Release Radar is an Oklahoma State club dedicated to helping small-time musicians get connected and start living their dreams.
Saturday marked the second Release Radar Fest, which featured 10 groups performing from 3 p.m. to midnight. What made this year special for those performing and in attendance was the location.
The Bait Shop is a venue that opened earlier this year, offering Stillwater and the OSU community something it has never seen before.
“It’s especially awesome for a spot like this, The Bait Shop, where it’s offering an opportunity to see music and to go out and have a show that’s not 21-plus,” said Sam Miess, guitarist and vocalist for Ugly Cowboys.
Bobby Wintle, a longtime Stillwater resident and business owner, has always loved music. He’s been performing in bands since he was 15 and booking shows with local venues in Stillwater
for the past several years. This year, Wintle decided to try something bigger than he’s ever done.
“I got this building, and what I want to do is give back to kids,” Wintle said. “What I’m building here at the Bait Shop is essentially the Mercury Lounge Tulsa, but all ages in Stillwater, and this is going to be definitively one of the best music venues this town has ever seen.”
Wintle opened the venue earlier this year, but he hadn’t come up with a name that stuck until recently. Not wanting to use a generic-sounding name, he eventually landed on The Bait Shop, which he said is all because of his family.
“I wanted to name this place something weird,” Wintle said. “My son and I love fishing so much, and he’s gotten me back into it since I haven’t been since I was 15, so I wanted to pay respect to my son and what’s brought us really close together.”
The Release Radar club began a few years ago, organized by OSU alumna Elizabeth Sanders.
See RADAR on page 6A
McNeal makes history, wins Mr. OSU
NOAH BRYANT STAFF REPORTER
On a night filled with energy and celebration at Oklahoma State, Anthony (AJ) McNeal II was crowned Mr. OSU 2025.
But for McNeal, the title represented far more than a crown or sash.
It was a recognition of purpose and the impact of stepping into spaces Black men at OSU never have before.
McNeal is the first Black Mr. OSU in the contest’s fourth year, and wants to show students any-
thing is possible if one puts their mind to it.
“I ran for Mr. OSU to give Mr. OSU a bigger platform,” McNeal said. “A bigger representation of what it is, what honor it needs to hold about this university… I see a lot of people not trying to talk to each other, not trying to be a bother or stay in their own little (group of) friends. So I advise people to get out and do things that they don’t know.”
McNeal was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, before moving to Houston at 15. Growing up in a household full of women and without brothers, he learned early how to stand on his own and find his voice.
That sense of independence and drive would follow him to OSU, but not without thoughtful planning.
When it came time to choose a university, OSU stood out to McNeal because of its Spears School of Business.
McNeal had done his homework; he knew its accreditation ranked it in the top 6% of business schools globally and has a graduation-to-employment success rate of more than 90%. For someone focused on building a strong foundation for a future in financial consulting, these weren’t just numbers; they were opportunities.
Gov. Stitt creates working group after wildfire critcism
RAYNEE HOWELL
ASSISTANT NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
@RAYNEEHOWELL
In the early morning hours of March 14, the Olive Volunteer Fire Department was full of firefighters prepping equipment and listening to their chief brief them on a day capable of producing a historic wildfire outbreak.
The high wind, low humidity and dry conditions led to several volunteer firefighters from Olive taking time off from their day jobs in preparation. The wildfire outbreak inevitably came, and when it did, it killed four people and destroyed more than 500 homes.
Fire personnel across the state worked long hours into the night and next day, including Chief Jason Dobson’s crew in Olive, which traveled in an attempt to put out several fires.
“We started off responding to a fire in the Freedom Hills area, just right across our border,” Dobson said. “The
next call was to assist Drumright, and while I had the truck over at Drumright, we ended up getting called to Oilton, which turned out to be a false call, but at that same time, we end up getting the call to go help Freedom Hill because the Mannford fire actually started in (the) Freedom Hills area.”
The Mannford fire raged for hours, destroying 29 homes. The Stillwater fire also left devastation in its wake, destroying 98 homes and affecting 123 more. Gov. Kevin Stitt was out of the state when the fires broke out, but upon his return found he lost his home to wildfires north of Luther.
In response to the fires, Stitt made some changes to the Oklahoma Forestry Services leadership and started a working group. He fired director Mark Goellner, who had served in various roles at OFS for 33 years. Stitt, in a press conference, said “Why do I even have a Department of Forestry? Let’s just get rid of the whole thing.” Lawmakers and other fire personnel like Dobson felt the governor’s words
were unacceptable.
“We’re really an extension (of OFS) and when the governor says, ‘Well, the forestry really didn’t do a good job,’ well that’s really a slap in the face to the firefighters, because we’re a forestry extension,” Dobson said. “So, we’re out there doing it, and when they say, ‘Well, they didn’t do a good job,’ well that means the fire departments didn’t do a good job.”
Members of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association sent a letter to the governor’s office on behalf of several organizations — including the
importance of OFS.
Kareem Sawan
Anthony (AJ) McNeal was officially crowned Mr. OSU after competing in the fourth annual pageant.
Courtesy Brad Fletcher
Release Radar Fest took over The Bait Shop.
Payton Little Ninety-eight homes were lost in Stillwater during the March 14 wildfires, including several in the Pecan Hill Neighborhood.
City of Stillwater — to express concern about the possibility of OFS disbanding. The letter was several paragraphs long including sentences expressing the
See MR. OSU on page 5A
See STITT on page 4A
City sales tax revenues to remain flat
KENNEDY THOMASON STAFF REPORTER @_KENNEDYPAGE
Stillwater’s sales tax revenues are projected to remain flat.
During a presentation of the FY26 proposed budget, Assistant City Manager Christy Cluck said the trend shows that collections are “leveling off.”
“This is concerning since sales tax is the largest source of funding for our city’s general fund, and the dependence on sales tax collections is one of the biggest constraints that Oklahoma cities operate under to fund general government services like public safety networks,” Cluck said.
The budget was proposed to the City Council during Monday’s meeting.
The city’s revenue is expected to increase $6.4 million, with expenditures increasing $3.5 million. Net income is projected to be $19.9 million.
Electric will continue to be the city’s main revenue driver at 40%, with sales and use tax and water following closely behind, according to the city’s projections.
Payroll is projected to be the city’s highest expense at 44% for FY26, a 1% increase. Purchased power will maintain its expense at 20% of the overall expenditures, according to the city’s
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projections.
Emergency reserve funds are projected to be $35 million, which sits $14 million below the city’s target.
Stillwater Mayor Will Joyce said the city doesn’t make enough money with its unrestricted general revenue to cover public safety. Using money not in the general fund to cover expenses is necessary, he said.
“This is not something that is unique to Stillwater; it’s not something that’s unique, I think, in a lot of places,” Joyce said. “It’s not because we’re spending a lot of extra money on silly stuff, right? We have to cover general fund money just to pay the full public safety costs of our community, which is absolutely true of just about every community in the state.”
With the exception of the Stillwater Fire Department, money for public safety is reliant on the general fund, Cluck said. The fire department, she said, only makes money on the fees collected from responding to rural fires.
The FY26 proposed budget will have a public hearing May 19, with budget adoption scheduled for June 2. The budget would go into effect when the new fiscal year begins July 1.
With revenues and expenditures accounted for, Cluck said the city operates as efficiently as possible.
Assistant Sports editors Kenzie Kraich, Calif Poncy, Sam Mitchell
Assistant Photo editor Connor Fuxa
Assistant Social Media editor Jose Brito
Assistant Design editors
Alexandra Guinn, Tobey Lunceford
Adviser Brett Dawson brett.dawson@okstate.edu
Ask the Pokes
Best tip for studying for finals?
“Get a good-night’s rest beforehand. That’s important.”
- Rhett Schwarz
“Stay hydrated and remember to eat. Sometimes I get distracted from panicking and studying, so remember to take care of yourself.”
- Moira Wright
“Study.”
- Carter Warfield
Sports reporters:
Daniel Allen
Dalton Arredondo
Baylor Bryant
Cayden Cox
Timothy Christensen
Gina Foster
Allyn Orndorff
Kaitlyn Robertson
Wyatt Tessier
Will Thorogood
Wyatt Watson
Weston Wertzberger
News & Lifestyle reporters:
Bella Casey
Sungjoo Chung
Luisa Clausen
Audie Martin
MJ Nyamdavaa
Richard Robertson
Megan Roy Kareem Sawan
Kennedy Thomason
Alli Themer
Olivia Upton
Aliyah Young
Photographers & Designers:
Jose Brito
Maya Blanks
Mykalyn Daidone
Catherine Dzanski
Lilian Easter
Andon Freitas
Cody Garcia
Kaytlyn Hayes
Ethan Hilbert
Jonathan Jackson
Michael Jane‘t
Benjamin Perry
Bailey Schmitz
Bryson Thadhani
Kennedy Thomason
Assistant City Manager Christy Cluck said the city’s sales tax revenues are projected to remain flat.
NEWS
Walters announces new deadline for K-12 schools to comply with Title VI
State Superintendent Ryan Walters plans to block funding for K-12 Oklahoma schools that fail to discontinue DEI programs.
In a statement from the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), Walters said he will withhold education funds from schools that do not sign the State Department of Education’s Title VI assurance letter issued by U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
The letter, issued April 3, required federally-funded school districts to sign. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibits race-based discrimination in federally funded institutions
to take effect by April 18. Walters signed the Title VI assurance April 11, and set the April 25 signature deadline for school districts in the state. According to The Oklahoman, as of Wednesday, 446 school districts had signed the letter and 96 districts had not responded.
Walters applauded the mandate in a statement praising McMahon and President Donald Trump.
“Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary McMahon, we’ve set a national standard that protects our children from discriminatory practices under the guise of DEI,” Walters said. “Oklahoma is proud to stand firm in our commitment to merit-based education and the values that have made America exceptional.”
A body identified by Stillwater Police as 43-year-old William Whittington of Stillwater was found in the water at Boomer Lake on Tuesday. Whittington was an Oklahoma State employee in the Division of Agricul-
news.ed@ocolly.com HAYDEN
Pope Francis dies at 88; OSU Catholics reflect on his legacy
encyclical was about the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which involves a lot of mercy.”
tural Sciences and Natural Resources. The preliminary report did not indicate foul play, but the report is still pending from the Medical Examiner’s office. SPD responded at the scene. The agency said his body was found on the east side near Husband Street on Tuesday morning. Cause of death will be in the ME report, once completed.
A SPECIAL PEOPLE!
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” (1 Pet.2:9-10 NIV)
The apostle Peter is writing to a people who previously had no real relationship with God, but as they came to Christ, to trust and follow him all things changed. They are now special people, a pure people, chosen to be a special group who were taken from spiritual darkness. They are God’s people!
If you have come to Jesus, and received forgiveness of your sins; this is also your new condition. The Apostle Paul said it this way; “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Co.5:17 NIV)
We are the people of God and we have sto ry to tell. We can proclaim it clearly and sincerely to all. This happened to me in Japan, November, 1956. I heard the good news of Christ and things begin to change in my life. Jesus became real and began leading my life. It has been an adventure, learning to fellowship and walk with the Lord. I have made many mistakes, but the Lord keeps encouraging me to keep following Him.
The God, who has started a good work in me and you (fellow believer) will finish it with eternal consequences. All through the ages to come we get to experience life with Christ. If you have not yet put your trust in Him and begin following him. I urge you to do It now. He is faithful to lead your life into the best (sometimes difficult) things and will glorify Himself and produce lasting blessings. It’s open to al!.
The name Pope Francis was missing from his familiar place in Monday’s Mass at St. John Catholic Student Center. For many Oklahoma State students, it was the first time they’d experienced a papal transition.
After Pope Francis passed away early Monday morning, students and church leaders at OSU reflected on his legacy as a shepherd to the marginalized, a pope of firsts and a man who helped shape modern Catholic identity.
“In the Mass, the name of your local bishop and the name of the pope are in the Eucharistic prayer,” said Rev. Kerry Wakulich, pastor at St. John’s. “That name, Pope Francis, is not in the Mass right now.”
Francis died at 88 in Rome, and his name was omitted from the liturgy just hours later. Students at the Catholic center attended Easter Monday Mass as usual, but the tone was somber.
During the homily, Wakulich asked students how they would live the “extraordinary life of the resurrection,” reminding them that the pope’s final public words on Easter were simple: “Happy Easter. Jesus Christ has been crucified and is risen.”
Although his papacy has ended, many OSU students say his legacy will last far longer.
Julian Hesse, a missionary at St. John’s, said he was surprised by the news.
“My wife, Hannah, woke up at 7 a.m. this morning and told me that the pope passed away,” Hesse said. “I just saw a video of the pope yesterday. And hearing that he passed away today was surprising.”
For Hesse, Pope Francis’ example shaped the way he approaches faith and evangelism.
“He has a papal encyclical called Evangelii Gaudium,” he said. “That’s something that, as a missionary here at St. John’s: I read often and was inspired by his desire to share the gospel to anybody and just have that come from my heart.”
Hesse also praised Francis for advocating for society’s most overlooked.
“I’d say the way that he looked out for the unwanted and the poor and needy and the migrants, the outcasts, those in the peripheries,” Hesse said. “I think he really contributed to their good and sharing the gospel with them, whether you think it’s worth it or not.”
Drenan Ryan, a student intern at St. John’s who helps organize liturgical events, echoed that sentiment.
“I think he was a big proponent of really cultivating the virtue of mercy,” Ryan said. “He declared a jubilee year for like a year of mercy, and his last full
Ryan said Francis’ humility was central to his leadership. From rejecting papal opulence to choosing simpler housing and clothing, his modest approach stood in contrast to tradition.
“When he was first announced as pope, the two popes beforehand had both hands out greeting,” Ryan said. “And he kind of just barely had one hand, smiling and waving.”
Pope Francis was known for taking bold steps to connect with Catholics worldwide. He continued outreach efforts like World Youth Day and planned to canonize a young Catholic saint during a jubilee event this week — a plan that will fall to his successor.
Still, students say that while he was universally admired for his compassion, he sometimes stirred debate among traditional circles.
“I think sometimes he gets flak in the traditional Catholic community with some of his more progressive teachings,” Hesse said. “Some yes, some no — some good, some bad.”
Yet others believe his message resonated deeply, especially with the younger generation.
“One of the comical things Pope Franics did is he took away a guy’s desk at the Vatican,” Wakulich said. “Literally took his desk and said, ‘You’re supposed to be out in the streets with the poor and marginalized.’”
St. John’s students continue Francis’ legacy of service by volunteering under bridges in Tulsa to feed the unhoused. These acts reflect what many believe was his clearest teaching.
“Take care of the marginalized,” Wakulich said. “Take care of the poor. Take care of the weak — those who have no voice.”
Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City released a statement Monday, calling Francis “a shepherd for whom the Church’s witness to the world was at the forefront of his mind.”
“There is a certain fittingness, and poetic beauty, that the Lord called his servant home during the Easter octave and Jubilee of hope,” Coakley said in the release.
Now the Church enters a time of transition. For the first time in more than a decade, Catholics will wait for white smoke to rise above the Sistine Chapel as cardinals elect a new leader.
Ryan hopes the next pope will help Catholics deepen their spiritual lives.
“It would be nice for the faithful to have more of an idea what a life of prayer can really look like in someone,” he said. “Especially in a world dominated by distractions and noise.”
As the Church prepares for what’s next, the name Francis may no longer be spoken during the liturgy — but his impact still echoes across Stillwater.
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Creative Commons
Ryan Walters said he will withhold funding for public schools that fail to sign Title VI assurance letter.
File Photo
St. John Catholic Student Center held Easter Monday Mass shortly after the death of Pope Francis, omitting his name from the liturgy as part of the Church’s transition period.
BRYSON THADHANI SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
Bryson Thadhani
Stillwater Police Department found a body at Boomer Lake Park on Tuesday morning.
Lifestyle
OSU clubs, organizations celebrate Earth Day 2025
HAYDEN
ALEXANDER NEWS & LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Oklahoma State traded in orange for green Tuesday.
Tables lined the Student Union Plaza, overflowing with plants and stories. Students shared their clubs’ goals while others taught new plant owners how to tackle caring for their new leafy friends.
In celebration of Earth Day, several on-campus clubs came together to promote sustainability and environmentally-conscious living at the SGA Sustainability Board’s yearly Earth Day celebration.
Some clubs provided plants, while others shared their sustainable endeavors in hopes of increasing an interest in sustainable practices. The Environmental Science Club shared their work as citizen scientists, sampling and testing the water quality of a local creek.
Senior Leila Dadgar, a member of the club, said the celebration helps spark discussion and get the word out on campus about what clubs like hers do.
“The whole goal is to promote sustainability and talk with people about what they can do to be sustainable and live a greater way of life,” Dadgar said. “A big part of it is showing the community the sustainability we have here at OSU. I feel like a lot of people aren’t aware of the different organizations that we have that promote a greener lifestyle.”
Green was the theme of the day, and the Horticultural club got in on the action with its plant-covered table. The club sold potted plants to students for $5, giving them the advice and resources they need to become dorm room gardners.
“We support plants, and we really love the Earth,” President Lake Solis said. “We believe that plants should be
accessible to everybody.”
The plants grew quickly as the afternoon sun drew more students outside to enjoy the day. While there were multiple nature-centered groups, one club rolled the dice on recycling. The OSU Dungeons & Dragons club used recycled 3D printer scraps to create an array of plastic, multi-colored seashells.
Michael Henson manned the table and said recycling is nothing new to D&D players, who are known for creating items like chainmail out of pop tabs and bottle caps.
“This is a good way to show off that what most people just throw away can be turned into something cool,” Henson said.
Other groups, like the Geology Society of OSU, set up a demonstration for students on permeability and the relationship between rocks and water.
Frost Trussell said the society uses their knowledge and work with minerals to research new sustainability practices.
“We are a bunch of rock people that like to do rock things,” Trussell said.
Xander Rouk with Engineers Without Borders takes their sustainability efforts across the world, helping people while integrating earth-conscious practices into their service efforts. In Guatemala, the group constructed a pipeline to provide a reliable water source for local communities.
Rouk said Earth Day is a chance for the group to raise awareness about its global goals of helping people and the planet.
“It’s an opportunity for us to bring recognition to not only the issues that the earth is facing with global warming and all of our other concerns.”
Earth Day occurs annually, but at OSU, sustainability is a continuous effort. Groups such as the Horticultural Club and the SGA Sustainability Committee regularly host events on and off campus.
SWEAT: Fitness meets community in Stillwater
wide range of people come together and support each other is truly special.”
Hayden Alexander
‘The Boys From Oklahoma’ brings crowds to Eskimo Joe’s
probably continue in some fashion. We just don’t know what that will look like.”
In addition to benefiting Eskimo Joe’s, the concert brought crowds to Mexico Joe’s.
Located in the heart of downtown Stillwater, SWEAT is a yoga and fitness studio that offers a variety of workout classes, including barre, yoga, pilates, presence in power, sweat flow and fusion, as well as various workshops.
Lauren Gil is a hot pilates instructor at SWEAT. With an extensive background in fitness, Lauren brings knowledge, experience and motivation to her training sessions. Gil is a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer, Exercise Safety Association group fitness instructor, stretching and flexibility coach, performance enhancement specialist and 200 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher.
As clients walk through the door, Gil hopes they feel welcomed, supported and empowered.
“SWEAT isn’t just a place to work out — it’s a community where people uplift each other and grow together,” Gil said.
The studio hosts a free class for the Stillwater community every Sunday at 3 p.m., taught by a different instructor to bring a fresh perspective to the training session.
“Classes bring together all ages, from junior high girls and high school athletes to college students and even those in their 70s,” Gil said. “Seeing such a
SWEAT also connects with local businesses for community events, wellness partnerships and unique class experiences. Some organizations the studio has recently partnered with include OSU sororities, CowboyThon, Encore Dance, the Humane Society of Stillwater and Stillwater Medical Health Center.
“Whether it’s hosting special sessions, supporting other small businesses or bringing people together for fitness and fun, I believe collaboration makes us all stronger,” Gil said.
Gil’s favorite part of teaching pilates at SWEAT is seeing her clients improve with each class they take.
“The growth over time — whether it’s in confidence, body image, flexibility or even athletes enhancing their performance — has been so rewarding,” Gil said. “Anytime a client has that ‘aha’ moment — where something clicks, and they realize how strong and capable they are — it’s incredible.”
As clients break a sweat, Gil wants them to break past their limitations as they build confidence, strength and a deeper appreciation for their bodies.
“More than anything, I love inspiring young girls and boys to chase their dreams and never let anyone tell them otherwise,” Gil said. “Movement teaches resilience, and I hope my classes instill that mindset.”
Stillwater’s weekend of music brought large crowds to local business Eskimo Joe’s, showing the economic impact of large-scale events in a small town.
From April 10 through April 13, “The Boys From Oklahoma” concerts transformed Boone Pickens Stadium and turned Stillwater into a Red-Dirt Coachella, drawing in more than 200,000 people.
Stillwater’s small-town atmosphere was transformed into bustling city streets, which had a large impact on local businesses.
Local Stillwater staples Eskimo Joe’s and Mexico Joe’s were greatly impacted by the large crowds.
“We went to basically a game day menu, and we had both indoor food service and we had an outdoor food service, outdoor drinks, just trying to accommodate more people,” said Kendra Burtrum, Eskimo Joe’s public relations director. “We had a ginormous tent set up here in our North lot, much like we do on game days, that accommodated a couple of hundred extra people. But we also hosted the Red Dirt Relief Fund and had a stage here, and so there was a lineup of music all four days.”
Located at 501 W. Elm Avenue, Eskimo Joe’s is within walking distance of BPS, which led to tailgates and post-concert meals over the weekend.
“It was such an economic shot in the arm for the community of Stillwater to have such an influx of people, and then with us being in close proximity to the stadium,” Burtrum said. “Having the entertainment and the food and drink options that we had, we’re just blessed to be right here in the shadows of Boone Pickens (Stadium).”
There have been rumors of Stillwater hosting another concert next year.
“I was at the concert when they announced that they might try five more days,” Burtrum said. “And I don’t know if that was a serious suggestion, or just something that Cody Canada said. Personally, I don’t know what their plan is for the future, but I do believe that it will
“They’re still in a prime location in Mexico Joe’s,” Burtrum said. “They’re coming from a different direction. But within, I don’t know, just a few blocks, basically, and they had quite the uptick in business as well, this last week. So gotta believe that it was just a win for Stillwater altogether.”
“I enjoyed working the concert weekend,” said Mexico Joe’s employee and Oklahoma State student Genevieve Parks. “It was definitely one of the busier weekends we’ve had, especially Sunday morning. I think it was definitely a lot. But it was worth it for the business we had.”
The event meant extra prep time for Parks and the rest of the staff.
“We definitely were briefed and kind of prepped for the amount of people we have coming in,” Parks said. “I mean, they kind of just thought that it would be like four game days in a row, which is the best way we could describe it. I know we put extra people on staff. We had some old employees come in and help, and we just had all hands on deck for the weekend.”
While local businesses celebrated the boost in customers, Stillwater students and employees expressed their frustration with the new crowds.
“I think the concert was a huge inconvenience, especially for the students trying to get to class and go on with their student life,” Parks said. “A lot of classes were canceled. It was definitely just like an inconvenience; maybe they could have more concerts over the summer, but not in the middle of the school year.”
Although she doesn’t support having more concerts during the school year, Parks recognized how impactful the concert was for the local Stillwater businesses like Mexico Joe’s.
“The concerts were definitely a positive for the business,” Parks said. “I think a lot of places, just like our place, got a big increase in people. And it was definitely one of the busiest weekends we’ve had in a while. So, I think it was beneficial.”
More than 200,000 people attended “The Boys from Oklahoma” concerts.
Hayden Alexander
Desiree McGriff (left) and Leila Dadgar (right) with the OSU Environmental Science Club talked with students about the importance of sustainability and the environment.
ASHLEY YARBROUGH STAFF REPORTER
ALLI THEMER STAFF REPORTER
“Eliminating this agency would be a step backward, leaving our state more vulnerable in a time of growing wildfire risk,” the letter read.
The O’Colly reached out to the City of Stillwater for comment on its endorsement of the letter. Director of Communications Dawn Dodson sent an email explaining the City was unaware of its inclusion on the letter, though it appreciates everyone’s efforts to continuously find improvements for safety and fire response.
After receiving criticism from OSFA, lawmakers and fire personnel, Stitt retracted his statement about getting rid of the department as a whole and focused on the response from the department March 14.
“While they (local and rural firefighters) were out fighting fires and saving lives, the bureaucracy within the forestry division’s leadership withheld nearly 50% of resources from those facing the most dire fire situations,” he wrote. “I applaud the people in the Forestry division that are on the front line supporting our rural firefighters; however, as we have sought to get more information about what happened that day, leadership at Forestry has been unresponsive and has given us inconsistent information.”
Stitt has since fired more officials from the department, but his office and spokespersons from Oklahoma Department of Agriculture and Forestry — the department over OFS — have not revealed who was fired. Dobson said he doesn’t understand why Stitt’s office is not being transparent. He also said resources were limited for OFS and all fire personnel that day as fires broke out everywhere.
“Just like the Mannford fire chief said, normally, we would get mutual aid from all of our surrounding departments,” Dobson said. “But on that day, all the surrounding departments were fighting their own fires.”
OFS released a wildfire log, which stated March 14 that “All available Forestry Services firefighting resources were assigned to fires in multiple locations across the state. Resource requests from the field to Forestry Services and Oklahoma Emergency Management were unable to be filled because every state and local firefighting (resource) were engaged in ongoing wildfires.” OFS responded to 36 fires that burned approximately 32,226 acres, according to the report.
Stitt released a map April 8 showing the wildfire response from OFS. He claimed the map shows a failure to triage the fires. OFS, according to the report, had 49 firefighting personnel fighting fires on 92,593 acres and 47 firefighting personnel fighting fires on 2,320 acres. In the same press release, Stitt announced the forming of a new
wildland response working group to enhance coordination, advance wildfire mitigation and more.
Stitt appointed Secretary of Public Safety Tricia Everest and Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur to lead a group of first responders, fire agencies, emergency managers, OSU research professionals and more. Everest said about 30 people have been brought together for the group.
“It’s kind of historic,” Everest said. “All these different individuals involved had never met in one place before, together as a state. So it’s really encouraging and exciting to just start learning about how we understand each other’s roles and move into more of a collaboration, understanding resources, how to better accommodate resources, how we look at mitigation, how we do it.”
First responders in Stillwater worked together without assistance from OFS. Nicole Hart, clinical manager of LifeNet — an ambulance service in Payne County — said the area director for LifeNet reported to a unified command post that consisted of Stillwater fire, Stillwater police and Stillwater Emergency Management. LifeNet assisted primarily with transportation for evacuations, as a response vehicle would arrive with most ambulances to help transport additional citizens in danger.
“In some situations, our crews loaded upwards of seven people per ambulance for relocation to another site,” Hart said.
Stillwater did what it could with its resources, but the working group is hoping to enhance coordination and communication among first responders across the state. Its goals are also to leverage grant funding, partner with stakeholders, engage with Oklahoma State to integrate academic research and collaborate with legislation. The group must submit a set of formal recommendations to the governor and legislature in six months.
Everest said she doesn’t anticipate the group will take the full six months. She also confirmed the working group will not be discussing personnel status for any particular agency.
Dobson isn’t hopeful for the outcomes of the working group, as he said the governor has mishandled the entire situation.
“I know he’s established his wildland response work group,” Dobson said. “Unfortunately, it’s going to be very biased because of the fact that he is picking all of his people to put into that role to do the investigation, to figure out what we can’t do better in the future. And unfortunately, they’re going to tell him what he wants to hear.”
The O’Colly reached out to the governor’s office for comment and received no response.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Mr. OSU
Continued from 1
“This was something I needed,” McNeal said. “A place that could put me in a good position professionally, but also somewhere I could grow personally.”
Transitioning from two major Texas cities to Stillwater wasn’t easy. The pace was slower, the entertainment options fewer and the town revolved almost entirely around OSU. But rather than let that discourage him, McNeal used it as motivation to engage more deeply on campus and build his own experience.
“It’s one of those places where you make it what you want,” McNeal said. “Stillwater forces you to get involved, focus on school and build real relationships. That’s exactly what I did.
“I like to think people love me. I talk to everybody. I’m just a cool, chill guy.”
Between classes, workouts and his love for music and shopping, McNeal built a balanced college life rooted in connection.
The decision to run for Mr. OSU came from a desire to bring something new to the table; to expand what the position meant and whom it spoke to.
For McNeal, it wasn’t about a popularity contest or tradition. It was about giving the crown a platform.
He wanted to show the OSU community that the title could carry weight and inspire others, especially for those who might not always see themselves in leadership roles on campus.
When the time came to submit his application, McNeal approached it seriously. The process asked candidates to define their “why,” describe their platform, outline their talents and what they bring to OSU. These weren’t just surface-level questions; they pushed him to reflect on who he was and what he hoped to accomplish through the position.
The application was followed by interviews and an on-stage presence segment, all of which McNeal handled with the same thoughtfulness and charisma he’s known for.
He wasn’t just performing; he was being himself.
When McNeal was announced as Mr. OSU, he was overwhelmed with emotion. It wasn’t just a personal win, it was a communal moment of pride. His family, who had supported him every step of the way, celebrated with tears, hugs and dinner that night. His friends, Alpha Phi Alpha Inc. fraternity brothers and even people who barely knew him were quick to congratulate him.
“Honestly, I think they were happier than I was,” McNeal said. “Just seeing me step out of my comfort zone, chasing something bigger, they were proud of that.”
The impact of his win rippled far beyond Stillwater. Social media posts about McNeal quickly spread
across fraternity pages and student networks. Messages came in from across Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas and Kansas all congratulating him — not just for winning, but for what the win represented.
Jaiden Daughty, McNeal’s line brother and close friend, was one of McNeal’s most vocal supporters. Daughty felt proud watching McNeal pour his heart into the process.
“He was constantly working, constantly checking in,” Daughty said. “Asking us late at night, ‘Does this sound right?’ or ‘How does this look?’ He really wanted it to be perfect. To see it all come together with the brotherhood behind him, it was emotional. I felt like a proud dad, honestly.”
Daughty said McNeal’s win has already started opening doors not just for himself, but for others in their chapter and the wider campus community. It showed titles like Mr. OSU can be more than ceremonial, they can be transformational.
“He’s helping bridge gaps on campus,” Daughty said. “And because of him, we’ve got more space to keep building those connections.”
Now that he holds the title, McNeal is committed to using his new platform to encourage campus unity and push more young men to step outside their comfort zones.
McNeal wants students to know it’s OK to pursue things that might feel intimidating, and stepping into leadership is not about perfection, it’s about showing up and being authentic.
“Some people are scared they’ll embarrass themselves,” McNeal said. “But you never know, you might just make something amazing out of it.”
His presence on campus has already become more visible, and he’s embraced the recognition that comes with the title. Whether walking across campus or attending events, he’s become someone people feel comfortable approaching, a bridge between different parts of OSU’s student body.
Although Mr. OSU is a major milestone, McNeal is focused on the bigger picture. After earning his undergraduate degree, McNeal hopes to return to OSU for his MBA. From there, he plans to become a financial consultant, with aspirations of one day opening his own firm.
“I want to be in the financial world throughout my 20s and 30s,” McNeal said “Eventually, I want to build something of my own, something that’s all mine.”
McNeal’s goals reflect a desire not only for success but for freedom and a life of meaningful work.
For other students navigating college life, trying to find their purpose, McNeal offers this advice: “Don’t let anyone control your mind or your future,” he said. “Life is short; shorter than we think. College is just four years, if that. So do what you want to do. Take chances. Be bold.”
Kareem Sawan
Mr. OSU 2025 Anthony (AJ) McNeal and Crowd Favorite Jermaine Kelly Jr. celebrate their wins.
Payton Little
On March 14, 26,301 acres in Payne County were burned from several wildfires.
ANNIE ROSS STAFF REPORTER
Note: This articles contains spoilers. Season two episode two of “The Last of Us,” held true to its source material by sealing the fate of one of the series’ most beloved characters.
In a shocking moment for fans of the series — and a dreaded one for fans of the game — Joel (Pedro Pascal) is bludgeoned and then stabbed to death by Abby, the daughter of one Firefly Joel killed after rescuing Ellie (Bella Ramsey), while Ellie watches helplessly.
Show creator Craig Mezin told Variety that the choice to kill Joel early on was always the plan.
“Our instinct was to make sure that when we did it, that it felt natural in the story and was not some meta-function of us wanting to upset people,” Mazin said.
The creative choice didn’t come as a shock to fans of the video game series, but it had quite an emotional effect on returning and new viewers of the series.
It wasn’t hard for veteran fans of the series to pick up on the obvious creative differences between this season of the show and the second installment of the video game series.
The first episode of this season features a scene that was not showcased in
the video game. The creative choice to show Abby Anderson and her group of former Fireflies in the beginning rather than keeping the audience just as in the dark as the characters provides more perspective on the new characters at the beginning rather than creating that slow burn the game featured.
From a TV standpoint, the creators may have wanted to humanize, and add nuance to the character of Abby, played by actress Kaitlyn Dever, to prevent the negative backlash that Abby’s video game actresses experienced following the release of “The Last of Us: Part 2.”
Despite the choice to stray further from the source material in the newest season, the show showed strong attention to detail, and the performance of the cast was excellent. While there are things that fell short, like this season’s casting, the love for this project shines through in every way.
Radar Lifestyle
It’s no surprise that Dever (Abby) does not resemble the video game character, but her delivery and execution make up for the average-at-best casting. In fact, the creative choices that changed her introduction actually work well to create a more enjoyable and likable character.
It’s nearly impossible to play the role that kills the main protagonist, and come back every week as a fan favorite. But these changes may benefit Abby’s story for the remainder of this season. It will be interesting to see the different perspectives that this show has lined out for the audience.
Sanders said the club has always been about connecting musicians and creating a space for bands, especially alternative groups, to flourish.
“Release Radar’s main purpose was to network people, and to be the main bridge between venues and musicians,” Sanders said.
The current vice president of the club, Lucas Cardenas, said he has made some of the best relationships and connections in his time in Stillwater through Release Radar.
“I came because I knew it was a safe place for musicians, and really just alternative people to greet and gather,” Cardenas said.
Since the club’s conception, the music scene in Stillwater has changed dramatically. Bee McAdoo, bassist and vocalist for Ugly Cowboys, said he’s witnessed the growth of non-country music.
“I’ve been here for the past seven years, and it went from essentially just (a) Red Dirt scene to a very diverse set of bands that play here,” McAdoo said.
There’s no question Stillwater has seen an uptick in alternative music over the past several years. For Sanders, the Bait Shop is what the scene
has been desperately needing.
“There was a renaissance of music in Stillwater, and that’s why I’m so glad that we’re here at this venue is because we’ve been missing a great venue,” Sanders said.
When Wintle discovered the rising scene here, he knew he wanted to help the groups thrive in any way he could.
“I’m so glad we found each other,” Wintle said. “I stumbled across Release Radar OSU on Instagram, and I was like, ‘I don’t want to be the weird gray haired, 39-year-old creepy guy and be like, Hey y’all can I come by a meeting and say hi,’ and I didn’t. I don’t remember how we got connected, but we did, and I was like, ‘Yes, yes, yes.’”
Whether through venues or new music being made every day, everyone at Release Radar Fest would agree that music is changing in Stillwater. Maybe nobody is more excited for the future of it all than Wintle.
“I didn’t know this was happening, like I didn’t know all these bands existed here,” Wintle said. “It’s a revolution dude, and they didn’t have any place to call home, and now the Bait Shop is OSU music’s and the college kids’ home.”
Courtesy Lucas Cardenas
Alternative bands are gaining traction in Stillwater through the second annual Release Radar Fest.
Courtesy Creative Commons
Episode two of the “The Last of Us” left fans of the show and games heartbroken.
Gen Z fights against workplace stereotypes
BY CARTER WHITE
O’COLLY CONTRIBUTOR
Generation Z faces a lot of backlash in the workplace.
A 2024 Survey done by Intelligent shed some light on the negative reputation Gen Z — those born between 1996 to 2012 — has in the workplace.
According to the survey, 75% of companies report that some or all recent college graduates they hired were unsatisfactory; six in 10 companies had to fire a recent college graduate; and more than half of hiring managers say those graduates are unprepared for the workforce.
Sixteen students who responded to a survey sent by an O’Colly contributor had mixed reviews of the Intelligent results.
Rowin Bennett, an Oklahoma State business economics freshman, said he agreed with a lot of what the survey results showed.
“I can attest and say that a lot of my fellow peers are not ready for the work force at all,” Bennett said. “They are lazy, not willing to
do hard work or want to have ‘easy jobs’, which really don’t exist.”
Bennet also said companies sometimes don’t like it when Gen Z is able to get a job easier than older generations did.
“They will find shortcuts to get the same job done rather than do it the ‘old-fashioned way,’” Bennett said.
However, many respondents didn’t find the results of the Intelligent survey to represent them accurately, with 13 of 16 respondents saying they feel prepared to go into the work force.
Despite the survey from Intelligent claiming Gen Z was unprepared for work coming out of college, 14 of 16 of respondents said they feel like their college experience has prepared them for the work force.
When asked whether the problem with Gen Z lies with the generation itself or employers, most respondents weren’t sure.
Joel Templeton, OSU career services coordinator, said the issue is a combination of factors.
“Historically, every new generation that is entering the workforce
catches some amount of grief from older generations that are already working,” Templeton said.
Templeton also said lack of work experience compared to past generations plays a role, as does general generational differences.
“Differences of communication, differences of working style — I think those are magnified not just because of generational differences but because of the willingness and expectation around adaptability,” Templeton said. “They’re not always accustomed to having to adapt to others, and so they are entering a work force that most of the superiors above them are working in industries that have years of a baseline expectations, and I don’t think Gen Z has been set up as well as past generations to be able to adjust and adapt to those expectations.
“Our parents are very straightforward, and our generation works around to get the task done but we do it differently,” Bennett said.
But respondents to the survey seem to have mixed feelings on their need to change their attitude and work ethic, with 37.5% of respon -
dents answering they don’t feel like they need to change, and 31.3% answering they do.
Aaron Schoemaker, a junior at Northwest Arkansas Community College, said he does believe his workplace attitude are something he needs to change.
“I’ve been struggling with my work ethic lately,” Schomaker said. “I feel like that’s an area that I can improve on, especially with my homework.
“I’m a hard worker, but sometimes my attitude in the job can come across as if I’m not working,” Bennett said.
Templeton said the key for Gen Z is to not be discouraged by failure and persevere.
“Even if they don’t find their ideal job right out of the gate, through consistency and perseverance they can be successful,” Templeton said. “That also requires them to actually show up and do a thorough job and go above and beyond what the expectations are.”
Designers Wanted
Hours are flexible, we will work around your school schedule.
For more information contact Lori@ocolly.com or call 405-744-7355
Courtesy OSU News
Recent OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine graduate Adam Warren (left) works with patient Bryce Gardner during a rheumatology rotation at Northeast Health Systems in Tahlequah in 2022.
Lifestyle
OSU students face off with end-of-semester burnout
MAKAYLA KEIRSEY O’COLLY CONTRIBUTOR
As the spring semester winds down, students across Oklahoma State’s campus are feeling the pressure. With the stress of exams, work and personal lives, many turn to the school’s resources to find ways to combat their burnout.
The Reboot Center helps students improve their physical and mental wellness. Located on the third floor of the Student Union, the Reboot Center is part of University Counseling Services’ efforts to give students a space to unwind. Calming music, dimmed lights and bean bag chairs create an enviroment for destressing. The center also has amenities such as massage chairs, weighted blankets and Nee-Doh stress cubes.
Students can stop by for a break or attend one of the free workshops focused on stress-management techniques.
“We see a surge in usage after spring break as students prepare for the final stretch of the semester,” Lauren Johnson, a Reboot Center representative said. “It’s important for students to engage in self-care, whether through a walk, listening to music or using our resources to unwind.”
OSU junior Gunner Gordon said he felt an increase in his stress levels after returning from spring break.
“The feeling of being overwhelmed is something I have had to learn to cope with,” Gordon said. “I find myself dreaming of summer but trying to be grateful for my college experience.”
Gordon relies on The Reboot Center for a break.
“It is a quiet space I know I can go to relax and have a moment of peace,” Gordon said. “If I’m struggling academically, I use the LASSO tutoring services or set a time to meet with my professor.”
Campus counselors are noticing
an increase in students’ stress as they start to consider assignments, internships applications, job searches and post-graduation plans.
Anxiety is a common symptom they notice throughout the semester.
“There’s often an increased worry about the future — whether it’s job searching, graduate school applications or how grades might affect upcoming semesters,” Joseph Dunnigan, an OSU counselor, said.
The Reboot Center encourages students to take small self-care breaks and engage in mindfulness exercises along with valuable resources.
“Self-care isn’t just bubble baths and face masks — it’s about making time to recharge,” Johnson said. “Even short breaks can help students reset.”
Gordon balances his work and school life with calendars and checklists to stay organized.
“I would not be able to make it a week without my calendar,” Gordon said. “I find having everything written down is a powerful way to bring things to remembrance and stay on top of my workload.”
Students who find themselves struggling with stress are encouraged to seek support and use their resources. Dunnigan recommends reaching out for help if stress begins to affect multiple areas of life.
“If stress continues despite taking breaks, it’s time to reach out,” Dunnigan said. “Talking to a mentor, friend, or loved one can also make a big difference.”
As the semester is coming to a close, students are taking active steps to get the help needed to combat their burnout. Prioritizing mental health and time management are helpful ways to finish strong.
Students can visit ucs.okstate.edu for more information on rescources and connect with counselors.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Packing hacks for move out
items you don’t need in the next two weeks. If you prefer being prepared for any outcome that’s great, but I promise you don’t need your snow boots or heavy winter coat anymore.
Cleaning breaks
Packing up a dorm room is a tedious endeavor, especially if you wait until the last minute. The few things you brought with you during the first week have suddenly multiplied thanks to shopping trips, free T-shirts and a host of other goodies.
Don’t wait until the last minute to start packing up. Here are eight hacks to help you pack up and get to summer faster:
Sign up
Before you do anything, ensure that if you are living in the dorms or Greek housing, you sign up for a move-out time.
Ask for help
If you are worried about getting everything done by yourself, phone a friend for help. Throw on a movie or music and make an afternoon of it.
Little by little
The easiest way to avoid capacity issues and frantic last-minute packing is to start taking items home now. If you are planning on going home over the next two weeks for a quick visit load up your car..
Clothing
With only two weeks left, you only need about 14 outfits. Go through your closet now and pack up the clothing
Dead Week is for studying, but as you bury yourself in books, remember to take breaks. A little breather can be used to get a snack, drink water and clean. You can get a lot done in 10 minutes, including cleaning out a drawer or going through the stack of notes sitting on your desk.
Don’t forget to take it a step further than packing up a drawer or your desk. Wipe down surfaces and vacuum if possible. Magic Erasers and Clorox wipes are your friends.
Declutter
Get your trash bags and recycling bins ready. Go through your dorm and purge items. If you have clothes or other items you don’t want consider checking out donate the OSU Basic Needs website for details on where to donate.
Trash bags
Set aside a couple of trash bags for easy transportation. You can toss clothes, shoes and other items in a trash bag for a quick move.
Go bag
Pack a bag full of essentials to keep separate from everything else. You may only have an hour journey home, but you don’t want to accidentally bury your computer under a mountain of bins or lose your toothbrush in the chaos.
news.ed@ocolly.com
Advertising Executives Needed
Men’s,
women’s basketball ticket
numbers
revealed;
both programs have room for more fan attendance
ASHTON SLAUGHTER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
@ASHTON_SLOT
Both Oklahoma State basketball teams wanted to fill Gallagher-Iba Arena with fans in the 2024-25 season. But did they?
In Steve Lutz’s first year coaching the Cowboys and Jacie Hoyt’s third and most successful season coaching the Cowgirls, they both called for more fans, especially students, to attend their games, and when they showed up, Lutz and Hoyt thanked them.
However, the scanned ticket counts for both programs, acquired by The O’Colly via open-records request, show the number of fans who entered GIA is
less than OSU reported in all 33 hoops games.
Typically, announced attendance at sporting events reflects the number of tickets sold and/or distributed; this isn’t only an OSU basketball difference. Still, examining how both programs did at filling up GIA is notable since both had interesting and relevant seasons, with fan engagement and attendance in mind.
Let’s dive into some numbers.
Men’s basketball tickets
There were 52,267 tickets scanned for men’s basketball games in 2024-25, for an average of 3,291.7 fans. Sixteen of the Cowboys’ 17 home games were counted; the Feb. 19 contest against UCF was free admission, and tickets weren’t scanned.
‘Any time he’s out there, we can win’
How Youngerman has stabalized OSU’s pitching staff
DANIEL ALLEN STAFF REPORTER
@DANIELALLEN1738
Sean Youngerman’s entrance toward the pitcher’s mound is often described as a spectacle that can’t be missed.
As he warms up, the Beastie Boys’ “No Sleep ‘Till Brooklyn” echoes through O’Brate Stadium and a sense of comfort permeates the home dugout. The Oklahoma State pitcher’s aggressive pitch delivery, complemented by the sharp electric guitar riffs from his walkout song, creates an aura so daunting for opponents, his teammates are confident any time he steps onto the mound.
“He’s a bad dude,” Cowboys right fielder Nolan Schubart said. “He works hard, but more importantly, he’s efficient. Any time he’s out there, we can win.” Youngerman’s first season at OSU has been a productive one.
OSU baseball eyeing midseason turnaround
DANIEL ALLEN STAFF REPORTER
@DANIELALLEN1738
Midseason turnarounds are nothing new for Oklahoma State baseball under coach Josh Holliday.
In his 13th season coaching his alma mater, Holliday has pushed OSU baseball to heights and established an element of consistency even fans of blueblood programs long for — a trip to the College World Series, three regularseason Big 12 Conference titles and three conference tournament championships and, perhaps most notably, 11 straight regional appearances.
“We’ve been fortunate with the players and talent that we’ve brought in over the years,” Holliday said in March. “As coaches, we’ve obviously enjoyed coaching and developing those guys every day that we’ve been able to. And in turn, we’ve had some pretty good teams.”
Payton Little
Cristian Mendoza
OSU pitcher Sean Youngerman began his career at Division II Westmont College in California and has become a key arm in the Cowboys’ bullpen this season.
OSU wide receivers flash speed during Orange-White spring game
ALLEN STAFF REPORTER
The moment Sam Jackson V felt the ball drop into his arms, he didn’t think. He ran.
“I just caught it,” the wide receiver said after Saturday’s Oklahoma State football’s Orange-White spring game. “Kind of made my move, my coach always teaches me to keep my feet square just so I can be able to make a move and that is kind of how I had it and I just hit it.”
Jackson made the most of his first touch of the game. One broken tackle turned into two. A second turned into a third. Shortly after, open field awaited him as he won a foot race with two defensive backs with relative ease.
Eighty yards to the house. Touchdown.
Jackson’s punt return for a touchdown not only gave the Orange Team an early 7-0 advantage in its eventual 14-10 win at Boone Pickens Stadium, but also highlighted a noteworthy element OSU coach Mike Gundy has commended throughout spring camp.
Immense speed within the wide receiver room.
After a disappointing 3-9 campaign in 2024 — the worst in Gundy’s 20 seasons at the helm and OSU’s first losing year since his first season in 2005 — Gundy already was tasked with overhauling the Cowboys’ roster. That became more strenuous with starting wide receivers Brennan Presley, Rashod Owens and DeZhaun Stribling departing the program.
In exchange, Gundy brought in 10 newcomers at wide receiver, five — including Jackson — via the transfer portal.
“We’re pretty fast at wide receiver,” Gundy said. “That is an advantage for us. With the exception of the portal, we’re inexperienced, but we’re fast. And we’ve continued to bring guys in to try to help bring the young guys along.
“Those guys are competing. They’re playing well.”
With redshirt junior Talyn Shettron reportedly missing the upcoming season due to an ACL tear — per Cowboy Radio Network’s Robert Allen — the Cowboys are limited in
size at wide receiver. But not speed.
Jackson, who transferred from Auburn, began his career as a quarterback at TCU. Given his familiarity with offensive coordinator Doug Meacham, Jackson said the decision to commit to OSU was all the easier.
Meacham sold Jackson on the idea of being an immediate impact prospect because of his quickness. And that was on display Saturday.
Jackson posted a few 30-plus-yard returns on special teams, in addition to his punt return for a touchdown. Gavin Freeman, who redshirted a year ago after transferring from Oklahoma, also recorded a couple of big returns on kickoffs.
Offensively, the Cowboys went with mostly underneath passes, slants, mesh concepts and RPObased bubble screens. Yet it sufficed.
Jackson and Freeman logged a multitude of explosive plays in runs post-catch. Freshmen Royal Cappel and Kam Powell also contributed and showcased their upside, each catching a pass for 10-plus yards.
“(The offense will) be pretty explosive, as you can see,” Jackson said.
“I mean, he didn’t really get to call plays today, but those are just guys that are under him calling plays. So you can just imagine what it’d be like when he’s calling plays.”
Given the potential size disadvantage within the wide receiver room, the Cowboys might rely heavily on the short-passing game in the early stages of the next season. As Gundy and Meacham continue to navigate OSU’s starting quarterback ahead of the 2025 campaign, however, that might not be a bad thing. Especially when factoring the product on display Saturday.
After all, speed kills. And it might do the same for the Cowboys as their season opener against UT-Martin on Aug. 28 nears.
“I think it’s big for us, that is what I was talking about the 10 personnel having those two slots in me and Gavin Freeman,” Jackson said. “You got Royal (Cappel) and (freshman wide receiver Kam Powell), too. But I think that is going to be, hopefully we get to that more. You guys didn’t really get to see that today, but that is where the speed is and that is where our explosive plays will be for sure too.”
Blackmon
arrested for public intoxication;
what could come next for him
ASHTON SLAUGHTER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @ASHTON_SLOT
Justin Blackmon, former Oklahoma State football star and twotime winner of the Fred Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s best wide receiver, was arrested in Payne County for public intoxication this past Saturday.
Here’s what we know:
Details of the arrest
According to a report obtained by The O’Colly, OSUPD officer Justin Hart was dispatched to the south side of Edmon Low Library at 1:32 a.m. after OSUPD student employees reported a large Black man wearing tan-colored pants and a gray hoodie was lying on the ground.
As Hart arrived, he received information that Blackmon, the man in question, was walking west toward Monroe Street. The student employees said they saw Blackmon enter the Nancy Randolph Davis building.
After Hart parked his patrol vehicle and chatted with the students, he saw Blackmon exit the building and walk toward Monroe Street. After verifying with the students that the man was the same one who was reported to be lying near the library, Hart walked toward Blackmon and noticed he was “unsteady on his feet.”
When Hart made contact with Blackmon, the officer smelled alcohol on Blackmon’s breath and person, and his clothes appeared to be wet.
Hart asked Blackmon what he was doing. Blackmon, according to the report, said he was trying to walk home (Blackmon resides in Ardmore). As Blackmon spoke, his speech was “slurred and confusing,” according to the report. He continued to say he was heading home; the officer asked Blackmon where he lived, and he kept saying “Stillwater.”
Blackmon eventually said he didn’t live in Stillwater, telling Hart, “You got me,” before placing his hands behind his back. That’s when Hart arrested him for public intoxication.
After handcuffing Blackmon, Hart retrieved the former OSU player’s wallet and Oklahoma driver’s license, which verified an earlier statement from Blackmon of his name. He was placed in a patrol car and later booked at 2:17 a.m.
Blackmon’s legal past
This isn’t Blackmon’s first legal issue.
On Oct. 26, 2010, he was arrested on a DUI complaint in Texas. On June 3, 2012, Blackmon was arrested in Stillwater for aggravated DUI.
On April 20, 2013, the NFL suspended Blackmon, a wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars and the fifth pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, for four games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
On Nov. 1 of that same year, he was suspended indefinitely without pay for violating the policy again.
On July 23, 2014, Blackmon was arrested in Edmond for possession of marijuana.
After being denied reinstatement by the NFL on May 10, 2015, Blackmon was arrested for DUI in Ardmore on Dec. 19 of that year. He was sentenced to a year in jail, which was suspended pending completion of his one-year probation, which he completed in August 2017, and he was fined $1,000 and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.
What’s next for Blackmon?
On March 27, it was announced that Blackmon will join OSU football’s Ring of Honor when the Cowboys host Kansas State on Nov. 15. He’ll join Thurman Thomas, Barry Sanders, Bob Fenimore, Terry Miller and Leslie O’Neal as members.
Blackmon, a College Football Hall of Fame member, is widely known as one of the sport’s greatest wide receivers. Although he only played 20 NFL games due to legal issues and suspensions, Blackmon’s collegiate legacy is undeniable.
As for what could come from his arrest, according to Oklahoma.gov, the misdemeanor can result in a fine from $10 to $100 or imprisonment for five to 30 days, or both.
Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics
Justin Blackmon was arrested by OSUPD on April 19 for public intoxication.
Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics
Sam Jackson V returned a punt for an 80-yard touchdown in OSU’s spring game.
Gundy, Cowboys continue most active transfer portal overhaul
After a week highlighted by three potential difference makers on offense, Oklahoma State football has shifted its focus to adding transfers on the defensive side.
Mike Gundy and the Cowboys have added several players from Power Four programs, investing heavily in their pass-rushing group.
While adding players known for getting after the quarterback has been at the forefront of OSU’s plan over the last week, it has added contributors at all three levels.
The list of transfers coming into OSU from the spring transfer portal has reached 10, but let’s focus on some of the most recent additions:
DeAndre Boykins, DB, North Carolina
Previously untouched, Boykins is the first defensive back that OSU has added in the spring portal.
As a prospect in the 2021 class, Boykins was ranked as a four-star athlete and the No. 10 recruit in North Carolina. He had offers from a number of impressive schools, including Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma, but decided to stay home and play for the Tar Heels.
Bokyins’ time at UNC was marred by injury, headlined by a knee injury that cost him the 2023 season. His best season was 2022, when he recorded 67 tackles and two sacks while also hauling in an interception.
Boykins joins a deep group of defensive backs to which OSU added several contributors during the winter portal. The Cowboys have added JK Johnson, Jaylin Davies, Mordecai McDaniel and others to a room that was dismal last season.
Staying on the field has always been an issue for Boykins, but should he return to his 2022 form, OSU could’ve added a contributor late in the portal process.
Taje McCoy, EDGE, Colorado
An Oklahoma kid, McCoy decided to come home after spending two seasons at Colorado.
A Putnam City-native, McCoy recorded four sacks and 23 tackles in his second college season. McCoy was named a Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year Honorable Mention. In 2023, he was a three-star prospect
and the No. 6 player in the state of Oklahoma, garnering significant interest from a slew of Big 12 Conference programs. Iowa State, Kansas State, Baylor, Oklahoma State and Colorado extended offers to him after a senior season in which he had 11 sacks.
With Collin Oliver NFL-bound door, OSU needs a premier pass rusher to step up.
Four sacks are nowhere near the production that Oliver offered as a freshman, but it’s a solid start to a career.
De’Marion Thomas, DT, Vanderbilt
Another Oklahoma native, Thomas — a former Tulsa Union standout — is returning to his home state after spending two seasons in the SEC.
In two seasons with the Commodores, Thomas played in 23 games and racked up 41 tackles and a sack. At 6-foot-2 and 330-plus pounds, Thomas is an overpowering presence on the interior defensive line who is more effective against the run than he is against the pass.
Like McCoy, Thomas is a member of the 2023 class, where he was a threestar prospect who garnered offers from Wisconsin, Arkansas, Texas Tech and others. OSU did not offer him out of high school, but the Cowboys came around on him.
With a new defensive coordinator with SEC experience in Todd Grantham, the Cowboys need rugged, physical defensive players to execute his style.
OSU needs to improve its defense across the board. While Boykins and McCoy are more potent defending the pass, an old-school, run-stopping defensive tackle was a need, and now Thomas slots into that role.
Wendell Gregory, EDGE, South Carolina
A former four-star recruit with SEC ties and the talent to turn into a contributor for the Cowboys.
In his one season at South Carolina, he didn’t get on the field, but his pedigree as a recruit makes him a valuable addition.
Darius Thomas, LB, Western Kentucky
Originally committed to Louisville, Thomas entered the portal after spending spring practice with the Cardinals. His commitment to OSU can likely be tied back to Kap Dede, who is now the linebackers coach for the Cowboys after spending time with WKU in the same role.
OSU upgrades linebackers with addition of Thomas
able him to become a contributor for OSU in 2025.
Oklahoma State football has continued to upgrade its linebacker room, with the latest move coming Tuesday.
That’s when Darius Thomas, who spent the spring at Louisville, committed to the Cowboys, as first reported by 247Sports. Thomas began his collegiate career playing for new OSU linebackers coach Kap Dede at Western Kentucky.
Thomas spent three seasons with the Hilltoppers — he missed the 2023 season due to a knee injury — and piled up 54 total tackles with 30 solo, four sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss in 2024 as a redshirt sophomore. He is listed as 6-foot-2, 212 pounds on ESPN.
With the addition of Thomas, Dede and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham picked up much-needed experience at linebacker, where OSU rosters nine underclassmen and has several players who could become key to the Cowboys’ success in 2025.
A look at some of OSU’s backers:
Bryan McCoy McCoy came to Stillwater after three big-time seasons at Akron, where he was a two-time All-MAC selection and led the Zips in tackles twice.
In 2024, McCoy ranked No. 8 in the FBS with at 10 tackles per game and finished with 120 total tackles, 54 of which were solo. He appeared in all 12 games and put up those numbers in only eight starts.
McCoy, listed at 6-foot, 225 pounds, has a similar frame to former Cowboys linebacker Nick Martin, who was listed at 6-foot, 220 pounds. Martin put up a 140-tackle season in 2023 and was one of OSU’s best defenders at middle linebacker. McCoy will look to have a similar impact in his first season at the Power Four level.
Trip White
Although he wasn’t a key player for Ole Miss, White has three seasons of SEC experience. That alone could en-
White was rated as a top-15 recruit in the state of Arkansas by 247Sports, On3 and ESPN before heading to Ole Miss. There, he played primarily on special teams across 18 games in 2023 and 2024.
White will have to earn a role, but he could become one of the Cowboys’ top defensive portal pickups, should his three seasons of Power Four experience translate to Grantham’s scheme.
Jaleel Johnson
After playing on the defensive line in 2024, Johnson is making the switch to outside linebacker under Grantham.
In 2024, Johnson played in 10 games and ranked fourth on OSU’s Dline with 21 total tackles. He also was credited with two sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries. Although roles are unclear, Grantham could be looking to take advantage of Johnson’s athleticism and 6-5 frame.
Chandavian Bradley
The linebacker position is one where the Cowboys were most active in the portal, also picking up Chandavian Bradley and Brandon Rawls.
Bradley began his career in 2023 at Tennessee and was a high-level recruit who also received offers from Texas A&M and Clemson. He left Knoxville shortly thereafter, however, after being cited for reckless driving and issued a misdemeanor, according to a University of Tennessee police report.
After leaving Tennessee, Bradley went to Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College and recorded 23 tackles. He entered the portal again and held reported offers from South Carolina, NC State and Kansas, among others.
“Mistakes happen,” Drew Dallas, who coached Bradley in JUCO, told The O’Colly in December. “He’s a great kid who just made a mistake. It happens.”
Now, Bradley is getting a second chance in Power Four and still has multiple seasons of eligibility left as a redshirt sophomore.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Chance Marick
After multiple years of striking out in the transfer portal, Mike Gundy and OSU football are adding nearly 40 new players between the winter and spring portals.
Courtesy JaleelJohnson18/X
Jaleel Johnson will play as a linebacker after previously playing on OSU’s defensive line.
OSU’s portal additions show its finally making ground in NIL world
tors up and down the roster, including but not limited to a starting quarterback candidate in Hauss Hejny, a starting left tackle in Markell Samuel, a pair of starting receivers and a whole new secondary, along with a rotation of pass rushers. In other words, a whole new team.
Fourteen months ago, former Oklahoma State men’s basketball coach Mike Boynton spoke a hard truth.
With his Cowboys struggling, both on the court and in trying to retain talent, Boynton did what few coaches at Power Five programs do. He let the world in on the lack of NIL resources he was working with.
In Feb. 2024, Boynton said OSU was committing “barely over $500,000” to men’s basketball.
What a difference a year and change can make.
For the first time, OSU feels like a sought-after destination.
In all sports, OSU is performing among the best in the Big 12 in the transfer portal. In football, OSU has brought in 10 players in the spring portal and nearly 40 overall. Men’s basketball was tabbed with the No. 1 transfer class in the country by On3 Sports for a time. Wrestling has lured transfers from Penn State and Iowa State. No matter what the sport, OSU is competing with the best in the conference.
My best guess would be the primary reason for that isn’t Steve Lutz’s style of play or Mike Gundy’s new-look staff. Actually, Gundy all but confirmed what has become obvious: For the first time, OSU has started to use NIL to its benefit.
During his press conference following OSU’s spring game, Gundy was asked about his team’s success in the portal. He kept it short and sweet, as only he can.
“This is the first time that we’ve ever spent money in the portal,” Gundy said. That fact isn’t surprising based on what Boynton said. Whether it was due to an emphasis on talent retention (i.e., Ollie Gordon II, Brennan Presley) or a lack of funds, OSU sports seemed to be lagging behind its counterparts.
According to a list of NCAA Revenue Sharing and NIL estimates for 2025, OSU ranked ninth in the Big 12 in projected NIL funding, ahead of Colorado, Cincinnati, UCF and Houston. Those schools show that NIL isn’t everything. Houston nearly won the national championship in men’s basketball and Colorado was the Big 12 runner-up in football, although now that Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are off to the NFL, that could end up a one-time thing.
Regardless of the outliers, OSU’s newfound success in bringing in outside talent has been program-altering in all sports.
OSU football has brought in contribu-
Then there’s men’s basketball, which has brought in players with high-major experience and double-figure scorers in Isaiah Coleman, Kanye Clary and Parsa Fallah, along with Anthony Roy, the nation’s leading scorer in a brief stint at Green Bay and Vyctorius Miller, a highly-touted recruit who has at least three years of eligibility left.
Need I even mention wrestling? Coming off its best season since 2021, David Taylor has added Richard Figueroa, a former 125-pound national champion, Casey Swiderski, a former All-American, and three high-level prospects from Penn State.
Women’s basketball has also had a solid portal season, adding former BYU star Amari Whiting; South Dakota State’s Haleigh Timmer, who was a starter on the Jackrabbit team that knocked OSU out of the NCAA Tournament; and former UCF forward Achol Akot.
Across the board, OSU is performing better than it ever has in the transfer portal, and the days of Boynton having to fend off SMU and TCU trying to steal his best players are in the past. Is it the Red-Dirt money? It’s too early to tell (but maybe).
With revenue sharing likely to be implemented in NCAA-sanctioned sports within a year, OSU has been a little late to the party. But whatever the Cowboys have done has put them on par with the elite in the Big 12.
In many ways, 2024-25 was a collective low point for OSU sports. Football had a season that can be kindly described as disappointing. Men’s basketball made strides under Steve Lutz, but still missed the NCAA Tournament. OSU baseball and softball are both in the midst of disappointing seasons.
But outside of baseball and softball dragging to the finish, those seasons are behind OSU and its fans. Looking to 2025, OSU is back, at least when it comes to talent acquisition.
Now, 40-plus new players could go poorly in football, but the fact that OSU can even grab players like Christian Fitzpatrick, Sam Jackson V and Taje McCoy proves that better days have arrived. No longer is OSU hopeless in competing in the portal. In fact, it has performed as well as anyone in the Big 12 across all sports.
The pockets of OSU have been burning over the last handful of months, and only time will tell if it leads to sustained success. But one thing is certain, and Gundy said it as well as anyone could:
“It’s a totally different operation than what it was the last two years.”
OSU quarterback battle shrinkens after Rangel, Smith enter portal
Hejny already has showcased skill set as a runner. But to be OSU’s QB1, Hejny will have to drop back and be a reliable passer. He’s confident he can.
In three days, Oklahoma State football’s quarterback competition for the 2025 season became clearer.
What began as a four-way battle for the Cowboys’ starting QB job is now a two-person race.
Maealiuaki Smith entered the transfer portal Monday, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, and Garret Rangel’s agent told CBS on Wednesday his client would also go into the portal.
That leaves redshirt freshman Hauss Hejny and redshirt sophomore Zane Flores to compete for the starting spot, meaning the Cowboys will head into 2025 — coming off a 3-9 season — with two quarterbacks who in college have combined to play 18 snaps and never throw a pass.
OSU’s starter in 2024, Alan Bowman, was in his seventh college season.
During spring ball, Cowboys coach Mike Gundy said he and his staff “could” lose one of the four quarterbacks. Now they have lost two, leaving as many scholarship quarterbacks on their roster as they started with.
“Roster management is difficult,” Gundy said in late March. “Can you keep four quarterbacks that are good enough to compete at this level? It’d be difficult.”
Hejny and Flores’ play styles are quite different. Hejny’s game is predicated on his ability to scramble, extend plays and do damage as a runner, while Flores is more of a typical pocket passer who can hit on quick throws across the field.
Hejny transferred from TCU, where he played his freshman season and carried the ball 15 times for 65 yards. The Cowboys’ new offensive coordinator, Doug Meacham, coached the Horned Frogs’ inside receivers last season and had already built a good relationship with Hejny — a big part of why Hejny chose Stillwater, he said.
“People talk about proving people wrong, and people talk about proving yourself right,” Hejny said. “(The latter is) kind of more of the path that I’m going on because I know I can do it. I’ve done it in practice… I know I can do it.”
Flores is entering his third season in Stillwater. He saw the field last season when Bowman struggled and Rangel broke his collarbone, but Flores needed season-ending surgery for a lower leg injury before OSU’s Week 8 game against BYU. A redshirt sophomore, Flores also still has four years of eligibility remaining, as he was granted a waiver by the NCAA for missing the season with the injury, according to Pokes Report.
Now, though, Flores is healthy and could be the next starter for the Cowboys. He’s a former four-star recruit whom OSU fans have consistently wanted to see on the field, partly due to how highly touted Flores was when he signed with the Cowboys. Ari Wasserman, the leading college football recruiting insider for On3, referred to Flores as a “gem” in 2023. As Gundy and his staff work through deciding who will start, it will all come down to who shows they give OSU the best chance to win. Gundy and the Cowboys badly need a bounce-back season, and quarterback play will likely be the most significant driver in OSU’s 2025 success.
“You gotta be productive at that position; we all know that,” Gundy said. “ It doesn’t make a difference if we’re in Pop Warner, junior high, high school, any level of college, NFL — you’re gonna go as your quarterback goes for the most part. Hopefully, somebody will take control and show us the production we’re looking for to get to a point where we’re comfortable to start building a system based on who that player is.”
Payton Little
Zane Flores is one of two scholarship quarterbacks on OSU’s roster.
Youngerman
OSU’s season. And a lack of stability within the pitching rotation didn’t help.
Turnaround
A 12th straight appearance, however, is in peril. The Cowboys (18-19, 6-9 Big 12), coming off a 16-4 seven-inning run-rule win against Dallas Baptist on Tuesday at O’Brate Stadium, enter a pivotal three-game series at Cincinnati beginning at 5 p.m. Friday. It could drastically alter OSU’s season trajectory — for better or worse.
However, there’s reason to believe another classic Holliday turnaround could be looming.
Heading into last weekend’s series against Houston, OSU was hitting .256 as a team, second-worst in the Big 12. But after Sunday’s 9-1 weather-shortened win against the Cougars and a blowout victory against the Patriots two days later, OSU has upped that to a .263 clip. Not great, statistically, but a good improvement.
On Tuesday, the Cowboys blasted a season-high six team home runs and 16 hits. Over its past two games, OSU has logged a combined 25 team runs, having not played a full nine innings in either.
“Clearly, as you can see, hitting is a very contagious thing,” Holliday said. “Once we got going, it’s easier to find it. And it’s also on the other side, when you’re struggling to find it you see guys try too hard. Any time this year where we’ve tried too hard, it’s been an effort on the players where they want so badly to be successful for our team that they sometimes try too hard. So yeah, there’s a fine line. And we’re hopefully learning how to walk on the right side of it.”
Cade Cabbinness, who played at OSU from 2017-21, witnessed a couple of noteworthy midseason turnarounds in Stillwater.
After spending his first two seasons at Division II Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, Youngerman transferred to OSU over the summer, looking for experience at the Power Four level.
So far, he’s been a steady presence in a fluctuating OSU pitching rotation. Through 15 appearances and two starts, Youngerman boasts a 2.2 ERA, to go with 35 strikeouts through 28 ⅔ innings pitched.
After starting the season as OSU’s closer, the right-hander was slotted into the starting rotation ahead of the Cowboys’ home series against then-No. 22 Kansas State.
He didn’t miss a beat.
Youngerman threw eight shutout innings, striking out 11 in an eventual 7-0 win to clinch the series against the Wildcats. One game later, the Cowboys sealed their first Big 12 Conference sweep of the season.
“I think Sean has shown how valuable of an asset he is and can be for our team,” Holliday said. “He’s a competitor. He has what I’d like to call a slow heartbeat. The moment doesn’t ever seem to be too big for him. Anything we’ve asked of him, he’s stepped up to the task. He’s delivered for us in some pretty big moments. And I think there’s something to be said about that.”
But Youngerman isn’t any ordinary pitching prospect. His curveball-changeup mix complement his unique four-seam fastball, which Holliday said has “big league carry.” So when OSU’s experiment with former ace right-hander Gabe Davis neared its end, Holliday said he didn’t hesitate to slot Youngerman into the starting rotation.
And it’s paid dividends.
A year ago, with the core of lefty Sam Garcia, righties Brian Holiday and Janzen Keisel and two-way star Carson Benge, OSU’s pitching staff posted a Big 12-best 4.08 team ERA. That bought OSU’s offense time to find its footing. And when it did, OSU caught fire over the course of the second half of the season. Perhaps OSU’s lineup should be more efficient than it has been. Especially with first baseman projected first-rounder Nolan Schubart and a multitude of young freshmen with immense upside in the lineup. But a .265 team batting average — second-lowest in the Big 12 — and 393 combined strikeouts won’t fuel a midseason turnaround.
The lack of offensive production put a damper on the early portion of
Uninspiring losses to Winthrop, Illinois State, Missouri State and a series loss at conference bottom dweller Utah put OSU behind and dimmed hopes of a 12th straight regional appearance.
“We’re constantly trying to figure out what’s best for our team,” Holliday said in March. “We’re always working toward finding that. Whatever that may be, we’re trying to figure out how we can have all of the facets of our game come together at once. Consistency is a big part of the game, obviously. And I think we’ve lacked that at times.”
In the offseason, Holliday said OSU might have “too many” starting pitchers. The arms of ace lefty Harrison Bodendorf and right-handers Mario Pesca and Hunter Watkins have progressively gelled into a formidable trio.
But Youngerman’s presence in the starting rotation has since provided that coveted sense of stability.
Youngerman missed a week of action with what Holliday called a “minor” injury suffered in practice the week following OSU’s series against K-State. He pitched the final inning of OSU’s 9-1 weathershortened win against Houston on Sunday, saying postgame that he feels at full health.
“He’s a dog,” Bodendorf said. “He’s a gamer. I wouldn’t rather have anyone on my team, pitching alongside me, other than him.”
Youngerman’s journey from a small college in California to a Division II Power Four program in Oklahoma hasn’t been easy. And the course of his first season with the Cowboys hasn’t made it any easier.
But Youngerman’s productive junior campaign has been a bright spot for the Cowboys (18-19, 6-9 Big 12) as they look to spark a late-season run this weekend in a three-game road series at Cincinnati (22-19, 8-10) beginning at 5 p.m. Friday. And it’s all thanks to his decision to take that leap of faith over the summer.
“I’ll do whatever my team needs me to do to help them win,” Youngerman said. “Baseball is a tough game. We obviously haven’t had the season that we’ve wanted to, but we’re gonna turn this thing around. We have the guys to do it. And I honestly can’t wait to watch it happen.”
WHEN: Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, noon WHERE: UC Baseball Stadium TV: ESPN+ SERIES: OSU, 6-1 LAST MEETING: OSU, 10-6, 2024 Continued from 1
In 2017, the Cowboys entered the final week of the regular season under .500. Shortly after came a series sweep of Bedlam rival Oklahoma, and then a 4-0 run in the Big 12 Tournament to claim a conference championship and clinch a regional appearance.
One season later, OSU dropped home series to Eastern Michigan and Seton Hall and started 10-8-1 before going 16-8 in Big 12 play to finish one game behind Texas in the regular season conference standings. And then during his senior season in 2021, the Cowboys finished the regular season 8-2 and made a run to the Big 12 Tournament title game to clinch a 2-seed in regional play.
The commonality? A collective team buy-in.
“Josh (Holliday) always gets the best out of his guys,” Cabbiness said. “He makes everyone feel valued and like they’re a big part of each team. Whatever you see in February or March is almost always nothing like what you’re gonna see in May. His teams always get better as the season goes on — always.”
The Cowboys are playing better baseball and reaping the rewards. And that’s started with enhanced offensive efficiency. Perhaps Holliday and OSU could have another late run in the regular season.
But Holliday said he doesn’t want the recent success to cloud his players’ minds. Instead, he said, he wants his players to follow a philosophy he has shared with them since the fall.
“For us, it’s really just about taking it one day, one game at a time,” Holliday said. “... Baseball is hard — just because you do it well one day doesn’t mean you’re going to go do it the next. So, the joy for us should be in working to recreate that same performance the best we can.”
Lilian Easter
OSU pitcher Sean Youngerman, who started the season as a reliever, has emerged as a starter.
Davis Hicks
OSU coach Josh Holliday said the Cowboys are “taking it one day” at a time going forward.
OSU softball staying positive after loss to Texas, preparing for road series against Kansas
Another chapter of Oklahoma State softball’s season is written after Wednesday, and it’s looking similar to previous ones.
In the 23rd-ranked Cowgirls’ 1-0 loss to Texas in front of a record Cowgirl Stadium crowd of 2,012 fans, their offense couldn’t get anything going.
If the 43rd game for OSU (27-16) was its 43rd chapter, it would be titled: “We just didn’t score,” four words that coach Kenny Gajewski said postgame.
“It’s been the story of our year, to be honest,” Gajewski said.
Still, in true Gajewski fashion, he’s keeping the vibes positive ahead of the Cowgirls’ weekend series against Kansas.
“Like I told them, if they just keep plugging, a season usually turns, and it will turn if you’ll buy in, he said.”
Against the No. 2 Longhorns (42-6), pitchers Ruby Meylan and RyLee Crandall dealt.
Meylan’s dominance has become customary. On Wednesday, she threw 5 ⅓ innings and allowed six hits. The ace only had one strikeout, but 54 of her 83 pitches were strikes.
After the Cowgirls’ Bedlam loss, Meylan said she was nervous beforehand; she even threw up before the game. In front of a record home crowd and a nationally-televised broadcast on ESPNU, though, Meylan said she handled the marquee matchup against UT better.
“After OU, I learned a lesson: Don’t make it bigger than it is; they’re just another team,” Meylan said. When Crandall, who has been getting more time in the circle, got the nod to relieve Meylan to start the fourth, the ace handled it well. The trust was warranted, as Gajewski and pitching coach Carrie Eberle wanted to put Crandall against right-handed batters, against whom she thrives. Three of the first four batters she faced fit her ideal matchup description, while the next three were southpaws — one of whom, Kayden Henry, ended up being the only runner to score, which led to Meylan returning to the circle.
The Cowgirls’ best chances to score were in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings. After a Rosie Davis walk and a Karli Godwin single, OSU had runners on first and second with one out. A Micaela Wark pop-out and a Claire Timm liner ended those hopes of a game-tying run or more, though. In the seventh, Lexi McDonald was hit by a pitch with one out, so the Cowgirls had a runner on first with Megan Bloodworth coming to the plate.
But a grounder to second and a throw to first — which was initially called safe and was reviewed and overturned to end the game — ended the game.
Although OSU couldn’t capitalize offensively again, Gajewski said he’s seen his squad’s best softball.
A series against Kansas this weekend is another chance to seize some momentum before the regular-season games run out.
“I just feel like our best softball is ahead of us,” Gajewski said.
Tickets
Continued from 1
But OSU announced a total of 97,810 fans at a 6,113.1 fans-per-game clip. That’s a 45,543-person difference, or 46.6%.
The top five games with the most scanned tickets were: 4,912 on Dec. 30 against Houston; 4,801 on Jan. 18 (the annual Remember the Ten game) against Colorado; 4,788 on Feb. 15 against Texas Tech; 4,000 on Feb. 1 against Utah; and 3,980 on Nov. 4 for the season opener against Green Bay.
The top five games in announced attendance were the same, but in a different order: 7,702 against Texas Tech; 7,365 against Houston; 7,251 against Green Bay; 7,247 against Colorado; and 7,040 against Utah.
The largest discrepancy between the number of scanned and announced fans was Jan. 21 against Arizona, when 2,850 fans entered GIA but OSU announced 6,355 attended — a 3,505-person/55.2% difference.
The smallest difference was the Cowboys’ March 18 NIT game against Wichita State, when 2,084 fans got their tickets scanned, and the university announced 2,295 attended — a 211-person/9.2% difference.
Big 12 Conference games dominated. Four of the Cowboys’ top-five mostscanned and attended games were in the gauntlet of a conference; the outlier was against the Phoenix, which drew fans in because it was the opener, Lutz’s first game and former Cowboy guard Doug Gottlieb’s first game coaching Green Bay.
Women’s basketball tickets
On the women’s side, there were 30,874 tickets scanned, for an average of 1,816.1 fans. Seventeen of the Cowgirls’ 19 games were counted; admission was free to an Oct. 29 exhibition game against Southern Nazarene and to a Feb. 12 matchup against Arizona.
OSU announced 50,957 fans — an average of 2,997.47 per game — attended Cowgirl hoops games. That’s a 20,083-person/39.4% difference.
The top five games with the most scanned tickets were: 4,089 on Feb. 8 against Kansas State; 3,066 on Feb.
22 against Colorado; 3,050 on Nov. 22 against Central Arkansas; 2,423 on Jan. 22 against TCU; and 2,190 on Jan. 4 against Kansas.
The top five most-attended games, according to OSU, were: 5,178 against Kansas State; 4,714 against Central Arkansas; 4,387 against Colorado; 3,477 against TCU; and 3,390 against Kansas. As with men’s basketball, the same five as the scanned, but in a different order.
The biggest difference between scanned and OSU-announced tickets was the Central Arkansas game, when 3,050 fans came, but 4,714 were announced — a 1,664-person/35.3% difference.
The smallest discrepancy was a Nov. 4 game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, when 1,042 fans were there, but OSU announced 1,558 were there — a 516-person/33.1% difference.
Like the Cowboys, four of the Cowgirls’ top-five games were Big 12 contests. The only outlier was the “Class At The Court” game, an 11 a.m. contest designed for field trips.
Overall Men’s basketball had the top-three attended games (Houston, Colorado and Texas Tech), and women’s basketball’s highest game was No. 4 (Kansas State). Games 5-9 belonged to the Cowboys, and No. 10 went the Cowgirls’ way.
The Cowgirls had 14 of the top 15 least-attended games, with the Cowboys’ game against Wichita State (2,084; an NIT game) as their lowest. The Cowgirls’ 14-of-15 stretch ranged from 2,190 fans (Kansas; their fifth-most attended game) to 893 (Houston Christian) For both teams, Big 12 games brought fans to GIA. Either for good teams or special occasions. Both programs had attendance highs and lows, but with Lutz having a season under his belt and an improved-onpaper roster and Hoyt heading into Year 4 after her best season yet, maybe the highs will get higher and the lows lower in 2025-26.
But for now, a 65,626-person/43% difference in the number of fans who went to GIA in tickets scanned versus what OSU reported shows there is still work to be done.
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Bryson Thadhani
OSU softball coach Kenny Gajewski said his team’s offensive woes have been the “story of our year.”
CALIF PONCY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Oklahoma State soccer lost unceremoniously to end its best season since 2019.
After going 14-5-3, the Cowgirls were blown out 4-0 by Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Months later, they got their revenge. Amid an undefeated spring season, OSU returned the favor, beating the Razorbacks 2-1. That match set the tone for the rest of the spring for a Cowgirls team replacing goalkeeper Grace Gordon, defenders Mollie Breiner and Alex Morris and attacker Logan Heausler. Despite those losses, OSU won its seven matches by a combined score of 25-2.
“We were happy to get wins,” OSU coach Colin Carmichael said. “And got a lot of the newer players a lot of minutes as well.”
Among the impressive new players were Aubrey Wagner, who scored four goals, Reganne Morris, who scored two golals and Mabry Williams, who knocked in a penalty kick, all of whom
recorded little to no playing time last season. The Cowgirls also got improvements out of Gracie Bindbeutel, who seems to have returned to full form now two seasons removed from a torn ACL, and Xcaret Pineda, who moved into a new role closer to the goal.
OSU was able to thread the needle of domination and experimentation. Against teams like Rose State and MidAmerica Christian, that dominance is expected. But against talented opposition like Arkansas, Tulsa and North Texas, being able to do whatever they wanted was an impressive feat from the Cowgirls.
“I think the spring is a really good time to put new players in new positions and just feel it out, because it’s kind of harder to do that in the fall a little bit,” Bindbuetel said. “And I think that it also helps all the new players, transfers, freshmen, whatever it may be, get accustomed to college soccer. Spring isn’t the same as the fall when it comes to how competitive it is, but I think a lot of the new girls got a taste of that in the Arkansas game. So they’re really excited for the fall.”
With Heausler transferring to Stephen F. Austin, Bindbeutel and Pineda have never been more important at the college level.
Heausler led OSU in goals last season and has been a consistent threat at the top of the formation in each of the past two seasons. With other goal-scoring options Nicole Ray and Adhelia Ghonda also moving on from OSU, it needs new faces to emerge — or existing threats to evolve — to maintain an elite offense.
On the surface, Bindbeutel and Pineda are the favorites to step into that role.
Pineda has been a consistent contributor from the midfield since she stepped on campus three seasons ago. She has 14 goals over the past three seasons and is now moving to the top of the formation instead of playing in the midfield in an effort to put her in the position to score more often.
“I think I like playing always higher to the goal,” Pineda said. “I get to be more creative and get more chances on the ball.”
Bindeutel’s path to becoming one of the Cowgirls’ best players has been different than Pineda’s due to the knee injury that cost her a season, but she has gotten to that point regardless.
In the past, OSU experimented with playing Bindbeutel at wingback, but with a slew of attackers gone, her speed and goal scoring have led her to the midfield
and a role as a focal point. She was the Cowgirls’ leading scorer in spring and looks to be one of the best players on the new-look roster.
With Bindbuetel and Pineda leading the charge and impact newcomers up and down the formation, OSU is looking to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. A spring win over Arkansas will be a distant memory come the regular season in August, but it indicates that OSU has moved on quickly from the losses it’s facing.
Losing Breiner, Morris, Heausler and Gordon will be tough to overcome in one offseason, but based on the spring season, OSU looks just fine moving forward.
“It’s definitely really nice to go undefeated, because I think we always talk about that,” Bindbeutel said. “This sets up our summer, how hard we’re going to work over the summer, and obviously that translates into the fall, and it also helps, because obviously you guys can probably remember the way that our season ended in the fall last year is bitter, and it wasn’t on a good note, and we knew we were better than that.”
sports.ed@ocolly.com
Best photos from Orange-white game
TOP RIGHT: Quarterback Hauss Hejny runs the
MIDDLE LEFT: Running back Rodney Fields Jr. (left) low-fives safety Landyn Cleveland.
MIDDLE: Coach Mike Gundy talks to media.
MIDDLE RIGHT: Quarterback Zane Flores loads up a pass.
BOTTOM LEFT: Wide receiver Gavin Freeman runs with the ball.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Left tackle Jamison Mejia signs a fan’s football.
Oklahoma State football had its Orange-White Game at Boone Pickens Stadium Saturday. Here are our best photos:
TOP LEFT: Wide receiver Gavin Freeman jumps into the end zone.
