Friday, Febuary 21, 2025
A year without Gabi Long:
Family, friends grieve sudden loss
BY KENNEDY THOMASON I STAFF REPORTER
Each night, Gabrielle
“Gabi” Long would come home and loiter in her parents’ doorframe, talking for 20 or 30 minutes about her day.
Steve would pause the TV, prop himself up on a pillow and listen to his daughter talk until she finished. He’d pause it again when Gabi would return two minutes later to fill her parents in on the details she’d forgotten to tell them.
“Her name fit her very well — Gabi,” Danielle said.
Their daughter was fearless, clumsy and liked to talk. When Gabi was little, she’d run down the steps and launch toward her dad, trusting he’d catch her. She
broke her arm climbing out of her crib and needed stitches after tripping into a wheel on Steve’s car. She took time each night to tell her parents about her day.
“She was a friend to all of us, I would say,” Danielle said. “Until she was gone, I didn’t realize she really was my best friend at home, and she was his (Steve’s) buddy.”
Gabi was killed in a hit-and-run on the north side of Oklahoma State campus last year. Crossing the street, she was struck mid-morning on Feb. 22, 2024 — her 19th birthday. The Longs and the State of Oklahoma are in ongoing legal battles with the former OSU student who hit her, Tyler R. Peters.
Gabi was a freshman at OSU who
Shrum leaves class of 2025 hanging, students in shock
HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Dr. Kayse Shrum’s resignation sent ripples across campus.
Students, faculty and staff made calls, sent texts and took to social media looking for an explanation. For one group of students, Shrum’s departure as Oklahoma State’s President felt different.
“I was in shock,” senior Zoe Kelley said. Kelley and the rest of the class of 2025 will graduate in the coming
months. She and her fellow seniors witnessed Shrum’s full tenure as president.
“It felt like a low blow, and I was really scared for the future of the university,” said senior Regan Congdon.
Shrum took office on July 1, 2021, weeks before a class of new freshmen stepped on campus. As the first female president, she created a new atmosphere at OSU for female students.
Congdon said the news of Shrum’s resignation was hard to hear.
“When I started on this campus, it was extremely empowering to have a woman in charge of the university I was starting at,” Congdon said.
See SHRUM on page 6A
I @_KENNEDYPAGE
lived with her parents and commuted to campus. Nearly a year since Gabi’s death, Danielle reflects on what could have been for her animal-loving, artistic, nerdy daughter.
“She wasn’t mature enough to have experienced things that hurt her, but she wasn’t so young that she wasn’t starting to come into her own,” Danielle said. “So she was right there in that space where… whatever you want to accomplish, you can do it. And she was excited for it, and she was on fire to just start her life.”
Freshman year
Gabi was “super busy” during her first year at OSU, Danielle said, and she was “starting to get comfortable.”
In her second semester, Gabi was still trying to make friends. Danielle said she encouraged her daughter that she would meet friends in class or on campus.
“She was trying to meet people in classes and stuff like that,” Danielle said.
“I was kind of laughing because she was like, ‘Mom, I think I might have made a couple friends in one of my classes because I’m helping these girls with some of their work and stuff.’ But then, after a couple weeks, she started figuring out, like, ‘I think they only like me because I’m helping them.’ It really kind of hit her; she felt kind of disappointed.”
RAYNEE HOWELL ASSISTANT NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
@RAYNEEHOWELL
Jillian Bryant was out with some friends at the Cowboy Stampede when her phone rang.
The person on the other end of the line was Wyatt Flores, one of the most recent musicians to come out of the Red Dirt music scene in Stillwater.
“He goes ‘Hey, I lost my voice,’” Bryant said. “He’s like ‘I have a gig in Enid, and I can’t sing. Would you come and play this gig for me? It’d only be like five songs. You can play my guitar, whatever.
It’s fine.’” Bryant was taken aback. She connected with Flores on social media because of their connection to the music scene in Stillwater, but she had never met him in person. She told him she was at the rodeo and didn’t have a car. His response: “Well, I’m five minutes away.”
Sure enough, five minutes later, Bryant and her friends piled into Flores’ truck and headed to Enid. It was just the beginning of their friendship.
“He’s always really been a big brother to me with music stuff,” Bryant said. “I always ask him questions, because he was more in the scene than I was in Oklahoma at the time.”
See MUSIC on page 6A
Payton Little
Danielle (left) and Steve Long, live in a quieter house after their daughter, Gabi Long, former OSU student was killed in a hit-and-run on campus last year.
See GABI on page 5A
Student blossoms in local music scene
Raynee Howell
Jillian Bryant performing at Jammin’ at The ‘Weed on Feb. 15.
Bryson Thadhani
Former president of OSU, Dr. Kayse Shrum won’t finish her presidency with the class of 2025.
Shrum to remain with OSU
KENNEDY THOMASON STAFF REPORTER @_KENNEDYPAGE
In her resignation letter to the OSU/A&M Board of Regents, former Oklahoma State president Dr. Kayse Shrum requested that she take sabbatical until June 30.
Beginning July 1, Shrum said she will return to the OSU Center for Health Sciences as tenured faculty. The position is guaranteed to her, as stated in her employment contract with OSU.
In the letter, Shrum said it was an “honor and privilege” to serve as OSU’s president.
“I believe during my tenure I have set the university on a course to a bright future,” the letter read. “We have experienced record enrollment,
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student retention rates, research funding and philanthropic support. I cherish the relationships I made with students, staff, faculty, alumni and donors. I will carry my positive memories with me into my next chapter. I derived great joy from my interactions with students, and it is my hope that they have been inspired to dream big.”
Shrum resigned Feb. 3, and the BOR publicly accepted it Feb. 5. Two other OSU officials have resigned. Former Innovation Foundation President and CEO Elizabeth Pollard resigned the same day, and former Chief of Staff and Senior Vice President Jerome Loughridge had plans to resign.
The BOR appointed Jim Hess as OSU’s interim president. His priorities include building a new veterinary medicine teaching hospital and funding student scholarships.
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Assistant Sports editors
Kenzie Kraich, Calif Poncy, Sam Mitchell
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Adviser Brett Dawson brett.dawson@okstate.edu
The O’Colly Snow Day Activities
games mixed in. As a self-proclaimed “winter guy,” I will usually take a trip or two outside to take in the elements.
Sam Mitchell, Assistant Sports editor
Three of the five school days this week were canceled because of winter weather and extreme cold. The editors of The O’Colly participated in their favorite snow day activities to pass the time.
Ashton Slaughter, Editor-inChief I’m either tossing on a movie, TV show or sports game. Maybe even all of the above; just depends on how much I sleep. I’m a simple man.
Hayden Alexander, News & Lifestyle editor
After building the world’s ugliest snowman, I binge a show while eating junk food and spend the rest of the day in various states of sleep.
Parker Gerl, Sports editor I like sitting inside and playing video games or watching a movie. I’ll either watch a comedy or action movie or play “Call of Duty” with my friends I don’t get to see often.
Raynee Howell, Assistant News & Lifestyle editor
Sleep, wake up, watch a rom-com with my heated blanket, repeat.
Kenzie Kraich, Assistant Sports editor I might get shade for this, but I love cleaning on days off. It isn’t often I have a full day to be at home, so cleaning takes top priority.
Calif Poncy, Assistant Sports editor I am pretty much exclusively sleeping with a dash of movies and/or video
I will brave the cold for a few minutes to find a hill to sled down and throw a few snowballs, but then I’m back inside playing video games, reading or playing a board game if I’m tired of screens.
Payton Little, Photo editor Sleeping in without the stress of missing class and editing pictures all day.
Connor Fuxa, Assistant Photo editor I like to get a group together and stay inside all day playing board games and watching movies.
Megan Turner, Design editor I can normally sleep for at least 13 hours if no one wakes me up. After the extra sleep, I like to watch movies with my roommates, or this week we watched “The Bachelor.”
Alexandria Guinn, Assistant Design editor Sleep.
Bryson Thadhani, Social Media editor
My favorite thing to do is take pictures with Payton in the snow and get shots that we don’t normally get.
Jose Brito, Assistant Social Media editor I enjoy going outside and taking it all in. I love the way everything feels quieter and more peaceful under the snow. there’s something really refreshing about it.
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Dr. Kayse Shrum will return to the OSU Center for Health Sciences as tenured faculty beginning July 1.
Oklahoma State Student Union flood affects student spaces, offices, facilities
RAYNEE HOWELL ASSISTANT NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Among the sea of fans, wet carpet and contractors, one group stood out in the closed Oklahoma State Student Union.
Justin Jones and Caitlin Laughlin, both OSU employees, were working in the OSU Pre-Professional Health & Law Support Services office in the basement that was significantly damaged during a flood Sunday afternoon.
When classes returned Monday, only partial areas of the student union were open to the public. With significant damage to the basement — including the Cowboy Underground, the ESports arena and the Office of Student Veteran Success — a piece of tape blocked off the stairs.
The last update from the student union was Monday morning. Snow days closed the campus Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and no updates were reported. The O’Colly visited the union in search of an update Thursday. On a trip to the basement, the damages were evident in the support service office.
Because of damage to the office, the future of OSU Health, Vet & Law Week, which spans two weeks starting next Monday, may be affected. Jones and Laughlin were gathering materials on their day off to ensure the opportunity will remain for their
students if they move events to different locations.
“Some of the events were in the union, which now we’re scrambling to find room for in a very busy time of year,” Jones said. “Luckily, OSU Career Services has been amazing. They’re letting us move in temporarily.”
Student groups who use the Student Success suite in the office are also struggling to find spaces to hold meetings. Not only are extracurriculars affected, but also a space created for interviewing, studying and testing.
“All of them have tests that they have to take like MCAT and LSAT that you can take outside of the testing center, and you can use that space for that,” Laughlin said. “And it’s the first time it’s been open and a student tried to book it for next week. So (it’s) had real tangible impacts on students in our office.”
The O’Colly also spoke to contractors from Absolute Carpet & Tile Cleaning & Restoration who were unsure of the timeline for the full Student Union to open. One contractor said Chick-Fil-A is “for sure” going to open Friday.
As for communication from OSU, students and employees have received no updates.
“Communication has not been great,” Jones said.
The O’Colly tried to go to the second floor to survey for damages and was asked to leave immediately through the closest door.
Sizzle Recipe Challenge to highlight student chefs
healthy contest,” Anson said. “It’s more about showcasing student talent and bringing new ideas to campus dining.”
The aroma of creativity and competition is set to fill the air as Oklahoma State prepares to host the second annual Sizzle Recipe Challenge.
The event invites full-time OSU students to showcase their culinary skills by submitting their favorite recipes for a chance to shine in a live cooking competition on March 5. The ultimate prize?
The winning dish will be featured as a menu item on campus, leaving a lasting legacy in OSU’s dining halls.
The Sizzle Challenge, which debuted last year, was born out of a desire to engage students in a unique and interactive way. Patty Anson, a registered dietitian with University Dining Services, shared the inspiration behind the event.
“We’ve always done healthy recipe contests, but last year, we decided to take it up a notch with a live cooking demo to increase student engagement and highlight what’s happening on campus,” Anson said.
This year’s competition promises to be bigger and better, with a few key updates to ensure a smooth and exciting experience for participants and spectators. One of the most significant changes this year is the introduction of a pre-event meeting for contestants.
“Last year, we had some challenges with execution during the live finals, so this year, we’re holding a meeting beforehand to ensure everyone is on the same page,” Anson said.
This meeting will help contestants understand the process and prepare for the big day.
The live finals, set to take place in the Student Union Atrium, will be a spectacle for the entire campus community.
The top-three finalists will prepare their dishes in front of an audience and a panel of judges, which includes an executive chef, a registered dietitian and a student representative. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to cast their votes for the “fan favorite” award.
Judging criteria will focus on creativity, taste and presentation, but the event is designed to be inclusive and fun rather than overly competitive.
“We’re using healthy ingredients, but we’re not promoting this as a strictly
For those wondering about the types of dishes the judges are hoping to see, Anson emphasized simplicity can be just as impactful as complexity.
“It doesn’t have to be a complicated recipe. If it’s something you miss from home, chances are other students will miss it too,” Anson said. “This could be an international dish or a family favorite.”
Food safety and quality are top priorities during the live finals. The culinary team will be on hand to support contestants, ensuring that all dishes are prepared safely and to the highest standards.
“We want this to be a fun and educational experience for everyone involved,” Anson said.
The winning recipe will not only earn bragging rights but also a spot on the campus dining menu. While some modifications may be necessary to accommodate large-scale production, the essence of the dish will remain intact.
“We’ll work with the winner to make sure their recipe is represented authentically,” Anson said.
Last year’s winning recipe, the Orange Power Pasta Bowl, has become a campus favorite and is now available as a graband-go item at multiple dining locations across OSU. Promoting the winning dish will be a collaborative effort.
“We’ll use social media and digital menu boards to spread the word,” Anson said. “Depending on the dish, we’ll decide where it will be offered on campus to give it the best possible exposure.” Even students who aren’t participating in the challenge can get involved. The live finals are open to the public, and attendees can vote for their favorite dish. The event will also be recorded and shared on social media, allowing the entire OSU community to join in the excitement.
The Sizzle Recipe Challenge is more than just a cooking competition — it’s an opportunity to bring students together and enrich the campus dining experience.
“We hope this event will inspire students to think creatively about food and engage with campus dining in a new way,” Anson said.
Ethan Hilbert
The Sizzle Recipe Challenge engages students in a live cooking competition.
Jose Brito
On Sunday afternoon, a pipe burst in the student union damaging multiple offices and dining facilities.
SUNGJOO CHUNG STAFF REPORTER
Carpenter closes chapter with ‘Short n’ Sweet’ deluxe album
ASHLEY YARBROUGH STAFF REPORTER
Following the release of her summer album “Short n’ Sweet” last Aug. 23, Sabrina Carpenter released four new tracks and a Dolly Parton remix for fans; a love letter for Valentines’ Day.
‘15 Minutes’
With a peppy beat and deepcutting lyrics, Carpenter opens the deluxe album strong with a track catching listeners on what she’s been doing with her “15 Minutes” of fame. With opening lines such as “Been here a long time baby, but gosh I hope I make it through the night,” Carpenter reminds listeners how long she has been in the industry and what it took her to get here. However, as the song continues, disguised behind the upbeat synths, Carpenter assures her fans and critics she won’t be leaving anytime soon. Following her first Grammy win for Best Pop Vocal Album, the song came out at the perfect time.
‘Please Please Please’ ft. Dolly Parton
As the second track of the deluxe album, the “Please Please Please” remix has gained a lot of attention online. Following the album’s announcement, it became extremely anticipated, as fans were curious as to how 79-year-old Dolly Parton would keep up with Carpenter’s song of the summer.
The truth is, Parton sounds exactly like you would imagine. Now, if you like the idea of your grandma singing a lullaby about begging your boyfriend not to embarrass you this could be a good thing; however, Parton’s voice sounds like she’s recording an entirely different track compared to Carpenter’s soft voice. But in spite of the slightly disappointing track, Carpenter makes up for it with the most on brand music video imaginable. Fans may remember Carpenter’s ex, Barry Keoghan, was the only man to survive and star in Carpenter’s original music video for “Please Please Please.” Carpenter did not let Kehoghan get away this time as she and Parton are seen driving off together with a man in the truck bed, face covered, looking
similar to Keoghan.
This music video is the best ending to her “Short n’ Sweet” era.
‘Couldn’t Make It Any Harder’ Despite knowing the secret formula for a pop classic, Carpenter’s vocal talents truly excel is in her soulful ballads.
Although it may not be a radio hit, “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder” feels like the “Hopelessly Devoted To You” of this generation, as Carpenter explains why she has become closed off to love.
For a Valentine’s Day release, it is unknown if this song relates to Carpenter’s love life after her relationship with Keoghan; However, many listeners may relate to Carpenter’s love-lorn lyrics this Valentine’s Day.
‘Busy Woman’
In case you thought Carpenter lost her confidence with the previous track, you would be wrong, because her carefree and unbothered attitude is back with the song “Busy Woman.” Known as a previously unreleased “Short n’ Sweet” track to Carpenters’ fans, “Busy Woman” is now released to the public.
This song truly feels like the sister song to “Espresso” with slightly more sass and innuendos if you really look at the lyrics. With “Busy Woman” already making waves online, it would be no surprise if this song becomes Carpenter’s fourth hit off the album.
‘Bad Reviews’
It may not be a traditional love song, but for anyone feeling heartbroken and melodramatic, “Bad Reviews” is for you.
“Bad Reviews” feels like the end credits to the “Short n’ Sweet” era with lyrics such as, “I’m fresh out of any good judgment,” calling back to her original “Please Please Please” lyric, “I know I have good judgement, I know I have good taste,” showing how Carpenter has changed the past six months.
With its quiet guitar and unfiltered emotions, “Bad Reviews” feels like Carpenter’s reflection on the summer of 2024 through her career highs and breakup lows.
Overall, “Short n’ Sweet Deluxe” feels like catching up with an old friend. Carpenter’s vulnerability, as well as her classic diva attitude, serve as a necessary additions to the original album.
‘Heart
Eyes’: Valentine’s Day Horror
makes them easier to relate to.
The hero escapes from the killer multiple times throughout the film and tries to express to the killer that they are not a couple; they ultimately have the kill Heart Eyes, or at least they believe they did.
Note: This article contains spoilers “Heart Eyes” combines the slasher genre with romance, creating a new take on typical love and lustful horror flicks.
“Heart Eyes” debuted Feb. 7, just in time for Valentine’s Day. The film follows co-workers Ally McCabe (Olivia Holt) and Jay Simmons (Mason Gooding) along with with detectives Jeanette Shaw (Jordana Brewster) and Zeke Hobbs (Devon Sawa) who are investigating the titular killer.
One night, Simmons invites McCabe to dinner to discuss business, but after leaving the dinner McCabe decides to initiate a kiss with Simmons to get back at her ex. During the intimate moment, the killer watches from afar, mistaking the pair for a couple, and locks onto them as his new target.
Going into this movie, I was expecting a corny slasher with some elements of comedy, but I was pleasantly surprised as the film expresses a sense of selfawareness, leaning into the cheesiness and making it its own. It does follow the typical standard of slasher movies yet still has comedic moments. The main characters are intelligent, diverting from the stereotypes of impulsive main characters making terrible decisions. The characters’ realness within the movie
After McCabe and Simmons defeat Heart Eyes, they return to their normal lives, but McCabe realizes that she has feelings for Simmons and he feels the same. In a dramatic scene, McCabe rushes to the airport to reach Simmons before he leaves.
McCabe is unable to find Simmons but gets a call revealing that Shaw and Hobbs are the real killers. The murderous detectives are married and enjoy killing together; the killer McCabe and Simmons took out was a copycat.
One stand-off in a chapel later and McCabe and Simmons defeat Hobbs and Shaw in a dramatic sequence. It is later revealed that Shaw and Hobbs created a game for themselves that involved dressing up as Heart Eyes and specifically killing couples.
The couple manages to end Heart Eyes forever, but it’s another fake-out. In a post credit scene someone else has taken up the mantle.
In the scene, McCabe and Simmons are at their engagement shoot. In between snapshots, Ally gets a mysterious call that hangs up abruptly, emulating the first couple killed. “Heart Eyes” is left on a cliffhanger leaving the characters and the audience wondering if the killers is really defeated after all.
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Orange Wall Art Gallery:
an OSU hidden gem
when it comes to art, and any student who makes or wants to create art has a space where they feel represented. The Orange Wall can also help students gain recognition for their art.
Oklahoma State’s Orange Wall Art Gallery resides in the Student Union Basement.
Organized by the Campus Life’s Student Union Activities Board, the gallery is a collection of student-made art. It ranges from sketches to sculptures, paintings and experimental materials. The wall displays a wide variety of talented OSU students’ work.
“The inspiration behind the Orange Wall was wanting to bring more arts and culture to the Student Union,” Izy Wilkerson, Director and Student Liason of The Orange Wall Art Gallery, said. “I believe it was Dr. Loper, the old Student’s Art Alliance advisor, whose idea it was because there was a blank space on the wall and she thought it would be a great idea to put up (student) artwork.”
The Orange Wall is open to all students of all grade levels and majors. The gallery is open year-round and does not require specific elements in an artwork unless the gallery is presenting a theme.
“In April we have an exhibition with ‘1 Is 2 Many,’ so it will be through themes of like support, healing and like advocacy for people impacted by sexual assault,” Wilkerson said. “Any other time, I just like to do a collection of student artwork that could be from sculpture to 2D painting, drawing, whatever anyone really wants to show.”
The Orange Wall was created to inspire OSU students. The wall is a representation of the limitless possibilities
“Anyone that (chooses) the Orange Wall is able to put that on their resume,” Wilkerson said. “And then it can be a resume builder, and then you can say, ‘actually, I have shown in a gallery,’ and potentially, hopefully, that opens up other gallery opportunities for the artists that we have here.”
The Orange Wall is handled with care and has people supporting the gallery with passion. If a student is interested in having their artwork showcased, they can visit The Orange Wall Art Gallery website. Underneath the tab, prospective artist information, students can find a form titled “Orange Wall Art Gallery Interest Form,” where they can fill out their information and upload their work for possible showcasing.
The Orange Wall Art Gallery is also currently looking for a new director to take over the overseeing of the gallery itself. If a student is interested in taking over this position, visit InternOSU or contact the Student Union Activities Board office to learn more.
The Orange Wall Gallery is a testament to creative student art and is an opportunity to allow creativity among students and have your art speak for itself. Wilkerson hopes the Orange Wall will inspire more artists to continue doing what they love.
“My advice to artists just in general is never stop making art,” Wilkerson said.
Courtesy Creative Commons
Sabrina Carpenter released a deluxe version of her album “Short n’ Sweet” on Valentine’s Day.
Courtesy Associated Press
“Heart Eyes’ premiered on Feb. 7, adding a little horror to the Valentine’s Day festivities.
Chance Marick
The Orange Wall is featuring a new display “Sensory Overload.” during the month of Febuary.
OLIVIA UPTON STAFF REPORTER
OLIVIA UPTON STAFF REPORTER
Gabi
When the Longs moved from Ridgefield, Washington, to Stillwater four years ago, Gabi didn’t take long to settle into the post-pandemic home where she could interact more with others.
“Oklahoma became like her saving grace,” Danielle said. “And she loved it here. She loved people. She loved just the freedom of the way things are here.”
Soon after the move, Gabi set her sights on attending OSU. She was meticulous in applying for scholarships. She worked the applications over and over with her father. Gabi wrote a new essay for each scholarship, despite Steve explaining she only needed to change who she was addressing it to.
Gabi was quick to make friends with her professors, who she would turn to frequently to review work so she could improve. Although Gabi didn’t feel like she had a lot of friends, Gabi affected more people than she realized, Danielle said.
“She was very fun-loving, easy to like, but also kind of nerdy, so she didn’t really fit in anywhere specific,” Danielle said. “She could kind of make her way around.”
Unfinished love story
When the Longs moved to Stillwater, Gabi started her junior year at Stillwater High School. Shortly after, she started dating her boyfriend, Caden Miller.
“The two of them, it was like instant,” said Heather Miller, Caden’s mom. “It was bizarre how they chose (each other). It was like they were waiting for each other.”
Although the Longs didn’t know it at the time, Gabi and Caden were talking about getting married and how many kids they would have one day. They had their life together planned out to the point they talked about Caden proposing on her birthday this year, Danielle said.
Although the prospect of their youngest daughter getting engaged seemed scary to the Longs, Danielle
said Gabi was the kind of person who “really knew what she wanted.”
“We, as parents, couldn’t have stopped them if that’s what they wanted to do,” Danielle said. “We just didn’t get informed because she didn’t want to hear the lecture.”
Gabi became part of the Millers’ family through her relationship with Caden. She’d spend evenings at their house, counseling Caden’s younger brothers on relationships and helping Heather pick out date-night outfits. She would take her homework to Caden’s grandparent’s house and sit with them, even when no one else was there. Occasionally, Gabi would get on stage with the Millers’ Scottish band, the Whisky Gargles, and sing.
On a family trip with the Millers, Gabi sat in the middle of the back seat, leaning forward to talk with Heather and her husband, Craig. She talked the entirety of the five-hour trip to Arkansas, even as Craig was “white-knuckling it” down a small road while pulling a pontoon boat, Heather said.
“We missed the turn twice because she wouldn’t quit talking,” Heather said. “Finally, Craig, my husband, he’s like, ‘Gabi, I need you to be quiet. I need to be able to think about where I’m going.’”
Even in those moments, Heather said she couldn’t help but laugh it off.
Gabi was the youngest of four, but she acted like an older sister around the Miller boys, Heather said. To Heather and Craig, Gabi was the closest thing they had to a daughter in a household of three boys.
Before Gabi died, Caden hoped to make her an official member of the Miller family. Talking about Gabi is painful for Caden, who declined an interview. Her sudden death left their plans of wedding rings and kids unfinished.
Before Gabi was buried, Caden slipped an engagement ring onto her finger.
Although Gabi always tried to get her parents to hang out with the Millers, the two didn’t interact much before she died, Danielle said.
“In her mind, she had this little big picture,” Danielle said. “And since
she’s passed, we are like one big family. It’s crazy, because she’s not here to see any of it, but she sees it. She sees it from heaven.”
Legal matters unresolved
Nearly a year since their daughter died, the Longs are still in the midst of a legal battle.
Gabi was hit as she was crossing the street near NOC-Stillwater. She was taken to Stillwater Medical Center, where she died later that day. Her parents have sued Peters, who hit Gabi, and the state is also pursuing legal action against Peters.
The State of Oklahoma submitted a charge against Peters for leaving the scene of a collision resulting in death the day after the hit-and-run. There have been six court dates so far, with the seventh scheduled for March 14.
Peters has maintained a plea of not guilty.
“(It’s) still kind of an open wound as far as talking about it because you just don’t feel like anybody’s being held responsible,” Danielle said.
The Longs’ lawsuit against Peters claims wrongful death. Because of legal concerns involving the state’s case, Miller said they aren’t able to talk with friends or family about it.
“It would be nice if we could get this trial over so that we all can just breathe and talk again,” Miller said. “Because… you have to hold so much back because of the trial.”
Steve equates the case’s longevity with an episode of “Law & Order.”
“This type of stuff happens, but it all happens in an hour,” Steve said. “So it seems like it’s happening really quick in a week. No, in reality, they’ve taken two years and condensed it down into a 60-minute or 45-minute TV show.”
Danielle said she is hopeful the judge will make a ruling during the March court date — a step toward resolving a painful chapter in her daughter’s death.
One year later
After Gabi died, it took months to get behind the wheel of a car again, Danielle said. Gabi’s older sister, Alexis, still doesn’t like to drive.
“We’re not over this,” Danielle said. “We will never be over it. And honestly, this month is gonna be horrible. We’re functioning at half level. I don’t know that will ever change how we feel, but it’s harder to go through than you realize.”
The Longs are still grappling with grief after a year without their youngest child.
They created a scholarship in Gabi’s honor through the OSU Foundation, as well as a website that sells merchandise to raise money for the scholarship. To donate, visit the foundation’s website or livelikegabi.com.
Steve runs the website and has talked with OSU officials to try to improve pedestrian safety. In the months since Gabi’s death, OSU has installed a four-way stop at the intersection near where Gabi died and formed the Pedestrian Safety Task Force. It has also launched its “Pay Attention Pokes” campaign in an effort to inform OSU students, faculty and staff of the best pedestrian safety practices.
Although the Longs have been proactive, the couple is still processing their daughter’s death in a house that is much quieter.
Steve, as well as some of the Longs’ family members, have tattoos in remembrance of Gabi. The face of a raccoon, which was one of Gabi’s favorite animals, rests above Steve’s left elbow.
Steve compared his grief to a quote from actor and musician Billy Bob Thornton, whose younger brother died.
“He says that every day he’s 50% happy and 50% sad, and it never changes,” Steve said. “And he says it’s never going to change.
“If you’re lucky, you can at least have some happiness, and we have lots of things to be grateful for, and we still have to find happiness in those things, but that sadness is always going to be there. It’s never going to go away. We’re still struggling to find how to do it.”
Payton Little
Gabi Long kept several sketchbooks, each filled with anime-style art of people and animals. Her mother, Danielle Long, said Gabi’s sketches often reflected the season of life she was in.
Payton Little
Steve Long, Gabi’s father, along with some other family members, have tattoos in her honor. Raccoons were one of Gabi’s favorite animals, so an image of one rests above Steve’s left elbow.
Courtesy Danielle Long
Gabi Long was 19 when she started her freshman year. She died six months after becoming a student.
News/lifestyle
Shrum
As a freshman, Kelley attended New Student Convocation at the GallagerIba Area. Shrum welcomed students to campus and spoke on her goals for the university. Kelley said she was in awe of Shrum.
“She seemed to be a very powerful role model and reminded me a lot of other female figures in my life that I looked up to,” Kelley said. “Dr. Shrum definitely gave me hope as a role model as well as the president of the University that others can be women in a high position of power and acknowledge how great they are.”
Shrum released a statement to NonDoc, a non-profit news site, but she has yet to directly address students. After nearly four years of communication, Kelley said the lack of answers worries her.
“There’s a lot of speculation,” Kelley said. “I would love to hear her perspective on it, though, to clear the air.”
Kelley said she had never met Shrum in person but had high praises for Shrum’s care and compassion for students. After Kelley found herself in a dangerous situation through and on-campus program, Shrum personally contacted Kelley and her mom.
“She immediately assured my mom and I that she would take of the situation and she did, making sure the program facilitators treated me fairly and made sure I was safe,” Kelley said.
Kelley and Congdon agreed that their views did not align with some of Shrum’s conservative values, but they both respected her.
“When I came to find out about some of her political beliefs and her government ties, I was a little disappointed but
not so much so that I didn’t still look up to her,” Kelley said. “I had read about how kind she was to students and how much she cared so it was hard not to.”
Congdon said that Shrum was great for the university, but her politics were concerning.
“As my time at the university extended, I realized she was a politician more than our president,” Congdon said.
Shrum plans to return to the university July 1 as a tenured employee at the OSU Center for Health Sciences.
“I feel a little relieved she is sticking around,” Kelley said.
Despite returning as faculty Shrum is still missing out on graduating with the class of 2025. During a monthly legislative breakfast at the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce, state representative Trish Ranson said she was heartbroken to hear the news.
“I was looking forward to graduation, where she would be graduating with the freshmen that came in at the same time she did,” Ranson said.
Kelley is preparing to walk the stage in May with a degree in microbiology and zoology. She said she was sad that Shrum is no longer graduating alongside Kelley and her fellow seniors.
“I was cherishing that moment in history,” Kelley said. “I was hoping to get to see her at my graduation so that expectation has been let down.”
Congdon is studying psychology and pre-nursing and has applied to UCO’s nursing school. She is ready to accept her diploma but wishes there was a different name on the dotted line.
“It’s frustrating because even with her shortcomings, it was going to be extremely important to me to have the university’s first woman president on my diploma,” Congdon said.
Music
Though Flores is a shoulder to lean on, Bryant’s music career started years before she met him. She was born singing. It was normal to hear the sound of her voice echoing in the walls of her Missouri home.
At 15, Bryant wrote her first song and performed at the local farmer’s market. Even then, she knew she belonged in front of an audience.
“Being in front of people has always been more fun than nerve-racking,” Bryant said.
Bryant also showed cattle growing up. Moving to Stillwater allowed her to pursue both passions. She studies animal science by day and performs country music by night.
During her freshman year at OSU — the same year she met Flores — Bryant auditioned for American Idol. Luke Bryan gave her a “Yes,” but the “No’s” and the advice she received from Katy Perry stuck with her.
“Katy Perry gave me some super tough advice to hear as a 19 year old kid,” Bryant said. “ And for what they’re doing, someone’s got to be (tough), for sure. But God, it was so hard to hear because I just loved her growing up, and she thought I was too young; I didn’t really have myself figured out as an artist; I didn’t like have a sound; She didn’t get my look; like it was everything she was super critical of and looking back, she was right, 100% she was right.
“But at the time, I was like ‘Oh my God.’ I was like maybe this isn’t what I need to be doing. I’m like ‘Maybe I had it all wrong,’ which wasn’t the case.”
Bryant took what she learned on Idol and continued finding herself as an
artist. Over the past three years, she has played many gigs.
The most memorable lately were Jammin’ at The ‘Weed, an open mic night for up-and-coming artists at Tumbleweed, and a debut performance at The Salty Bronc Saloon, a bar on The Strip created to foster the growing music scene in Stillwater.
The solo act at Salty Bronc was important to Bryant, but the Tumbleweed stage also means a lot to her.
“The stage is cool,” Bryant said. “Just the atmosphere of being there is incredibly neat and knowing the people that have played there before you is crazy. A lot of people that I look up to have been there, so it means a lot to be able to be up there on that stage.”
Bryant continues to strive for her music career. One of her main goals — to record an EP — is within an arm’s reach. Just last month, at the Salty Bronc, Bryant ran into Flores and told him she was one song away from being able to record.
“He’s like ‘What have you been doing?’ and I was like ‘Dude, I finally am writing an EP and going to get it out, but I need one more song,” Bryant said. “He’s like ‘We should go; we should write. I’m in town. You come over. We’ll see if we can’t get you another song.’” With one last song co-written by Flores, Bryant is set to record her upcoming EP in April. She is far from hanging up her hat.
“There’s a lot of work to be done. Not that I’m not proud of what I’m doing, but that’s a goal,” Bryant said. “To get that (the EP) done, get the first two singles released, and then get the rest of it out in the world for sure.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
Raynee Howell
Jillian Bryant auditioned for season 20 of American Idol.
Courtesy Regan Congdon
Regan Congdon (left) grabbed a picture with Dr. Kayse Shrum on the first day of school.
Lifestyle
Silent Disco energizes campus with unique, inclusive experience
MJ NYAMDAVAA STAFF REPORTER
The Student Union Activities Board (SUAB) transformed the Student Union ballroom into a vibrant, silent dance party last week, hosting its first ever Silent Disco — a fresh twist on social gatherings that left students buzzing.
The event, held in partnership with an external headset provider, allowed attendees to dance the night away to music streamed through wireless headphones, offering a fresh way to connect without the noise of traditional events.
“We wanted to try something innovative that catered to diverse tastes while fostering inclusivity,” said Evalynn Vierheller, SUAB’s graduate assistant. “The Silent Disco concept stood out because it lets students control their experience — whether they’re dancing front and center or just soaking in the atmosphere.”
How it worked
Students checked out sanitized headsets at the door, each offering three channels of music. Attendees could switch between channels to listen to different genres, such as pop, hip-hop or electronic dance music. SUAB members managed the event by disinfecting equipment, helping students with technical issues and guiding first-time users.
Student response: A hit for all preferences
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the event’s uniqueness.
“People loved the novelty of dancing alongside friends who might be listening to something entirely different,” Vierheller said.
A highlight of the night? Watching crowds inadvertently break into synchronized moves when they discovered they were tuned into the same channel.
“It was hilarious and heartwarming
— a perfect example of how this format creates spontaneous connections,” Vierheller said.
Aligning with SUAB’s mission
The Silent Disco accented SUAB’s commitment to creating inclusive and memorable programming, by offering a low-pressure environment where students could engage at their comfort level. The event aligned with the board’s goal of building community through diverse activities.
“Not everyone loves loud, crowded spaces,” Vierheller said. “This allowed students to socialize in a way that felt right for them.”
As a first shot, the event posed challenges, particularly in managing headset logistics. SUAB navigated rental coordination, sanitation protocols and teaching attendees how to use the technology.
“We learned the importance of clear instructions and efficient check-in systems,” Vierheller said.
These discoveries will advise future plans, as SUAB considers making the Silent Disco a recurring event based on its success.
What’s next for SUAB?
Looking ahead, SUAB continues its packed semester with upcoming events like the DIY Wednesday craft sessions and the Soda Pop Shoppe pop-up. The board encourages students to follow their Instagram and event calendar for updates.
“Our goal is to keep campus life dynamic,” Vierheller said. “Whether it’s through music, cultural celebrations, or interactive experiences, we’re here to ensure every student finds something that resonates.”
With laughter, dancing and a sea of glowing headphones, SUAB’s Silent Disco proved that sometimes the loudest memories are made in silence.
Stay tuned — this might just be the start of a new tradition.
Students, wearing headphones tuned to different stations, enjoyed a night of dancing and fun at SUAB’s first silent disco.
Behind Enemy Lines
BY DANIEL ALLEN I STAFF REPORTER I @DANIELALLEN1738
Sitting in his office at his wrestling academy in Coconut Creek, Florida, are mementos that keep Steve Mocco going.
On one side sits a photo of him wearing an Iowa wrestling singlet. On the other, one of him in an Oklahoma State singlet.
Staking claims to both sides of college wrestling’s most storied rivalry? Some tell him he needs to pick a side. But Mocco disagrees. He said he chooses to embrace both sides of his past, and the journey that molded him
into one of the sport’s all-time great heavyweight wrestlers.
“OSU and Iowa, both schools are part of me,” Mocco said. “I always say, ‘Why not embrace both sides of the story?’”
On Sunday at 7:30 p.m., No. 2 OSU will face No. 3 Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. It’s an opportunity for each team to affirm its ranking atop the college wrestling pecking order.
The Cowboys (13-0), led by first-year coach and former Olympic gold medalist David Taylor, haven’t claimed victory over their rival Hawkeyes (13-1) since 2019. They haven’t won in Carver-
Stillwater, 5,147 miles away from her hometown.
Asi,
Cowgirls preparing for ‘really special’ Senior Day
KENZIE KRAICH ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
A dozen countries, an almost 16hour flight and 5,147 miles separate Stillwater from Tartu, Estonia. But these factors mean little to Anna Gret Asi, who has found a family at Oklahoma State.
Asi, a standout guard for OSU women’s basketball who will go through Senior Day festivities Saturday, made the jump from Estonia to the United States in 2021 when she committed to Arizona. Just one year later, she found herself visiting the Cowgirls’ facilities in Stillwater.
“This place here is like a second family to me,” Asi said. “... It just kind of all fell into place after my visit.” She got a good old fashioned Oklahoma welcome when she came to
campus as tornado sirens rang through the halls of Gallagher-Iba Arena while she was in the locker room. It’s a wonder that she wanted to come back, but for her, the choice was simple.
Assistant coach Jhasmine Player took a large part in Asi’s recruitment. She visited Asi in Estonia while she was still in high school and kept tabs on her as she took to Arizona. This relationship is what Asi credits as the biggest influence on her decision to become a Cowgirl.
“It was just that instant connection,” Asi said.
Her first year in the states was not easy. Asi talked about the adjustment she had to make on and off the court and the impact the OSU coaching staff had on her ability to come back from the mental lapse she had taken during her freshman year.
“They kind of made me understand… made me feel safe in my decision,” Asi said. “They believed in me, so I should believe in myself too.”
Hawkeye since January 2012. Mocco was the first major swap in the OSU-Iowa rivalry. Others have since followed suit.
There’s Thomas Gilman, a three-time All-American wrestler for the Hawkeyes from 2012-17, who switched sides after joining Taylor’s coaching staff as an assistant. There’s Victor and Kael Voinovich, who ended up at Iowa after Victor wrestled at OSU from 2021-23 and Kael was a former Cowboy commit.
Others have made the rivalry swap, but few have dared to face the peril
that comes with such a move. Gilman will make his first appearance in Iowa City not sporting yellow and black Sunday. He said he knows boos from Hawkeye fans aren’t farfetched. It comes with the rivalry.
‘When you lose, they hate you’ The moment Mocco first wore an orange-and-black singlet, he noticed how stark the contrasts were between OSU and Iowa.
Former OSU pitcher Trapasso
returns to Stillwater for first time since his senior season
DANIEL ALLEN STAFF REPORTER
Mike Trapasso often replays the moment in his head. For the sake of nostalgia.
The final out. The dogpile. The euphoric vibe within Oklahoma State baseball’s dugout. And of course, then-pitching coach Tom Holliday and coach Gary Ward erupting with pure joy.
“We all knew those two for being strict and stern in everything they did,” Trapasso said. “Seeing them
smile kind of upped the ante for all of us.”
The moment the final out was recorded, Allie P. Reynolds Stadium burst into a frenzy. Fans present on that hot summer afternoon in 1984 showed their appreciation toward OSU after its 9-4 victory against OCU in the Stillwater Regional championship game. Trapasso and his teammates did the same.
Next up was Omaha — a fourth straight College World Series appearance. But the moments leading up to it, Trapasso said, were more memorable.
See TRAPASSO on page 4B
Payton Little
Thomas Gilman (right) wrestled for Iowa from 2012-17 but joined
first-year OSU coach David Taylor’s staff last May.
Payton Little
OSU guard Anna Gret Asi has found a family in
Courtesy OSU Athletics
Mike Trapasso pitched at OSU in the 1980s and won a College World Series game.
How OSU pitcher Kutz has earned ‘the right’ to throw more her sophomore season
not making adjustments fly.
Kenny Gajewski was worried about the result of a tough conversation.
A couple of weeks before the season, the Oklahoma State softball coach and pitching coach Carrie Eberle told pitcher Katie Kutz they wanted to coach her harder. Gajewski and Eberle didn’t know how the sophomore took it.
But Kutz took it for the good. She’s emerged as a fiery arm in the Cowgirls’ bullpen nine games into the season, throwing with precision and passion. Gajewski called it a “turning of the corner” for Kutz, who picked up Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors on Tuesday for the first time in her career.
“It’s hard because (Kutz) is the nicest kid I could ever know; she does everything right,” Gajewski said. “... We just said, ‘Hey, look. The way we’re coaching you, we’re not getting your best, and we want to change that… I said, ‘I feel like we need to be harder on you and keep you more accountable. I’m worried because I don’t want you to have a meltdown. I don’t want you to think we don’t care.’ And (Kutz) goes, ‘I would love that.’
Gajewski said from that day, Eberle was harder on Kutz. Eberle didn’t let missed pitched and Kutz
Kutz is coming off a weekend at the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational where she made four appearances and earned three wins against ranked opponents. In 11.2 innings pitched, she totaled 10 strikeouts and had a 1.20 ERA while not allowing any extra-base hits.
After only eight appearances as a freshman, Kutz has pitched 19 innings in six outings this season and leads the Cowgirls with a 1.84 ERA. The Big 12 Pitcher of the Week award is Kutz’s first weekly award and is the first of the season for any OSU player.
Kutz delivered multiple clutch moments in Clearwater and showed a fiery side the Cowgirls hadn’t seen from her. After getting a strikeout to leave two stranded in OSU’s comeback win against Alabama, Kutz stomped her foot and fiercely pointed to catcher Amanda Hasler.
Gajewski said he didn’t think Kutz preferred to show much emotion, but Kutz told him she did. She just hadn’t been able to during her career so far.
Now, Kutz is “earning the right to throw more,” Gajewski said.
“‘It actually is who I want to be, but I just haven’t felt comfortable yet,’” Gajewski recalled Kutz telling him. “And boom, (now) we’re starting to see foot stomps and fist pumps and screaming.”
Duo of Godwin, Davis doing
‘things All-Americans do’ to start the season
offensively
son Tide, they scored two or fewer runs through the first six innings.
Gajewski said he doesn’t look at the slow starts “as a real concern” but that the Cowgirls “definitely want to play better.”
Karli Godwin and Rosie Davis’ Oklahoma State softball careers have been tied together since the beginning. They joined the Cowgirls last season, and each made the 2024 All-Big 12 Freshman Team. Godwin plays first base with Davis to her right at second. Off the feild, OSU coach Kenny Gajewski often talks about how Godwin and Davis “mosey around together” and “speak their own language.”
And now, Godwin and Davis’ sidekick partnership has carried into 2025. They’re off to strong starts as sophomores and have been steady forces for the Cowgirls’ offense through nine games.
“They’re really growing up,” Gajewski said. “And we’re really, really thrilled with what they’re doing.”
No. 13 OSU sits at 5-4 after a 3-2 showing at the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational this past weekend. Two of those wins came on walk-offs from Godwin and Davis — Godwin’s a two-run home run against Texas A&M and Davis’ a two-run single against Alabama.
Godwin is batting a team-high .481, leads the Cowgirls in slugging and OPS and has recorded four walks, while Davis is hitting .333 and is second on the team in slugging and OPS.
Their high-level production has been invaluable for an OSU offense that’s off to an up-and-down start, albeit against several ranked opponents. The Cowgirls have scored one or fewer runs in three of their games, and in the wins against the Aggies and Crim-
Davis started the season hitting in the five, six and seven spots. But in Florida, Gajewski put her in the twohole for four games because he wanted to get “the people that are taking the best at-bats up more.” It paid off, as Davis hit 7 for 14 with two home runs and four walks at the Clearwater Invitational. Godwin went 8 for 17, drove in two runs and went yard once.
“I’m seeing (Godwin) do things All-Americans do, and I’m seeing the same thing out of (Davis),” Gajewski said. “Their intent right now is like, ‘Hey, some of you others aren’t going as well. Watch this and get on our back.’ It’s been really cool to watch.”
Godwin was one of the best freshman hitters in OSU history a season ago — she broke the single-season freshman record for home runs (15) and total bases (122) — and Davis’ bat got red-hot in regionals and super regionals. Still, they’ve each found ways to become sharper, which Davis attributed to several “game-like,” highleverage reps in practice.
“(Davis and I are) always together almost every moment of the day,” Godwin said. “I think the biggest thing we’ve talked about is to be who we are. We both know we’re at our best at the plate when we’re aggressive, and we’re looking to get a base hit every time.
“We’re looking for good pitches to swing at and put our best swing off every time… (We’re just trying) to make something spark.”
Connor Fuxa
OSU pitcher Katie Kutz has improved in several areas to start the 2025 season.
File Photo
Rosie Davis and Karli Godwin lead OSU in mutiple hitting stats and have been key to the Cowgirls.
No ‘real concern’ for Cowgirls despite 5-4
within three innings of being 4-1.”
Although the record could have swung one way or the other, the good and bad news continues in multiple ways.
There’s good and bad news from Oklahoma State softball’s Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational trip.
The good news: The No. 13 Cowgirls have gotten through a gauntlet of a nine game gauntlet — six games against top-25 teams and four against top-10 teams. They also won two games on walk-offs, courtesy of sophomores Karli Godwin and Rosie Davis, pushing their record to 3-2 on the weekend and 5-4 overall.
The bad news: Without those walkoff hits, the Cowgirls leave the weekend 1-4 and are 3-6.
Coach Kenny Gajewski knows the good and bad news, but he sees the Florida trip as a success.
“I actually thought it was a very successful weekend,” Gajewski said. “You know, we were two innings away from being 1-4, and we were, honestly,
Gajewski cited the pitching — specifically Ruby Meylan and Katie Kutz’s strong play — as a plus, along with the Cowgirls’ flashes of being the highpowered offense he promised before the season. The engine of that offense has been Godwin and Davis, who were on the Zoom call with him Tuesday morning to talk with the media.
Between laughing at Gajewski’s jokes and looking at each other and smiling, the best friends know that when they’re close to each other in the lineup — Gajewski moved Davis up to two-hole in the Cowgirls’ second game in Florida and kept her there the rest of the trip — the team can get major momentum.
“I love hitting behind her,” Godwin said of Davis. “... Just looking at her and the way she competes in the box gives me confidence when I go in the box. And I just think each time she gets in there, I know something’s gonna happen.”
The rest of the offense and pitching staff, though, still have some coming along to do. Gajewski said if the others catch up, his team is “trending in the right direction for sure.”
He said people have been sending him messages about OSU’s slow starts in the past, but since 2019 (when the Cowgirls first went to Clearwater), their record through nine games is a combined 41-13 (75.9% winning percentage) before this season, with their best nine-game start in 2021 being 9-0 and their worst in 2022 being 5-4.
So, this season’s start is tied for the worst since 2019, which, if it were not for the difficult schedule, would be a reason for concern; however, Gajewski knew what he was getting himself into.
“I hate it,” Gajewski said of the nonconference schedule before the Clearwater trip. “I hate looking at it going, ‘Why did I do this?’ But I always look back in the end and go, ‘That’s why.’ I don’t love it, but it’s necessary.
“It’s necessary if you want to host (regional and super-regional rounds)
and you’re not in the SEC. So we’re not in the SEC, and we want to host. And so that’s been the recipe for us.”
For OSU, the focus is finishing out the weaker part of its nonconference schedule before starting Big 12 Conference play.
Up next are SIUE, Central Arkansas and South Dakota State on Sunday and Monday, as the Cowgirls are in Conway, Arkansas, for the Michelle Short & Adam Brown Tournament this weekend.
Sprinkled in are games against No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 15 Nebraska and No. 22 Missouri, so opportunities to increase its RPI (the Cowgirls are currently No. 9) will be there. And series against ranked Big 12 squads like No. 11 Arizona and No. 12 Texas Tech await them, too.
Considering OSU has ended its season in Oklahoma City with hot and slow starts, it’s not time to panic, Gajewski thinks.
“I don’t think it’s a real concern,” Gajewski said.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
CheckouttheOriginalHideaway!
Kaytlyn Hayes
After a tough stretch of OSU’s schedule, coach Kenny Gajewski said there’s
with his team moving forward.
Three takeaways from OSU’s trip to Arlington
CALIF PONCY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @PONCYCALIF
Oklahoma State baseball’s highlyanticipated 2025 season began in Arlington, Texas, last weekend.
As one member of an impressive six-team field at the Shriner’s Children’s College Showdown, the Cowboys left opening weekend 1-2 with a win over Louisville and losses to No. 15 Clemson and No. 19 Texas.
OSU had strong moments on offense and defense, but miscues and oversights cost the Cowboys a chance to establish themselves as one of the nation’s best.
OSU is 1-3 after a 4-2 loss to Texas State on Tuesday at Globe Life Field; but heading into a Sunday-Monday home series against UT-Arlington, OSU fans might want to halt any wavering confidence.
The Cowboys showed they can go toe-to-toe with some of the best teams, among other things. Between a new pitching staff, incoming transfers and two games against top-25 opponents, there was plenty to take away from opening weekend.
The OSU offense showed up in spades It was impossible to predict exactly what an offense will look like after replacing players like Lane Forsythe, Carson Benge and Zach Ehrhard.
Any doubts OSU fans held that the team would struggle to replace their bats should be gone after opening weekend.
OSU scored five, 12 and eight runs in three games, showing bursts of high-powered offense that were offset by defensive lapses against Texas and Clemson.
The offensive highlight of the weekend was when Colin Brueggemann smashed a grand slam to erase a 3-0 Louisville lead. The senior first baseman homer flipped the momentum in favor of the Cowboys, and they rode it to a 12-3 win.
“It changed everything completely,” Cowboys’ coach Josh Holliday said. “It went from a game where (Louisville) had control and we were trying to make an answer and then took scoreboard control and put some pressure back on them.
“I thought that was the key swing of the game, but what we did after that was the big story of the game.”
It’s possible OSU was hot for a weekend and its bats will cool off, but putting up offensive numbers of that quality against teams many expect to be contenders within their conferences is an impressive feat.
Mistakes reared OSU’s head In all three games, OSU had a chance to win, yet it left the weekend below .500 and 0-2 against ranked
opponents.
Entering the fifth inning against Clemson, OSU led 4-1.
The Tigers made their way back, and tied the game in the seventh inning. It appeared as if the teams could be headed to extra innings until a wild pitch allowed Clemson to score the difference-making run in the seventh, handing OSU a 6-5 loss in a game where many would argue it was the better team.
Two days later, OSU had the momentum heading into the fifth inning against a talented Texas team.
Leading 4-3, OSU surrendered eight runs, committed multiple errors and likely cost itself a shot to win all in one inning, eventully losing 14-8.
Just like they did a little more than 48 hours earlier, the Cowboys cost themselves a ranked win with uncharacteristic mistakes.
“We just had a bad inning that things did not go our way,” Holliday said. “A good team took advantage of it, but after that, we competed just fine. We made mistakes. Make mistakes against a good team, it’s going to hurt you.”
The Cowboys showed they can compete
Despite the disappointing results, opening weekend proved OSU has the horses to run with the best in college baseball. The SEC and ACC are consistently two of, if not the two best, conferences in college baseball, and OSU nearly defeated teams expected to compete well in both of those conferences.
Texas, which was fifth in PerfectGames’s SEC Preseason Poll and eight in the SEC’s coaches preseason poll, was where OSU wanted it until the disastrous fifth inning.
Clemson, which received a firstplace vote in the ACC preseason media poll, was on the ropes ahead of a wild pitch in the seventh inning.
Coaches often say moral victories are irrelevant, and when the team claiming moral victories is coming off of a conference championshipwinning season, that may be true. However, the fact that OSU competed with these teams and had real chances to win shows the quality of the team that it has.
Sure, OSU would’ve preferred wins, and yes, the program is at a place where wins against quality opponents should be expected, but pretending close losses are the same as losses in which a team is dominated is an easy way to overlook a group of players who could’ve easily escaped the weekend 3-0 instead of 1-2.
“Playing good teams definitely provides some real resistance on the other side,” Holliday said. “When you make mistakes, they take advantage of them.”
Trapasso
Continued from 1 sports.ed@ocolly.com
Trapasso, now in his first season as the coach at UT-Arlington, reflects on that moment, calling it one of the highlights of his playing career.
On Sunday at 2 p.m., Trapasso’s Mavericks (2-1) face off against No. 19 OSU (1-3) in a two-game series at O’Brate Stadium. For the first time since 1985, he will be a participant in an OSU baseball game. This time, on the opposing side.
For Trapasso, Stillwater is holy ground. The foundation that catapulted an unknown transfer from Jefferson Junior College in the small town of Hillsboro, Missouri, to one of college baseball’s premier arms.
Trapasso, in his 21st season as as a coach has been alongside many greats within the sport; Gene McArtor at Missouri, Eddie Cardieri at South Florida and Danny Hall at Georgia Tech. But none, he said, have shaped him the way his time playing at OSU during the program’s decade of dominance did.
“I wouldn’t be where I am without Oklahoma State,” Trapasso said. “I wouldn’t be where I am without Gary Ward or without Tom Holliday. We take big pieces from every place we’ve been.
“The impact years of my life from a baseball standpoint, obviously, start with my time at OSU.”
It started with freedom.
One of the aspects Trapasso said he admired most about Holliday was his ability to “create a healthy competition” within the pitching room. That often entailed using star arms less than most coaches would — or using more pitchers than he should.
But Holliday’s ability to connect and resonate with his pitchers was more beneficial above all else, Trapaso said.
“Mike and Tom had a special connection,” Ward said. “And when I say it was special, it was special.
“Tom was obviously that way with all of our pitchers, but with (Trapasso), it was something very special.”
In the end, Holliday got the most out of his pitchers because of it. His philosophy helped Trapasso blossom into a marquee arm his first season in Stillwater, finishing with the top ERA in the Big Eight Conference (1.39), good for top five in the nation. It helped him stay grounded during a season when injuries tarnished what Holliday said he had expected to be one of the best single seasons in college baseball history. It guided him during his 20 seasons as coach at Hawaii, where he became the secondwinningest coach in Rainbow Warriors’ history behind college baseball legend Les Murakami. And of course, it has stuck with him heading into his first season as the Mavericks’ coach.
“Mike was always a guy who was built for success,” Holliday said. “He just had that ‘it’ factor to him. He had great stuff, but he also had that determination where even when he might have been off one day, he would still find ways to win. And I think that you’ve seen that with him when he was a (head) coach at Hawaii or wherever he’s been, really.”
But perhaps most importantly, Trapasso said, his relationship with Holliday taught him the importance of patience.
Former Hawaii athletic director
Debbie Snell opted not to renew Trapasso’s contract after the 2021 season, following an eighth straight missed regional appearance. He said he felt a change coming, but ultimately loathed the moment when it came.
“I mean, talk about a blessing, my 20 years at Hawaii were great,” Trapasso said. “Like I said, I was blessed to have done it.”
But patience served as a virtue, and eventually, an opportunity came.
He found solace in working with cadets at the Naval Academy in one season as the Midshipmen’s pitching coach. But when Clay Van Hook left his post as Oklahoma’s third base coach to take the job at UT-Arlington in fall 2022, Trapasso was one of Van Hook’s first calls to serve as pitching coach. To which Trapasso said, “didn’t hesitate to accept.”
Trapasso’s son, Michael, is an attorney general for the state of Oklahoma. Thus, moving to Arlington, Trapasso said, made all the more sense. And two years later, after Van Hook departed to be an assistant at Houston following the 2024 season, Trapasso was elevated to head man at UTA.
“I guess I missed the stress and disfunction of being a head coach,” Trapasso said. “I guess it’s one of those things where you don’t really realize what you had until it’s gone. Having the opportunity to steward a program. The daily culture building. I missed all of it. I’ve always said you want to create a feasible environment for the student-athletes to not transform into stars on the baseball diamond, but good young men off it.”
It didn’t take long to become a head coach again, but it felt long enough, Trapasso said. Similarly to his return to Stillwater.
Trapasso hopes to schedule more midweek home-and-homes with OSU in the near future. He said he and Cowboys’ coach Josh Holliday have had discussions about doing so, and could begin competition as early as 2026.
His Mavericks are 2-1 after a tight series victory against UTSA, but Trapasso said he scheduled against the Cowboys to, “expose certain things within our lineup.” And what better team to do that against than OSU’s potent lineup?
For now, though, he said he’s embracing every moment leading into Friday’s series opener. The chance to catch up with Tom, Josh, Ward and other close friends. The chance to revisit some of his most pleasant life memories down the road at a now dormant Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. And perhaps most importantly, the chance to leave Stillwater with a series win on the road at his former home.
“It’s been so long since I’ve been back in Stillwater playing or coaching baseball,” Trapasso said. “It absolutely is a moment that I am looking forward to — going back to Stillwater and all. When I’m not coaching, I’m an OSU fan. It’ll be fun seeing everyone there. Maybe afterward we all can catch up and grab a bite and a drink somewhere. But once that first pitch is thrown (Friday), it’s all baseball.
“As much as I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again, I just as badly want to win that dang series.”
Bryson Thadhani
OSU coach Josh Holliday said good teams can “take advantage” of mistakes.
Courtesy OSU Athletics
Former OSU pitcher Mike Trapasso said he “wouldn’t be where (he is)” without Tom Holliday (above).
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Cowboys preparing for top-3 clash with Iowa
wrestling, you can enjoy it. I think they’re just passionate fans, and you can turn their energy into your momentum.”
133 starting role up for grabs
Throughout the season, coach David Taylor has brought the same mindset for Oklahoma State wrestling with every dual as another regular match, even if it’s the greatest rivalry in college wrestling.
That’s the next step on the Cowboys’ schedule with their final regular-season dual in the Hawkeye State, as Sunday at 7:30 p.m. No. 2 OSU (13-0) faces No. 3 Iowa (13-1) in Iowa City at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
“It’s an exciting match,” Taylor said. “You got two motivated programs, and you got two great teams to go wrestle. But really, in our preparation, it’s about just getting our guys ready to go. I think as a competitor, sometimes you make a mistake when you start trying to put more emphasis into something.
“It’s just another match. We gotta get ready to go wrestle another match this weekend, and here still, we got 10 of those. We gotta be ready each time we step out there.”
Taylor has had experience wrestling at Carver-Hawkeye Arena when he competed for Penn State against the Big Ten foe.
When asked if the team asked questions about what going against Iowa was like, he mainly avoided mentioning the Hawkeyes and instead talked about the experience of the sport overall.
“I think we have guys on our team that really love wrestling,” Taylor said. “So I think you talk about just different things, and we talk about our experiences as competitors, and maybe what we thought, how we prepared, how we made mistakes, but they’re pretty general terms.
“The reality is we got a match this weekend. It’s part of our schedule. Just gotta go out, and you’re ready to wrestle.”
Cameron Amine, OSU’s 165 pounder, understands the environment Iowa holds for wrestling. Although he’s never wrestled in Iowa City, he traveled with his former Big Ten team, Michigan, for a conference dual.
“Last time we went there, I had elbow surgery, and it was the match two weeks before I was actually able to come back, and I almost went out there and wrestled, but I didn’t,” Amine said. “Just being there, the atmosphere is awesome. I think a lot of people fear it, but I think that if you go in there and you really love
Reece Witcraft has started for the Cowboys at 133 pounds the last three duals against Iowa State, Missouri and Little Rock. The senior has gone 1-2 during that period, including a 13-0 decision loss to No. 8 Nasir Bailey from Litte Rock two weeks ago.
Cael Hughes hasn’t started for OSU since Northern Iowa on Jan. 24 but isn’t being left out of the picture.
“I think both are good,” Taylor said. “I think competition is good. That’s just what our sports is about. And I think sometimes having someone else that’s right there pushing you, I think that’s a good thing. When it’s open and shut and really clear, that’s a good thing, too. I think it’s all part of making up the best team that you can.”
Road boasts ranked bouts
OSU-Iowa produces a lot of hype every year, considering it’s an enormous rivalry and one of the most anticipated matchups this season.
Nineteen of the 20 probable starters for schools are in the InterMat rankings; 13 wrestlers are in the top 10 in their weight class. Six of the 10 bouts will be rematches, with three being a third meeting.
There are plenty of good matchups on paper, but the three top-10 bouts have got to be the best to look out for.
165: OSU No. 6 Amine (13-4) vs. Iowa No. 2 Michael Caliendo (17-1)
184: OSU No. 3 Dustin Plott (15-2) vs. Iowa No. 8 Gabe Arnold (13-3)
197: OSU No. 6 Luke Surber (19-1) vs. Iowa No. 1 Stephen Buchanan (18-0)
Surber is familiar with going against Buchanan, having had two meetings prior. Buchanan won both matches. Surber said there’s not much to do without giving away too much strategy.
“Just do what I do, they gotta really prepare for me,” Surber said. “I do a lot of different things that not a lot of people do. I wrestled them last year, but I don’t think eating before (a dual) was very healthy. So it’s gonna be a lot different match than it was last year.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Iowa
OSU was in the midst of its four-peat stretch of team national titles. The Hawkeyes were trying to dethrone their rival Cowboys. But it wasn’t all about wins and losses.
Fan perception, Mocco said, was the most glaring contrast, which he detailed in a 2020 interview with FloWrestling.
“This is me coming from a completely different culture, because I’m from New Jersey — I’m from the tri-state area,” Mocco said. “At Iowa, it felt like when you were winning, they all loved you. They wanted everything to do with you. You were like the sun rose and set with you.
“But when you lose, they hated you. It was like black and white. Hot and cold.”
Mocco began his college career with the Hawkeyes, wrestling for two seasons from 2001-03, before opting for a redshirt the following year to train for the 2004 Olympics. Then came a calculated risk.
He transferred to OSU ahead of the 2004-05 season. As he had expected, scrutiny ensued from Iowa fans. But he didn’t care. He let his wrestling do the talking. Two Big 12 and one NCAA heavyweight titles followed. In 2005, he won the Dan Hodge Trophy — the college wrestling equivalent of the Heisman Trophy — and posted a 137-6 career record.
Mocco said he remembers instances when higher-ranked wrestlers lost matches and fans at home duals shouted obscenities and profanity toward them as they walked off the mat.
You suck!
Do something else!
“They don’t let you relax,” Mocco said. “They’re right on you.”
And the banter toward then-Hawkeyes coach Jim Zalesky was notably more severe, Mocco said.
“I remember at Iowa, looking up at some of the fans and they were yelling, ‘You suck, Zalesky,’” Mocco said with a laugh. “And I’m looking at the guys like, ‘You come every Saturday to the open workout. You’ve probably been doing it for the last 30 years. You’re really gonna yell ‘You suck’ to the coach?’”
Chalk it up to a difference in fan demeanor, culture or temperament, but none of that happened to Mocco in his two seasons in Stillwater. And while Mocco said, he “will always cherish” his time as a Hawkeye, it is for that reason he embraces the final two seasons of his career more than the others.
“At Oklahoma State, you didn’t see too much (hostility),” Mocco said. “I guess it was the southern undertow to the culture. Like the South is a little bit more hospitable. Not as fickle, I guess.
“You didn’t get as high as Iowa fans got. When the guys were winning, man, it was like — that was the thing. They treated you like a celebrity. You didn’t get that at Oklahoma State, either. So, it was cooler (in Stillwater). It was like a cool vibe, cool lifestyle. Really nice people all around.”
‘Truce?’
Nick Piccinini remembers the moment like it happened yesterday.
It was Jan. 15, 2017. Fans snaked around Gallagher-Iba Arena, eager to flood the entrance doors to watch the No. 1 Cowboys clash with the No. 3 Hawkeyes. And at the forefront was the opening bout at 125 between OSU’s Piccinini —the 11th-ranked wrestler at his weight — and top-ranked Thomas Gilman of Iowa.
Gilman earned a 12-4 major decision, but OSU won the dual 24-11. Afterward, Piccinini uttered some choice words in his opponent’s direction during the post-
dual handshake.
“See you at Nationals.”
“Very cliche, right?” Gilman said in an interview with FloWrestling. “Everyone says that after they lose, ‘See you at the Nationals.’ Dude, you don’t want to see me anywhere.”
Gilman took exception to Piccinini’s commentary, and spoke his mind.
The two wrestlers exchanged words before both teams got involved. Eventually, then-OSU coach John Smith walked up and told Gilman to head to the visitors’ locker room. And Gilman, not seeing who was instructing him, retaliated.
“I probably told John Smith to youknow-what himself,” Gilman said. “But I didn’t mean it.”
The moment went down in college wrestling history. A storied coach in a verbal dispute with one of the sport’s premier performers headlined wrestling social media for the following weeks. Gilman became a villain in GIA. But not for long.
When OSU hired David Taylor to replace Smith, Gilman was one of Taylor’s first hires as an assistant, a polarizing move that OSU fans swiftly came to appreciate. And former OSU wrestler Kyle Crutchmer, now a renowned Mixed Martial Arts fighter, might have aided in that.
Shortly after Gilman’s hiring, a clip of Gilman’s FloWrestling interview surfaced on X. Crutchmer took advantage of the opportunity and made his opinion known.
Well s**t! Welcome @thomasgilmanusa! TRUCE? Lol
A half-hour later, Gilman replied, “Truce.”
It might have taken fans a while, but Gilman is now an embraced figure within OSU wrestling. And as Piccinini noted, that might not have happened without the antics in January 2017.
“I think that’s just what happens when you get two competitive guys and put them against one another,” Piccinini said. “This is wrestling. We’re not going out there to play chess or be friends when we’re competing. These are guys who are the alphas and are trying to win at all costs.”
A new era Taylor chose to keep his CarverHawkeye memories to himself Thursday during his weekly press conference. He has plenty from his storied college career at Penn State, but opted for the “it’s just another dual” platitude. Still, he couldn’t help himself from pointing out the rivalry’s profound impact on college wrestling.
“The dual, it’s an exciting match,” Taylor said Thursday during his weekly media availability. “You’ve got two motivated programs and two great teams that are gonna go wrestle.”
Taylor said he has joked with Gilman about his return to Iowa City. Boos are a possibility. But it comes with the thickskinned nature of the sport.
In the changing landscape of college sports, cross-rivalry transfers are more common than ever; see the Bedlam rivalry as a prime example.
Who has been the greater beneficiary of the OSU-Iowa swap? Recent history would indicate the Cowboys. But in some rivalries, switching sides still comes with immense consequences. This one is a prime example.
Just ask those who have participated in it.
“There are no exceptions in this rivalry,” Piccinini said. “You’re either on one side or you’re not. And with Thomas, (Mocco) and everyone else, I’m glad they’re on the good side now.”
Payton Little
OSU coach David Taylor said there are “two motivated programs” facing off Sunday.
Kaytlyn Hayes
Not hiring Gottlieb is OSU’s biggest win this men’s basketball season
rience, played under legendary coach Eddie Sutton in a dominant stretch of Cowboy hoops, could’ve made some fans nostalgic about the past. But as the season has gone along, the biggest win for OSU has become not hiring Gottlieb and not taking him seriously as a candidate.
even know what conference Green Bay is in?
The Horizon League. This checks out; Gottlieb’s off-the-court antics could only slide at a lower level.
ing to fill up GIA.
The Greeks have supported the team more throughout the season, the defense has been meh and GIA still isn’t full, but there is a foundation for the culture that Lutz wants.
When Doug Gottlieb came into Gallagher-Iba Arena this season, he appeared to be a coach.
On Nov. 4, the former Oklahoma State men’s basketball guard turned Green Bay coach wore a suit (until he ditched the jacket due to a comedic amount of sweat), said all the right things postgame about his alma mater and his underdog Phoenix held strong, losing 89-76 in Steve Lutz’s first game coaching the Cowboys.
But since then, Gottlieb hasn’t looked like a coach. His Fox Sports radio gig — the same one he did at Eskimo Joe’s hours before the first game — next to his Phoenix’s record, 3-24, makes him look like a man who’s half-in, half-out.
Hiring someone like Gottlieb, who despite having no prior coaching expe -
Gottlieb lobbied for the OSU gig after Mike Boynton was fired. It wasn’t the first time Gottlieb threw his name in an OSU coaching search, and he felt like he had good reasons to be taken seriously. In an interview with WWLS radio, or “The Sports Animal,” last March, he laid out his case.
“(I understand) what we have, what we need, what needs to be fixed, how to get the culture back in line, how to bring back the alumni, how we need to connect better with Stillwater and with the students and all of Oklahoma,” Gottlieb said. “I fully believe I can fill up the gym and I can get the NIL.”
Instead, OSU chose Lutz, who took Western Kentucky to the NCAA Tournament last season. He’s coached a hodgepodge group of players to a 13-13 (5-10 Big 12) record. He has more Big 12 Conference wins in his first season than Gottlieb has overall wins. Do you
He called Division II school Michigan Tech “Nobody U” before losing 72-70 to those “nobodies.” Earlier this week, he even had an X beef with Lebron James. Would you be shocked if Lutz didn’t even run his X account?
But Gottlieb knows how to build a culture — at least that’s what he said on the radio last March — so he surely isn’t hindering that with X posts.
To be fair, Lutz hasn’t built much of a culture in his first year, but things have been growing in Stillwater. The Cowboys are .500, and with their 104-95 victory over UCF on Wednesday, they surpassed last season’s wins (12).
That team had Brandon Garrison (now at Kentucky), Eric Dailey Jr. (now at UCLA) and Javon Small (now at West Virginia), among others. On paper, it was a much more talented bunch than Lutz’s, yet with five regular-season games remaining, he has more wins.
He’s connected with OSU’s Greek community, ranted about poor defense after losses and has talked about want-
In Green Bay, there’s no semblance of culture. It seemed difficult to grasp in November, but after the Phoenix’s first loss, things didn’t look too bad. But with the season nearing its end, things look bad on the court, let alone the offthe-court issues.
So as Lutz watches film for the Cowboys’ Saturday game against Kansas, Gottlieb is preparing for Robert Morris on Friday. If Green Bay wins, it’ll mark its first back-to-back wins of the season. He’ll probably talk about a full slate of NBA games, the 4 Nations Face-Off Championship and more things hours before Friday’s game, too.
With each passing radio show, X beef and game, OSU continues to look smart; it avoided Gottileb’s circus and failed experiment as a half-in, half-out coach. That’s a bigger win than Lutz’s first against the Phoenix.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Payton Little
In his first season as Green Bay’s coach, Doug Gottlieb’s team is 3-24, and he’s making OSU look smart for not taking him seriously as a candidate for the men’s basketball job.
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miscellaneous things, but this time of year, basketball seems to occupy their conversations.
Whatever hurdle stood in the way of Asi and her performance didn’t last long, as she quickly became an asset for the Cowgirls.
In her first year sporting orange and black, Asi played in all 31 games, averaging seven points and two assists while shooting 43% from 3. This trend has continued to evolve as she has taken a leadership role as one of the only returners on this year’s squad.
The Cowgirl vet is averaging 12 points and three assists, in 30 minutes of court time.
While Asi thought she would only bring scoring to the table, coach Jacie Hoyt thinks Asi brings much more.
“I’ve asked many players, ‘Who do you look up to? Who do you rely on for leadership,’” Hoyt said. “Her name comes up more times than not.”
With Senior Day scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday against Colorado, Asi is most excited to share her love for Stillwater and OSU with one person.
“Getting to share that with my mom, to see that this place has meant so much for me over the last two years, to share that with her is really, really special for me,” Asi said.
A smile flooded Asi’s face as she talked about her relationship with her mom, and one thing stood out. They talk a lot of hoops.
With her mom being a coach, Asi can expect a lengthy text waiting for her after every game, but she excitedly responds to each one. The two can be caught talking throughout the week about life, school and
“She’s a night owl because of me for half of the year most of the time, but she always gives me feedback on my game,” Asi said. “Basketball just comes up almost every time we talk.”
A bittersweet moment awaits the mother-daughter duo Saturday, and while family is taking precedence this weekend, Hoyt has a job of her own.
“I love this group very, very deeply for so many reasons,” Hoyt said. “I feel like I owe them so much… I want to be my very best self for them.”
Coming off a 1-1 road trip in Utah, the Cowgirls have to keep things in perspective as Senior Day approaches. Colorado is bringing a familiar face, Lior Garzon, and a lot of intensity to Stillwater on Saturday, but OSU is fighting for a chance to play together as long as possible.
“I think we’re all-in-all focused on finding ways to win,” Hoyt said. “Senior Day is Senior Day, but ultimately…. our focus is just extending our season as much as possible because it’s such a special group.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
cowGIRL Game day
WHEN: Saturday, 2 p.m.
WHERE: GallagherIba Arena
GOD IS TRUSTWORTHY!
God is worthy of our trust! “... I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.” “... so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Jer.1:12, Is.55:11 NIV)
Certainly from these verses it is clear that the Lord “means what he says.” When he speaks, or makes promises, he makes sure they are fulfilled. The life of Abraham shared with us in the first book of the Bible is telling us of a man who believed that God could be trusted. Abraham had to wait many years to see some of God’s promises fulfilled, and some for hundreds of years, and there was one he waited for thousands. God promised that all the world would be blessed through the offspring of Abraham. Jesus came through
his natural lineage. Jesus brought to all people the blessing of forgiveness and eternal life. God is trustworthy!
“The just shall live by faith.” (Ro.1:17) The theme all through the Bible is the life of faith. The true faith mentioned in scripture has one object; that is God. We are to trust the faithful God! We are to look to this God who has proved himself over and over a faithful God, who keeps his promises. He is worthy of our trust. As we except Christ, God’s gift to us, there is forgiveness of sin. We will not be condemned at the final judgment. He promises to guide us, to comfort and strengthen us in this present life. He will make us fruitful in helping others; laying up treasure in heaven.. The challenge is to take him at his word. Put your life in his hands for he is trustworthy. He will do in and through you what he has promised.
TV: ESPN+ Last meeting: 86-75, CU
Anna Gret Asi G, Tartu, Estonia Rylee Langerman G/F, Norman Stacie Jones F, Kathleen, Georgia Tenin Magassa C, MorsangSur-Orge, France Landry Williams G/F, Tulsa
Connor Fuxa
OSU guard Anna Gret Asi (4) is one of the five Cowgirl seniors who will be honored for Saturday’s Senior Day. Senior
