Friday, March 7, 2025
Life Center provides ‘refuge’ for visitors
BY BELLA CASEY I STAFF REPORTER I @BELLACASEYYY
Some attend the Life Center to regain their identity. They go to the Life Center because they’re afraid any other place could rip it away from them.
Judith Deaver, who uses they/them pronouns, hid their identity for most of their life. They used to speak to their partner over the phone twice a day — once during breakfast and again after the kids were in bed — just to keep coworkers from finding out they were gay. But when Deaver signed up to attend
the Life Center, they had a gut feeling they would be comfortable there.
“This (Life Center) is like a refuge for me, just to have a place to go that I could just be who I am and not have to worry about it,” Deaver said.
The Life Center is a non-profit adult day program lodged in the education wing of the First Christian Church in Stillwater. It’s so close to Oklahoma State’s campus you can hear the roar of the crowd in Boone Pickens Stadium from its parking lot.
Red Dirt Relief Fund helps Oklahoma artists make music
HAYDEN ALEXANDER NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Every musician starts somewhere, but it’s not an easy path for local artists.
Artists work tirelessly, performing every chance on stages in every locale. These singers, songwriters and musicians don’t have the luxury of taking a break.
“Musicians don’t have paid time off, they don’t have sick leave, they often don’t have access to insurance; we’re trying to change that,” Katie Dale with the Red Dirt Relief Fund (RDRF) said. “We’re trying to make this a profession where people can
feel supported and live successful personal lives outside of their work.”
Dale is the Executive Director and founding member of RDRF, a nonprofit that serves Oklahoma musicians and their families. Through concerts, benefits and donations, the fund has raised more than $950,000 for local artists.
Dale had the idea for the fund while putting together a festival with Red Bull. After the concert, Red Bull wanted to give the proceeds back to the community, but there was no music-specific charity to turn to.
Dale contacted John Cooper with the Red Dirt Rangers and met up at The Farm in Stillwater, the birthplace of Red Dirt music, and came up with the idea for RDRF.
See MUSIC on page 7A
But the Life Center welcomes a different kind of crowd — one that may not be able to remember the college team they cheered on in their youth or have any friends to celebrate game days with.
“It’s for people who might be experiencing either loneliness or have a disability, if they don’t want to go in a nursing home, it’s an alternative,” said Gladeen Allred, who helped found the Life Center.
Participants don’t just sit in a room all day. The Life Center lobby is decorated with proof of it — one photo shows a
participant squaring up in boxing gloves, and another shows one taking an archery lesson.
“People truly believe that sitting at home and watching TV is what Mom or Dad like to do, because that’s just what they see them doing,” said Maribeth Outhier, Life Center executive director. “But then when we get them here, they don’t want to sit and watch TV. They want to get engaged.”
See CENTER
Cowboy Meats provides sustainable food production, real-world learning experience for agricultural students
SUNGJOO CHUNG STAFF REPORTER
For students at Oklahoma State’s Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center (FAPC), education extends beyond the classroom.
Every Friday afternoon, the back loading dock of the center transforms into Cowboy Meats, a retail outlet selling meat products processed by students.
Joel Jackson, pilot plant manager at FAPC, has been overseeing Cowboy Meats since its reopening in Aug. 2022, following a nearly two-decade hiatus.
“Cowboy Meats encompasses the activities of the second floor of the
FAPC,” Jackson said. “The second floor is both a USDA facility, inspector facility, as well as an FDA facility.”
The operation serves multiple purposes, chief among them being cost recovery and student training. Jackson said live animals used for teaching can be extremely expensive. A single beef animal can cost around $3,000, with classes sometimes requiring six or more animals at once.
“We figured it up this morning that some of those beef (animals) that we had coming in were around $3,000 a piece,” Jackson said. “It adds up really quickly. You’re talking almost $18,000 worth of live animals.”
Bella Casey
Maribeth Outheir spends time with members of the Life Center while they participate in various activities such as dominoes and playing cards.
Jake Muret
Students can purchase meat from Cowboy Meats every Friday.
Hayden Alexander
The Red Dirt Relief fund supports Oklahoma artists through donations, festivals and benefits.
Audit finds OSU misappropriated funds during Shrum’s presidency
KENNEDY THOMASON STAFF REPORTER @_KENNEDYPAGE
An audit of state funding has found Oklahoma State violated state law with “expenditures that were not aligned with the restricted purposes.”
The report, which accounts for $41 million in state funds, comes after former OSU President Dr. Kayse Shrum resigned, effective Feb. 3. Innovation Foundation President and CEO Elizabeth Pollard resigned the same day. The Innovation Foundation is named as one of the entities that misappropriated funds, which included “unauthorized transfers” and “expenditures on unrelated purposes.”
The audit gives a high-risk level to issues at OSU, including “OSU Transferred Restricted Appropriated Funds Intended for OSU to the Innovation Foundation, Inc.” and “Simultaneous Executive Role Assignments Created Conflict of Interest Concerns.”
The report states that corrective action is being implemented, with the last action set to end Aug. 25.
OSU Chief Communication Officer Lance Latham released a statement Wednesday.
“OSU remains focused on its land-grant mission to provide accessible education, conduct groundbreaking research, grow the state’s workforce, and deliver high-quality health care for Oklahomans,” Latham said. “Newly appointed Interim President Dr. Jim Hess is taking swift action, along with the OSU/A&M Board of Regents, to address these matters. Dr. Hess has underscored that while the financial decisions and transactions which occurred are concerning, they were isolated and do not impact OSU’s overall financial foundation, which remains the strongest
among Oklahoma’s institutions of higher education.”
Ten million dollars in funds appropriated to the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education were transferred to the Innovation Foundation “without contract and Board of Regents approval, were co-mingled with other funds, deposited into unrestricted funds and in some instances spent for purposes unrelated to the restrictions in the Cooperative Agreements,” according to the report.
Of the $55.5 million in legislative appropriations to OSU from FY23-FY25, $11.5 million was transferred to the Innovation Foundation, $20.5 million was co-mingled with other funds and $24 million was deposited into unrestricted auxiliary funds rather than Education & General Funds, for which it was appropriated.
The Innovation Foundation relied on legislatively appropriated funds for 96% of its operating costs without a reimbursement or repayment contract as state law requires. BOR policy also requires approval, which was not given.
Revenue rapidly declined at the Innovation Foundation, from $4.2 million in FY23 to $955,000 in FY24 to $150,000 so far in FY25.
The auditors conducted several interviews, including individuals related to the BOR. Shrum was not interviewed.
BOR member Jennifer Callahan, who chairs the board’s Governance Review Task Force, also released a statement.
“The OSU/A&M Board of Regents has a responsibility to ensure the financial integrity and oversight of its member institutions and has procedures in place to fulfill that responsibility,” Callahan said. “The board and OSU administration are committed to transparency and to taking swift action that protects the university’s commitment to students.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
SHS student charged with 10 rape-related counts
KENNEDY
A Stillwater High School student has been charged with a criminal felony based on 10 counts.
Jesse Butler, 17, has been accused. The charges, which were filed by the State of Oklahoma on Tuesday, are two counts of attempted rape, three counts of rape by instrumentation, one count of sexual battery, one count of forcible oral sodomy, two counts of domestic assault and battery by strangulation and one
count of domestic assault and battery.
Five separate dates in 2024 are associated with the charges.
Attempted rape in the first degree can carry a punishment of death or imprisonment for at least five years, according to Justia.
Stillwater Public Schools PR & Communications Director Barry Fuxa said in an email that he is unable to confirm whether Butler is still enrolled at SHS.
“FERPA and board policy limit the types of individual student data we can release,” Fuxa said. “A student’s enrollment and disciplinary statuses are not included on the list of directory information that can be released under board policy.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
Assistant Sports editors Kenzie Kraich, Calif Poncy, Sam Mitchell
Assistant Photo editor Connor Fuxa
Assistant Social Media editor Jose Brito
Assistant Design editor Alexandra Guinn
Ask the Pokes
Where is your favorite place to study?
“I have two favorite places to study. If it’s group study, then I like the third floor of the library on the west side. If it’s a solo mission, I’m going to go to the second floor.”
- Maddie Benton, senior
“I really like to study in the library basement with all of my friends down there, but when I’m alone I like the education library in Willard (Hall).”
- Kristen Miller, junior
“I like going to the library. I like to go in the quiet study room. It’s probably my favorite place to go.”
- Vadin Neal, junior
“I’d probably say just a study room, you know. You get to still see people, but you get to be isolated at the same time.”
- Myron Peoples, senior
Social Media editor Bryson Thadhani news.ed@ocolly.com
Payton Little
An internal audit has exposed that OSU violated state laws through misappropriating $41 million in state dollars.
Presidential threat to ‘illegal protests’ calls
constitutionality into question
Oklahoma State students are taking precautions after a presidential threat against “illegal protests.”
In a post to Truth Social on Tuesday, President Donald Trump said colleges and immigrants would face consequences for protests. The statement comes as the Trump administration has ordered an investigation into federal funds at Columbia University, accusing the school of tolerating anti-semitism. The university made headlines last year over pro-Palestinian student protests.
“All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests,” Trump said. “Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
With this in mind, Latin American Student Association President Christian Jimenez said his group’s protests will continue to happen. LASA held a joint on-campus protest with the Hispanic Student Association against a change in national deportation law in February, with another planned for later this semester.
“He’s making it seem like these protests are like something against the American culture,” Jimenez said. “We would fear more for our safety, especially because it probably can embolden more people to do bad things.”
Jimenez said he sees the statement as a “clear violation” of the First Amendment right to protest.
The constitutionality of Trump’s statement can be called into question, Oklahoma College of Law Professor Joseph Thai said. Generally, protests are protected under the First Amendment, including protests the “president or others might find objectionable,” he said.
Thai said the First Amendment protects political speech until the point of “illegal incitements or true threats.”
“I think part of the game here is political right to scare universities into restricting speech so that the federal government, the Trump administration, doesn’t have to do much more than make these threats, and would not have to defend these threats in court if universities across the country fear losing their federal funding and just act independently get them to suppress speech that may get them into trouble with the administration,” Thai said.
The specialist in constitutional law, the First Amendment and civil rights litigation said Trump’s post creates a chilling effect on speech, “whether or not they’re constitutional threats.”
In October, Gov. Kevin Stitt posted a condemnation to X, formerly Twitter, of the “Week of Rage” that OSU’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine held.
Shortly after, OSU revoked approval to some of the events SJP planned to host that week. The university cited a violation of a 10-day notice policy.
SJP Organizational Chair Mena, who asked her last name be withheld for safety reasons, said some students were fearful of protesting after Stitt’s statement last semester.
“We took a hit, but then we built right back up, which is really great, and that’s why we’ve also kept pretty low key,” Mena said.
This time, SJP is taking Trump’s statement in stride. Mena said the group has already taken precautions to protect international students who want to participate. In lieu of protests, SJP has opted to do more teach-ins and a cultural night.
International students should be cautious of protesting, Thai said, as the federal government can institute immigration enforcement if terms of their legal presence are violated.
However, Thai said he doesn’t think that the First Amendment would allow for international students to be deported based on statements or protests.
“I think the effect of these threats is just to make universities fall further in line voluntarily,” Thai said.
news.ed@ocolly.com
SGA presidential, vice presidential candidate voice goals at open forum
Under the Student Union Theater lights on Wednesday night, two students took the stage and stood behind their respective podiums.
Wesley Hurlbut, SGA presidential candidate, and Victoria Smith, SGA vice presidential candidate, spoke to the crowd as the only pair advancing to the general election on March 11-12.
The other pair campaigning did not make it through the primaries, failing to receive 500 signatures. The event, originally held as a biannual debate, became a forum for Hurlbut and Smith to speak about their goals for the university.
Hurlbut, an economics major and philosophy major from Columbus, Ohio, will graduate in May, and become the president, if elected, while attending graduate school. In his opening remarks, he highlighted the importance of involving the student body in the processes of student government.
“What do you think the average voter turnout for the student body presidential election averages around?” Hurlbut asked. “Usually around 5%. The student association that is supposed to represent all students and all their interests and the proper channel for all of them to address their concerns… on a yearly basis we’re only hearing about 5% of those concerns.”
Engaging the student body is a core focus of the campaign. Hurlbut and Smith hope to host town halls regularly for students to speak with critical campus partners as well as further utilize the Canvas SGA page for announcements. Hurlbut addressed his interest in connecting with students early into the forum to emphasize his point: “We want to hear from you.”
Smith, a nutritional sciences major from Houston will also graduate in May and fill the role of vice president as a graduate student, if voted in. In her opening remarks, she thanked the student body members who helped Hurlbut and herself garner enough signatures to move on in the campaign.
“If Wesley and I are elected, we’re gonna work as hard as possible to ensure all students feel advocated for,” Smith said.
Rebooting the multicultural affairs advisory board is one way the pair hopes
to accomplish the goal of including students from every background. Hurlbut, when asked about potential cabinet positions, spoke about his desire to create a position for a person to lead the advisory board without excess responsibilities elsewhere in the government association.
“The purpose of the board is to bridge the gap between SGA and a lot of our multicultural community on campus that often feels let down by the SGA process,” Hurlbut said.
Beyond the goals briefly stated in the introduction, both candidates expanded on their main objectives.
With Smith’s background in nutrition, basic resources are a huge priority for her. She mentioned two food banks on campus — one located on the second floor of the student union and the other in the College of Education and Human Sciences — recently closed. Both Hurlbut and Smith agree funding needs to go to the pantries to provide clothing, food and other resources for those in need.
The Green Move-Out Program is another initiative the pair hopes to start. It is a donation program that would occur during move out at the end of the semester. Instead of overfilling dumpsters with new items, there would be a process for donating unused items to local shelters, Goodwill and The Salvation Army.
Transportation is another topic of worry for students that Hurlbut and Smith want to lessen. Restarting the bus route to Oklahoma City from Stillwater, similar to the Tulsa route, is top of mind. Smith also mentioned installing security cameras in parking lots, mentioning a series of car burglaries that occurred at Bennett Hall in late 2023.
Lastly, the bylaws state SGA can advocate any legal services on behalf of students. Hurlbut said he hopes to help students appeal parking tickets under this law.
With huge aspirations, Hurlbut acknowledges the difficulty the two could encounter in accomplishing it all, but he hopes to at least leave SGA with lasting change.
“As ambitious as any of these goals might be and as hard as they may be for anyone else in the future, we (hope to) see that they are accomplished or at the very least, that we laid a good foundation for the next administration after us,” Hurlbut said.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Courtesy Hurlbut and Smith Campaign
Victoria Smith and Wesley Hurlbut are running for SGA vice president and president.
Payton Little
The Latin American Student Association and the Hispanic Student Association held a protest on campus in February. LASA President Christian Jimenez said another protest is planned for this semester.
Defying Gravity: Oscars 2025, a night to remember
little weirdness, and O’Brien delivered a song about wasting time featuring the “Dune Part Two” sand worm and dancing Deadpool seconds after his heartfelt speech.
Student entrepreneur steers toward safety with designated driver service
payment methods include cash, Venmo, Cash App and Apple Pay. However, for Layton, profit is not what fuels his business, but his deeper purpose.
The 97th Oscars was a star-studded celebration of 2024’s best films.
The Academy Awards aired on March 2 presenting a host of well deserved accolades.
Nominated for six awards, “Anora” cleaned up at the Oscars with five wins. Director Sean Baker accepted the awards for editing, directing, original screen play and best picture. “Anora” star Mikey Madison won Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Ani.
Other big winners included Adrien Brody for his lead role in “The Brutalist,” Kieran Culkin for his supporting role in “A Real Pain” and “I’m Still Here” for Best International Film, the first Oscar win for Brazil.
It was a night of dazzling jewels and elevated by performances, comedy and cinema.
Glittering in a ruby slipper-inspired gown, Ariana Grande opened the Oscars with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” before joining Cynthia Erivo in an emotional rendition of “Defying Gravity” from their hit movie “Wicked.” Both women were nominated for an Oscar, with Erivo’s sights set on an EGOT, but fell short.
Conan O’Brien, the host, opened the night with a fun monologue with plenty of jokes.
The comedian knows how to enter a room referencing “The Substance’s” infamous bathroom scene, by climbing out of Demi Moore’s body and hitting the stage.
He didn’t shy away from the controversy, cracking a few jokes about “Emilia Pérez” star Karla Sofia Gascón’s recently unearthed posts on X. The comedian made sure to find the humor in each of the Best Picture nominees, but his skit with Adam Sandler stole the show.
O’Brien criticized Sandler for his attire: bright blue basketball shorts and an even brighter blue hoodie. Sandler played along and even called back to the Emmys after he ran up to Timothée Chalemet, who was nominated for Best Actor, and hugged him while shouting, “CHALAMET!”
O’Brien left politics on the back burner and honored the artists working behind the scenes that put the film to screen. He acknowledged a common criticism that the awards season could be “self-indulgent” and “superfluous” by reminding people that the Oscars is about more than the A-listers.
“Yes, we will honor many beautiful and talented A-list stars, but the Oscars also shine a light on an incredible community of people you will never see: craftspeople, artisans, technicians, customers,” O’Brien said. “I can’t name them all; there are too many. Hardworking men and women behind the camera who have devoted their lives to making film.”
O’Brien continued the heartfelt moment, pointing out how film can unite people.
“Many people we celebrate tonight, they’re not famous, they’re not wealthy, but they are devoted to a craft that can, in moments, bring us all a little closer together,” O’Brien said. “For almost a century, we have paused every spring to elevate and celebrate an art form that has the power at its very best to unite us.”
Naturally, the Oscars can’t escape a
The first award of the night, presented by Robert Downey Jr. for Best Supporting Actor, went to Kieran Culkin for his role in “A Real Pain.” In a sweet acceptance speech, Culkin thanked his wife, Jazz Culkin, and reminded her of an agreement.
Last awards season, when he won an Emmy for his role in “Sucession,” Culkin made a bet with his wife to win an award and add a third kid to their family. He made a similar agreement this year. Culkin’s wife said she’d give Culkin a fourth kid if he won an Oscar.
“Jazz, love of my life, ye of little faith, no pressure; I love you,” Culkin said.
“Flow” won Best Animated Feature Film, Latvia’s first Oscar, and “In the Shadow of the Cypress” won Best Animated Short Film.
Lilly-Rose Depp, Elle Fanning, John Lithgow, Connie Britton and Bowen Yang presented the award for Best Costume Design. Yang took things seriously. The “Wicked” actor showed up in full costume.
His enthusiasm was well met as Paul Tazewell accepted the award for Best Costume Design for his work on “Wicked,” the first Black man to win the award.
“I’m so proud of this,” Tazwell said.
“My Ozian muses Cynthia and Ariana, I love you so much. All the other cast… thank you for trusting me with bringing your characters to life. This is everything.”
Nick Offerman took a chance to mess with O’Brien as the announcer of the Oscars before Amy Poller presented the award for Best Orginal Screenplay, “Anora.” The Best Adapted Screenplay went to “Conclave,” its only Oscar. “The Substance” took home Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
In a tribute to the James Bond franchise, Lisa, the first K-pop star to perform at the Oscars, Doja Cat, Raye and Margret Qualley dazzled in a performance reminiscent of the famous Bond movie openings.
Zoe Saldaña won Best Supporting Actress for her performance in “Emilia Pérez” and waved to her mom from the stage as she tearfully accepted the award.
“Wicked” won Best Production Design, their second and final win. McJagger presented the Best Original Song to “Emilia Pérez.” The best documentary short films and feature films were “The Only Girl in the Orchestra” and “No Other Land.”
The Oscars honored members of the Los Angeles firefighters that battled the Palisades and Eaton wildfires with a standing ovation.
Next up, “Dune Part Two” won Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. Best Live Action Short Film went to “I’m Not a Robot,” and “The Brutalist” won Best Cinematography.
Morgan Freeman presented the “In Memorium” segment of the awards, honoring the greatest in film, from Maggie Dame Smith to James Earl Jones.
Mark Hamil presented Best Film Score to “The Brutalist” to the tune of John William’s famous “Star Wars” theme.
Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey and Queen Latifah honored the late musician Quicny Jones in the final performance of the night.
Drunken driving is one of the most prevalent issues on college campuses.
National studies indicate about 25% of college students have driven while intoxicated in the past month, and a greater percentage ride with a drunken driver. In the United States, intoxicated driving results in 13,000 annual deaths.
Rohn Layton, an 18-year-old freshman majoring in mechanical engineering, is striving to lower these statistics with a bright red Chevy Tahoe and a poster. For five months, Layton has postered on The Strip and outside of Tumbleweed Dance Hall, offering a designated driving service for those under the influence.
His poster reads, “I’ll be your DD! cheaper than Uber guaranteed!”
“The biggest competition I have is Uber,” Layton said. “I charge whatever Uber says, minus $2, and it works because I am cheaper and faster, since my car is already there. Customers don’t have to wait for an Uber.”
Layton’s business is named “Tumblewheels,” and it continues to evolve through marketing strategies, such as his Instagram page, where customers leave positive reviews and business cards.
“I’m also working on flyers and trying to get a joint partnership with a business, where if you buy their product, you get a discount on Tumblewheels, and viceversa,” Layton said.
Layton has profited $2,400, about a 90% profit margin on Tumblewheels, including gas and marketing costs. His
“It’s very fulfilling to keep not only the people who would be driving safe but other people on the roads,” Layton said. “One of my newer customers got a DUI in the past, and now she uses my service. It is great being able to make money while impacting the community.”
Layton also finds purpose in sharing his faith with customers.
“It’s not about the money,” Layton said. “I’m using the profits to help fund a mission trip I am going on this summer. I keep my Bible on the center console. I strive to share the gospel through deep spiritual conversations and have invited riders to Bible studies and church. This is the most important part of the business for me.”
The biggest lesson Layton has learned through entrepreneurship is that if you put effort into something, it will pay off eventually.
“Even if an idea sounds like it will not work, you might as well try it,” Layton said. “I did this for the first time, half as a joke, and made $60 in the first hour of work, and it led to where I am today.”
His dream is to pass on his business for generations to come.
“I want to give a younger student the reins when I graduate and come back in 20 years to see that Tumblewheels is still going strong,” Layton said. “Eventually, I may rebrand as “CollegeWheels” and have drivers at other campuses, making it a nationwide movement.”
The QB and Me: Noah Beck fumbles the acting playbook
by Siena Agudong,
TikTok star Noah Beck makes his cinematic debut as Drayton Lahey in Tubi’s standout film “Sidelined: The QB and Me.”
As unserious as it sounds, TikTokers are taking over cinema. The influencerto-actor pipeline is strong and continues to pump out “films” like this one.
“The QB and Me” is a high school romance that follows the same recycled love tropes as every other new-age romance film. I had low expectations going into this, especially since it’s a Tubi original. But to my surprise, it was mediocre; almost good enough to be promoted to Peacock.
The acting was subpar. Beck wasn’t Drayton Lahey; he was just Beck in a letterman jacket. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t take him seriously.
The writing is a whole different conversation. I genuinely questioned if the script was AI-generated. One-liners like “You’re not just a cheerleader… you’re MY cheerleader” and “Football is my life, but maybe… you’re my future” almost made me hit fast-forward.
Although the writing is corny, the plot wasn’t all that bad. Dallas Bryan, played
goes through some pivotal life changes that viewers might find relatable. As the new girl at school, she struggles with the pressures of senior year, dealing with college admissions and family problems. Meanwhile, Drayton is stuck in the classic Troy Bolton trope, where his dad relentlessly pushes him to play football at his alma mater, chasing a dream that isn’t really Drayton’s.
Dallas and Drayton become distractions for each other and end up helping each other figure it all out. In the end, predictably, they both get their happilyever-after and end up together.
This movie was definitely… a movie. It wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t good either. I would give it a six out of 10. It was forgettable, yet oddly fun. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a laugh. Not because it’s a comedy, but because it’s comical.
I can already smell a sequel coming. With the popularity of this movie on TikTok and Beck’s solid tween girl fanbase, the support for a second movie is already overwhelming. I know this won’t be the last of Drayton’s reign, and I can’t say I’m excited.
I may be underestimating Beck, and perhaps this is just the beginning of his rise to stardom. He is perfectly suited for these types of low-budget, middle school movies. But in my opinion, his acting career should ride the bench for a while.
Courtesy Creative Commons
Zoe Saldaña won her first Oscar for her role in Emilia Pérez.
Alli Themer
Rohn Layton is offering to be students’ designated driver at a reduced cost.
ALLI THEMER STAFF REPORTER
ALIYAH YOUNG STAFF REPORTER
News/lifestyle Center
so Granny moved in with them.
A refuge Deaver can no longer say the letters ‘L-G-B-T-Q,’ though they mean a lot to them.
The 64-year-old has dementia and also struggles with their speech, swallowing and balance. The Life Center makes it possible for Deaver to receive help for these issues while living at home, something that is important to them because of their identity. They worry how staff and residents at another facility may treat them because of who they are.
It’s something they worried about growing up, too. They spent years desperately trying to hide they were gay, even marrying a man when they were 19.
“Because everything in my life told me that it was ‘no, no, no, no, no’” Deaver said.
But they ended up saying “yes” to a woman. Tomi.
The couple met at OSU, where Tomi was the only Black person in their special-education courses. Like Deaver, Tomi had previously married a man and was a special education teacher.
The two often rode together to job interviews, but they couldn’t live together.
“We would have been fired,” Deaver said. “We had to be in deeply in the closet. It was too risky to live together.”
This resulted in Deaver living in Stillwater and Tomi living in Guthrie, as well as sky-high phone bills from the pair’s morning and evening calls. The two eventually blended their families and lived together.
Their story was cut short when Tomi died of cancer, but Deaver can’t remember when that happened.
“I don’t even remember… things break my heart, like, I can’t remember the boys’ birthdays anymore, unless I look it up,” Deaver said. “I can’t remember when Tomi died. Those kinds of things hurt, but it’s just part of what’s happening.”
Exhausted to advocate Granny died years ago, but Outhier sees her every day.
Outhier never imagined herself working with older people. She earned a child development degree and became a certified nursing assistant, but her plans were derailed when her only option was night-shift work after she and her husband moved to Stillwater.
“I’m not a night-shift girl,” Outhier laughed. “So I had to have a job. I just have to work somewhere. So I applied to work at a nursing home.”
She fell in love with working with older people, but the grueling demand of the job took a toll on her.
Just as she scaled things back, she started a new job, and it wasn’t one she applied for.
“This is when I was probably at the peak of my career, like, just got this great job, I had just remodeled a room in my house to become my home office, and days later, I had to move that room to be my bedroom with my husband so we can move Granny into our master bedroom,” Outhier said.
She didn’t quite understand Granny’s condition until she spent more time with her.
Once, Granny took a fall, and a bag of soiled underwear spilled from her walker. Then Outhier noticed Granny wasn’t paying her bills, and her house wasn’t as clean as she always kept it.
“So we decided, ‘You know what, this isn’t gonna work. She cannot continue to live here,’” Outhier said.
But Outhier and her husband couldn’t quit their jobs and move in with Granny,
But when Granny settled into their master bedroom, she was disoriented and constantly argued with Outhier. She was feeding Outhier’s son candy, licking the spoon and putting it back in the peanut butter jar and blowing her nose before putting her hand back into a shared chip bag.
One night Outhier took a photo of herself to commemorate the chaos.
“I really look the most awful I’ve ever looked in my life,” Outhier said. “And I’m wearing a shirt that says, ‘I can’t adult today.’ And I didn’t intentionally put it on, but that picture depicted the moment of me being done. You just see the exhaustion on my face.”
It never crossed her mind that Granny could go to the Life Center, though she was on the Life Center’s board at the time.
The situation turned Outhier into an advocate for both caregivers and seniors. Every time someone walks into the Life Center and says they don’t have the money to afford care for their loved one, she thinks of Granny.
Granny was Outhier’s husband’s grandmother, and she always favored Outhier. One Christmas, Outhier had a horrible toothache, and Granny handed her a credit card, insisting Outhier go to the dentist. Years later, she learned Granny didn’t have enough money to fund her retirement.
So when someone asks “How are we going to pay for this?” Outhier tells them that isn’t the important part. The important part is “How can we get them started at the Life Center?”
‘I don’t remember’
They can’t remember their child’s birthday, but they will never forget their love for teaching.
Deaver is often found paired up with a fellow Life Center participant, sliding their hand over another participant’s to guide them in an activity or explaining a board game. The partnerships aren’t always required, though — it’s just second nature for Deaver to help.
The 64-year-old spent their career in the special education classroom at Stillwater High School. Their grandmother, mother and aunt were teachers, and it’s all they ever remember wanting to be. Now, they’re embarking on another journey their family members paved the path for — dementia.
“It’s a hard road to watch the progression and deal with all that and things like that,” Deaver said. “So the primary reason I’m here is to do anything I can to mitigate that.”
Their mother encouraged them to explore other opportunities in high school, though.
“And so I went into their pre-nursing (class), and I quickly realized that, ‘Nope, I want to teach,’” Deaver said.
“And whenever this thing called on-thejob training that they had you go to, and they asked me what I was interested in. I said, ‘I don’t care. You put me any place, because I just want to teach.’”
Their fire for teaching never dimmed, and neither did their mother’s.
Deaver recalls when her mother was far into her fight with dementia — she couldn’t do a lot of the activities she used to enjoy, but when she saw a child, she lit up. Oftentimes at church, she would take a child’s finger and run it along the words of a hymnal to help them follow along, though she couldn’t follow along or read the words herself.
Similar to their mother, Deaver’s love for teaching didn’t retire when they left the classroom. Their students are just a bit older now.
Meats
Jackson emphasizes that while these animals are used in educational settings, there is nothing unsafe about the meat that makes its way to consumers.
“Nothing’s wrong with the product, and there’s no research in terms of chemistry or pharmaceuticals or anything like that that’s been done to the product,” Jackson said. “It’s primarily looking at the shapes and the sizes. Nothing different than what you might see out in the industry.”
Once these animals have served their educational purpose through various labs and classes, the meat must be processed and sold to recover costs. Quality control remains a priority throughout this process.
“In addition to the fact that having students cutting, learning, practicing, they’re not always going to make the most perfect cuts. And so with that, a lot of times we don’t let that go to the store, we’ll turn around and we’ll turn that into a product” Jackson said. “So a triangle-cut or wedge-cut steak is going to be deboned and put in ground meat rather than somebody buying a steak, getting home and realizing it’s cut like a triangle. So with that, we don’t have the normal yields that you might expect out in (the) industry because these are not full-time career cutters.”
The cost recovery effort not only helps fund future purchases of animals but also employs students who work at the facility with Jackson, the only full-time employee.
“The goal is to go ahead and if we can get anything above that live animal cost, then it folds into me trying to pay for my student labor, and then things like soap and all the overhead — extra knives and string and bags and packaging material,” Jackson said.
Jackson, who joined FAPC in November 2021, brings extensive experience to the position. He worked in university meat labs as an undergraduate at LSU, later as an assistant manager and then managed a university meats lab at McNeese State University for 10 years before coming to OSU.
When he arrived, he quickly identified a problem: limited freezer space. Despite the size of the facility, the area designated for storing nonresearch meat products was relatively small, creating potential bottlenecks.
“When we have six beef (cattle) come in and they’re averaging about 900 pounds of hanging weight, that’s 5,400 pounds of beef that’s about to go in the freezer, not counting lambs that we harvested last week, hogs from a couple of weeks around the same time,” Jackson said. “The ultimate goal was to have an avenue to have that product steadily moving out as fast as it’s moving in.”
This isn’t the first iteration of Cowboy Meats. A similar store operated on the south side of the building in the early 2000s before closing in 2003.
The current operation, which opened in August 2022, differs in its location — utilizing a loading dock area in the back of the building — solving previous issues like parking accessibility.
“By utilizing the loading dock area on Friday afternoons, parking and transportation agreed that if you don’t abuse it and we don’t cause traffic issues, customers can park and utilize those docks,” Jackson said.
The Friday afternoon timing was strategically chosen to avoid interfering with weekly educational activities while preparing for the following week. The store typically operates with student employees handling checkout duties while Jackson is available to answer questions and address issues. Beyond cost recovery, Cowboy Meats provides valuable hands-on experience for students learning meat processing. This practical aspect of education benefits students while ensuring consumers receive quality products.
Jackson emphasizes the operation isn’t trying to compete with commercial entities — Cowboy Meats’ goal is clearing the freezer of products that result from educational activities, not buying and reselling products.
The center has evolved since opening, responding to customer interests and needs. One addition has been a Made in Oklahoma section featuring products developed with assistance from FAPC.
“We’ve got anywhere from 50 to 70 individuals on average coming into the store per week that don’t know what FAPC stands for,” Jackson said. “Why don’t we use that exposure to show more of what the center does? We’re not all meat... those are all companies that we’ve worked with to help develop their products and commercialize.”
For students interested in the field, Jackson highlights the growing emphasis on knowing where food comes from and the diverse career opportunities within the industry.
“Not every person interested in the meat industry has to be a butcher,” Jackson said. “There are suppliers, equipment folks, processed meat people, ingredients and packaging... lots of different fingers of the industry with a lot of career potential because guess what? People continue to have to eat.”
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the essential nature of the food industry while revealing vulnerabilities in the nation’s meat processing infrastructure. When major plants had to shut down temporarily, it exposed an overreliance on large processors.
“It showed a lot that we had a lot of our eggs in one basket,” Jackson said. “It identified for a lot of people that we possibly need to diversify a little bit and put some more emphasis back on these smaller processors across the state and across the country.”
Bella Casey
The Life Center offers a chance for people to find community and participate in activities.
Jake Muret
Cowboy Meats allows for students to sustainably learn about the meat industry.
The Slovenian Cowboy:
International student reflects on adventures
MEGAN ROY STAFF REPORTER
For some students, Oklahoma State is only a few miles away from their old life.
For others, it’s a few hundred miles or maybe even a thousand miles.
However, for international exchange student, Primož Čekada from Ljubljana, Slovenia, the college town is 5,344 miles away, with an ocean nestled between his past and his present.
Ljubljana is Slovenia’s largest city and capital. The city is known for its large public green spaces, picturesque Old Town, famous architecture and the winding Ljubljana River that flows through it all.
“I was in the center of it (Ljubljana),” Čekada said. “But I always knew I wanted to go to (America) to visit and maybe study.”
He was given a few options of American colleges but ultimately landed at OSU. He said it “always seemed like the best,” for him. That
was his past, but here in the present, that world in reality looks a little different for Čekada.
“I love it here,” Čekada said. “It’s like I expected. Almost even better.”
There are some things Čekada was expecting. For instance, how Americans laid out their cities.
“Everything is just bigger,” Čekada said. “Big trucks, big roads, bigger everything, big buildings, big parking lots.”
But some things took him by surprise.
“I thought (Oklahoma) was actually going to be more flat,” Čekada said.
He also didn’t expect the challenges that comes with being a college student in America.
“I didn’t expect the amount of work you have to do for courses.”
But these slight differences are insignificant compared to the numerous reasons why Čekada has fallen in love with Stillwater.
“American culture,” Čekada said, “It’s much more easy to hang out with people, to meet people. I think in Europe generally, it’s hang out,
either going to bars or not hang out at all.”
Meanwhile in the US, “just come to the kitchen and hang out for like four hours,” Čekada said. The kitchen Čekada is referring to is the basement of Iba Hall. This is the residence hall for all international students on campus. Čekada recounted that most of his free time is spent in the Iba Hall kitchen eating international food, playing pool and hanging out with friends.
“I don’t know if I had one day that was not hanging out with friends.” Čekada said.
The American friends Čekada has made have taken him and other international students on several adventures. Some of the best moments have been going to Tumbleweed Dance Hall and taking road trips. From the way Čekada talked about country music, it sounded like he was destined to be an OSU cowboy.
“I was always interested in country music.” Čekada said. “Finally, I was able to go line dancing. It’s quite amazing.”
Čekada and his friends also took a weekend trip to Beaver Lake, Arkansas, just to take in the sights. They had so much fun that they are planning another one for spring break. This time a road trip all the way to Michigan. Čekada is living out his American dream.
For others who have not been to America, he offered words of encouragement
“You meet so many people,” Čekada said. “You have so much fun. You won’t be alone here.”
Čekada only has a few more months in the states and he said he hopes to make the best of what he has left.
“I love it here,” Čekada said. “I’m kind of having dreams that it’s already finished and I’m like, ‘Oh no.’”
Even with this short stay left in Stillwater, being a Cowboy has rubbed off on Čekada. Before the last months are up, Čekada has one more thing to check off his list.
“I still have to buy a cowboy hat,” Čekada said.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Courtesy Primož Čekada
OSU international student Primož Čekada (left) spends most of his time hanging out with friends and eating
food in the IBA Hall kitchen.
lifestyle
known as “The Farm,”
Music
“We wanted to create a mechanism, an organization that could deliver immediate assistance to people,” Dale said. Cooper was happy to jump right in; he understood the importance of community support. In 2004, Cooper and his bandmates Brad Piccolo and Ben Han were involved in a deadly helicopter crash. Cooper and his bandmates survived, but the pilot and two other passengers died.
Cooper broke several bones, and his bandmates also suffered injuries. An injury can set a musician back weeks, even months. Luckily, the community came together to help the Red Dirt Rangers.
“We got letters, calls, donations, benefits thrown for us all,” Cooper said.
The Red Dirt Rangers were well connected, but many musicians lack the network to pull off the fundraising needed to sustain themselves through difficult times. Cooper said he knew he wanted to find a way to help his fellow artists, and Dale gave him the chance.
“A catastrophic injury like that can cripple you for the rest of your life, and that’s one of the reasons why it was a big part of wanting to start the Red Dirt Relief Fund,” Cooper said.”It came together right there, the spark of what became the Red Dirt Relief Fund.”
Fourteen years later, the Red Dirt Relief Fund has expanded to include all Oklahoma artists.
“Musicians work in all kinds of bands,” Cooper said. “We had to expand our mission to serve anyone in the state of Oklahoma who makes music either on stage or as a performer or in production.”
Musicians who have been working in the industry for five years are eligible to receive help from the RDRF, but Dale said the fund also helps with emergency situations, including accidents, cancer treatment, medical emergencies, natural disasters and drug and alcohol rehabilitation. After CLIFFDIVER, a Tulsa band, was involved in an accident and had to cancel its tour, the RDRF sprang into action.
“Their lives were totally interrupted,” Dale said. “Within 48 hours we had been able to help each of the musicians in the band with living expenses for the first month.”
Cooper is one of several musicians on RDRF’s board of directors and has loved being a part of the organization. A long-time artist, Cooper witnessed and nurtured the creation of the Red Dirt genre.
In 1979, Cooper, an OSU student, rented a house on the outskirts of Stillwater. The house became known as “The Farm” and quickly turned into a music hub.
“The rally cry in Stillwater used to be ‘Party at The Farm when the bars close down,’” Cooper said.
Musicians went to The Farm to perform at the creative space. The spot con-
tinued to grow in popularity and soon became known as the “Gypsy Cafe” as musicians wandered in and out. Cooper loved it; he picked up a mandolin and never looked back.
“We became the Red Dirt Rangers before there was Red Dirt music,” Cooper said. “We just thought the name red dirt was cool because we have dirt around here that’s red.”
Bob Childers, Tom Skinner, Cross Canadian Ragweed and Cody Canada are just a few of the artists that passed through the Gypsy Cafe. As the music scene grew in Stillwater, so did the love of music.
“Stillwater is the birthplace of Red Dirt music, and The Farm is ground zero,” Cooper said. “You can trace the origins of Red Dirt music right here.”
The tradition is alive and well in Stillwater and across the globe. RDRF hosts an annual festival at the Gypsy Cafe to celebrate the genre. Dale said the persistence of the genre speaks to the connections people have to the music.
“Red Dirt is a live music experience,” Dale said. “It’s very inviting and welcoming, and it’s hard not to fall in love.”
Cooper said the growth of Red Dirt music speaks to artists’ hard work and dedication to their craft. It’s a slow burn, but Cooper believes the work is worth it and every win for an individual artist is a win for the community.
“The belief in our scene is high tide rises all boats,” Cooper said. “When one of us does good we all get elevated.
Those are my brothers and sisters. We’re really tight, and we all support each other.”
Cooper said the upcoming sold-out “Boys From Oklahoma” shows at Boone Pickens Stadium are a testament to the devotion that goes into every note.
“It’s only about a seven- to 10-minute trip from The Farm to the stadium; it just takes 30 years to get there,” Cooper said.
As Red Dirt music’s reach continues to expand, RDRF is continuously working to promote and celebrate local artists. Dale said musicianship is not an easy way of life, but it is a valiant one.
“It’s a lot of work, sometimes thankless,” Dale said, “Those gigs don’t pay very much; sometimes they don’t pay at all. But it’s their calling, their passion to make music, which is all of our chance to connect with each other and escape from the everyday.”
Dale said music is at the heart of the RDRF and is an essential part of our stories.
“It’s how we mourn; it’s how we celebrate; it’s how we worship; it’s part of our life experience,” Dale said. “I think it’s important that we value people who make it.”
Dale and Cooper encourage the community to get out, attend shows and support local artists.
“People have to have a way to get started,” Cooper said. “You’ve got to support your local band because… they represent you; they’re your voice.”
news.ed@ocolly.com
OPEN YOUR HEART TO GOD!
“Open your heart and let him in. God will remove all your sorrow and sin. He may not pass this way again, so open your heart and let him come in.” These are words from an old hymn.
Many struggle so hard to take this step, not wanting to give up their independence; not wanting to humble themselves before God. In the Psalms, David said: “When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all the day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.”
(32:3-5 NLT)
It seems so simple, and it is! Yet, so many
struggle with honesty and humility. These qualities are of great importance with God. The truth is another has paid the penalty for your sins and mine. That is the good news! What we could not do (get rid of our sins), Jesus did by dying in our place. Therefore, “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven,whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”
(Ro.4:7-8 NIV)
Again, blaming friends or relatives will not help; getting religious does not help, thinking you are among the “better” people does no good. Trust what God has done for you through Christ. Get honest and humble yourself before God. Confess your sinfulness, and God will freely forgive. You will be free of guilt and stand innocent before God. Then you can begin a lasting and fruitful relationship with this great and loving God.
Hayden Alexander
Originally
the Gypsy Cafe is a creative space for musicians and is still utilized today.
Meet the Oklahoma State student who wears an Oilers jersey to sporting events
BY PARKER GERL I SPORTS EDITOR I @PARKER_GERL
When Jonah Abrell stepped foot onto Oklahoma State’s campus in 2019, he wore almost every item of orange clothing he owned during the first three weeks of school.
As he rummaged through his closet to find something orange to wear to the first OSU football game, Abrell learned he had run out. Every orange T-Shirt was piled up in his dirty laundry.
Abrell still had time to use the dormitory laundry machines and have
a fresh bunch of orange gear to pick from before kickoff; there was just one problem.
“Embarrassingly enough, I didn’t know how to use the dorm laundry machines,” Abrell said with a laugh.
“All my orange shirts were dirty for the first football game.
“... I’m not gonna wear a dirty shirt, but I’m gonna find a way to wear something orange. And the only thing I had left (with orange on it) was my Wayne Gretzky jersey.”
Six years later, Abrell — a secondyear graduate student — still attends OSU sporting events wearing the
OSU softball leaning on its surging sophomores entering ‘Season 2’
“It’s important that we finish Season 1 right,” the Cowgirl coach said.
“And that’s playing well and playing to our best and not (looking) ahead.
I think that’s a real sign of good teams — teams that aren’t looking past what’s under their feet.”
Edmonton Oilers Gretzky jersey. He’s become popular among Cowboy and Cowgirl fans as “the hockey jersey guy” thanks to a relatable college freshman situation, and he’s closing in on his final months as a student — and as the jersey-wearer.
It was Sept. 7, 2019, with OSU and McNeese State scheduled for a 6 p.m. game in Boone Pickens Stadium. The reported kickoff temperature was 95 degrees — not friendly for longsleeved polyester, but Abrell was deter-
mined to wear his last bit of orange, so he threw on the No. 99 Gretzky jersey he bought in 2017 as a junior in high school.
The Cowboys thrashed McNeese 5614, and Abrell got on the jumbotron for the entire crowd to see an Edmonton hockey jersey at a football game in Stillwater. The image OSU fans saw on the big screen that day has become a mainstay at sporting events across campus.
“I was stoked,” Abrell said. “So I was like, ‘Might as well wear it to the next
See OILERS on page 3B
When Kenny Gajewski met with the media Tuesday, he spoke about finishing Season 1 strong. Season 1 around the Oklahoma State softball program is nonconference play; Season 2 is Big 12 Conference games; Season 3 is the postseason pre-Women’s College World Series; and Season 4 is the WCWS.
Ahead of the Cowgirls’ Big 12 opening series against Texas Tech this weekend — the first game is at 6 p.m. Friday in Lubbock, Texas — they had to take care of business Wednesday against North Texas, which had already beaten Tech and Baylor this season.
‘We got cheated’: Cowgirls unhappy with postseason projections, awards
CALIF PONCY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @PONCYCALIF
Jacie Hoyt needed to get something off her chest.
With Big 12 Conference awards handed out and postseason play approaching, Hoyt was fed up with the lack of respect shown for her team.
“I’ve been pretty frustrated with where people have seeded us leading up to this point,” Hoyt said. “I kind of feel like sometimes maybe they’re not paying attention or we’re not getting the respect we should as far as that goes. I’m not really sure what more sometimes we can do.”
Whether it be their projected seed in the NCAA Tournament or a lack of representation on the Big 12 AllDefensive team, the Cowgirls feel underappreciated.
Hoyt’s frustration, in many ways, is warranted.
OSU has beaten each of the other four ranked teams in the Big 12 and is 4-1 in total with its only loss coming at West Virginia. One of those wins was by 30 point win against a Kansas State team that, at the time, had won 17 of its previous 18 games.
The Cowgirls’ resume also includes a 21-point road win at Baylor, the Bears’ only home conference loss until TCU knocked them off to win the Big 12 in the final game of the season. OSU ranks 26th in the NET and has wins over four of the top 16 teams in those rankings. Despite the quality wins OSU has had this season, ESPN’s Charlie Creme projects the Cowgirls as a no. 7 seed ahead of the Big 12 Tournament, and a big reason could be their losses.
Payton Little
OSU student Jonah Abrell has worn an Edmonton Oilers jersey to Cowboy and Cowgirl sporting events for six years and is consistently shown on the jumbotron.
Lilian Easter
OSU coach Jacie Hoyt said Alexia Smith hould have been on the Big 12 All-Defensive team.
Connor Fuxa
Oklahoma State softball outfielder Tia Warsop has the longest on-base streak on the team (11 games).
Sophomores
OSU did just that, as it dominated UNT 10-2 and finished Season 1 on a high note.
The first chapter of the Cowgirls’ 2025 season didn’t go how they expected, though. Despite being 15-4 and riding an 11-game winning streak into Lubbock, lumps they took earlier in the season weren’t supposed to happen, in their eyes.
“I told my roommate Sophie (Page) in Mexico (while OSU was at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge), I was like, ‘There’s no reason we don’t go undefeated the next twothree weeks,’” third baseman Tallen Edwards said. “And the next day we lost to (Florida State), and I was like, ‘Woah. Wait a minute.’
“But then we continued to just keep battling through, and I think that was such an important thing for this team to learn very early, is that we are beatable but we are also capable of whooping anybody in this country.”
Edwards also said that, unlike in past seasons when OSU got “slapped in the face” in the middle parts of the season after dominating the early tournaments, it was nice to get “smacked in the face” early this year. It made the Cowgirls hone in quicker.
Wins against Top 25 teams Florida State, Texas A&M and Nebraska don’t go unnoticed, but neither does a loss to Louisana Tech.
Now, with the Cowgirls set to face another ranked squad to start conference play, it provides another opportunity to showcase how their rust is gone while keeping their winning streak going.
Surging sophomores
Gajewski’s 2023 recruiting class already looked like a smash hit last season.
With Karli Godwin and Rosie Davis starring, the class didn’t need much more production to look like a long-term success.
Nineteen games into that class’ sophomore season, Godwin and Da -
vis are still doing Godwin and Davis things, but two emergering players — pitcher Katie Kutz and outfielder Tia Warsop — have made the 2023 class look even better.
“When you recruit, you think they’re all gonna be amazing,” Gajewski said. “And they can be. A lot of it is just about toughness, to be honest.”
The toughness factor comes in for those freshman, like Kutz and Warsop, who — even if they play — don’t perform to the level they wanted to. Gajewski said most of the players who come through his program and don’t play well their first season usually don’t excel.
“Warsop could’ve left here easy and said, ‘Hey, I can go play somewhere,’ and she could have,” Gajewski said. “And she just dug in. In the world we’re in, I wouldn’t have been shocked if Kutz left. She wasn’t having success; it wasn’t easy. It’s still not easy. And when I talked to her at the end of last year, there was not even an inkling that she had any remote thoughts of not being here.
“And that comes from parents. That’s where that starts. When we’re recruiting, this is about recruiting parents who aren’t ‘soft’ — and I don’t mean that in a derogatory term for anybody who’s left here.”
Kutz and Warsop are reaping the benefits of sticking it out.
Kutz has emerged as the Cowgirls’ second arm, ahead of Baylor transfer RyLee Crandall and junior Kyra Aycock. Against UNT on Wednesday, Kutz threw a career-high seven strikeouts; her ERA is 2.03 in 12 circle appearances.
Warsop has played in 18 of OSU’s 19 games and has the longest onbase streak on the team (11 straight contests).
With that has come less playing time for Crandall and Aycock in the circle and outfielders Claire Timm and Lexi McDonald, but seeing the field isn’t easy under Gajewski. Especially with these surging sophomores.
“It’s just neat to see; this class is good,” Gajewski said.
Cowgirls set for WCWS rematch with Canady when they face Texas Tech
for Wednesday — a game they won 10-2. He didn’t want to look too far ahead.
NiJaree Canady got the best of Oklahoma State softball twice last season.
The former Stanford ace won USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, an award for which former Cowgirl ace Lexi Kilfoyl was a top-three finalist.
That was announced before the Women’s College World Series started. OSU was on its fifth straight Oklahoma City trip.
But the Cowgirls’ season ended at the hands of Canady and Stanford, as they lost 8-0 in an elimination game, and their time in OKC was finished after two losses.
At 6 p.m. Friday in Lubbock, Texas, against No. 15 Texas Tech, though, No. 13 OSU will get its chance at revenge in its Big 12 Conference opening series.
“I think the only thing I remember about that is that we didn’t score,” OSU coach Kenny Gajewski said of the Cowgirls’ 8-0 WCWS loss to Stanford “... I’m excited about the challenge of when those games come.”
Canady traded in maroon for scarlet when she transferred to Tech for a one-year MIL deal reported at more than $1 million. Although Red Raiders coach Gerry Glasco said Wednesday the star ace is dealing with a “soft tissue injury,” TTU is still “planning on” her starting the series opener.
And though OSU probably doesn’t want to see Canady because she’s one of the best pitchers in the country with a 0.62 ERA, Gajewski sounded motivated for the matchup. He remembers his team didn’t score. He also said, “The team (Canady) came from hadn’t had the best defensive year, and they seemed to make every play” in OKC.
But his admitted “coach talk” was still there, too. When he met with the media Tuesday, the Cowgirls (15-4) still had North Texas on the schedule
Gajewski said when his players got past UNT, though, he’d tell them they would need to focus on more than the TTU (18-6) All-American to start conference play strong.
And both teams want to start Big 12 play on the right foot. Sure, every team does, but two top-15 teams know what clinching a series could mean down the line when they get into conversations about hosting a postseason round(s).
It especially matters when TTU has losses to Idaho State and North Texas and OSU a loss to Louisiana Tech.
The preparation was already in full effect Tuesday.
“I already went back and watched my at-bats off of her,” OSU third baseman Tallen Edwards said of facing Canady. “... It doesn’t matter who you are; it doesn’t matter what you have on your chest — you’re beatable. And that goes for anyone in the country. Anyone that steps up against us, we’re very capable of doing what we do.
“It’s really just all about the preparation and what we’re doing and the people that have faced her being able to relay, ‘Hey, this is what you’re going to get.’”
Edwards said that “what sucks” about facing Canady is everyone knows her strength — her riseball. Yet, since she’s so dominant, it’s still hard to beat in the box.
In the circle, it’ll be Canady vs. Ruby Meylan, two of the nation’s best pitchers looking to make a statement.
Although Meylan wasn’t on the OSU team that lost to Canady last June, she ultimately wants to get there and be the best pitcher along the way.
Even with all his “coach talk,” Gajewski knows the narrative is inescapable.
“They’ve given us fits every dang year,” Gajewski said of TTU. “And so it’s nothing new to us. ... It will be a lot about those two arms, but there’ll be others that have to play well on both sides for teams to win this thing.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Bryson Thadhani
Sophomore pitcher Katie Kutz has quickly become the Cowgirls’ second-best arm.
Bryson Thadhani
OSU softball will open its Big 12 schedule against Top-15 Texas Tech in Lubbock.
Oilers
Abrell’s dedication to making the jersey an every-game piece is relentless. He ensures his jersey matches, even if the crowd isn’t a sea of orange that day.
OSU vs TCU in 2021 was a blackout game in honor of Barry Sanders’ induction into OSU Football’s Ring of Honor. Abrell had no plans to change out of Gretzky’s threads — they just needed an alteration.
Abrell took a trip to Hobby Lobby and bought supplies to customize the jersey. Sure enough, his Oilers jersey matched the black OSU Tshirts and jerseys that filled BPS that night.
“(I used) black decorative tape,” Abrell said. “I covered the whole thing in tape, besides the “Gretzky,” the numbers and the Oilers (logo)... basically everything that was blue turned black.”
That commitment and consistency made Abrell and his hockey jersey well-known. The OSU community expects to see the orange, blue and white Gretzky jersey — or an altered version in some instances — at most sporting events.
Abrell ditched the Oilers jersey once last men’s basketball season and wore a cursive “Cowboys” sweatshirt instead. He said he planned on “keeping it casual” and enjoying the game.
The staff at Gallagher-Iba Arena had other plans.
The jumbotron featured Abrell as usual, but with an added message at the bottom: Dude, where’s your jersey?
“I got told off for wearing OSU gear basically,” Abrell said.
Abrell has been asked by a fan to take a picture with his toddler, and he’s been chased down by tailgaters who spot him from a distance. Despite it having no real correlation to OSU sports, fans love seeing Gretzky’s No. 99 on game days.
When they ask Abrell why he
wears the jersey, he tells fans it’s because former OSU star running back Chuba Hubbard is from Edmonton — home of the Oilers.
That’s partly why Abrell continued to wear it; Hubbard has been Abrell’s “favorite player that’s been (at OSU)” since he started school. But Abrell never told fans that not knowing how to use the washing machines put him in the situation to begin with.
“My fandom for Chuba isn’t over exaggerated,” Abrell said. “It’s part of why (I wear the jersey), but the beginning of it was just a few weeks before… (when I didn’t know) how to use the dorm laundry.”
****
Come May, Abrell will have worn the Gretzky jersey to more graduations than NHL games.
Abrell graduated with an English degree in 2023 and wore the jersey under his gown. He’ll walk the stage in two months with a graduate degree in mental health counseling and wear it again.
After Abrell attends his last softball or baseball game, he plans to take the jersey to Duffy’s Dry Cleaners — the place it’s been cleaned all these years — for one last wash and put it in a frame with pictures of when he rushed fields and courts while wearing it.
“I’ll go into June with it for softball and baseball,” Abrell said. “I’m gonna be sweating, but I’m not gonna change out of it now.”
That won’t be the last time Abrell wears No. 99 on his sleeve, though.
Abrell plans to get Gretzky’s number tattooed on his left arm in the same spot it’d be when he wears the jersey.
“It’ll be in the same font on the jersey,” Abrell said. “So even though I’m gonna retire the jersey, it’ll always be with me.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Thompson preparing for end of ‘long journey’ in college basketball, OSU’s Senior Day
CALIF PONCY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @PONCYCALIF
The typically stoic Steve Lutz couldn’t help but crack a smile.
Oklahoma State men’s basketball is slated to play its final regular season game against Cincinnati on Saturday. It’s regular season game Saturday against Cincinnati is a key game for OSU in terms of building confidence for the Big 12 Tournament, but it will also serve as the Cowboys’ Senior Day.
The OSU coach made it clear that all of the seniors who are poised to be honored have made contributions to his first year as the coach of the Cowboys. Lutz didn’t play favorites when discussing his outgoing class, but it’s clear to anyone who has watched OSU over the past half-decade that one of them will be remembered in Stillwater more than the others.
That player is Bryce Thompson.
Thompson’s road to his final game has been a long one. In his five seasons, he’s dealt with serious injuries, he’s transferred and he’s played different roles, but as the only member of OSU’s team to spend four full seasons with the Cowboys, his connection to the program is unique.
“This is a long, long journey,” Thompson said. “I really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed my time here at Oklahoma State. Love the people, love the fans, love all the teammates I’ve played with, all the coaches for my time here.”
As a recruit, Thompson was one of the most heralded prospects in the country, earning a top-20 ranking from 247Sports and committing to play for Kansas.
After an injury derailed his time as a Jayhawk, Thompson decided to come close to his hometown of Tulsa and play for OSU.
Since then, Thompson has solidified himself as one of OSU’s most consistent players, averaging at least 10 points and 25 minutes in each of his four seasons in Stillwater.
Thompson’s consistency has been an outlier in OSU’s basketball program. The Cowboys have had two coaches and have been forced to make sweeping roster changes multiple times due to the transfer portal during Thompson’s tenure.
Still, Thompson stuck around, and now he is days away from playing his final college basketball game in his home
state of Oklahoma.
“(I’ve) been through a lot, man,” Thompson said. “The injuries, rehabbing, getting back. The whole new system, whole new players, whole new coaches. Everything is just kind of having to be somebody that can constantly evolve, and just got to keep going, man, whatever life throws at you.”
While Thompson’s exhaustion of eligibility is likely to hit home the most with OSU fans, he isn’t the only one being honored Saturday.
Other contributors joining Thompson will be Abou Ousmane, Brandon Newman, Patrick Suemnick, Khalil Brantley, Davonte Davis, Marchelus Avery and Mikey Kelvin II.
Ousmane has been the most consistent of that group, establishing himself as OSU’s premier offensive weapon during conference play.
He spent his first four years between Xavier and North Texas, but during his one season in Stillwater, he has unlocked parts of his offensive game that few saw coming.
Before he got to OSU, Ousmane had shot just six career 3-pointers. Now, he is shooting 42.9% from 3 on 35 attempts. Ousmane is the one doing it on the floor, but such a drastic evolution of Ousmane’s game isn’t achieved by only one person.
“At first I was kind of skeptical,” Ousmane said. “But then in practice, (Lutz was) telling me ‘You’re passing up a great shot, you work on it every day.’ He’s just trying to instill that confidence in me.”
Time will tell how long OSU’s season will continue. Should it win against Cincinnati and have a solid showing in the Big 12 Tournament, it could still sneak into a postseason tournament.
But if OSU plays its final game outside of Kansas City on Saturday, this senior group, and Thompson in particular, will go down as memorable members of the first team of the Lutz Era.
Five years ago, few expected Thompson to be a five-year college player, but that’s how it ended up, and in those five years, Thompson has solidified himself as the defining Cowboy of this era of OSU basketball.
“I think God and then my family just keeping me grounded, keeping me hungry, letting me know you can still achieve everything you want, it’s just a different path,” Thompson said. “I think just understanding that, and just realizing that, through it all, I’m still blessed out there.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Connor Fuxa
OSU guard Bryce Thompson is a Tulsa native and spent four seasons at OSU.
Courtesy Jonah Abrell
OSU student Jonah Abrell wore the Edmonton Oilers jersey that he wears to OSU sporting events under his gown when he graduated with an English degree.
Cowgirls
While wins over K-State, Baylor and TCU boost OSU’s credibility, it has also dropped games to Houston (5-24, 1-17 Big 12), Kansas (16-13, 6-12) and BYU (13-16, 4-14). The Cowgirls also suffered a three-point loss to Richmond, the A-10 champions, in nonconference play during a tournament in Daytona, Florida, that Hoyt missed due to her pregnancy.
OSU is a classic case of “good win vs. bad loss.”
At their best, the Cowgirls can compete with the best teams in the country. They have an elite on-ball creator in guard Stailee Heard and a group of good role players who do their jobs well on both ends of the court. But when those role players aren’t playing well, disasters like the one in Houston can strike.
OSU’s projected seeding in the NCAA Tournament is a point of frustration for Hoyt and Co., but the Cowgirls were also dissatisfied with their lack of representation in the Big 12’s postseason awards Tuesday. Heard was named to the All-Big 12 first team, Anna Gret Asi was named to the All-Big 12 third team and Jadyn Wooten was named to the AllBig 12 freshman team. Micah Gray was also recognized as an All-Big 12 honorable mention.
While a number of Cowgirls were rewarded for their seasons, some were left off of lists that most assumed they’d be on.
“I mentioned feeling frustrated that Tenin (Magassa) got left off that all-defensive team,” Hoyt said. “I mean (Alexia Smith), she drew the toughest assignment for us from a guard standpoint every game, and
for her name to not be on that list.
I mean, she held Hailey Van Lith, the (Big 12) Player of the Year, to 12 points,; she held JJ Quinerly, who is one of the best scorers in the entire country, a pro — both of the players I just mentioned are pros. She held her to just 10 points.”
Hoyt also cited Smith’s efforts against K-State’s Serena Sundell, whom was held to 11 points, and UCF’s Kaitlin Peterson, scored eight.
Smith’s body of work on the defensive end flew under the radar, as did Magassa’s work in the paint. The Rhode Island transfer led the Big 12 in blocks and was a presence down low whenever she was in the game for the Cowgirls.
The tandem led OSU to the fourthbest defense in the Big 12. The Cowgirls were the only team in the top five to not have a player named to the All-Big 12 Defensive Team.
What’s in the past is just that, but it seems to have left an impression on the Cowgirls.
With the season winding down, all OSU can do is use the so-called snubs as motivation. With a topthree seed in the Big 12 Tournament and a double bye in their favor, the Cowgirls can put to bed some of their critics with a solid showing in Kansas City.
“Coach said it, we got cheated for some of the awards,” Heard said.
“I think some of my teammates got cheated. Like Tenin should have gone on all-defensive. (Asi) Should’ve been at least first, second team. I think (Smith) should’ve got on something. (Gray), I mean I can go on and on. But, that speaks to our depth and how we’re here for each other in our sisterhood. We play together, (and) we just want to win.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Cowgirl conference awards
Stailee Heard: All-Big 12 first team
Anna Gret Asi: All-Big 12 third team
Micah Gray: All-Big 12 honorable mention
Jadyn Wooten: All-Big 12 fresh man team
Hoyt reflects on mark Asi made in three OSU seasons
PONCY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @PONCYCALIF
Jacie Hoyt’s eyes welled with tears as senior guard Anna Gret Asi spoke about her time at Oklahoma State.
As Hoyt, the OSU women’s basketball coach, held back an outpouring of emotion, Asi smiled and talked about how much Stillwater and the Cowgirls meant to her. While the pair presented their feelings differently, it was clear they felt the same about Asi’s soon-to-end college career — prideful.
After all, Hoyt and Asi will always be aligned.
When Hoyt was named OSU’s coach in 2022, she was tasked with transforming former coach Jim Littell’s old-school, nine-win roster. In that process, she brought in a slew of new players. Among them was a freshman from Arizona who had played in only nine games and averaged just 1.9 points in her few appearances.
That was Asi.
Three seasons later, she has emerged as the most memorable player of the Hoyt Era. She has played various roles: a situational role player, an offensive engine and, most recently, a key two-way factor on a 24-win OSU team.
While Asi has become one of OSU’s most consistent and confident players, that wasn’t always the case.
Asi stepped into Gallagher-Iba Arena as a sophomore lacking confidence, wondering if she had made the right decision to play at the college level.
“After my freshman year, I was in a bit of a hole mentally; I had a really tough freshman year,” Asi said. “I had lost my confidence and my self-belief and everything. (I) kind of just felt shaky like, ‘Am I capable of playing at the level?’ and everything like that.”
As soon as she arrived in Stillwater, Asi’s confidence grew, culminating in a 10-point, nine-minute performance against Texas.
“I didn’t play that much, but I had a really, really good game,” Asi said. “After that, I kind of started getting more confidence.”
Since then, Asi hasn’t slowed down.
She was the offensive engine of an OSU team that struggled last season and has emerged as one of the best role players in the Big 12 this season.
Not only has she continued to be a difference-maker on offense, but also she has come into her own as a good defensive player.
“That last possession at Utah, Anna Gret was the best defender on the floor,” Hoyt said. “I think if you would have asked anyone when Anna Gret got here if she would be someone you could depend on for defense, herself included, she would’ve laughed.
“She’s grown so much. She’s more than a scorer now. She’s become a defender that we can rely on. She’s been a great leader this year.”
That same sophomore who didn’t know if she make it could across the world from home has become OSU’s Swiss Army Knife. Her one season as OSU’s offensive engine allowed her to develop as a playmaker. Her shooting has been there from the day she arrived in Stillwater. As a senior, she has learned to become a solid defensive player.
Asi’s experience, in many ways, reflects Hoyt’s.
Both came to OSU talented but unproven. They both outperformed expectations during their first year. During the second year, both struggled through a turbulent, unhappy season where they were forced to play roles they weren’t comfortable with. Now, in their third, and Asi’s final, season in Stillwater, both are seeing levels of success neither has reached before.
Asi was named to All-Big 12 third team. Hoyt has led OSU to the No. 3-seed in the Big 12 Tournament and a likely NCAA Tournament experience, all while giving birth to a baby girl midseason.
Tuesday, during what by all accounts is the happiest stretch of her coaching career, Hoyt couldn’t help but get emotional.
After all, only one player has been with Hoyt since Day 1 in Stillwater, and now with Asi’s final game in GIA behind her and the regular season in the rearview mirror, both have to imagine a world where Asi isn’t running the show for the Cowgirls.
“I’m really, really going to miss this place,” Asi said. “I genuinely feel like it’s my second home. It’s just sad to think I’m not going to play at GIA anymore. This chapter of my life is kind of closing. So, yeah, it’s sad, but I’m trying not to think about it as of right now because we still have it going on. I’m kind of just trying to enjoy the moments that we still have together — well, I have.”
Jose Brito
OSU coach Jacie Hoyt teared up when Cowgirls guard Anna Gret Asi reflected on her OSU career.
Connor Fuxa
OSU guard Stailee Heard is averaging more than 15 points and seven rebounds in 29 games.
Taylor looking to win conference title in first season as Cowboys coach
DANIEL
David Taylor tries not to think about implications for any given weekend.
Each week, the Oklahoma State wrestling coach tries — or says he does — to maintain a “dual-by-dual, one week at a time” mindset. It’s a mantra Taylor said allows him and his wrestlers to stay level-headed and focused on the task at hand. After all, a lack of focus can lead to uninspiring results on the mat, Taylor said.
This weekend is no different.
On Saturday in Tulsa, the Cowboys will compete in Day one of the twoday Big 12 Wrestling Championships at the BOK Center. Taylor’s team is widely deemed as the favorite to win the event after finishing the regular season 13-1 (9-0). Seedings for individual wrestlers were unveiled Monday, and three OSU wrestlers — 174-pounder Dean Hamiti Jr., 197-pounder Luke Surber and heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson — earned no. 1 seeds, while three earned a 2or 3-seed for their respective weight class.
OSU hasn’t placed first in the event since 2021, and hasn’t won it outright since 2019. Missouri won it in 2022 and 2023. Then came Iowa State a year ago. Now, after Taylor’s stellar first season as OSU’s coach, the Cowboys could return to glory.
But complacency can be one’s worst enemy, Taylor said. Thus, maintaining a level head ahead of the event and “not making it (a bigger) than it needs to be” becomes all the more important.
“I mean, it would be great, sure,” Taylor said Wednesday afternoon during his weekly press conference. “But really, I just want our guys to be able to go compete. I’m just excited to watch them wrestle.”
His wrestlers, however, noted the paramount nature of the conference championships.
Cowboys’ 141-pounder Tagen Jamison competed in the Big 12 Championships last season. He watched as his team became the highest-scoring second-place finisher in the event’s history with 141.5 team score to first-place Iowa State’s 152.5.
Jamison said watching the Cyclones hoist the first-place trophy “sickened” him. The visual of it has remained in his mind, serving as motivation throughout the season. Now, the moment of truth has arrived.
“Bringing the team title back, (that would be) really important,” Jamison said. “We haven’t done that in three years, so (it’s really important). And I think it will start the next chapter for our team, bringing that (conference) title back.
“It’s like when (the new recruits) come in, that’s what’s expected. It’s like, we already have that team title from the year before. So, it’s expected
of them to help continue to bring that team title back.”
Can it happen? Analytics would favor the Cowboys among the batch of 12 other teams participating. And it’s correlated with the simple offensive philosophy Taylor has emphasized the moment of his hiring in May 2024.
Scoring points in bunches.
It has led to a swift offensive turnaround that had the Cowboys scoring points and logging bonuspoint wins at a rate they hadn’t in years. OSU scored at least 30 team points in each of its first nine duals this season.
However, dual and tournament wrestling draw stark contrasts. The vitality behind stretching scores and gunning for bonus points becomes vital.
“In a conference tournament, obviously, there’s just not a lot of separation,” Taylor said. “There’s just not enough matches to separate yourself, really. Really everybody is in it. The difference between the champion and third-place is really not that much. So, a couple of bonus points here and there can make a big difference.
“So, I think our team can score bonus points. They’ve done that this year, and I think all of that is practice and preparation for what is upcoming.”
And his wrestlers echoed his sentiment.
“I really think we’ve been doing it all year,” Hamiti Jr. said. “But (in the) postseason, there’s always a lot more energy to go out and score points.
Nothing is guaranteed. Missed bonus points or upset losses in the early rounds can doom a team in the long run. It’s what happened to OSU during the 2024 Big 12 Wrestling Championships, despite going in as the favorites. But this year’s OSU team has showcased more of a tendency to record bonus-point wins.
That could help the Cowboys bring hardware back to Stillwater for the first time in three years.
So, despite tournaments being “a defining point” for a team’s season — in Taylor’s words — maintaining his “one match at a time” mindset could be beneficial. After all, who’s to say OSU isn’t looking ahead to nationals in Philadelphia during its dominant regular season?
“Tournaments are what defines the end of the season,” Taylor said. “In every aspect, too — as a youth wrestler, as a high school wrestler, as a collegiate wrestler, as a wrestler in the world (championships) or the Olympics. Tournaments are what you have to win to win.
“I think that we’ve had a great end to the season training wise, in preparation and mindset — just (our) attitudes and their demeanors. So, we’ve got to just go out and compete for seven minutes per (match)... good things will come in time.”
Hamiti Jr. striving for championship in new weight class
worked out perfectly.
Dean Hamiti Jr. always knew he wanted to wrestle as a Cowboy growing up.
He became one after transferring from Wisconsin last season.
Almost a year later, the Oklahoma State senior has a chance to win an individual and Big 12 Conference team championship for his dream school. Not only did he transition to a new school in a different conference but also a heavier weight class.
“I think I felt great at the (174-pound) weight class,” Hamiti said. “I don’t think there’s been really too many challenges. I think I should have been at 174 last year. I didn’t feel (different) too much.”
Before moving to 174 for OSU, Hamiti spent three years in the 165 weight class at Wisconsin and became one of the most prominent wrestlers in the country.
He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and finished third at the Big Ten Championships in 2022 with a sixth-place finish at NCAAs. Last season, he finished sixth nationally again, winning All-American honors for the second time and winning the Big Ten title against Iowa’s No. 4 Patrick Kennedy in the finals, which matched the highest-ranked win in his career at that point in 2023.
Hamiti showed no signs of slowing down in 2024 with a 28-4 overall record, finishing as the Big Ten runner-up, but barely missed out on the national podium after reaching the NCAA quarterfinals.
Despite Hamiti’s success at 165, he believed he was a better fit for an upgrade at 174, but it wasn’t an option available at Wisconsin.
“Just lineup-wise, last year just didn’t really work out,” Hamiti said.
After last season, it was time to make a change as Hamiti moved out of the Big Ten into Big 12 powerhouse OSU. The transition has
“I think with (Hamiti), you just keep scoring, and I think he’s done a really good job of that, and he can threaten guys in all three positions,” OSU coach David Taylor said. “He wrestles with (assistant coach) Tyler (Caldwell) a lot.
“I think Tyler’s definitely helped him a lot this year, and his challenges in a lot of areas, and a lot of comfortability those guys, but DJ’s just dynamic, he’s a dynamic score, and he’s got a lot of confidence. So he just keeps that ball rolling.”
Compared to previous coaches Hamiti had, he said Taylor is more composed during matches, trusting the moves he’ll make.
“He’s a lot more relaxed unless something has to be serious, but it’s a lot more relaxed,” Hamiti said. “Go with the flow. Be grateful for everything, and just enjoy it. Enjoy the whole process.”
With a 19-0 record heading into the Big 12 Championships, including eight tech falls and two falls. Hamiti is one of two Cowboys who remain undefeated, the other being heavyweight wrestler Wyatt Hendrickson.
This weekend in Tulsa, the Cowboys will enter the 174 bracket as the No. 1 seed in the tournament. While it’s a big honor for Hamiti, he said the seed didn’t matter as long as he’s competing.
OSU placed first at the conference tournament in 2021, something most of the roster hasn’t experienced with the program before.
For Hamiti, winning a second conference championship in a different conference would be a huge accomplishment, but winning the Big 12 title as a team is a dream he’s looking forward to more.
“It’d be awesome as a team,” Hamiti said. “All of us have worked very hard all year, and I think it would be a testament to that.”
Payton Little
Payton Little
Dean Hamiti Jr. made the jump from 165 pounds to 174 after three seasons at Wisconsin.
OSU is considered the favorite to win the Big 12 Wrestling Championship after a 13-1 season.
How Brueggemann’s change in plate approach led to a hot start in senior season
Weeks after OSU’s 2024 season ended in a loss to Florida in the Stillwater Regional championship game, Brueggemann sought out advice from coach Josh Holliday, hoping to gain perspective for his unideal offensive numbers.
pitches that Brueggemann struggled with in 2024.
Brueggemann said he also swung for power too much last season. Now, he is trying to be a “better all-around hitter.” So far, he has been.
himself as a better all-around prospect. His coaches and teammates have shown confidence in his hot start not wavering in the near future. And as Holliday said, what better test than Big 12 conference play awaiting him in two weeks?
The end of to Colin Brueggemann’s junior year left him dissatisfied.
Too many strikeouts, a lack of singles and doubles and not enough quality at-bats, he said.
“Obviously last year wasn’t the year that I wanted,” Brueggemann said. “There were some hitches in (my swing). I wanted to fix them.”
Through 12 games of his senior season, the Oklahoma State first baseman has shown a 180-degree switch in offensive production compared to last season. His .388 batting average — in contrast to his .251 average from his junior season — a .633 slugging percentage and three home runs are team highs. He’s riding an 11-game hitting streak heading into the No. 25 Cowboys’ (7-5) three-game home series against Illinois State this weekend at O’Brate Stadium.
Efficiency has come with relative ease for Brueggemann thus far. He credits his success largely to a simple tweak his plate coach made in the fall.
The two revisited the issue once OSU’s fall season commenced swiftly pinpointed answers.
Through film, Brueggemann said he noticed his head was moving forward too much, which Holliday cited as a prime reason for Brueggemann’s inflated strikeout total (83). Brueggemann’s said he felt like he “wasn’t seeing the ball enough.” He felt rushed at the plate, particularly when opposing pitchers threw him offspeed or breaking pitches.
Holliday recommended he stay on his back foot.
“This year, I’m just trying to stay back on my swing more,” Brueggemann said.
“Just trying to keep my head still, not looking forward so I can see the ball more. It’s part of the reason why I think that I’m seeing it a lot better right now.”
Coaches, teammates and Brueggemann instantly noticed better results in the fall. Strikeouts came less often, and he made better contact on curveballs, back-door sliders and changeups —
First came a two-hit game against Texas in the Shriners Children’s College Baseball Showdown in Arlington, Texas, on opening weekend. Then a fourhit outing in a series finale at home against UT-Arlington. Most recently, Brueggemann went 6 for 12 against Tennessee, Texas A&M and Mississippi State at the Astros Foundation Classic in Houston. That led to Brueggemann being named to the all-tournament first team, which was released Wednesday morning.
“All fall, he looked a lot better — he looked really good,” Cowboys right fielder Nolan Schubart said. “This spring he came back and looked really good. He’s just playing like himself right now, and hopefully he keeps that up.”
But there lies the question; can Brueggemann stay the course?
Brueggemann said he knows his power-hitting ability will showcase itself. But ahead of this summer’s MLB Draft, Brueggemann wants to display
“He’s very capable of being a big offensive factor for us, and at times this year he has been,” Holliday said. “He’s got good experience, obviously. He’s been in the batter’s box a lot for three years now. He’s seen all kinds of pitching. He’s had a lot of opportunities with runners in scoring position now. He’s been in some good lineups himself. If he’ll stay consistent, then I think that he can be very good, as is the case with all hitters, but especially with a guy like him It’s just (about) the consistency. Swinging at the right pitches. Laying off the other pitches. Never taking an at-bat off.
“When you’re a key part of run production, like (Brueggemann is), those are real things that the team counts on you to do. And he’s certainly capable of doing that. But he’s off to a good start, that’s for sure.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Payton Little
OSU first baseman Colin Brueggemann credits watching more file, along with other changes, for his improved batting average this season.
Bodendorf emerging as early difference-maker for Oklahoma State
CALIF PONCY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
a big part of the rotation, but few could’ve expected the start he’s gotten off to.
When Harrison Bodendorf committed to Oklahoma State last summer, expectations were high.
The former Hawaii star showed what he had in his two seasons with the Rainbow Warriors. As a freshman, he was named First-Team All-Big West after posting a 3.52 ERA over seven starts. In his second season, he became more versatile, spending time as a starter and a reliever.
By the time he entered the transfer portal, Bodendorf was sought after, receiving offers from several big-time college programs. When he committed to OSU, it was clear he would be
Bodendorf is 3-0 to start his Cowboy career. The junior has been on the mound for OSU’s biggest moments this season, including a 4-0 win over the then-top-ranked Texas A&M in Houston.
It hasn’t always been perfect for Bodendorf, who has allowed seven runs during his three starts, but his flashes of brilliance have been enough to cement him as OSU’s best pitcher early on.
“The games that he’s pitched, it hasn’t come easy in the first couple innings,” outfielder Garrett Shull said. “But you know what? He grinds through every single one of them.”
Outside of his shutout of Texas A&M, the opening few innings of Bodendorf’s starts have been rough.
He allowed two of Louisville’s three runs in the third inning. UT Arlington scored three of its four runs in the second inning in a game that OSU would go on to win 19-4.
With a new coach, city and park to take into account, few would’ve questioned Bodendorf if he lost his confidence in those spots. Instead, he has flipped the script, often throwing his best immediately following a poor inning.
“I think Harrison is one of those guys who is going to get better and better as he goes,” OSU coach Josh Holliday said. “He’s a very skilled kid. He’s a rhythm pitcher.”
If OSU wants to break its cold streak in the postseason, it will need good pitching.
Bodendorf has established himself as the Cowboys’ best arm among a bullpen with multiple question
marks.
His early-inning struggles faded against Texas A&M. When OSU’s offense was sputtering, he kept the Cowboys in the game against one of the best teams in the country.
“He was making pitches against a really good squad,” OSU pitcher Drew Blake said. “I was impressed. I think getting him out of the portal and having him on our team, it’s just awesome.”
As the season progresses, Bodendorf has plenty of things to figure out. However, with two seasons left in Stillwater, Holliday may have landed his ace for the foreseeable future.
“I have all the confidence in the world that he’ll be able to keep doing that,” OSU first baseman Colin Brueggeman said.
Payton Little
OSU pitcher Harrison Bodendorf helped the Cowboys beat a No-1 ranked team for the first time snce 2019 and is 3-0 in his first season in Stillwater.
