins his tenure as OSU’s president with the university navigating a freeze on federal grants and the state legislature a little more than a week into session. OSU is also in the midst of preparing for a 2026 accreditation visit.

Faculty Council member Jim Knapp said he is thankful for Hess’ leadership during a time that faculty have perceived as a “crisis for the institution.”

“I think we do have the mechanisms in place for the faculty being full partners in decisions that are made at the university,” Knapp said. “I think there are those that feel that we wouldn’t be in the situation we’re in right now, if that had been going on. And so we really look forward to re-engaging with the administration in a productive way going forward.”

In an email sent Tuesday afternoon to OSU students, faculty, staff, alumni and donors, Hess introduced himself and committed to “always put you first.”

He shared this sentiment with the Faculty Council, saying he is a “big believer” in shared governance.

Working long hours during his first days as interim president, Hess said he has worked to get up to speed with the university.

“I feel like I’ve been getting a drink of water from a fire hose over the last three days,” Hess said.

‘We had such a good representative’: Female leaders react to Shrum’s resignation

Orme met Shrum on multiple occasions as an alumni ambassador. She said Shrum was warm and easy to connect with.

Orme recalled a football game where she sat in Shrum’s suite. The game was close so Shrum gave Orme Hot Tamales.

It was a typical Tuesday afternoon for Emily Orme until a text message lit up her phone.

Orme, the former president of Panhellenic, read over the text announcing Former OSU/A&M President Dr. Kayse Shrum’s reported resignation.

“I didn’t believe it at first,” Orme said. “I think it was honestly just shock and just wanting to know more about it.”

The next day OSU Board of Regents formally accepted Shrum’s resignation.

Shrum made history in 2021 after becoming the first female president of OSU. Her story and leadership inspired some female leaders on campus.

Evalynn Vierheller, a graduate assistant for the Student Union Activities Board, said that having a female president meant a lot.

“I remember the excitement that I had when she first announced she was president,” Vierheller said. “I met her at the First Day of School Pictures, and we took a picture together.”

Orme served as Panhellenic president during Shrum’s tenure.

Orme said Shrum inspired her, too.

“Looking at her and how much good she’s done in her life is really inspirational, and how much care she has for other people, specifically our students and our staff, is really awesome,” Orme said.

“She turned to me and one of my friends and was like, ‘Here, you have to eat these,’ and poured Hot Tamales in our hands, and she was like, ‘It gets the team fired up; we all have to eat them,’” Orme said.

Shrum’s personable nature was a hit at OSU. Vierheller recalls when Shrum loaned a pair of orange heels to a student who was taking senior pictures. The moment resonated with women on campus.

“I think that was such a simple act, but it spoke so loudly to all the women at OSU that we had such a good representative,” Vierheller said.

Dr. Jeanette Mendez took over as acting president, but was replaced by interim president Jim Hess. Vierheller said she was disappointed at the decision.

“I was excited for that one-day span when our acting president was also a woman,” Vierheller said.

As the search for the next president begins, Orme hopes that the future president embodies Shrum’s strength and calmness.

“I think for sure she instilled a sense of empowerment in women across our campus,” Orme said. “And I feel like anyone who knew her or saw what she did at our university had inspiration from that or could glean inspiration from that.”

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Courtesy Brandi Simons

Former OSU President Dr. Kayse Shrum (right) connected with students through small acts.

Top 10 Valentine’s Day surprises, gifts for the last-minute shopper

a favorite snack, drinks and a video game for your partner’s second love, a.k.a. video games. The options are never-ending, like your love.

Video games

Here is your friendly reminder that Valentine’s Day is Friday.

Don’t have a gift? No worries! There are plenty of ways to make Valentine’s Day memorable for your loved ones. Here are 10 ideas for the notorious last-minute shoppers.

A bouquet

Flowers are an easy way to make your partner’s day but require a little effort. One $5 bouquet from Walmart will not do the trick. Grab three small bouquets, some cute paper and a ribbon to live up to the holiday hype.

Cut and clean your flowers before combining the three bouquets into one. Wrap the mixed flowers in paper and tie them with a ribbon for a homemade bouquet. If you need a visual aid, look on social media for tutorials or Google it.

It’s a little extra effort on your part, but your partner will appreciate and love it.

Letter Have you ever had a TikTok sent commenting on how men used to write letters on the battlefield, but now they text? Well, it’s time to go back in time for this idea and write your partner a letter.

Grab a pencil and write a sweet note from the heart. You don’t need to be Shakespeare to pen something that will make your partner’s day. If you want to make the letter special, pair it with stickers and scrapbooking items.

Typo Market, though a little expensive, has a large selection of stationary and fun artsy elements. Hobby Lobby also has a lot of great crafting supplies to turn your letter into a novel of for ages.

Typo Market

Speaking of Typo Market, if you need a last-minute gift, I highly recommend visiting the shop on Main Street. I recently bought a set of nice pencils and a notepad for my mom as a gift, and she loved it. There are endless combinations of cute, trendy and aesthetic gifts available.

Valentine’s basket

A lifesaver, basket gifts are super easy to put together. Grab a basket and fill it with goodies. If your budget allows, go as crazy or as simple as you like. Walmart has a huge selection of basket items.

Pair a stuffy with your partner’s favorite book and a candle. Combine

Speaking of video games, buy a Valentine’s Day gift for two: a couple’s game like Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing.

Plan an evening in featuring dinner, drinks and cozy gaming. Minecraft is a classic but easy game to play with your partner, unless they are the type to break everything.

Movie night

Movie theaters are decent for a first date, but an at-home movie night is 10 times better for Valentine’s Day. The options are endless.

You can go all out with a themed movie night, from the meal to the decorations, or order in and cuddle up with a cozy blanket. It’s all about what makes you and your partner the happiest and most comfortable.

Homemade meal

Put your cooking skills to the test and prepare a romantic meal for your partner. If cooking is not your forte, don’t get too inventive. Stick with what you know for a delicious meal. For dessert, decorate cookies to make things interesting.

Chocolate strawberries

Forget Edible Arrangements. Go to the nearest grocery store and pick up some strawberries, chocolate and vanilla melts. Chocolate chips also work.

Melt your chocolate in a microwave-safe container in 10-second increments. When the chocolate is melted, dip the strawberries in. Make sure to lay the strawberries on wax paper for easy removal. Use the leftover chocolate to drizzle over the strawberries for a hint of decor. Store the strawberries in the fridge until you can present them to your partner.

Playlist

Hop on your music streaming platform of choice and assemble a playlist of you and your partner’s favorite songs. Think of songs you’ve listened to together, concerts and albums you both like to personalize the album further.

‘I love you’ jar

Grab a jar and some paper and get to writing. Cut up the paper into small pieces and write out reasons why you love your partner, significant other or bestie. Fill up the jar with reasons, sweet notes and anything else to make your love smile. For added flare, grab some paint supplies and personalize the outside of the jar.

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‘Loveuary’ for single people: Celebrate with self love, care

MJ NYAMDAVAA STAFF REPORTER

Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples; it’s the perfect time to celebrate you.

Here’s a guide to enjoying the week without the pressure that often comes with “Loveuary.”

Self care, your way

Taking care of yourself should be a priority, and Valentine’s Day offers the perfect excuse. The Colvin Recreation Center is open until 9 p.m. on Friday, making it easy to fit in a workout or any other sporting activities. If indoor workouts aren’t your style, Stillwater offers plenty of outdoor options. Take a peaceful bike ride around town, enjoy a solo walk through campus or spend some quiet time at Boomer Lake watching the sunset.

Remember self care isn’t just about physical activity. Sometimes the best gift you can give yourself is permission to slow down. Turn off your phone notifications for a few hours, catch up on sleep or simply take some deep breaths.

Mental health deserves attention, and mid-February provides an excellent opportunity to recharge your batteries before midterms approach.

Entertainment options

Prefer staying in? While classic romantic comedies like “When Harry Met Sally” or “10 Things I Hate About You” never disappoint, new releases can also lift your spirits. Local theaters are showing “Heart Eyes” and “Love Hurts,” perfect for a solo movie night

or group outing with friends.

Events to check out

Stillwater’s community has organized several engaging events that don’t require a plus-one. History buffs might enjoy the Stillwater Collects Reception at the History Museum from 4:30–6:30 p.m., featuring a fascinating display of vintage valentines from the 1920s and 1930s. Complimentary champagne and sweets make this event an excellent prelude to dinner or evening activities.

The Book Matchmaking Party at Bliss Books & Bindery from 6:30–8:30 p.m. offers a creative twist on traditional Valentine’s activities. You’ll take a matchmaking survey to discover your next perfect read, create valentines and meet fellow book enthusiasts.

Theater lovers have multiple options this week. The Town & Gown Theatre presents “The Diary of Anne Frank,” Feb. 13-23, while OSU’s Seretean Center stages “Small Mouth Sounds,” Feb. 8-15, a unique play about six strangers at a silent retreat.

For a more casual evening, check out the Library Lovers Readathon at Stonecloud Patio & Tap Room from 7–9:30 p.m., where locals share passages from their favorite books while supporting the Stillwater Public Library Trust. Remember, Valentine’s Day is whatever you make it. There’s no rule book saying you need roses, chocolates or a date. Treat yourself to a day that makes you happy, whether that means hanging out with friends, trying something new or enjoying peaceful solitude. The key is celebrating in a way that feels authentic to you.

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Too sweet: Date night ideas for every budget

Fancy a drink?

For our readers of legal drinking age, there are a few date-worthy spots with good food, drinks and entertainment. Stonecloud Brewery offers a laid-back atmosphere, and right next door, Empire Slice House has its own specialty drinks.

Valentine’s Day is upon us, and if you need a last-minute date idea, here are five ideas for the perfect date night.

Too sweet

Starting off with a few options that won’t break the bank, sweet treats are a must; no reservations needed. An ice cream date at Insomnia Cookies or Marble Slab is the perfect way to spend Valentine’s Day. If gelato is more your style, Blue Spruce on Main Street is the place for you.

For the love of coffee

Coffee dates are classic. They are easy on the wallet and a great way to share good conversation over hot drinks and pastries. Stillwater is home to many locally owned coffee shops like Balanced Coffee Co. and Aspen Coffee Company.

Zannotti’s Wine Bar, while expensive, is a fantastic date spot. You are going to be hard pressed to get reservations on Valentine’s Day, but you can plan for a later date.

Keeping it classy

Most college students are operating on a budget, but if you are wanting to spend a little more on date night, restaurants like Miso, DaVinci’s, Nagoya and Tokyo Pot are choices that won’t completely devastate your funds.

Hitting the town

If food is not your idea of the perfect date, then try these budget friendly options: Tumbleweed Dance Hall, OSU Art Museum, AR Workshop, AMC Stillwater and Ultimate Air.

Chance Marick

Typo Market, located in Downtown Stillwater, has a variety of Valentine’s worthy gifts.

File photo

Blue Spruce is a fun and affordable date night spot located in Downtown Stillwater.

Jose Brito

Spend time with friends and focus on your mental health this Valentine’s Day.

Federal grant freeze leaves OSU researchers with some questions

“Even if something is delayed, even if a deadline has been suspended, we have no reason to believe that all of these programs are just going to disappear,” Sewell said.

More than two weeks after a federal grant freeze, OSU is still grappling with its effects.

The federal Office of Management and Budget ordered all federal grants, loans and assistance programs be paused Jan. 28. As an R1 Research University, OSU is anticipating the impact to DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) and NIH (National Institutes of Health) related programs.

OSU’s vice president for research, Kenneth Sewell, said during the Faculty Council meeting Tuesday that federally funded agencies are being affected in four categories: programs have been canceled, “thrown into a limbo,” are dealing with a “DEI prohibition” and a 15% cap on NIH indirect costs.

Sewell said OSU has received some “stop work” orders, but only one research program has been canceled.

“We don’t expect (there) to be a lot more of these, but to the extent that we receive any kind of stop work orders associated with these, we’re keeping track of them, making sure we document what’s going on, so that as we deal with our federal delegation and keep them informed of the impacts of these actions, they’ll know about all of these,” Sewell said.

Many federal agencies are still working to see what research this will affect, which has led to a lack of answers for many researchers, Sewell said.

Despite the agencies still seeking clarification on the OMB’s directives and executive orders, Sewell said some issues are beginning to resolve.

The OMB’s memorandum specifically names DEI initiatives as those that will no longer receive funding. However, there has been “very little definition” given, Sewell said.

“I think what’s under attack in these executive orders and how they will be interpreted are some fairly narrow ranges of activities that may need to be reconceptualized so that they can be extracted from federal funding if these orders hold,” Sewell said. “But will not collapse the entirety of every program that we have that perhaps has inclusive STEM outreach components or programs to ensure access of all populations equally into the opportunities, fair hiring processes.”

Sewell said he does not anticipate any widespread cancellation of funding associated with DEI.

On Monday, a federal judge temporarily blocked cuts to NIH’s funding. Despite the precarity of NIH-related programs, Sewell said OSU will continue to work with U.S. Representative Tom Cole, who serves as the chair of appropriations.

For future projects, Sewell said programs will be funded from the standpoint of expending direct costs.

“So does it mean we’re going to tell people not to engage in biomedical research and go to NIH for funding? I can’t even fathom such an approach,” Sewell said. “It will just mean that our ability to reinvest will be hampered by that delta between our negotiated rate and whatever that cap is.”

Student wins Riata Center competition with Protein Café

able, convenient healthy food options for fitness-focused students. After surveying 118 students, Rice found 91% failed to meet macronutrient goals with their current dining hall options.

‘It’s just too much’: Stillwater residents look for options as housing costs rise

The National Association of REALTORS senior economist and director of real estate research said affordability in college towns has become a “growing concern nationwide.”

The Riata Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship hosts an annual business plan competition that encourages innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit among students.

Each competing team and individual develops an executive summary of a business plan in one of four categories: Main Street Lifestyles, Big City/High Tech, Social Enterprise or Rising Entrepreneur.

This year, student entrepreneurs were awarded $40,500 in scholarship money and the opportunity to further develop their ideas.

Among those students was Lydia Rice, a freshman majoring in finance, who won the Main Street Lifestyle competition.

The category is for small business startups whose products or services are readily available to the general public.

Rice’s business plan, Pete’s Protein Café, offers a dynamic menu including high-protein shakes, supplement addons, energy drinks and protein bars at the Colvin Recreation Center.

“Right now, 3,000 students walk through the Colvin Center door every day, with 33,000 members,” Rice said. “Therefore, there is high foot traffic. If you can get 200 sales per day, Pete’s Protein Café would break even within six months of opening.”

The café follows the marketing concept by not only selling a product but also selling a solution to a problem. The problem, Rice said, is the gap in afford-

A balanced diet is also proven to improve memory, attention and critical thinking. Therefore, Rice believes Pete’s Protein Café would improve students’ performance in the classroom as well as the gym.

Pete’s Protein Cafe would tailor its products to students’ personal nutritional needs — whether high-carb for muscle gain or low-calorie for weight management — for a personal experience. It empowers students to maintain and improve their health, making wellness an accessible and integral part of campus life.

“My mission is clear: deliver fast, efficient and customized shakes and snacks tailored to each customer’s unique dietary needs and fitness goals,” Rice said.

Rice is taking the next step to implement Pete’s Protein Café by trying to get her business plan approved through a college so it may open as an educational purpose company.

The Riata competition promotes that “entrepreneurship is for everyone.” Rice agrees.

“OSU provides a wide range of different ways students can get involved outside of the classroom,” she said. “I would encourage students to take advantage of those opportunities and to jump in even if they fail. Everyone’s going to fail, but just fail, learn fast and do better next time.”

When Faith Robinson moved into her first Stillwater apartment at 17, she paid $450 per month in rent.

Within a year, her rent was raised to $500. In another year and a half, $80 was added to her monthly bill.

The cost of housing in Stillwater has risen in recent years, as inflation and the city’s population have grown. Rent averages $1,000 per month, and the value of a home has risen 3% in the past year, according to Zillow.

Stillwater had a population of 49,525 people as of July 1, 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It has increased 8.3% in the past 15 years.

In one of her recent moves to a two-bedroom apartment, Robinson said she paid $875 per month. After a roommate snafu, Robinson said she and her boyfriend wanted to find a place they could live together. This required a co-signer and proof they could produce three times the monthly rent, which seemed like a high standard for someone who had never missed a rent payment, Robinson said.

The Granny’s Kitchen waitress makes $12 an hour, and her boyfriend works two jobs, seven days a week to help pay the bills, she said.

“We had to do that because we couldn’t find anywhere else, and we were going to be on the street if we didn’t,” Robinson said.

Much of Stillwater’s growth stems from Oklahoma State’s expansions and new industries, City Manager Brady Moore said.

“Stillwater is unique because we’re a college town,” Moore said. “(We) have a thriving university right in the middle of our town. We also have borders that do not expand in our town. Our borders are, our city limits are… very close to town.

“We have a kind of a finite amount of space left for development in Stillwater.”

OSU has enrolled a record number of freshmen in three consecutive years, a streak that created housing issues leading up to the fall semester.

Moore said the cost of construction, which he said is higher than in Oklahoma City or Tulsa, also contributes to Stillwater’s housing costs.

“Is Stillwater expensive? Yes, all communities are getting expensive,” Moore said. “But especially with our demand… this supply and demand issue we have in Stillwater, those costs can increase.”

To combat the rising costs, Moore said the city is constructing a comprehensive plan: Envision Stillwater. The plan establishes guidance for the next 10-15 years, including quality of life and land use projects, according to a city document. The plan is in phase three, which includes providing implementation steps and offering the plan for approval to the City Council.

These kinds of plans can be integral to keeping costs stable, expert Nadia Evangelou said.

“In many cases, rental prices in college towns are increasing faster than the national average, as demand outpaces supply,” Evangelou said. For Stillwater, Evangelou said demand is a “major driver” of housing costs.

Add in faculty, staff and longtime residents, and housing options shrink.

In Oklahoma City, housing prices have increased about 4% in the past year, which is faster than the national average of 3%, Evangelou said.

“But still, these areas are more affordable, as we will expect, than other metro areas that the issue there is even harder,” Evangelou said.

Expanding student housing and incentives for affordable housing are potential solutions to keep housing affordable, Evangelou said.

Kajesa McAbee Tucker, who has lived in Stillwater for 16 years, said her family has moved around the city four times. Each time the threeperson family sought more affordable housing, she said.

“Families like us are not college students,” Tucker said. “We are hurting because we’re paying these prices for these college kids… we’re families trying to survive, and we don’t have the money to pay $1,000 per room or what have you.”

When Tucker first arrived in Stillwater, she said rent was typically $750-900 per month. Now, she said, it is difficult to find a place for less than $1,000.

Tucker, who collects a disability check, said her monthly allotment goes entirely to paying her family’s rent. Only $15 is left each month, leaving her husband’s income to cover the rest of the bills.

Tucker’s family might move out of town once their lease is up in May, she said. However, because Tucker already has a team of doctors established in Stillwater, she said they can’t move far — about 45 minutes from town is as far as they are willing to go.

Cost of housing is the primary reason the family is considering moving, Tucker said.

“It’s a little bit stressful to live here nowadays,” Tucker said.

The stress of keeping up with rising rents has also made Robinson and her boyfriend look for options beyond the city’s limits. Robinson said she hopes she would be able to find a higher-paying job that could help support herself more. But she’s not ready for a move from Stillwater, where Robinson has lived in and around for 18 years.

“I stay here because my little brother goes to school here,” Robinson said. “He’s 16, so I try to stay close to him and my dad. But I’m definitely thinking about moving just outside of Oklahoma… because it’s just the prices and everything; it’s just too much.”

Jose Brito

Courtesy Visit Stillwater

Stillwater’s residents are facing housing issues as the cost of housing rises in the city.

Police

In July 2020, Beckner was hired as the chief of police at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Beckner believes in the power of relationships and said he wants his officers to be on a first-name basis with students.

“I am a firm believer in building relationships and getting to know people, and that’s what policing is all about,” Beckner said. “Ninety-nine percent of the time you’re a guardian, you’re out there protecting and serving; the other one percent of time, you actually have a warrior mentality where you’re having to take some kind of action.”

Beckner hopes by fostering a community environment, OSUPD will help make students feel safe and feel empowered to ask tough questions and bring issues to the department.

“This is the students’ police department,” Beckner said. “We’re here because they go to school here, so I want them to have a say in what we do and how we do it.”

Beckner emphasized the importance of connecting with international students and helping them feel safe while at OSU.

“You come to America from a different country, and there may be some cultural differences,” Beckner said. “It’s very important that we know them and work through (the International Student Organization) so we can serve students better.”

Mental health is essential to Beckner. The chief plans to work with University Counseling Services to better equip his officers to help students with mental crises.

Another area of concern on Beckner’s shortlist is pedestrian safety.

“I’ve seen cars that haven’t stopped for pedestrians, and I’ve seen pedestrians that haven’t used crosswalks, Beckner said. ”I think it’s something that we need to... educate on.”

Beckner knows what problems he wants to tackle, but he wants students to be proactive. Beckner said he values transparency and wants to hear from students no matter how tough the question.

“It’s OK to ask the hard question,”

Beckner said. “We’re going to give you an answer. You’re not going to offend us by asking us a hard question. I’m a firm believer (in) we will give you an answer”

In the past year, tensions between university students and officers have been on the rise as more protests pop up across campuses.

Some students feel at odds with their campus police.

Beckner said he supports free expression and will protect students’ right to protest as long as they do not damage property, harm others or impede other students’ ability to get to class.

“College is a place for everybody to have ideas and debate their ideas,” Beckner said. “I am all for people expressing their opinion as long as they do it in a respectful manner. People have the right, and I’m going to protect their right to express their opinion.”

Beckner understands not everyone will be open to forging relationships, but he hopes students will give him and his officers a chance.

“Not everybody’s going to like the police, and that’s okay,” Beckner said. “It’s fine, but understand that 99.9 percent of police officers in this country are great people. We’re like any other profession; we have bad cops. That’s a reality. Our job is to try to get rid of these bad cops.”

Beckner said he is dedicated building a safe and secure environment for students to learn, grow and graduate.

“I want students to have a good experience here, where you don’t have to worry about crime,” Beckner said. “College is stressful enough for most people, so we want to lessen that stress a little bit.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

Lifestyle Basketball

Top 10 must-see Valentine’s Day movies

This Valentine’s Day, cuddle up next to whomever you hold close, whether that be a romantic partner, best friend, pet or just yourself, and explore love in the movies.

Here are 10 must-watch Valentine’s movies:

‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’

“Bridget Jones’s Diary” gives us a kitschy and realistic look at love. It embodies the classic trope of “right guy is right under your nose.”

The movie follows Briget Jones, 32, who works for a London publisher. To get her life back on track, she keeps a diary that includes her resolutions, opinions and thoughts on her love life.

Bridget is messy, chaotic and perfectly imperfect, making her character easy to connect with. “Bridget Jones’s Diary” is a great movie that reminds us it’s never too late to find love — and yourself.

‘La La Land’

This movie is a classic romance film. Although gut-wrenching, it does a phenomenal job of showing the effects of yearning. “La La Land” immerses you with its old Hollywood vibe and beautiful cinematography.

“La La Land” uses music and aesthetic colors to show the audience different emotional tones. Following Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), you find a relationship built on their passions. The movie displays whether it is better to follow your true passions or love.

‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’

The French film is based in the late 18th century, following a portrait painter, Marianne (Noémie Meriant), tasked to paint a wedding portrait for a young aristocrat, Héloïse (Adéle Haenel).

This film uses art to show the bond between the two. Héloïse has just left a convent and is unsure about her upcoming marriage. Marianne is still single and has a career of her own; the audience can see Héloïse is somewhat jealous of this, seeing Marianne still has her freedom. Marianne yearns to create the perfect portrait for Héloïse, following her secretly to capture all her angles.

‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’

“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is another cult classic among romantic movies. With its sci-fi elements, it takes a creative look at love and asks the age-old question: Is it better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?

Clementine (Kate Winslet) and Joel (Jim Carrey) represent emotions during relationships. They’re not perfect, but they continue to try for one another from afar. The film’s soundtrack is unforgettable, lulling you into a new perspective. While unknowingly drawn to each other, Clementine and Joel sense they have met somehow before. The couple represents that though love can cause pain, it’s sometimes worth the risk.

‘Dinner in America’

“Dinner in America” is a campy, quirky movie that displays love through punk-rock. It stars Mars Argo as Sissy and Kyle Gallner as Simon, a pair that meets in an unexpected way and goes on a journey together throughout the Midwest.

Although the two personalities clash, they serve as a yin and a yang to one another.

“Dinner in America” turns punk tunes and grungy rock into love songs. It is a wild ride representing the bumps of romantic relationships.

‘Call Me by Your Name’ Luca Guadagnino directed this movie with longing in mind. It is a harrowing

watch that represents one big love. “Call Me by Your Name” follows a young man named Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and an older man, Olivier (Armie Hammer), who connect during a summer in Northern Italy.

With a soundtrack mostly composed by Sufjan Stevens, it places the viewer in an emotional setting and connects them with the cinematography. The movie uses subtle hints, either through dialogue or cinematography, as to what the two main characters might be feeling. It makes it easy to be in their shoes and want the same things. What Luca wants to show us through “Call Me by Your Name” is love is fleeting, and it is always better to speak than die.

‘Moonrise Kingdom’

Directed by Wes Anderson, this comedy romance is a unique look at young love. This movie shows how, when young, people feel as though they know the world just as well as adults do. “Moonrise Kingdom” shows how children have full confidence in everything they do. They believe with conviction what they are doing is right, which is a relatable feeling when looking back on youth.

The main characters include a young girl named Susie (Kara Hayward) and a boy named Sam (Jared Gilman). They go on a journey with one another, and they find they might not be adults after all. “Moonrise Kingdom” makes an example that love is not always the answer to life’s challenges.

‘Babygirl’ “Babygirl” is the raunchiest movie on this list. Starring Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson, “Babygirl” flips the script on stereotypical romance movies. Kidman acts as Romy, a powerful CEO and Dickinson is Samuel, one of her new interns. Their relationship quickly grows beyond employer and employee status and becomes something powerful, taking over Romy’s life.

Adding some elements of comedy, the movie makes sure to let the audience know it is self-aware. “Babygirl” shows greed in love and how giving in to what you want does not replace what you need.

‘Past Lives’

This one will rip your heart out and snuff it out on the ground.

Although heartbreaking, it’s worth watching. It is beautifully shot, and the movie begins from the perspective of strangers looking on the main characters, guessing the relationship ties between the three seated before them. The audience feels the same: strangers taking a peek into someone else’s life.

It is the most realistic look at love shown in a movie and highlights how ego can negatively impact lives. Through the following main characters, Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), they see the reality of how love can blind people, whether that be in the romantic context or through personal passions. “Past Lives” reveals that love lingers despite our efforts to snuff it out.

‘Challengers’ “Challengers” is a drama-filled film and is one of the best romance films from 2024; it doesn’t allow its audience a moment of peace. The movie follows three characters, Tashi (Zendaya), Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Conner), who share a long, dark history of personal relationships and competition. The three tennis players put the sport above all else.

To add to the drama, Tashi uses her husband, Art, to fulfill her dream of playing professional tennis after injuring herself in college. Later, we see the repercussions of this and how it impacts their relationship. “Challengers” shows how love can manipulate people and how far they are willing to go for the people we love.

Continued from 1

Now, Williams and Dow play basketball at OSU, are engaged and are navigating through the most difficult time for them, basketball season, together. It’s not easy being with another athlete, let alone one who plays the same sport, they say.

But an answered prayer is worth it.

The DM debate

After those two days of Williams’ mind racing about Dow, she sent him an Instagram direct message.

At least, that’s one interpretation of the story.

“Uh, she slid in my DMs,” Dow said. “Oh my gosh,” Williams said. “OK, no.”

This is one of the things the couple humorously bickers about. In some ways, the senior Williams and sophomore Dow act more like an elderly couple who give off the we’ve-beentogether-for-decades vibe.

Anyway, Dow posted a highlight video from the team camp on his story — Williams had prayed he’d post something to give her an excuse to reach out — and she casually sent him two goat emojis (as if to say he’s the GOAT of playing basketball) to break the ice. And from there, the ball was rolling. A few weeks later, July 8, 2022, the couple began dating.

‘If you go to OU, I will break up with you’

Yes, there is an age gap between the two. Yes, Williams said she hears “all the time” about how the younger Dow, entering his senior year of high school, started dating a soon-to-be college sophomore.

One could call her a “cougar,” which Dow did on Williams’ first Instagram post of them, commenting “Cougar nationnn.”

“Definitely something I love to joke about,” he said. “... My ego was through the roof. I had no problems.”

The other side of that ego boost, though?

“I was kind of upset I started liking him because, at the time, he was still in high school, and I had just got here,” Williams said. “So, I was a sophomore at this big college dating a senior in high school.

“It kind of hurt my ego a little bit, but I just kinda pushed my pride aside and was like, down the line, this isn’t gonna matter.”

Williams announced her commitment to OSU in April 2022. Dow didn’t announce he was heading to Stillwater until September, but he knew where he wouldn’t go. Well, couldn’t go.

“She was always pushing me to come here the whole time since we started talking,” Dow said, “and I always told her, ‘I’m gonna go to OU just to make you mad.’”

“And I said, ‘If you go to OU, I will break up with you,’” Williams said. “Like, dead serious.”

Williams was also serious about Dow choosing what was best for him, even if she selfishly wanted him close to her. As a hooper herself, she knows what goes into a commitment, so if OSU wasn’t the right fit, she didn’t want him to force it.

But once Dow did commit, Williams was more confident than ever that he was that answered prayer. Williams was confident her husband would be with her.

And she knew there’d be no “House Divided” license plates on Dow family vehicles moving forward.

The differing schedules

Although the two play basketball at the same university, they’re forced to get creative about finding time for each other.

This season, Dow’s had practice in the morning; Williams’ have been in the afternoon. Sometimes, a quick Chickfil-A run between the two gym sessions can suffice; other times, it’s watching a movie or basketball at night.

No, the couple doesn’t stray away from basketball outside of their own time. Williams keeps Dow educated on the women’s side of college hoops while he does the same for the men. They don’t limit themselves to college, though, as the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors usually find their way on a TV, too.

“Girls basketball isn’t as fun to watch,” Dow said.

“Oh my gosh, do not; Jacie (Hoyt) is gonna rag on you so hard for saying that,” Williams said.

Sorry, Dow. However, he can get more into women’s hoops than he lets on. When then-

No. 9 TCU played then-No. 12 Kansas State on Feb. 5, the couple was sampling their wedding menu, but being in front of a TV before tipoff was a must.

“‘We have to hurry and get home so we can watch the K-State and TCU game,’” Williams told Dow. “And when there’s a girls game on, he gets into it.”

More often than not, though, from October to March when they’re “MIA,” as Williams called it, the games they watch on TV or their phones are each other’s; ESPN+ is a staple of their relationship. Williams had surgery Tuesday in Chicago, her fifth during her time at OSU. Dow, who Williams said has always supported her through her injuries and surgeries, couldn’t be there. The Cowboys played TCU on the road Wednesday. That kind of in-season obstacle makes soaking up the offseason crucial. But when the two have time on their hands, it allows more time for competition.

‘It put our relationship at risk’

Having a fiancée who plays basketball means Dow can’t escape hearing how he could’ve played better, done differently. Growing up, the dreaded car rides home from games allowed parents, grandparents or whoever wanted to share their thoughts from the front seat to the back to be critics. Now Dow has one he can’t get away from in Williams.

“I’ll always shoot it straight to him,” Williams said. “There’s a few times I’m like, ‘Hey, when you came off that screen, I felt like you could’ve shot that,’ or, ‘Why did you take a dribble?’ And usually, he’s always like, ‘Yeah, I know.’ But I think it’s funny and sometimes nice that I get it because most girls wouldn’t.”

“It’s not really how it goes,” Dow said. “It’s like, ‘Why did you miss your free throws?’”

Almost anything — the amount of tears Williams will shed after one of her surgeries, how many points Dow will score in a game — can become a competition for the two.

They’re always looking for a leg up, and now they mostly stick to off-thecourt competitions. Because the shooting competitions…

“We used to do it a lot more,” Dow said.

“We used to do it, but it put our relationship at risk,” Williams said. “It was getting pretty competitive and stubborn; it wasn’t going well for the relationship. … I’ve won a few; he’s won a few.”

Eh, correction.

“I’ve won more,” he said.

“A couple more,” she said.

No more ESPN+

When Williams graduates, she won’t have to miss one of Dow’s games because of a flight or a game of her own. It’s what the couple looks forward to the most about the days when she’s done being a Cowgirl.

“It’ll be fun having her at all my games,” Dow said. “I know she wants to be there but can’t some of the time. So it’ll also just be nice not having to ask her when she plays and when she’ll be back; we’ll just have to worry about my schedule.”

As for what’s next, the wedding is in May. Williams, who will be a wedding planner when she graduates, has been planning it since before Dow proposed this past July.

“She was like, ‘We need to go get your suit; we don’t have very much time,’” Dow said in a voice imitating Williams. “... She’s crazy.”

That conversation happened in September 2023. It’s the planner in Williams.

When talking about the wedding details, Dow just smiles and shrugs; the only things he picked (with Williams’ approval) were the food (pork tenderloin with a blueberry glaze, mashed potatoes, asparagus, etc.) and the honeymoon (Sandals in Jamaica)

But each half of the basketball couple is used to knowing the other is crazy. Once their seasons are finished, the attention turns to marriage, the rest of Dow’s career and their plans together. They’ve made it through the challenges, and their story is far from finished; however, when they were done sharing their story, they had another one of their exchanges.

“It wasn’t very accurate, I can tell ya that,” Dow said.

“It was so accurate, oh my gosh,” Williams said.

They certainly don’t need decades to grow into those elderly couple vibes.

Courtesy Creative Commons

Get cozy this Valentine’s Day and stay in with this list of the top 10 must-see films.

OLIVIA UPTON STAFF REPORTER

Lamar takes on Super Bowl halftime: amazing or awful?

RICHARD

ROBERTSON STAFF REPORTER

Review

Super Bowl LIX raised many questions: Are the Chiefs frauds? Will Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift break up? Will Tom Brady ever go away?

The halftime show, like the game, is being questioned too. Was it a cultural moment? The most impactful halftime show of all time? Was it trash? Are parents correct in saying it was boring? Are Kendrick Lamar fans correct in praising its impressive symbolism?

You will be hard-pressed to find a more divisive halftime show, between politics, superfans, older generations and symbolism. Was this halftime show the greatest show ever? Or a complete bust?

The answer is somewhere in the middle.

Lamar performed 11 songs, two of which featured SZA. The artist had no solo songs, and the show had no surprise music features. The biggest complaint to come out of the halftime show is the lack of variety. Lamar hogged all 13 minutes of the halftime show and left out his best work. Excluding an unreleased track, all but two songs were released within the past year.

While the Drake beef resulted in some legendary tracks, Lamar has better and more iconic songs. Many fans consider “GNX” to be Lamar’s worst album. Given the choice between “Money Trees” and “peekaboo,” “These Walls” or “man at the garden,” many of Lamar’s fans would take the earlier music. Ironically, this was a point Lamar highlighted.

During an Apple Music interview about the halftime show, Lamar said it would have storytelling. This promise was fulfilled. Kendrick’s show tells the story of himself resisting the American system.

Uncle Sam, portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson, wants Lamar to play “The

Great American Game.” He gives the floor to Lamr, expecting him to play one of his generic pop hits. Instead, he plays a somber, unreleased track and “squabble up.”

Uncle Sam is in a rage. Lamr should not be doing this. Lamar should play a couple of popular songs and have a boring concert. Lamar pretends to play along. He plays “HUMBLE.” and “DNA.,” but then goes into “euphoria” and “man at the garden.” Uncle Sam is furious, and the show accelerates.

Uncle Sam says, “Scorekeeper, deduct one life.” Next, Lamar performs “peekaboo” in a box stage shaped like an X. “Peekaboo” is a song about rappers not saying anything meaningful. This song is a diss to Drake.

Lamar continues the show with SZA, appearing to give Uncle Sam what he wants. However, went over Uncle Sam’s head. SZA is Drake’s ex. Uncle Sam is no wiser when Lamar plays “All The Stars,” as Uncle Sam praises the rapper for his pop song selection. Of course, Lamar does not play the game. As a last middle finger to “The American Game,” Lamar plays “Not Like Us.”

When Lamar finally plays the song that won him five Grammy Awards, the crowd was, expectedly, the most excited it had been during his performance.

If Lamar headlining the halftime show wasn’t already enough salt in Drake’s wounds after the two’s beef, Lamar even brought out tennis star Serena Williams, who Drake used to date, and the crowd wasn’t shy about singing along to lyrics that portray the Canadian rapper in a not-so-great light.

Many did not like the show, and they had a good reason. One, the show is hard to understand on the first watch. A performance for an audience that will never see you again should be easy to digest. Two, Lamar did not play fan favorites. Three, he is a millionaire, invited to play on the most capitalistic day of the year, only to tell America how much the system sucks. It was pandering.

In the end, Lamar did not make an amazing or awful halftime show. But, regardless of your opinions, you have to praise Lamar’s desire to give us something different.

news.ed@ocolly.com

Love is in the air: Dating advice with

The O’Colly editorial board

O’COLLY STAFF COLUMN EDITORIAL BOARD

Have a burning question about love? In need of advice? Never fear, The O’Colly editorial board is here to help you find love or a restraining order this Valentine’s Day.

Anonymous Poke: “How do I get someone to notice me?” Be yourself. If they don’t like it or can’t handle it, move on. If you want to be dramatic, fall down in front of them like in the movies. Make sure your stuff goes everywhere. If they help you pick it up, they’re the one; if not, keep moving.

Anonymous Poke: “How do I start a conversation without being awkward?” You can risk it by opening with a joke, but only if you’re funny. A safer move would be to compliment the person. Kindness is a great way to make someone’s day and strike up a dialogue. Keep it classy, though.

Anonymous Poke: “How do I know if my boyfriend is cheating on me?” If you are noticing a change in behavior, locking his phone, putting his

Entertainment vs. sport: Students’

takes on this year’s Super Bowl

MJ NYAMDAVAA STAFF REPORTER

For many college students, the Super Bowl is no longer just about football — it’s about entertainment.

While it started with simple halftime performances featuring college marching bands, things changed in 1993 when Michael Jackson took the stage. His show set the bar for what would become one of the most significant entertainment events of the year.

Commercials are also a piviotal part of the experience. Companies spend millions for 30 seconds of airtime, creating some of the most memorable ads in history.

Commercials aren’t just ads — they’re part of pop culture, and for many viewers, they’re just as exciting as the game.

That shift in focus is especially clear among college students, whom are tuning in for the music and ads more than the game itself.

“I don’t really watch the Super Bowl, but probably the commercials and the halftime show,” sophomore Alisa Hall said.

This year’s performances by Kendrick Lamar and SZA drew attention from students, with mostly positive feedback.

Dre Johnson, a senior in industrial engineering and former football player, watches for the love of the game but is critical of the NFL’s celebrity-driven coverage.

“I’m tired of Taylor Swift updates stealing airtime from athletes,” he said. “Let the players shine.”

Johnson, who rooted for the Eagles, believes bringing in new champions keeps fans engaged. He praised SZA’s vocals and Kendrick Lamar’s high energy but said the halftime show could use more diversity.

“Why not Latin artists or Afrobeats?” Johnson said. “The NFL plays it too safe.”

Johnson was a fan of the production quality.

“The choreography, the lighting, the colors — it’s impressive how quickly they set it all up,” Johnson said.

As for next year, Johnson thinks Drake would be an interesting choice, especially after this year’s signature song “Not Like Us,” a diss track aimed at the rapper.

“It would be fun to see how he responds, maybe bring some competition into it,” Johnson said.

Hall, on the other hand, suggested Doechii as a future performer.

“She’s very American and would bring something fresh to the show,” Hall said.

For some students, the game is just a warm-up for the ads.

“The game is just background noise,” Arden Pieratt said. “ I’m waiting for commercials.”

Pieratt said her favorite ad this year was a pet adoption advertisement. Pieratt hopes brands will take more risks in future commercials.

“Less slapstick, more storytelling,” Pieratt said. “Make me feel something.” Audrey Hardgrave doesn’t watch the game, but her dad does. Hardgrave’s dad calls her at every Super Bowl when the halftime show starts; it’s a family tradition. Although not the biggest fan of this year’s artists, the spectacle caught her attention.

Many students agreed the Super Bowl would be a great event to attend in person, but high ticket prices are a major hurdle.

“Super Bowl tickets cost thousands of dollars,” Johnson said. “But the experience would be worth it.”

phone face down instead of up, turning on do not disturb and turning his phone away from you, these are all signs of cheating. Ultimately, have a conversation with him, or else you’re going to go crazy thinking of all the options.

Anonymous Poke: “What’s the best pick-up line?”

Want to go out? I promise I’m loyal and true.

Anonymous Poke: “Should I text or snap my crush?” Text. Communicating through text, if you can, is more personal. If you don’t have their number start out with Snapchat and transition to text.

Anonymous Poke: “Where’s the best place to eat dinner for a first date in Stillwater?” There are a lot of good first date spots in Stillwater. A few that come to mind are Miso, Texas Roadhouse, Empire Slice, DaVinci’s and Nagoya.

Anonymous Poke: “Should I bring flowers on the first date?”

Yes. If it’s the first official date, flowers are the perfect way to add a sweet touch and start the night off right.

news.ed@ocolly.com

TikTok troubles: How a ban could impact small businesses, communities

CONTRIBUTOR

As Congress debates the future of TikTok some small businesses around the country worry about their future.

From DJs to photographers, many say TikTok has been a vital platform and reshaped how they connect with their community and customers.

Oklahoma-based DJ Chase Brake with CG Entertainment said TikTok is more than just a platform.

“Photos are great, but video really gives them a good indicator of what to expect,” Brake said.

Brake’s content on TikTok includes reactions from his audience, videos of mixing and behind the scenes content. His page has become a reference tool for event planners searching for clientele through the TikTok algorithm.

“I recently received my first ‘OMG! You’re the DJ in the viral ‘No CupidShuffle’ video,’” Brake said. “They’re getting married at that same venue and are super interested in my services.”

For some small businesses, TikTok is a foundation for success.

Travel agent Brittany Hooks said TikTok has taken her business to an entirely new level, with 78% of her leads coming from the platform.

“In just two years, I’ve grown my TikTok community to over 45,000 followers,” Hooks said. “In 2024, my sales jumped from $700,000 to $3.4 million, all because of TikTok.”

Her TikTok showcases destinations, tips for traveling and brand promotions. Her consistent posting have positioned her with unique opportunities.

“I do get to visit places that are brand new and don’t have much media coverage on them yet,” Hooks said. “For example, I was able to sail on the ‘Icon of the Seas’ on its very first preview sailing in January 2024. This content is still circulating a year later, and I’m getting a ton of bookings from that content from

a year ago.”

Hooks is worried that a ban would affect her sales and erase her hard work.

“If TikTok were banned, it would crash my business,” Hooks said. “I’m able to gain access to so many people that I would normally not have access to in my daily life.”

While Hooks is trying out other platforms, she is also concerned about the industry-wide impact.

“People use TikTok like Google now,” Hooks said. “They search for information, find my videos and reach out for bookings. Without TikTok, I think many small businesses will struggle.” For other small businesses, the ban may have a less significant impact.

Lifestyle and wedding photographer Charley Amburg uses TikTok, but finds platforms like Instagram and Facebook to be more beneficial.

“TikTok is great for expanding reach, but I don’t get the same sense of community,” Amburg said. “I get more engagement on videos that don’t go viral and more quality leads from Instagram.”

Her most viral TikTok featured a Raising Cane’s sauce fountain at a wedding, which gained millions of views and caught the attention of the restaurant chain.

“They reached out and wanted to send me a gift, but they never actually did,” Amburg said. “And honestly, it didn’t bring in any new leads.”

If TikTok were banned, Amburg said she would focus on in-person networking. She finds the value of face-to-face connections higher than online interactions.

“Nothing beats personal relationships,” Amburg said. “If social media disappeared tomorrow, I’d still have my community.”

She advises small businesses not to heavily rely on one platform.

“You never know what can happen. Diversifying is key,” Amburg said.

news.ed@ocolly.com news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy Creative Commons

Kendrick Lamar performed at Super Bowl 2025 to mixed reviews and reactions.

Courtesy Creative Commons

The Eagles beat the Chiefs 40-22 last Sunday at the 59th Super Bowl.

MAKAYLA KEIRSEY O’COLLY

Lifestyle

Rings

“He had written out letters specifically for that spot,” Puckett said. “Kind of memories from when we were dating, and from when we had gone to those places, and just really thoughtful and sweet. And I just felt so loved and cared for.”

What made it even more unique: The snow.

“Before we went into GIA to kind of reminisce on the first date, I was just sitting there, I was like ‘I really want this to be snowy now,’” Robbins said. “So, ‘ Lord, if you could continue to keep it snowy, that’d be awesome.’ And it was.”

The snowstorm in early January became the background for the couple’s engagement photos, but the real background was Stillwater.

“Our best memories have been in Stillwater,” Robbins said.

The love spell of the stadium

reached beyond Puckett and Robbins. Wyatt Phillips, a junior, put a ring on Halle Wilson’s finger at BPS.

The magical beginning for the two started at Bennett Hall. Phillips, who was a senior in high school, came to visit his cousin who lived in Bennett. He met Wilson, who was a freshman living in the dorm at the time, and he knew.

“I kind of knew immediately that she was the girl that I wanted to be with,” Phillips said.

Wilson had a slightly different reason for attending OSU; it was a family tradition. Phillips, on the other hand, knew he would be missing out on the woman of his dreams.

“Halle kind of made me come here,” he said. “I didn’t want to be somewhere else, and I was thinking about other schools, but I didn’t want to leave something that I knew could go a long way, so I came here.”

A first date at Chipotle and many memories at Planet Orange Café later,

A SPECIAL PEOPLE!

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” (1 Pet.2:9-10 NIV)

The apostle Peter is writing to a people who previously had no real relationship with God, but as they came to Christ, to trust and follow him all things changed. They are now special people, a pure people, chosen to be a special group who were taken from spiritual darkness. They are God’s people!

If you have come to Jesus, and received forgiveness of your sins; this is also your new condition. The Apostle Paul said it this way; “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;

old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Co.5:17 NIV) We are the people of God and we have sto ry to tell. We can proclaim it clearly and sincerely to all. This happened to me in Japan, November, 1956. I heard the good news of Christ and things begin to change in my life. Jesus became real and began leading my life. It has been an adventure, learning to fellowship and walk with the Lord. I have made many mistakes, but the Lord keeps encouraging me to keep following Him.

The God, who has started a good work in me and you (fellow believer) will finish it with eternal consequences. All through the ages to come we get to experience life with Christ. If you have not yet put your trust in Him and begin following him. I urge you to do It now. He is faithful to lead your life into the best (sometimes difficult) things and will glorify Himself and produce lasting blessings. It’s open to al!.

Phillips decided it was time.

As an exercise science major and student training aid for the football team, he had access to BPS.

He told Wilson every person who worked at BPS got their pictures done, which was not too convincing to Wilson’s friends.

“I thought I was being pretty slick, but her friend was like ‘What are you doing?’ Like, ‘Why are you saying this stuff?’” Phillips said. “So, I had to cover my butt.”

With some more convincing and Wilson’s friends shooting down her pre-proposal thoughts, she had no idea what was coming.

“I was telling my friends, ‘I think he’s gonna propose soon,’” Wilson said. “And they were just like ‘Halle, stop talking about it. Don’t get your hopes up.’”

Despite Phillips’ cover almost being blown, Wilson didn’t know he was going to propose until she turned around to face him for a picture. Phillips said

before the photoshoot began, Wilson checked his pockets to make sure there was no ring box; sure enough, there wasn’t.

But deep in Phillip’s pocket, a lone ring lay “burning a hole.”

The couple agreed the special community at OSU — with strong friendships and a group that meshed together — fostered their relationship. Each memory was cemented in Stillwater, which explains why the couple plans to marry at a venue located in the town where it all started.

Community has brought OSU alumni and students of all ages together. From attending football games and graduating to growing old and raising kids, Linda feels a spark of connectivity in the air.

“It’s amazing the pull that Stillwater has on those who met and went to school here,” Linda said.

“It’s not just OSU,” Mark said. “It’s Stillwater as a community.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy Cole Gueldenzoph

Halle Wilson met Wyatt Phillips her freshman year at Bennett Hall through a friend who lived in the same dorm.