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SPRJNGISAGREAlTIMEOETHEYEAR~
When I was a golf coach my thous-hts alwa.ysturned to Augusta, the Masters, dogwoods, green grass, Azaleas, warmer weather, and allergies. I STILLTHINKABOUTTHEMASTERSBUTTHEREIS A LOTMOREGOINGONIN THE OSUATHLETICWORLDTHANJUSTGOLF.In particular, I'm excited to see if our baseball team can win another conference championship and watclTouT tennis teams compete in the brand new Michael and Anne-Greenwood Tennis Center.
_ The end of schQQlis just around the corner with g@d@tjon f_Xercisesapd the_p_osting _cf final _g£_ades.It reminds us of 011rprim~ry ~is~_io~, which is~ducating and graduatingthe next generation 7""'1-r~e-
of leaders fo~ur state and
country. Sports are a Iot of fun,
--bl'it eauca1i"onisour prifnary -
• mission,andlbelieveourcoache -
do a great job of motivating our athlete_sto $trive for EXCELLENCE I!! THECLASSRQ_gMAS_WELLASTILEPLAYINGFIELD.
Thank you for _believing in OSU athletics and supporting us with your purchase of season tickets. Recruiting and loyal fans are tbe lifeblood of every athletic department. I APPRECIATEYOUGIVINGGENEROUSLYOFYOURTIMEANOHARO-EARNEDMONEYTOHELPUSADDTO OURSI NCAA championships.
At Oklahoma State University, compliance with NCAA,Big 12 and institutional rules is of the utmost importance. As a supporter of OSU, please remember that maintaining the integrity of the University and the Athletic Department is your first responsibility. As a donor, and therefore booster of OSU, NCAA rules apply to you. If you have any questions, feel free to call the OSU Office of Athletic Compliance at 40B-744-7862. Additional information can also be found by clicking on the Compliance tab of the Athletic Department web-site at www.okstate.com.
Remember to always "Ask Before You.Act."
Respectfully,
BEN DYSON
ASSISTANTATHLETICDIRECTORFDRCOMPLIANCE
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EVEN THE MOST CASUAL FANS
of college athletics are probably aware of the changing dynamics within the NCAA. THE HARD·AND·FAST STANDBY RULES SEEM TO BE FADING AWAY while a new term, cost of attendance, has jumped into the headlines. And the changes, and challenges, are far from over.
Located in a second-level corner of Gallagher-Iba Arena, the OSU compliance staff is charged with helping OSU Athletics navigate the churning waters of change. As if the compliance crew needed something else to do.
OSU's staff was already busy keeping Athletics on track and current with the still-thickening big blue binder known as the NCAA Manual. That plumppublicationis, in essence, the NCAA rule book and the compliance crew has the unenviable task of not only being students of the manual, but instructors (t1·anslators) for the rest of the athletic department. Their job is to help OSU's staff stay on the right side of the law while still helping therh take full advantage of what is allowable by NCAA guidelines.
IT'SACOMPLICATED,IMPORTANTANDMOSTLYTHANKLESSCAREER that compliance staffers have chosen. And with the continued evolution of the NCAA, compliance professionals will likely see their job descriptions get longer, even as the NCAA begins to drift away from the oldest rules in its manual.
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STORYBYRYAN CAMERON
generated by its grea est achievements to the dark valleys that have also beset Oklahoma State's women's basketball program over the past two-plus decades, OneConstant hasremained.Through hirings, firings, March Madness runs and unthinkable tragedy, the program's radio voices, CASEY KENDRICK AND KEVIN GUM, havebeenpresenteverystepof the way.
The dawn of the 2014-15 campaign signaled landmark seasons for two of the staples within the program with Gum embarking upon his 25th season as the Cowgirls' play-by-play voice and Kendrick beginning his 20th campaign as the program's radio analyst. While the duo has become synonymous with Cowgirl basketball, theirp~ths to their courtside positions couldnothavebeenmoredifferent.
GUM'SPASSION FOR THE WOMEN'SGAME
developed long before his arrival in Stillwater, fostering instead in his native Louisiana.
"l had a neighbor that worked for KNOE television in Mon roe, La., and he traveled with Louisiana Tech, Gra rnbling and Northeast Louisiana to film all of the games for their coaches' playback shows. HE INVITED ME TO START GOING WITH HIM TO HELP CARRY AND SET UP EQUIPMENT AND LEARN HOW TO USE TV CAM· ERAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT," GUM SAID.
Gum's introduction came at a time when his home state was among the sport's hotbeds, with LOUISIANA TECH ruling the landscape.
"THE LADY TECHSTERS were decades ahead of mo t of the nation in women's basketball. Their women outdrew their men, and it was a big deal. They were winning national championships. They won the last lAW (national championship) and first NCAA Tournament. SONJA HOGG was the head coac;h and LEON BARMORE was the associate head coach at the time. They kind of took me under their wings and were good to me," Gum said.
The opportunity to tag along with one of the sport's ea1·ly powe1·s p1·ovided the hook to 1·eel Gumin.
"I JUST TOOK A REAL LIKING TO IT. I got to travel to places like Knoxville, Tenn., and Norfolk, Va., to play Old Dominion, which was big at the ti me. Louisiana Tec;h and Texas was a big rivalry. JODY CONRADT really had the Longhorns rolling back then, and r just got involved with women' baskctbal I at that ti me, and it stuck with me."
With OSU's veterinary school luring him to Stillwater, Gum crossed paths with FORMER COWGIRL HEAD COACH Dick Halterman. THE REST,ASTHEYSAY,ISHISTORYSORTOF.
"He asked me to do the PA in 1988. Right after the 1989 season, A FRIEND OF MINE WAS TRYING TO BUY A RADIO STATION, AND HE WANTED TO PUT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ON THE RADIO," GUM SAID.
"He knew I had a women' basketball background from Louisiana Tech and asked me ifI would be interested. I clid n't know what I was doing at all, but I was not going to turn that down. vVhen you are 22 years old, the thought of traveling to all the Big Eight schools, Hawaii, the Bahamas, Florida, California and places like that was a kid's dream."
In an age without instant information, Gum's broadcasts, unpoli heel as they may have been, were greatly appreciated and resulted in a more lenient learning curve.
"He allowed me to learn on the job, and to be honest, Dick and Jpck (Ea ley) were so excited to have the radio coverage. Up untilthattime,becausethere wasnointernet,nobodyknew whowona game,There were no updates or tickers or anything, so they had to wait until the games were over, and you had to line up at a payphone to call your parents or wives and tell them who won. They were excited to have the exposure and the coverage," Gum said.
GUM'SFIRSTFEWSEASONSONTHEJOBCOULOBECATEGORIZEDASAHOBBYOUETOALACKOFCOMPENSATION IN EXCHANGEFORHISSERVICES.But that made no difference to the newly minted voice of the program.
"The first two or three years I did it for nothing. There wasn't really any money in the budget. 1 didn't care because I had a full-time job back in Stillwater. I was doing it just to get to do it, and IT WAS A LOT OF FUN WITH THE TRAVEL AND THE RELATIONSHIPS WE DEVELOPED with the coaches and their families and the players and their families," Gum said.
"l think around my fourth year, Dick was able to pull about $500 out of his budget for the season and gave it to me. I thought that was the greatest thing in the world. Prior to that, he would always pay for my hotel and my meals so T vas not out of pocket for anything, but WHEN THEY GAVE ME A CHANCE TO GET $500, I THOUGHT I HAD WON THE LOTTERY."
FIVEYEARSINTOHISSOLOGIG,GUMDECIOEDTOGAUGE THEINTERESTOFKENDRICKABOUTCOMINGABOARD.Once again, Gum hit the lottery, reeling in the perfect sidekick to make the broadcast complete.
"KEVIN AND I USED TO WORK FOR A RADIO STATION IN STILLWATER, AND I WAS DOING A RADIO SHIFT AND WAS A BIG SPORTS FAN. Kevin would come in and do sports broadca ts on the station, and we just became friends. After a while, we started talking about Cowgirl basketbal I. l le asked me ifT had any interest in doing sports broadcasting, which I did," Kendrick said.
ANDREA RILEY, above, and at right, TIFFANY BIAS, top, and BRITTNEY MARTIN, bottom.
CDKevin Gum:
When
you are 22 years old, the thought of traveling to all the Big Eight schools, Hawaii, the Bahamas, Florida, California and places like that was a kid's dream.
"I had done a lot of high school football. He decided to take it to Dick and see what his thoughts would be, and NEXT THING I KNOW I AM DOING COWGIRL BASKETBALL."
While Gum had long been a women's basketball fan, Kendrick came aboard as a neophyte, but would quickly become enamored with the sport as well.
"I will be honest. I didn't pay a lot of attention to it. I had been to a few games and had seen some of the results. Over the years while at Oklahoma State I hadn't gotten real involved in it, but once I started doing the games and really following it and broadcasting the games I got into it very quickly," Kendrick said.
Like Gum, Kendrick's efforts proved to be a labor oflove. The camaraderie that came with being a part of the program was bis payment for services provided. In fact, he essentiallybad to payto be part of the broadcast crew, burning vacation days in order to perform bis duties.
"I was working in town for an opposing station of the one that was carrying the ballgames. In order for me to be able to go do the games on one station, I would have to take vacation time at the station I was at so I could get off to go do the games," Kendrick explained.
Nevertheless, it did not take long before Kendrick uncovered a newfound passion and became immersed in the program.
"The first game I ever did, I just remember sitting in the lobby and talking to the coaches about all of the results of what happened in the game and why they did what they did, and I was able to forge a relationship. That was really what drew me in. For a long time, I didn't get paid and didn't get really any huge benefits out of it. There weren't a lot of people looking to do Cowgirl basketball, but the relationships I made with the coaches were really what drew me in," Kendrick said.
As the years have passed, the duo has become intertwined with the program beyond describing the action over the airwaves. Their passion for Cowgirl basketball resonates throughout their work. There are no bigger fans than Gum and Kendrick.
"Make no mistake about it, we are huge fans. Sometimes we have to catch ourselves and pull ourselves back in a little bit and settle down because we get as excited as fans when we are broadcasting. We have to remind ourselves to rnai ntai n some sense of professionalism in the process," Gum admitted.
That passion and fandom serves not as a detriment, but rather an asset to the broadcast, making the voices on the radio dial relatable to those listening. It is not uncommon to look around Gallagher-Iba Arena to see those in attendance sporting headphones while listening to their fellow fans call the action. fj)
"That ha been the be t part of it. I never really thought in the early years that I would have the opportunity to have two boys that got to travel with me and be a part of o many big wins and emotional losses, jumping on busscs and flying on airplanes for the NCAA Tournament and WNIT and things like that," Gum said.
·'To watch them grow, and Casey has been a big part of their life, these coaches have always embraced them. I can remember when we had to help them get up the first step on the bus to go with the team, and now it won't be long before they are driving us around to ballgames. l think it is every father's dream," Gum said.
Kendrick immediately takes one back to the very beginning when recalling his favorite memory from his two decades with the program.
"FROM A PERSONAL STANDPOINT, I WILL NEVER FORGET THE FIRST BUS TRIP THAT WE TOOK, GOING DOWN TO COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS. That is when I knew that this was a great gig and going to be a lot of fun. The coaching staff made me feel like I had been around for 100 years and that was a special moment," Kendrick said.
~Tliile fund memories such as NCAA SWEET 16 appearances remain vividly etched in their memory banks, Gum and Kendrick have also dealt with the heartache that can accompany athletics. From multiple coaching changes to the tragic deaths of Budke and assistant coach Miranda Serna, Gum and Kendrick have seen the program at its ultimate lows as well as its pin naclcs.
"WHEN DICK HAL TERMAN GOT FIRED, THAT WAS A MAJOR LOW FOR ME. That was the first coach I had worked for, and he had been so good to me. That was a tough moment for me. Seeing some of our favorite kids graduate, kids that meant so much to the program and were good kids. Youjust hate to see them leave," Kendrick said.
OTHERLOWSAREALSOEASYTOPINPOINT.
"Obviously, the first plane crash, even though it was on the men's side. I just remember the Oklahoma State family and how it did deeply affect us, even though it wasn't our specific team. It was a day that truly changed my perspective on athletics and the whole perspective on sports at Oklahoma State. Then the tragedy with Coach Budke, Miranda and the Branstetters was extremely tough."
With the curtain dropped on their landmark season, both Gum and Kendrick hope the end is nowhere in sight and Lhey will continue to add to their catalog of memories.
"I have done it most of my life. I am +Sand I have done it for 25, meaning 23 years without it. We get asked that a lot, Casey and l both do, I think that you just go year by year, and l hope it's not this year. Sometimes you aren't the one who makes those choices, but as long as l have my health and my kids have their health and I work for coaching staffs that enable me to handle all of my fatherly obligations and still be a part of Cowgirl basketba 11. I don't know ifT will ]ive 25 more, but it wi 11sure be fun to try," Gum said.
Like Gum, Kendrick fields the question frequently about a ti me! i ne for his departure from his post.
"I haveayoungfamily, and I am securely rooted in Stillwater as far as my wife's business is here. 1 am not going anywhere as far as the community is concerned. As far as continuing Cowgirl basketball broadcasts,
I THINK I WILL DO IT AS LONG AS THEY WILL HAVE ME.
I have had so much fun with it, and the 20 years have evaporated so quickly that l see myself doing this for another 20 years," Kendrick said.
"AS LONG AS KEVIN IS HEREt WHY NOT?u
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OKLAHOMA STATE PLAYERS SAT STUNNED FOLLOWING AN UPSET LOSS TO TULSA IN THE 1994 NCAA TOURNAMENT IN OKLAHOMA CITY.
While Bryant ;;Big Countrytt Reeves and Randy Rutherford would return, OSU was losing vital cogs in point guard Brooks Thompson, the team's second-leading scorer, and power forward Fred Burley, another double-digit point producer. And surely they'd be missed. Or not.
The 1994-95 Cowboys would be stunned once again, but this time by themselves, making a magical run through Baltimore and New Jersey and on into Seattle, home of the 1995 Final Four, with a team recast and reimagined and reinvigorated by one anothe;r.
It wasa collectionof variedandcomplexpersonalities,kidsfromcontrasting backgrounds,mixedandmoldedbya savvy coachingstaff,allcomingtogetherinunexpectedfashion.
"The year before, when we lost to Tulsa in Oklahoma City, I actually believe that was
probably the most talented team I've ever played on," said Chianti Roberts, a key reserve as a sophomore on that Cowboys team. "In my history of playing top basketball, playing overseas, playing in the minor leagues, IT WAS THE MOST TALENTED TEAM I EVER PLAYED ON.
"I think we saw firsthand what talent gets you, if you don't come about it the right way. If you don't approach your work in the right way, talent doesn't do anything for you. I think after going through that, we had a certain sense of resolve and a certain willingness to put aside any of our selfish goals."
Many things had to happen. And did.
Andre Owens arrived from junior college and seized the keys to the driver's seat, becoming a force at the point. Scott Pierce suddenly began knocking down shots from the high post, commanding attention and creating space
for Big Country to do his thing around the basket. Rutherford continued to play Mr. Outside to Reeves' Mr. Inside, scorching teams from the perimeter. Terry Collins played the role of lockdown defender. Roberts gave Eddie Sutton a versatile asset capable of filling various roles, lengthening the bench in effect, if not in fact, as Sutton shrunk his rotation down the stretch, with guys like Jason Skaer and Kevin Miles and John Nelson playing useful parts.
"We had all the pieces," Owens said. "And everybody bought into the system. We were all on the same page and that's what really made us special."
In this, the 20th anniversary of that 1995 surge to the Final Four, those Cowboys still recall it all magically. COMINGTOGETHER.EDDIE'SINFLUENCE. THEOWENSFACTOR.COUNTRYTIME.THERUN. PAYINGlTFORWARD.flJ
COMING TOGETHER
ANDRE OWENS was from South Bend, Ind.
TERRY COLLINS hailed from Joliet, Ill., just outside of Chicago.
CHIANTI ROBERTS came out of Oklahoma City and SCOTT PIERCE from Euless, Texas, a suburb of Fort Worth.
JASON SKAER hailed from Deer Park, Texas. in the Houston metro area. Backup center Ben Baum arrived from Aurora, Colo., near Denver.
Then there was the pride of tiny Gans, Okla., BRYANT REEVES. And RANDY RUTHERFORD from Broken Bow.
And Chad Alexander from middle America McPherson, Kan.
"There was a lot of just growing up taking place," Miles said. "You had innercity kids. Then you had a guy from Gans, Oklahoma. And a guy from Broken Bow. So you had a mixture of not only ethnic groups and coaches, you had a mixture of everything. And it was fun.
"You start exploring each other's areas of interest. You're growing up and you're valuing differences and you're valuing diversity and you're coming together for a common goal, even though a lot of us were different.
"We had some people from single-parent homes. We had people with both parents. We had people from mega-cities on down to a one-stoplight town. You had a lot of variations going on."
"Wecametogetherunder a greatcoach, oneofthebestincollegebasketball."
BRYANT REEVES
EDDIE'S INFLUENCE
EDDIESUTTONWASTOUGH.ANDDEMANDING.
And a master motivator.
His methods were different with different players. He poked and prodded some; practiced patience with others.
Sutton brought Reeves along, having plucked the 7-foot, 292-pound hulking lad from Gans- Gans! - as a pure project few people believed worth the risk. There's a story about Sutton and Henry Iba, his mentor, sitting at midcourt for Reeves' first workout at OSU.
The big boy labored up and down the court, huffing and puffing, feet tangling during simple drills.
As the coaches watched, disbelieving, Iba turned to Sutton and cracked: "THAT BOY'S GOT A LONG WAY TO GO."
Sutton later said, "I believe Bryant even tripped over the lines that day."
Big Country indeed. Reeves required patience.
Roberts, who liked to challenge his coach, drew something else out of the Cowboys boss.
When the season started, Roberts saw himself as a starter, an obvious choice to fill one of the openings. He'd started 14 games as a freshman. Sutton, however, liked Roberts' versatility off the bench. A man for all situations.
"When the season started," Roberts said, "I was like, 'C'mon, how am I not starting on
this team? Get out of here, man. That's a joke.' That's what I was thinking in my head."
Sutton knew it, too, yet flipped the situation to his and ultimately the team's advantage, prompting Roberts to prove his value by literally trying to beat guys out in practice.
"I thrived on that competition. And Coach knew it," Roberts said. "He knew how to push my buttons. He knew to tick me off. He knew to make me angry. He knew to talk trash to me, because that's where I found my motivation.
"It pretty much started at a young age, when anybody would talk trash to me, I'd play a lot harder. Coach recognized that.''
Pretty soon, Roberts was into his role.
"I REALLY FOCUSED ON BEING VERSATILE, BEING ABLE TO BE ON THE COURT IN ANY SITUATION," he said. "If we go big, I can be out there. If we go small, I can go out there. That was something I really did harness. to have some flexibility, so I could maximize my playing time.''
Whetherthey knewit then or not, the Cowboyswere moldedby Sutton.
"We came together under a great coach, one of the best in college basketball," Reeves said recently. "We bought into his system. We were a real team during that stretch. It was a privilege to play under him. For me it was a dream to play for him."
SPRING2015
COUNTRY TIME
The Cowboys had a player nicknamed Country. And Rutherford was country, too, coming from the southeastern corner of Oklahoma.
Reeves and Rutherford.
The alliteration rolled off the tongue in a sing-song way. And their names - and their games - became the prominent tune of the season.
Reeves and Rutherford balanced the Cowboys and each other. The big fella pounded opponents inside. Rutherford sat ready on the wing, offering almost unlimited shooting range.
The team had many valued and needed parts, but Reeves and Rutherford rolled as the go-to guys.
"COUNTRY WAS AN ALL-AMERICAN, ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL AT THE TIME," Owens said. "He was by far the biggest player that I ever faced, as far as height and size. Getting to play with him, it was a blessing, because he was one of the most dominant big men in the league.
"It was special, because now I've got one of those big guys who can dominate the game and when I say dunk the ball, or rebound the ball, he's going to respond. It was a blessing to have him as a teammate. And he's a great guy, him and his family."
Reeves finished with a single-season school record 797 POINTSthat season, averaging 21.5PERGAME. Rutherford's 724POINTSrank No. 4 on OSU's singleseason list.
There's no better definition of a one-two punch. Reeves was consistent, too, with 23 games of 20 points or more. He also pulled down 350 rebounds, 9.5 per game, the third-most in program history. Rutherford's 146 made 3-pointers set OSU and Big Eight Conference records. And he made 41.8 percent of his tries from beyond the arc, as good as some guys from close range.
"ARGUABLY THE GREATEST 3-POINT SHOOTER I EVER LAID EYES ON IN PERSON," ROBERTS SAID. "SHOULD HAVE PLAYED IN THE NBA."
Reeves and Rutherford. It became a common theme. ffJ
OWENS' IMPACT
When Thompson left for the NBA as a first-round draft pick after the '93-94 season, the Cowboys were left with a huge void at the point.
And no in-house options.
Enter Owens, a 5-11 guard originally from the shadows of Notre Dame but dispatched to Midland, Texas, and junior college to find his way. His next stopStillwater - provideda perfect fit, for him andthe Cowboys.
Where Thompson was more of a scorer, Owens worked to get everyone involved, directing the show but not searching for the spotlight.
That year, Owens dished out 256ASSISTS - 6.9 PERGAME - ranking only behind Doug Gottlieb in program history. He also averaged 2.1STEALS, the fifth-most by a Cowboy.
"Andre came in and picked up the script and ran off with it," said Miles.
If Reeves and Rutherford represented the engine, Owens provided the fuel.
"We became a much better team when we got Andre Owens," Roberts said. "His mentality was a true point guard. His favorite player was Magic Johnson growing up, as mine was. His played like Magic. He mixed it up: played D, wanted to get rebounds, always looked for the open guy, only took the open shot, didn't force it, awareness of everything that was going on
"He just really made that team go. He was the driving force of our team."
Owens made an official recruiting visit to OSU the year before. And he envisioned himself in the spot Thompson would vacate.
"That was one of the biggest things that made me commit to Oklahoma State," Owens said. "When I came on my visit, I saw all the pieces they had. They had Brooks Thompson, who was a great point guard. I knew he was leaving after that year. So they had everything else, except a point guard.
"So it was awesome to leave junior college and go in, right into the driver's seat, and be the general, so to speak."
The last day of the regular season offered up a dramatic showdown: OSU at Kansas for the Big Eight championship. It ended awkwardly for the Cowboys, with the Jayhawks winning 78-62 and Reeves HELDSCORELESS for the first (and only) time in his career, a span of 127 college games. Rutherford struck for 45 POINTS in a performance that awed all in attendance at Allen Fieldhouse, yet it was hardly satisfying.
"I'll give somebody on Kansas the 45 points and they can give us the league championship," Rutherford said.
That game - that loss - however, didn't dent the team's confidence.
It strengthened OSU's resolve, becoming very much apparent as the Cowboys embarked on an impressive run to the Final Four.
Days after the disappointment in Lawrence, OSU romped to the Big Eight Tournament title, casting aside Nebraska, No. 76 Oklahoma and Iowa State along the way. Entering the NCAA Tournament, the Cowboys were ranked No. 14 and pegged as the No. 4 seed in the rugged East Regional, with plenty of land mines placed in their way, other squads with dominant big men and All-Americans and future NBA stars on teams with higher rankings and more widespread appeal than Cowboys, an afterthought nationally.
That made the run more impressive. And satisfying.
OSU opened against Drexel in Baltimore. The Cowboys were a big favorite, but the Dragons did have Malik Rose, the player of the year in the America East and a future NBA forward. Rose scored 17 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in a strong performance, but OSUrolled 73-49 with Reeves and Rutherford combining for 36 points. flJ
ON TO THE SWEET 16, THE COWBOYS MOVED TO EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., AND THE MEADOWLANDS ARENA, THIS TIME AS
The second round brought a matchup with No. 20 Alabama and star Antonio McDyess, a 6-9 big man who would go on to a long NBA career after being picked second overall in the 1995 draft. McDyess proved to be a handful, with 22 points and 17 rebounds, but Reeves went for 26 and seven, and Rutherford shook off a slow start to fire in four second-half 3-pointers and send OSU to a 66-52win.
Reeves and Rutherford. And defense, the other constant factor in the Cowboys' winning formula. OSU held the Crimson Tide to 36.1 percent shooting from the floor.
On to the Sweet 76, the Cowboys moved to East Rutherford, N.J., and the Meadowlands Arena, this time as an underdog.
Wake Forest, the East's top seed and the nation's No. 3 team on a 12-game winning streak, waited. The Demon Deacons were led by Tim Duncan, only a sophomore,
AN UNDERDOG.
but already a star. They also featured All-American point guard Randolph Childress on a squad that many had stamped for the Final Four.
And the Deacons were a load, leading OSU 56-50 and threatening to take control. Instead, THECOWBOYSWENTONA9-0 RUNto seize the lead for good. Defense flipped the storyline, with Childress - who finished with 22 points - held scoreless over the final eight minutes as Owens clamped him down. Duncan hauled in 22 rebounds, scored 12 points and blocked eight shots in a masterful performance that would hint at his MVP career in the NBA.
But Reeves and Rutherford combined for 38POINTSAND20BOARDS and Roberts contributed 13 off the bench and the Cowboys moved on, 71-66,in one of the most dramatic games of the 7995 NCAA Tournament.
"I think they feel like they're on a mission," Sutton said afterward.
The mission moved on to UMass, an athletic group, coached by John Calipari, which held the region's No. 2 seed and a No. 7 national ranking. The Minutemen had a star sophomore center, too, Marcus Camby, who would become the national player of the year and the second pick in the NBA draft the following year.
The Cowboys, of course, had Reeves and Rutherford and defense. And Pierce, too, with the forward adding a critical 12 points and eight rebounds to the equation in a 68-54win.Pierce also contributed a tooth, lost when he took an unintentional elbow to the mouth, prompting a Toothless in Seattle narrative that became the theme of headlines and t-shirts and other collectibles as OSU returned to the Final Fourin Seattle - for the first time in 44 years.
Sutton had been once, with Arkansas 17 years earlier, but so wanted to guide his alma mater back.
"A big, big win for us," he said. "I told my wife, I hope to get back to the Final Four one more time. This is a big thrill for me."
Finally, folks were warming to the Cowboys and their stories.
Reeves even fired up the usually dull public practice session in Seattle, shattering a backboard with a dunk, sending players and media members scrambling for souvenirs, while team personnel picked bits of glass from his hair.
The run, however, was soon to end.
The Cowboys ran into No. 1 UCLA, which would go on to down Arkansas for the national title. The Bruins, behind Tyus Edney and the O'Bannon brothers, Ed and Charles, pulled away from OSU in the closing moments, winning 74-61. It was 62-61 after Rutherford drilled a 3-pointer with 2:40 to play.
But the Cowboys didn't score again.
"Versus UCLA, we just ran out of gas, because of the uphill battle we faced," Miles said. "No one had the road that we took. They didn't have to fight like that. We battled every game. We just ran out of juice.
"If we had UCLA earlier, we would have smashed them. Of course, they'd disagree with that. I've run into some of them and I told them the same thing."
PAYING IT FORWARD
The loss to UCLA wa-sn't so much heartbreaking, because few - even inside the program - saw it coming.
"That year, I never felt like we were there," Roberts said. "I always felt like it was a work in progress. And I think that Coach did a real good job of keeping us in that moment and that frame of mind
"Attheveryend,when I tookitallin, I realizedthatwereallywerea good team,thatwe'ddonesomethingspecial. Wewerea specialgroup."
CHIANTI ROBERTS
of, 'You're not there. You're still working. You've got things to improve on. You've got miles to go.'
"And I think we all stayed in that frame of mind. So I didn't realize we had done anything until we got beat by UCLA. That's when I went to the locker room, sat down - dejected, of course - but very proud of the moment we were in.
"AT THE VERY END, WHEN I TOOK IT ALL IN, I REALIZED THAT WE REALLY WERE A GOOD TEAM, THAT WE'D DONE SOMETHING SPECIAL. WE WERE A SPECIAL GROUP."
Sutton saw it similarly. He returned to OSU, where he once played, hoping to elevate basketball to its rightful place, a standard long before established by his coach, Mr. Iba. TheFinalFourrun,whichwouldbe repeatedin2004,stampedtheCowboys as back.And it prompted a raising of the Gallagher-Iba Arena roof, with an expansion project of the grand old building serving as the impetus of a massive athletic facilities upgrade that continues today.
"If somebody (had) told me five years ago this would be where we are," Sutton said after that season, "I wouldn't have believed it. "That's something (the seniors) can point to with a lot of pride. They've given to the underclassmen something we can continue, as far as rekindling the tradition at Oklahoma State. They continued to carry the banner forward."
Roberts lives in Stillwater, still comes around, to mix with the current players and coaches. And to admire what that team meant to the program progressing forward. And to revel in that 1994-95 season.
"You're just proud," Roberts said. "You're proud of the history. Proud of the tradition. My daughter loves to tell people I played. When we go to games there, she wants to go to the Hall of Fame and see my picture on the wall.
11 IT'S EXHILARATING TO KNOW THAT EVEN THOUG.H I'M NOT THERE ANYMORE,
I'M STILL APART OF THAT. AND I'LL FOREVER BE APART OF THAT."
"Ever since I could move my arm, I was throwing a ball and swinging a bat."
I was born, 1t was basicall
• . • . • • . EversinceI couldwalk, eversinceI coaldmovemyarm, I wu throwing a ballandswinsinB a bat."
"IN JAPAN, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO - THEY GO TO SCHOOL AND THEY PLAY BASEBALL," Arakawa said. "That cultural influence kind of made my decision to play the game."
That influence wasn't lost on the Arakawas when his great grandfather arrived in Hawaii from Okinawa to work in the sugar plantations. Much like in their native Japan, the Arakawas would find that Hawaii was an island that embraced America's Pastime.
"Baseball is one of the bigger sports (in Hawaii) given the fact that we have great weather and can play year round," Arakawa said. "We play through all the seasons - in winter, when most people are inside warming up, we're outside playing.
"Football is the biggest sport thereyou've got the big Polynesians - but we don't send too many basketball players to the NBA so I'd say baseball is the next biggest sport. You'll probably see a handful to 10 guys from Hawaii or with Hawaiian ties in the major leagues."
Arakawa's dream to end up on that list is what ultimately brought him to Stillwater.
But before Arakawa blossomed into one of the most clutch hitters on a Big 12 championshipteam, he began his collegiate adventure in Arizona.
Lightly recruited despite a standout career at Moanalua High School in Honolulu, Arakawa was determined to follow in the footsteps of his brothers, Adam and Peter, and play college baseball.
"I wanted to stay home and play in front of my family and friends, but the opportunity I was given was at Yavapai Junior College, which gave me a scholarship," Arakawa said. "I talked with my two older brothers, who played junior college baseball in California, and some of their teammates. One of them who went to Yavapai gave me some advice and said the coach was a really good guy and there was a pretty good Hawaii pipeline there."
0So that's how Arakawa began his college baseball career in Prescott, Ariz., and the JUCO experience served to reinforce one thing - his desire to be a ballplayer.
"I loved it. I embraced it," Arakawa said of his two seasons at Yavapai. "It was a
little bit of a grind, being packed into vans and eating gas station sandwiches, but it really separates if you love the game or if you don't.
"Itjustmademerealizethatyeah, I really lovethisgameandreallywanttoplayit."
Not only did Arakawa play, he thrived. In two seasons with the Roughriders, he hit .370 with eight home runs, 78 RBIs and 56 stolen bases.
"I really admire Tim for leaving Hawaii and going to junior college in Arizona and taking the steps necessary to reach his ultimate goal, which is playing Division I baseball and someday professional baseball," said OSU head coach Josh Holliday. "I've heard him say at times that it's been tough, but here's a kid that was willing to take that jump and go do what it takes. He knew to reach his goals he was going to have to go elsewhere, and he wasn't afraid to leave the comforts of home to do that."
Arakawa's next jump brought him to orange-and-black country. OSU recruiting coordinator Marty Lees had known of Arakawa since his high school days, and after seeing the Yavapai star play at a showcase for Arizona junior college players, he knew the Hawaiian would be a perfect fit for Holliday's first recruiting class.
"We were looking for a guy who could be a high-end hitter, especially from the left side, and we knew he was also a good
Cathlete who could run," Holliday said. "He was more of a center fielder when we were looking at him. We knew we were getting a good athlete and good hitter - little did we know when he got here that we were getting a really, really fine second baseman and an awesome kid.
UWE'REREALLY LUCKYHE FOUNDHIS WAY HERE."
Among Arakawa's first challenges in adjusting to Division I baseball came when Cowboy coaches decided he might be a fit at second base. Arakawa had played shortstop in high school but spent his two junior college seasons as an outfielder. It soon became clear to Holliday and Lees, who serves as OSU's infield coach, that the newcomer was up to the task.
"We felt like after assessing the roster we needed to look at Tim (at second base) to see, based on our personnel, if that was indeed a possibility," Holliday said. "Marty took him from day one and put him there, and they worked hard at it. It was clear to us that he could do it. And as the season played out, it was evident that the dependability of Tim and Donovan (Walton) up the middle was a stren_gth of our team."
"The game is a lot faster playing on the infield," Arakawa said. "In the outfield you can just chill and then go run down a ball. After I got my bearings, I got back into rhythm with the infield and started havin~.o:~=:::::""' fun. Playing up the middle with Donni (Walton) is awesome, just the way hen ·igates the game and helps me. Once we~==:::-' started clicking a little bit, we were in sync together and just had fun."
While Arakawa's ability to flash the leather at second base, where he started all 66 of OSU's games in 2014, was instrumental in the Cowboys' success, he also proved to be one of the team's top hHters.
eoc
Andif youhadto describeArakawa at the plate, onewordwouldcometo mind- clutch.
Arakawa collected 13 multi-RBI games as a junior, the second-highest total by a Cowboy, and his 44 RBIs ranked third on the club. Many of those seemed to come in the biggest moments. On 16 occasions he put OSUahead on the scoreboard,including eight times in which he drove in what proved to be the winningruns or were walk-off runs. Three other times he collected game-tying RBIs in contests that OSU went on to win.
"When the lights and the pressure are on, the strong rise to the occasion and the weak don't," Arakawa said. "I want to be known as a strong player, a strong-minded player. I feel like that's one of the things that measures your strength. Baseball is such a mind game, and you've got to be mentally strong to be successful. I felt with the amount of work I put in, I was either going to do it or I wasn't. I just had to stay within myself. And if I didn't do it, somebody else on the team was going to do it.
"Some people just get put in certain situations. Donnie, Gage (Green) and some of those other guys could have been put in that same situation over and over again, and they could have had success. It was just my turn to show that I could get it done.
"It was a little bit of divine intervention, too, the calmness. I'd go up there and just
whisper to myself, 'In the name of Jesus, just settle down,' so that I wasn't up there trying to do too much. And I feel like He took over a bunch of those times."
And for those on the Cowboys' side, there was no one they'd rather see striding to the plate with the game on the line.
"Tim thrived in those situations - he seemed to be really comfortable hitting with runners in scoring position," Holliday said. "I think you can attribute that to his calmness and his consistency and personality. He just has a quiet strength about him that really serves him well in those situations.
"I remember big moments in big games being next to him and hearing the calmness in his voice and appreciating that this guy really loves baseball, this guy loves this moment. I'm extremely confident in him, I believe in him. When he went to the plate during the last half of last year, I think everyone on our team knew he was going to come through."
Arakawa finished his first season in an osu uniform with a .265 BATTINGAVERAGE, FOUR HOME RUNS,44 RBIS and 15 STOLEN BASES.He also led the team with 47 WALKS, a total that ranked among the national leaders. Along the way, he earned All-Big 12 second team honors and was named to the NCAA Stillwater Regional all-tournament team.
But with Arakawa. you won't find an ego - he doesn't play the game for individual glory.
He's quick to praise teammates, usually referring to them as "my brothers," because family is what matters most.
In fact, shortly after arriving in Stillwater, he began referring to the OSU program as "ohana," a Hawaiian word meaning "like family."
And when you're thousands of miles away from home, which you will likely visit just twice a year, having a close-knit group of guys in your clubhouse is a blessing.
"He's found comfort in Oklahoma State and Stillwater and certainly among his teammates and our coaching staff," Holliday said. "He's found that he has an extended family here. Even though he's not home - home so to speak, I think he feels at home now."
Many of Arakawa's teammates have parents, brothers, sisters and other family members in the bleachers each and every time the Cowboys take the field. Not so for Arakawa.
"Certain times are tougher than others," Arakawa said. "A lot of times, teammates will have their family there after a game - a good game or a bad game, their parents are still there. I've got to pick up the phone and shoot a text message. My dad's not very technological so I don't talk to him much; I can't text with him.
"But when they do get to see me play, it makes it that much more special."
That special moment for the Arakawascamedurin_<;J_the NCAA Stillwater Regional, when TTm's parents ma-de their ·first trip to _ Stillwater to see their son play._For Lloyd Arak,'fwa, it-was the first time he had left the islands in nearly a decade.
Like their son, the Arakawas fell in love with Stillwater and the OSU baseball family, and Tim had another outstanding performance, hitting.375 in thethreegames and delivering a pivotaltwo-RBIsingle in the seventh inning of the Cowboys' titleclinching win over Cal State Fullerton.
For Arakawa, it was the culmination of an unforgettable season that also included 48 wins and a Big 12 Conference crown.
"The journey with everybody on the team, how we grew as a team in the locker room, was just amazing," Arakawa said. "I had big goals. You come to a university like Oklahoma State and you think, 'Oh, we're going to the College World Series,' but a lot of that is talk.
"BUT WHEN WE ACTUALLY WON THE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP - THAT WAS AMAZING. And to win a regional and to host a super regional was kind of surreal. I would have never imagined me being in Stillwater, Oklahoma, playing in front of a packed house at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium, alongside all my brothers. The ca1narade1-iethatwesha1·edwasun1·eal- without that camaraderie the Big 12 championship wouldn't have come, the regional win wouldn't have come. It was awesome to be a part of something so special."
For the boy from Honolulu, transplanted to Oklahoma after a stay in Arizona, playing a role in restoring a proud baseball tradition is not only a source of pride, but motivation for even more in his final season in a Cowboy uniform.
"I didn't know about Oklahoma State baseball until I got to Yavapai because Gary Ward had coached there," Arakawa said. "That was when I first learned about
the tradition. And then I got here and started learning about the Pete lncaviglias and (Robin) Venturas and guys like that.
"The way we played last year, all those come-from-behind wins, that grittiness, that toughness,that nastinesson the field, blue-collar baseball players who weren't prima donnas and were gonna go out there and scrap out every run and every win - that's what we did. It was such an exciting season because everybody was on the edge of their seat. I feel like that's what Oklahoma State baseball is about, and we showed that last year.
11 1 THINK WE DID GET A LITTLE PIECE OF OKLAHOMA STATE BASEBALL BACK,AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO GRAB A WHOLE HANDFUL THIS YEAR."
"Throughout my life I have had some amazing people help me along the way," says the humble Hedgepeth. "And I certainly would not be here today if it were not for a large number of people sacrificing for me."
The December 2014 grad will spend several months in training camp in Fairfax, Va., before settling in Houston for the remainder of his rookie year.
His team: ExxonMobil. His position: industrial engineer.
"Devin was being recruited by the very top companies," says Dr. Camille DeYong, associate professor of industrial engineering and management at OSU. "EXXONMOBIL, WAL-MART, CONOCOPHILLIPS, CHESAPEAKE THE LIST GOES ON. I THINK HE PROBABLY cou·LD'VE GONE TO WORKFORJUSTABOUTANYBODY HE WANTED TO. EXXON ONLY HIRES THE TOP GRADUATES, SO HE'S A PRETTY SPECIAL KID."
It's a dream come true for the kid from Derby, Kan.
"I seek challenges, and ExxonMobil promises to challenge me for my growth," Hedgepeth says.
Thejourneyis underway,asHedgepeth isamong a selectgroupofnewemployees learningtheropes.
"We're starting out in Fairfax to get a feel for what we're doing before moving down to their new campus in Houston," Hedgepeth explains. ''.Right now my title is retail fuels marketing program advisor, and I will be working with a group in global retail fuels marketing. I'll be working more with retail station locations and more on the marketing side to start off. From there they like to move us around every year or two, but eventually I may move into some more engineering roles or logistics."
HEDGEPETHWASDRAWNTOTHEINDUS-
TRIALENGINEERING(IE)FIELDBECAUSE OF WHATHECALLSTHE"PEOPLEFACTOR."
"We're one of the few engineering disciplines that take into account the people factor. IE's are known as the engineer type who can get out into the field and communicate with people, whether it is in a manufacturing plant, or in front of a board
of executives. I knew that I would not be locked into sitting behind a desk all day in front of a computer, and that excited me."
"Industrial engineers are improvement engineers," says Dr. David Pratt, OSU associate professor and undergraduate program director. "I think what makes a good IE is somebody who looks at the way things are done and believes there is a better way to do it."
THEALL-STATEATHLETE and CLASSVALEDICTORIAN
chose OSU for its combination of quality football and IE programs. Hedgepeth says he picked the Pokes over scholarship offers from the likes of Stanford, Kansas State, TCU, Wiscon and Air Force, as well as a handful of Ivy League schools.
"OSU was just a really great opportunity for me," he explains. "I was coming into a situation where there was a senior leaving, and I would get some good playing time as a true freshman. WHEN I VISITED CAMPUS, IT JUST FELT RIGHT. AND THE (IE) DEGREE IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE NATION. EVERYTHING HERE WAS PERFECT FOR ME." fj)
CLAY
I PHOTOGRAPHY BYBRUCE WATERFIELD
As a promising freshman in 2010, Hedgepeth saw action in every game, including a start against Troy. By the time the 2011 campaign commenced, the sixfoot, 190-pound corner figured to be a fixture in the defensive backfield along with fellow sophomore Justin Gilbert and junior Brodrick Brown.
Hedgepeth returned an interception 26 yards in the 2011 season opener against Louisiana and picked off another pass versus Tulsa two weeks later in the infamous lightning-delayed game that kicked off after midnight in Chapman Stadium. AT THETIME,HISTWOINTERCEPTIONSPLACED HIMEIGHTHINTHENATIONALSTATISTICS.
Things were looking up for the standout student-athlete.
Academically, Hedgepeth was settling into his chosen major and taking rigorous prerequisite courses for engineering majors. That often meant studying instead of partying, even on Saturday night.
"I would end up playing in the game then go back home, shower up and then do homework," he recalls. "It seemed like everyone else was out celebrating and having fun. A lot of times I would be in the AC (academic center) studying while some people could just relax."
Industrial engineering is a challenging major, particularly for student-athletes, says Dr. Pratt.
"ANY TIME YOU HAVE A MAJOR SPORT ATHLETE WHO IS AN ENGINEER, IT'S AN ATTENTION-GETTER ON A RESUME," Pratt explains. "It takes a tremendous work ethic because so much time is demanded from athletes. And athletes certainly aren't alone. People in the band, ROTC and students who have
outside activities frequently find that the time demands of engineering on top of that is difficult. What it takes is work ethic and time management, and Devin was certainly good at those."
Pratt, who also served as Hedgepeth's academic adviser, adds that student-athletes are often equipped with other skills that come in handy in the classroom.
"Some of the athletes that we've had have been very successful, and part of it is their ability to take constructive criticism. AS AN ATHLETE YOU GET THAT ALL THE TIME, AND YOU CAN'T GET DEFENSIVE AND REACT NEGATIVELY. YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT AND SAY, 'HOW CAN THIS MAKE ME BETTER?' ATHLETES ARE MUCH BETTER AT THAT IN A CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT THAN PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T HAD THAT ATHLETIC BACKGROUND. The others tend to take it personally, where an athlete sees it as part of the process to get better."
His colleague DeYong agrees.
"The really good student-athletes are ready to learn both from their coaches on the field and in the classroom from their professors. Not only can they manage their time and can sit down and focus when they need to, but they are really soaking up what they can learn all the way around.
"You can't be scared off by calculus or physics or chemistry," she adds, "but you don't have to be a genius to major in engineering. You just have to be willing to put the time and the work in."
"People would always throw it out there - how difficult it would be - but I always felt like I could do it," Hedgepeth says. "I feel like I'm the type of person who enjoys
uTHERE ARE MORE THAN 450,000 STUDENT-ATHLETES,
AND JUST ABOUT EVERY ONE OF THEM 'WILL GO PRO IN SOMETHING OTHER THAN SPORTS." -NCAA AD CAMPAIGN
challenges, and when another challenge comes up, I enjoy trying to figure out how to meet it."
on the field, Hedgepeth'ssignificantplayingtimetora championship-caliber team meantthepossibilityofplayingintheNational FootballLeaguewaswithinreach if he continued to improve.
"I DEFINITELY HAD DREAMS OF THE NFL, PROBABLY JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE," Hedgepeth says. "But I've always had the business side of things as my end goal. It's just always been fun for me to think like that, so even when I was getting a lot of good playing time my freshman year and there was a chance I may get to go to the league, I was still thinking of business opportunities for when I was done playing. That's just how my mind works."
The first blow came on the road as No. 7 OSU faced eighth-ranked Texas A&M in the Big 12 opener in 2011. Early in the fourth quarter, with the Cowboys clinging to a seven-point lead in College Station, Hedgepeth dove to break up a pass. Picking himself up off the field, he felt his left foot go numb. He limped to the sideline, fearing the worst.
"I knew something was really bad," Hedgepeth recalls. "In the back of my mind, I knew what was going on but didn't want to admit it."
At his Monday press conference, Cowboy head coach Mike Gundy delivered the news to the media that the talented sophomore was lost for the remainder of the season.
HEDGEPETHHADRUPTUREDHISACHILLES
TENDON - the thick cord that attaches the calf muscle to the heel bone. The rehabilitation process is a long one.
"I had surgery the very next day," he recalls. "I went home and was in bed for a good three to four days to kind of recover and wean myself off the pain medication. From there I was in a hard cast and crutches for about two-and-a-half months. After that, you transition into a walking boot with crutches for about three weeks, and then you're just in the walking boot for another month. f!J
PHOTOS I GARYLAWSON
"I would say it's close to six months from the time of the injury to get back to jogging and have it strong enough to feel confident about being able to run. That was probably the biggest thing with the Achilles. Since a lot of your explosion comes from that tendon, you really have to have 110 percent confidence in it. It's weird not walking for months and then getting out and trying to do physical activity."
Near the end ofhis rehab misfortune struck a second time.
"It was a freak accident," Hedgepeth recalls. "I was at home, just getting out of bed as I stood up, my left foot gave out."
Hedgepeth had re-ruptured the same Achilles tendon, which had to be surgically repaired once again. Repeat rehab.
"I'd say the low point for me was after that second surgery because I had fought
"Whenever I was playing, the time schedule was difficult, but with rehab, you have that mental aspect because you want to be out on the field. You're thinking about that and still trying to lift weights and keep your body right, plus you still have to be in class and have your mind right for that. You're struggling with being sad and some small forms of depression, so that was tough for me. That was definitely the hardest part."
Cleared to play by the start of the 2012 season, Hedgepeth began his junior year with high hopes. A MERE THREE GAMESIN, HOWEVER,THE FOOTBALLGODSDEALTTHEIR FINAL BLOW.
"It was at the start of a play. I was in my cornerback stance and began to change direction, swiveling my hips and it just gave way."
"PEOPLE WOULD ALWAYS THROW IT OUT THERE HOW DIFFICULT
IT WOULD BE BUT I ALWAYS FELT LIKE I COULD DO IT."
back really hard and felt like I was in a good position to reclaim my spot. I get to a point where I think I'm about to get back on the field, and I go down in the rehab process."
Coupled with an increasingly challenging curriculum, successive setbacks began to take their toll.
"THE END OF MY SOPHOMORE YEAR AND THE BEGINNING OF MY JUNIOR YEAR, WHEN I HAD ALL THE ENGINEERING SCIENCES (COURSES), THAT WAS WHEN I HIT A HARD ROAD," Hedgepeth says. "It was really rough. I struggled a lot, just crutching to class and having to be back in a boot for several months. It was definitely not the most fun time in my life. I never got to the point where I thought that I couldn't do it, but it just got pretty tough and I had to kind of push my way through.
THE PAIN, HEDGEPETHSAYS,WAS EXCRUCIATING- UNLIKEHIS FIRST TWO INJURIES.
"This time the tendon came off the bone I pretty much knew as soon as I went down that I was probably done. That would be my last time playing football."
"There's no doubt that the recurrent injury hit Devin hard," Pratt says, "along with the recognition that he probably wasn't going to be able to go the pro athlete route. Something he had aspired to do for a long time was no longer viable. I think he had sort of a period of introspection and rethought where life was headed for him. Fortunately, Devin was able to put that energy into engineering."
Later that year, Hedgepeth was invited to join the OSU student chapter of Alpha Pi Mu. the national IE honor society.
"It's very prestigious, particularly as a junior," Pratt explains. "You have to be in the top 20 percent of your class to be
invited. Devin had a wonderful set of credentials from an engineering standpoint by the time he graduated."
Hedgepeth's professors have always been impressed with his attitude and work ethic.
"I had him in class the fall and the spring when he tore his Achilles the first two times," DeYong recalls. "HE'D SAY, 'WELL, l'VE GOT TO BE OUT FRIDAY' HE NEVER TOLD ME HE WAS GETTING HIS ACHILLES SEWN BACK TOGETHER - AND HE WAS BACK IN CLASS ON MONDAY! HE NEVER MADE EXCUSES FOR HIMSELF. NEVER. HE JUST KEPT SMILING AND MARCHING ON."
Hedgepeth credits his positive outlook to his parents, Dwain and Lesia Hedgepeth.
"I was always kind of taught to roll with the punches, I guess you could say. Things will happen, and you can't really change the past, so you might as well keep on going.
"My parents were definitely sad and heartbroken when they figured out I couldn't play anymore," he adds. "I think my dad took it harder than I did. But they are definitely proud and excited for my future. I think they know I've got a big opportunity ahead of me."
It's an opportunity his former professors hope leads Hedgepeth back to Stillwater someday.
"We've actually tried our best around here to convince him to stay for graduate school.because he would be a wonderful professor," DeYong says. "He's got that inquisitive nature. He's smart. So we're keeping our fingers crossed."
The six-inch scm· on his left heel is a daily 1·eminde1·of what he's been through, butHedgepethdoesn'twant to be de.fined by his injuries.
"It's definitely not the way you want to be remembered," he says, "but it's not every day that a football player ruptures the same Achilles three times. So I don't mind talking about it now, especially since I've graduated and moved on to bigger and better things."
WEWAN
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rufURE • ·coWBOY?
IN TERMS OF HISTORICAL SUCCESS,THE MIDDLE-DISTANCE DUO BECAME THE 24TH AND 25TH ALL-AMERICANS ON THE ALL-TIME LIST OF COWGIRLS, JOINING TEAMMATES MONIKA JUODESKAITE
\J:) NATALJA PILIUSINA AS TWO OF FOUR ACTIVE ALL-AMERICANS CURRENTLY ON THE WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD SQUAD
Camacho and Edwards' effort was unique in multiple ways. Theperformance skyrocketedtheCowgirls to 15thinthefinal teamstandings,givingtheteamitssecondbestfinishinschoolhistory.Italsomarkedthe firsttimeOSUteammateshavestoodonthe samepodium at thenationalmeet.
Perhaps the most implausible aspect of the event, though, was that Camacho and Edwards were both redshirt freshmen at the time and were wrapping up their first season of indoor collegiate competition.
A year later, the pair have become veterans of the oval, building on their early success that, in some ways, has a sparked a youth movement of sorts.
"Kaela and Savannah were a part of an outstanding recruiting class," said Dave Smith, OSU's director of cross country and track and field. "That group also included Big 12 champion Clara Nichols and AllBig 12 performer Anna Boyert, plus Natalie Baker and Monica Lake, two very solid distance runners.
"Just as Natalja's success legitimized our women's track team in the eyes of the class of 2012. THE INCREDIBLE THINGS THAT THESE ATHLETES HAVE DONE SO EARLY IN THEIR
OSU CAREERS IS ATTRACTING A LOT OF OTHER VERY TALENTED ATHLETES."
Thispastindoorseason,Edwardspicked upwheresheleftoff.Using her now-trademark kick, the sophomore came from the backof the packto finish second at the NCAAChampionshipsrearning her secondAll-Americanhonor and setting a new personal best in the process (2:03.59).
An off-season injury kept Camacho from getting into peak form during indoors, but she heads into the outdoor campaign healthy and ready to race.
Atthe2015Big12IndoorChampionships, OSUfinished4thin theteamracewith 77 points, thehighestfinishinprogramhistory. The milestone meet was highlighted by championship performances from Nichols csoom) and Edwards,whobroke a 24-yearoldconferencerecordinthe1,000m(2:43.11). Edwards also anchored the victorious distance medley relay, sharing the baton with Nichols and freshmen Jennifer Celis and Stephanie Ferrante.
"Our middle distance group is, without a doubt, the best we have ever had," Smith said. "THE WOMEN CURRENTLY ON THE TEAM HOLD THE TOP FIVE POSITIONS ON OUR ALL-TIME LIST FOR 800 METERS AND HALF OUR TOP 10 ALL-TIME MARKS FOR 1,000 METERS AND THE MILE. We have two women (Piliusina and Camacho) who have finished second in the NCAA 800m a total of three times and another (Edwards) with a third place finish. Natalja is an NCAA champion in the lS00m (2013 outdoor)
"THERE AREN'T TOO MANY SQUADS ANYWHERE IN THE NCAA WITH THOSE KINDS OF CREDENTIALS. AND MOST OF THESE WOMEN ARE JUST GETTING STARTED."
With that in mind, the most intriguing question to ask is, where do they go from here?
"That's a great question," Edwards said. "Luckily, we've got some time to prepare for that."
"There are several women on this team who have the ability to reach the highest levels of the sport," Smith said. "Certainly, Kaela and Savannah m·e in that group. They m·e both exceptionally talented, and they possess the desire, w01·k ethic and tenacity it takes.
"There are no guarantees. Track-and-field is an extremely competitive sport and the margin for error is so small, but these two are relentless. Once they set their minds to something, there is no holding them back.
I WOULDN'T BET AGAINST THEM."
Although their performance on the collegiate scene may seem meteoric, success has not been a stranger for either Camacho or Edwards. Bef01·e signing with Oklahoma State, each of the women compiled a plethora of prep achievements.
Camacho, a native of Paso Robles, Calif., was not only active on the national leaderboards in the 800 meters, but also in cross country, where she registered fourstraight Los Padres league championships for Templeton High School. She began to build her middle distance resume during her freshman season when she reeled off
the first of three second place finishes in the state 800 meters.
After continuing to tear up California junior competition over the next two years, Camacho earned a spot in the national spotlight in 2012 with a berth in the pr tigious ARCADIA INVITATIONAL. t turned into a career-defining moment for~==::::, her as she went on to record the nation's top time in the BOO.
Edwards had joined the middle distance elite with eye-catching performances in multiple events, as she played a vital role in setting the Colorado state record in the 4x400 meter relay. [jJ
KAELA EDWARDS, left, and SAVANNAH CAMACHO.
The Highlands Ranch, Colo., native also placed her name atop the fastest 800 times in the country with a mark of 2:11.sg, set at the RUNNERS ROOST of Fort Collins meet in 2011. However, that achievement would eventually be erased by future college teammate Camacho, who claimed the top spot with a blazing time of 2:08.30.
CAMACHOANDEDWARDSENTEREDTHEIR SENIORSEASONSWITHTHENATION'SNO.3AND NO.6 TIMESINTHE800METERS. It wouldn't be the last time the dynamic duo would be mentioned in the same breath.
"I think both of us being the same age and coming to Stillwater at the same time really helped us push each other to succeed early on," Camacho said. "It's just a lot of fun to race with her. I know that she's got my back, and she knows that I've got her back."
FAST FORWARD
Two years later, Edwards and Camacho were standing on the starting line at the 2014 NCAA INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS. They'd trained, prepared and attended classes for more than a year and a half, but on the track, they were still both freshmen, running against four seniors and three juniors, each with more than twice as much collegiate experience.
As the two youngest competitors in the event, Edwards said the moments leading up to the race were a roller coaster of emotions.
"I was a nervous wreck," Edwards said. "I was a little scared and a little excited, and I get really emotional sometimes, so it was really unlike anything I've ever felt before."
CI)Dave Smith:
Our middle distance group is, without a doubt, the best we have ever had . ... There are several women on this team who have the ability to reach the highest levels of the sport.
DYBEDOKKEN, EDWARDS, FERRANTE and NICHOLS after the DISTANCE MEDLEY RELAY at the 2015 Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.
PHOTO I CLAYBILLMAN
At the same time, Edwards mentioned that the pressure was somewhat relieved after her preliminary heat two days earlier. Camacho eased her way into the finals by topping the list of qualifying times, but Edwards squeaked in by a narrow margin, earning the eighth and final spot with a mark of 2:07.77 - less than two hundredths of a second between her and the next-fastest opponent.
"I honestly didn't have many expectations going in, mainly because we barely got in, and I was kind of surprised to make it into the finals," Edwards said. "Once it was finally time, though, it all just kind of hit me. There were just a lot of emotions."
Camacho, who roomed with Edwards during the team's stay at the national meet, said she shared a similar mindset with her grateful teammate.
"WE WENT IN AS THE UNDERDOGS, so it was nice to not really have any pressure," Camacho said. "IT WAS FUN, just getting out there and doing our best. IT ALL PAID OFF."
The 2-3 finish capped off an almost identical season for the two Cowgirls, as each accumulated numerous individual accomplishments leading up the NCAA meet. In three appearances in the 1,000 meters, CAMACHORECORDEDATRIOOFFIRSTPLACEFINISHES,including her individual title performance at the BIG 12 INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Edwards nearly earned a conference crown of her own, as she finished first in the primary round of the 800 meters and second in the final.
At the RAZORBACK INVITATIONAL, Camacho and Edwards finished one-two in a performance that earned both of the women their NCAA-qualifying times. With marks of 2:05.41 and 2:05.59, the difference between the twc Cowgirls was only .18seconds, a margin ironically similar to the 19-second difference at the national meet.
Still, the captivating effort on the national stage was easily the highlight of the season for the Cowgirls. Smith compared the performance to those of much more developed and experienced competitors.
"Talk about mature racing," he said. "Those two women were freshmen but ran like seasoned veterans. I was so proud of them. I told them to race as if they had been there before but like they never would be there again. They were fearless, confident and poised. To see them charging down the home stretch in second and third place gave me chills."
TEAM CONCEPT
"KAELA AND SAVANNAH HAVE RAISED THE BAR OF POSSIBILITY AND EXPECTATION FOR OUR ENTIRE PROGRAM," SMITH SAID. "They have inspired confidence and belief in each other and their teammates. That's extremely powerful. Our collective subconscious has changed. I feel it in the approach to workouts, hear it in the chatter after practice and see it in their faces when they are battling down the homestretch in races."
In 2015, a number of young Cowgirls delivered promising performances on the indoor track, including true freshmen Celis (Hotchkiss, Colo.), Kaylee Dodd (Essex, England) and Aurora Dybedokken (Asker, Norway).
At the HUSKY CLASSIC, Celis, delivered a lifetime mile mark of 4:40.69, giving her the second-best time in the Big 12 and the fourth-fastest in school history. At the same meet, Dodd notched the sixthbest 800 time in school history, while Dybedokken delivered a personal-best mile that also cracked the OSU top 10.
Edwards said her teammates' success can be attributed to an infectious mindset that has been instilled within each individual member of the team
"We train together, and we spend a lot of time together on our runs and what not, so I think it's kind of just like a contagious attitude," Edwards said. "If you're training with someone, why not go for the same things that they've achieved and they're currently going for."
"THIS GROUP HAS FANTASTIC CHEMISTRY," ADDED SMITH. "IT'S REALLY FUN TO BE AROUND THEM. They feed off each other's accomplishments with the perfect balance of support and competitiveness. Each time one of them has a big-time performance, the others are genuinely excited. And they're inspired to get on the track do something even bigger."
With the Cowgirls' individual accolades accumulating rapidly, team notoriety has also seen a huge boost. EARLIERTHISYEAR, THEOSUWOMENWEREREWARDEDWITHTHE NO.13SPOTINTHENATIONALTEAMINDOOR RANKINGS,MARKING A NEWHIGHFORTHE PROGRAM.
Being in the national spotlight gives the team a higher profile heading into the next few years, as Camacho, Edwards and company could represent Oklahoma State all the way through the 2017 spring season.
"We just want to keep improving," Camacho said. "I THINK WHAT WE'VE DONE SERVES AS A GREAT FOUNDATION FOR OUR OVERALL COLLEGIATE CAREER AND SETS AN EXTREMELY HIGH BAR FOR US."
The duo's silver/bronze.finish at Nationals may be hard to replicate, but the memory remains fresh in their minds.
"ITWASREALLYCOOL HAVINGTWOOFUSUP THEREONTHEPODIUM INTHEBRIGHTORANGE " CAMACHOSAID."ITHIN THATWECANEVENDO I AGAIN,ANDMAYBEADD ANOTHERCOWGIRL UP THEREINTHEFUTURE."
"SCHOOL IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. We are student-athletes. We are coming here for an education. It's kind of getting the opposite way with people focusing more and more on athletics, but most of the kids here aren't going to go play professionally, so I THINK IT'S VERY IMPOR· TANT TO GET A GOOD EDUCATION. IT'S NOT IMPORTANT JUST THAT YOU PASS, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU TAKE THINGS AWAY FROM WHAT YOU'RE LEARNING."
The olde t of three si ter , DeLaCrnz has set a positive example for her ibli ng Her sister SARAH is a freshman softball player at Oklahoma City University, while ERICA graduate high school this pring with plans to pursue a nur ing degree.
"Growing up, college was a thing that I didn't even know existed," he say·. "And now ['m going to be the first in my family to graduate, o l think that' cool.
"My parents are pretty proud. My mom i already bugging m about getting a class ring. l told her I'm getting a frame for my diploma, but he want to get me an extra one so I have one for my job and one at home." •
Growing up, college was a tlling tliat l didn't even kna existed. And now I'm~ going to be tlie first in my family ta graduate, so I tllink that's coal.
Onthefield,Delacruzletsherarmdothe talking.The sidearm delivery on a rope across the infield is an indication that opposing hitters better find the hole or risk being gunned down at first.
"SHE HAS AN EXCEPTIONAL ARM," Wieligman says. "That's what stood out to me as we were recruiting her. AT SHORTSTOP YOU WANT SOMEBODY TO MAKE THROWS THAT CAN SHORTEN THE FIELD IN A HURRY, AND THAT'S WHAT SHE CAN DO."
"Ltdefinitely helps a lot," DeLaCruz adds, "especially with slappers. They are going so fast- making it from home to first in 2.5 econds - so it definitely helps a lot.
I LIKE PLAYING DEFENSE. I LIKE THROWING PEOPLE OUT. It's kind of like they're trying to show what they do, and you just shut them down."
"Since day one, my dad taught me that there's no point in throwing the ball ifyou're not going to throw it hard," she says. "I was four when J first started playing baseball with the boys. I WASOUTTHEREWITHMY PINKHELMETANDMYPINKKNEEPADS, and all the little boys were mad because I was better than them.
"The power in my arm just grew over time. IT'S HARD FOR ME TO MAKE A LIGHT TOSS, SINCE I DON'T REALLY THROW OVERHAND."
Teammates, including her roommate (fellowsenior Shelby Davis), have asked DeLaCruz to ease up a bit during practice.
"Shelby hates playing catch with me," she says. "If it's cold, they definitely don't want to play catch with me. They th ink I'm throwing hard on purpose, but it just happens."
At the plate, DeLaCruz continues to improve. As ajunior, she batted .244 in 135 at-bats and showed power with 15 extrabase bits, including five home runs. Her .358 on-base percentage reflects patience at the plate, with 20 walks a year ago.
"I just like to get on base whatever way I can," she says. "I DON'T REALLY LOOK AT BATTING AVERAGE. I look more at on-base percentage and RBIs."
"She's got good gap-to-gap power," Wieligman says. "She'll drive the ball. And she's improved at driving runs in." flJ
Wieligman ·ays players can focus too much on statistic , which are so prevalent in softball and baseball.
"You start getting caught up in numbers as a player, and then every at-bat llleans so much to you," he says. "On ourdugoutdoorwe'vegota signthatreads,
P~OCESS/OUTCOME
meanmgprocessoveroutcome. If you only look at your outcomes, you're going to fai 1 every ti me. As a hitter, you've got to look at your process. lf you're hitting the ball hard and you're hitting good pitches and you're not getting hits, you can't let that bother you. Or you can have a bad at-bat, swing at a bad pitch and get a hit, and you think you're good It's just the luck of the game. We want our players to have a good process.
"Yeah, we'd love for everyone to improve their numbers," the coach adds," but what I want to see is lllaturity in every at-bat. Gessenia'simprovedeveryyear.That's the thing that you look at - is she getting better?"
The native Texan has been aslarler sirn;e arriving atOSU from Lamar High School in Houston. Recruited as the Cowgirls' future shortstop, DeLaCruz initiallyfound herself filling a hole at third base.
"That first year, we had Chelsea (Garcia) at short," Wiel igman recalls. "We ended up having a third baseman that transferred, and it pushed Gessenia into third base. She'd never played third base - ever - but we needed her there th at first year."
Despite the dramatic differences from playing shortshop, Wieligman says DeLaCruz was able to make the difficult transition to third.
"She did a really good job, you bet. From never playing there to having to play at a D-1 level, he lid great."
"Y, , 1 " , ou re c o er. ,ou ve got more responibi lity on bunt . There's more of a short game, when you have slappcrs and people that drag and things like that."
IIer coach admits that DeLaCruz's offen ive out1 ut likely suffered as result of the new po ition.
"lt's pretty tough to keep your offense going when you're worried about playing defense so much," Wieligman says. "A lot of people don't really u n lerstand that, but when you're thrown into somethino· new b when you're overwhelmed on the defensive side, it's going to hurt your offense, just because it' taking so much mental energy to play the game. So I think it hurt her development offensively, but we had to have her out there on defense."
DeLaCruz says the position grew on her. "FOR A LITTLE WHILE I DIDN'T LIKE THIRD," DELACRUZ ADMITS. "There are difforcnt qualities that arc needed for both positions, so it took me about half a season to figure it out. After that, J loved third. It's kind of like an adrenaline rush. l want hitter to slap or tap the ball or whatever I think it's fun. l'd play halt~ way to home if l had to, to get the out. It can be dangerous, but after so many years of playing softball, you just react."
The 2012 campaign presented a number of memorable moments for the fresh man, including a big win over sixth-ranked Texas, which featured some star power in the lineup.
"ONE OF THE BEST HITTERS THEY HAD (ALL-AMERICAN LEXY BENNETT) HIT THE BALL FREAKIN' HARD," DeLaCruzsays. "Shewas pretty much a monster. She nailed the ball and hit me in the chest on one hop. She's pretty fast, but I picked up the ball and still threw her out. Ltwas amazing. I don't know how I did it. That whole game wa pretty awesome. Oflensively, we did great against them, too."
The Cowgirls shut out the Longhorns 3-0 Thetemporarypainofa shottothe sternumwaswot1h it.
"lt only hurts for a second, and then you're like, 'Did that even happen"?"'
So would a return to the hot corner be a pos ibility?
Now that J've been back a:t shortstop for a couple years, I don't know if going back would be all right with me."
A fixture at short since her sophomore campaign, DeLaCruz entered th 2015 season as the incumbent starter, but lingering physical issues derailed her offsea on.
"She's always had some hamstring tightness and things that she's managed to work through, but if you can't pass the conditioning test, you weren't al lowed to practice," Wieligman says." he couldn't get her hamstrings healthy enough to get th rough the test.
"Shejust wasn't healthy enough. It wasn't a lack of effort or being out of shape, or anything like that, it's just that her legs weren't allowing her to (practice). Our trainer, Claire Williams, worked with her and got her healthy, and now she's good to go. Last fall wasn't easy on her, but now she's sm iiing. She feels good right now. We just want to keep her healthy the rest of the year, because it's a grind."
DeLaCruz didn't take her starting position for granted. Unable to practice with her team mate in the fall, the senior focused on what she could do physically.
"SHE SHOWED UP AT PRACTICE EVERY DAY AND HELPED OUT. She worked out and hit on her own, took ground balls on her own, things like that," Wieligman says. "And creelit to her, she didn't complain. She had a great attitude through the whole time."
"THIS FALL WAS INTERESTING," DeLaCruz says, pausing to choose the appropriate word. "There were points where I didn't know if my leg was going to heal. I've had problems with it since
freshman year. Over the break I just really worked on getting healthy, and I was able to pass the conditioning test. So my leg' feeling great."
Wieligman wants DeLaCruz to enjoy her final season in a Cowgirl uniform.
"l told her to just have fun, have a great senior year, and we'll see where we go," he says. 'The journey she's been on hasn't been the easiest. Some people think it's all easy once you get here, and it ends up being tougher, but she' responded welI. A lot of kids couldn't do what she's done,just mentally. I think it'] I pay off for her in the long run, moving forward into a career.
"The thing about this kid," Wieligman adds, "is she competes hard. Gessenia's probably too hard on herself. She doesn't allow herself to fail. She keeps battling . She shows up every day. She's got a bluecollar attitude."
DeLaCruz says she simply wanted to make the most of her time at OSU.
"I think it's a great opportunity for anyone that gets to go to college, whether it's fu Ily paid for or partially paid for, becau e education is o important in our times right now. A college degree is what a high school diploma used to be - everyone ha to have it - so I think it's really important.
"For me, college wasn't even an optio at one point, so I'm gratefu I for the opp rtu n ity because most people don't get th ~.:-:::."chance to do these thing . It's been such a great experience at Oklahoma State. I LOVE EVERYTHING HERE. I love the school. I love going to games. I love all the fight songs and the chants that we do HONESTLY, I BLEED ORANGE."
I
OSU leads the conference.
But we're not finished yet.
~~Te~'i.~'il:~Better equipment. Batter facilities. Better support. Each dollar has a direct impact on the lives of our studant-athlatas.
1'Each scholarship we endow secures the future of OSU athletics and provides more opportunities for our student-athletes on and off the field,"
INA HYPOTHETICALSITUATION.YOU'RESETTOGRADUATEFROMHIGHSCHOOLINA MONTH.YOUEXCELINYOURFAVORITESPORTANDLOOKFORWARDTOCONTINUING THATPARTICIPATIONATTHEUNIVERSITYLEVEL.SUDDENLYTHINGSAREDRASTICALLY ALTERED. To your dismay, your plans change. NOWYOUAREORDEREDTOTRAVELTOA FOREIGNCOUNTRYANDATTENDCOLLEGE where your native tongue is not spoken.YOUBARELYREADTHELANGUAGE ANDCANNOTSPEAKITat all. NONEOFYOURCLASSESARETAUGHTINYOURNATIVE JAPANESE.However,YOUCANCONTINUETODEVELOPEXPERTISEINYOURSPORT UNDERTHETUTELAGEOFARESPECTEDANOREVEREDFUTUREHALLOFFAMECOACH.
COULD YOU SURVIVE IN THAT ENVIRONMENT?
For Yojiro Uetak.e it was real life. In 1962, at the age of 19, Uetake was a national high school wrestling champion in Japan. He migrated from Gunma, Japan, to Stillwater, Okla. to complete hi· education and wrestle for coach Myron Roderick and the OSU Cowboys.
UETAi<ENEVERLOST A MATCHFORTHEPOKESWHILECAPTURINGfHREE
During Uetake's three years on the mat for the Cowboys, he thrilled thousands of Poke fans. They quickly learned that he was invincible, although he didn't pin too many opponentsfo1· a simple 1·eason, he says.
"I'd rather wrestle."
"Back home my father taught junior high," Uetake recalled. "I tried tennis for three years, but it didn't suit 111e.So r got into judo/wrestling, but judo had no weight class. Being small, l decided to wrestle. I had an excellent high school coach and at thatti111e J set a goal to win the Oly111pic."
So what was the journey like for this young muscular 5-foot-7, 130-pound round-faced, hand ome smiling lad with a short crew-cut who didn't know 111orethan a handful of words in English?
"IN JAPAN, I LIVED IN THE COUNTRY, SO THE SMALL TOWN OF STILLWATER MADE ME FEEL AT HOME. The people were friendly and 1 liked coach Roderick," recalled Uetake, "but
"Sunday through Thursday nights, when I wasn't in class or on the wrestling mat working out, I was in the Iibrary studying until it closed - at least five hours. Then I'd go back to Bennett Hall and study in the snack bar, usually u nti I 111idn ight or later. t USED A DICTIONARY TO LOOK UP
A LOT OF WORDS. Classes were tough for 111e,"Uetake 111iled.
"But on Friday and Saturday nights, l would go out to (the) Anchor lnn with crazy wrestler Jack Briscoe and several football players, like Tim Havern, and we'd drink beers. l also liked to s111ile at the girls."
One su 111111erUctake rented a bed room from his best friend, Havcrn, and his wife, AMANDA. They occupied a large rent house. During that ti me, the I-Tavernswere blessed with their first child.
"I went quickly to the hospital to congratulate the parents and see the baby," said Uetake. ''l'D NEVER SEEN A NEWBORN BEFORE, AND THE FACE WAS l couldn't peak 111uchEnglish, so school ALL WRINKLED UP. I FELT SORRY ca111every de111anding for me. J worked AND TOLD TIM TOO BAD HIS BABY extra hard." WAS SQ UGLY. BUT TIM EXPLAINED
[n Stillwater, Uetake quickly devel- THAT'S THE WAY ALL NEW BABIES oped a routine. LOOK. I FELT BETTER." Ell
"THE LUMLEYS knew MR. HATTA, head of the Japanese Wrestling Federation. His son, MASAKI HATTA, who wrestled at OSU before me, had previously spent time with the Lumleys. They were great, treated me like family, had me in their home often, particularly on holidays. A vvonderful family. I spent four-and-ahalf years in Stillwater and went back to Japan only once."
THEU.S.CULTUREWASA CHALLENGE FORUETAKE.
"Sundays at the athletic dining hall, for lunch, we always had to wear a tic, every time. I couldn't understand why. Just us guy there."
THEFOODWASALSODIFFERENT.
"Myron warned me of high calories. I was used to lots offish and fried rice, not too much variety. The fir t two months I gained weight, eating hamburger steaks with rich brown gravy, fried chicken and shrimp, plus pie and ice cream. But soon l was able to cut back and get to my necessary weight."
F01·sorne 1·eason thefootball players took Uetake, an easy guy to like, ~=~der th,eir wing and helped hirn w • i his studies.
"I majored in health and physical education, as did many of the players. Jim Click, Walt Garrison, Curt Holdridge, Hugh McCrabb, many others helped me. They were all good guys drinking buddies' Also football players Denny Krout and Jon Kolb taught me how to gig frogs. Then they would fry them and we'd have a delicious meal."
"l have so many good memories: all the Lown people treated me so well. A barber named DODSON was particularly kind. Mr. Iba treated me great and encouraged me, as did football coach Jim Stanley, ba eball coach Toby Green and track coach Ralph Higgins. I only have great memories."
On 1·oad t1·ips the w1·estlers t1·aveled in station wagons. Uetake always satin them idd le, next to coach Roderick, who was driving.
"Myron alway· tells jokes," said etake, "ninety-nine percent of which I didn't understand. Myron laughed at (his) own jokes. Other guys in car tell me I'm lucky not to understand because jokes are not that funny."
"Myron liked me and I liked him best coach, taught best sound teclm ique in the world," recalled Uetake. "He took me all over the U.S. to work at his summer clinic I met a lot of people and learned a lot about wrest! ing."
On the mat, Yojiro took on coach Roderick, a three-time NCAA champ and Olympic wrestler in his own right. "We worked out together in those days; he was one tough guy. NOW I COACH AND TEACH WHAT MYRON TAUGHT ME 90 PERCENT OF WHAT I WAS AS A WRESTLER, I OWE TO MYRON."
"I don't know how good Yqjiro really was becau ·e I never saw him challenged."
When Uetake was inducted into the NationalWrestlingHall of Fame,his bio said it all.
"YOJIRO WAS THE COMPLETE WRESTLER, BLENDING SPEED, STRENGTH AND UNPARALLED SKILLS TO DOMINATE ALL AREAS OF THE SPORT: TAKEDOWNS, CONTROL, ESCAPES AND FALLS. SELDOM DID ANY OPPONENT SCORE ANY OFFENSIVE POINTS AGAINST HIM."
.JoAnn Roderick, Myron's widow, said her husband would concur.
"MyronalwayssaidthatYojirohad naturaltalent,andwasbyfarthebest wrestler he ever saw or coached."
JO ANN RODERICK also provided some insight into Uetake's original journey from the .Japan to Stillwater.
"Of course Myron had made some connections when he wrestled in the '56 Tokyo Olympics, one of them being Mr. Hatta, the .Japanese commissioner for wrestling. Mr. Hatta had sent a wrestler from Japan to stay with a family in Utah, and that wrestler was supposed to en roll at OSU. However, he was recruited to BYU. It made Mr. Hatta mad and he told Myron not to worry, that he would send him a better ,vrestler; that's when Yojiro showed up. Y~jiro hadn't wanted to come and was upset, but he was fantastic on the mat, was funny and quickly fit in. He loved Stillwater, and the people in Stillwater felt the same way."
In the mid-1990s, Myron Roderick suffered a stroke which confined him to a wheel chair. But neither his energetic, positive spirit nor ability to speak were impaired.
"MYRON LOVED YOJIRO," recalled Jo Ann. "Afew years after Myron's troke, Yojirowas in town with a.Japanese national team, which he was helping coach. Yojiro, afraid that he might cry, really didn't want to come see Myron, but finally he did. They had a great time! Myron always told Yojiro that he shou lei marry a girl with thin ankles and, ifhe did, his sons would be fast runners. But now Y~jiro has two daughters and two granddaughter , o it clid n't matter."
A HIGHLIGHTFORUETAKEWASTHE'64 TOKYOOLYMPICS,WHEREHEWONSEVEN MATCHESBEFOREHISHOMECROWDAND DIDN'TLOSEASINGLEPOINT.
"I don't show too much emotion when I win, but it's nice."
Former Cowboyteam mate and Olympic wrestler Bobby Douglas was also a fan of Uetake.
"HE WAS THE FASTEST MAN WHO EVER STEPPED OUT ON THE MAT," HE SAID. "I NEVER SAW ANYONE WHO WAS AS TOUGH AS HE WAS, ALSO SUPERB MENTALLY, A TRUE SAMURAI WARRIOR IN EVERY WAY. Back when Yojiro and I were in Stillwater, it was a unique situation. We wrestlers were like family. We were bonded. Not only did we all eat together, but we also bung out with each other, a brotherhood."
In MexicoCity's 1968OlympicGames, Uetake dislocated his shoulder, but went ahead and captured gold - although he clid n't have much use of one arm.
"I didn't want silver," he grinned.
Another time while wrestling at Lehigh University, Uetake was ahead 6-0 when the referee penalized him for stalling.
"It upset me," said Uetake, "the other guy was stalling, o I pinned him. People at the match were saying, 'Don't make Yojiro mad."'
WhywasUetakesuch a successful,worldclassathlete?
"I don't know, nobody told me to do it it was my responsibility. I had a great coach wherever l went. T have a straight and honest mind and was coachable. If [ like coach and he likes me, we trust each other and I have loyalty. I have loyalty for Myron because he coached so well,"he said. UetakemarriedaJapanesegirlwhoisan elderdaughterandhasnobrothers.Under Japanesecustom,ina marriageunderthose circumstances,thegroomtakesthebride's lastname;in thiscase,Obata.Today the family owns three western style hotels with a total of191 rooms. Uetake still has a hand in the business, sports a 12 hand icap on the golf course, coaches high school wrestlers and loves being a family man. His lovely wife, Hisako, has made several trips with him to the U.S. He comes back every year for the NCAA wrestling tournament.
"I love to see the matches and visit with old friends," said Uetake.
"THE CROWD GAVE ME A STANDING OVATION FOR THREE TO FOUR MINUTES. Iabnostcried. I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT. BE SURE AND TELL EVERYBODY THAT I STILL LOVE STILLWATER!"
CONSIDERING ALL THAT HE WENT THROUGH AND THE MANY MILES HE TRAVELED. UETAKE NOT ONLY SURVIVED IN HIS NEW ENVIRONMENT BUT. UNDER CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES. HE THRIVED!
DESCRIBEDBYMETEOROLOGISTS AS RMA EDDO BLIZZAR 201S.
Your local grocery store aisles reflect the results of our so-called winter weather catastrophe. Maybe it's a conspiracy to sell more? By the time you read this it will probably be 85 degrees and sunny. Or it could be two-below and sleeting. Spring is a funny season around here. But then again, ALLof them are funny seasons around here. I have a friend from New York who visited Oklahoma in mid-August and due to the heat, expected to see the devil himself running around at the Cowboy Caravan in Tulsa.
When weather experts use technology and attempt to perform a predictive analysis, they still have to rely on the whims of MOTHER NATURE. She can still move a freezing line north or south and change the wind direction in a nanosecond. It's an educated guess based on the information they have.
The band GREAT WHITE released a single in 1989 called, "Once Bitten Twice Shy." It was a song that told the girl the guy had been burned before, so he was slow to step out there again. A few years later, country crooner GEORGE STRAIT sang: "FOOLMEONCESHAMEONYOU FOOL METWICESHAMEONME."
We all get taken in sometimes. For bette1· or fo1· wo1·se. Especially when it comes to sports. There are times when we read and believe the headlines that say how great a team is and or how wonderful the season is going to turn out. Of course these predictions seem to always come well before the season starts. It's
challenging for the fans because, let's be honest, who doesn't want to rush out and get that new hat and sweatshirt, drink the Kool-Aid and put on the colored glasses? Those glasses help you believe the print and buy the hype. A lot of people like to gather around the water cooler and spout the statistics given by the local writers or the radio and television professionals when the forecast is for sunny skies in reference to "your" team in a particular sport. OVERLYPOSITIVEPRESEASONPONTIFICATION is even more problematic for players. No coach wants their players believing they have the conference won, or a single game for that matter, before the season starts. Someone once said that compliments and poison are only fatal if you swallow them.
The other end of the spectrum is when we read or hear about how bad a team is going to be in a particular sport or season. Haven't we learned by now there are a host of variables that determine team success in conference play? There is experience or LACK of it. Injuries play a big role, for your team as well as for those competing against you. Some players underperform, others play above their heads.
For many players, underperformance comes to visit, and never leaves. For others, achieving at a high level occurs game after game until they have developed an ALLAMERICATYPECAREER. The point is, it's not a single event or even a single season that is important. Like most of us have found out about life, it's a journey. Journeys take time and patience.
MOTHER NATURE moves lines and blows wind in different directions in sports too. Sometimes, she lets you catch a second punt. At other times, she gives you the inspiration to put a defensive tackle in the backfield and then throw to him. Teams go on winning and losing streaks. Winning streaks always seem fleeting, while losing streaks appear as an endless odyssey across the Gobi.
This winter we have seen two visiting teams who were supposed to leave Stillwater victorious, one in men's basketball and one in wrestling.According to the professionals, the Cowboys didn't stand much of a chance at victory. But all victory needs is a chance,andsome peopleto believe. Shoot, our entire country is based on that one.
Regardless of the sport or the season, we watch. We cheer. We support. The sun sets and it comes up again. The great thing is, when life gives you an orange, we make orange juice. And if a little bit spills, it's ok. It happens to match the clothes you're wearing.
