The O'Colly, March 27, 2026

Friday, March 27, 2026

Stillwater woman charged with shooting, kidnapping two children

Bryson Thadhani CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A Stillwater woman faces charges of shooting with intent to kill and kidnapping.

Stillwater Polices say she shot a woman inside a Stillwater home Saturday night before fleeing the scene with two children.

SPD responded to a report of a shooting at 300 W. 29th Ave. at about 8:26 p.m. March 14. The victim called 911 herself. Officers were required to force entry into the residence upon arrival.

Megan Kane, 33, of Stillwater, was identified as the suspect. She had left the scene with two children before officers arrived, according to SPD.

The victim was transported to Stillwater Medical Center before being airlifted to a hospital in Oklahoma City. She is listed in stable condition, police said.

SPD disseminated Kane’s information and vehicle description statewide. At about 11 p.m., a Kickapoo Tribal Police officer conducted a traffic stop for speeding on Highway 102 near County Road 1020 in Lincoln, OK., and identified

Kane’s vehicle. Kane was transported into custody without incident at about 11:04 p.m. and transported to the Stillwater City Jail.

The two juveniles were found safe in the vehicle and transported to Oklahoma Highway Patrol headquarters before being released to the Payne County Department of Human Services.

Kane was booked into the Payne County jail on allegations: of shooting with intent to kill and kidnapping, according to SPD.

The Mid South returns

BY CALESON COON I ASSISTANT NEWS AND LIFESTYLE EDITOR

The Mid South made its return to Stillwater just as spring break began–bringing athletes, businesses and bands in and out of Stillwater.

The festivities were held at Block 34 and officially began at 6 a.m. on March 13 and lasted until

The smell of grilled beef and toasted buns drifts across tables with baskets of burgers and fries. Between bites, students talk about exams, bowling practice and weekend plans.

Many Oklahoma State University students have made burgers a part of their daily college life. A quick meal after class, or a late-night stop with

1 a.m. March 14.

Beginning on husband’s street just before sunrise was the 50k, half marathon and 50k for the athletes who were both running the 50k and bike riding, which is considered a double. These were followed by what is called a shakeout ride. Pro athletes

friends. From smash burgers to thick pub-style patties, students across Stillwater have strong opinions about what makes the perfect burger.

Sophomore finance major Cooper Reid spends plenty of time grabbing burgers to eat.

His favorite burger comes from the Stillwater Country Club, the 19th Hole Burger.

“They do something that’s honestly unexplainable,” Reid said. “It’s just a straight Angus

participated in the events with male athletes starting at 1 p.m., female athletes at 1:10 p.m. and non binary at 1:20. This is the first year that The Mid South hosted a race for pro bikers and pro non binary athletes.

At 8 a.m. on Saturday began the 100 mile start, the 50 miles at 8:15 and the 12 mile at 8:30.

burger, but it’s always cooked perfectly.”

Reid orders the burger medium rare and loads it with classic toppings, but he skips the cheese.

“People think that’s weird [no cheese], but I just prefer it that way,” Reid said. “It’s got lettuce, tomato, pickles, caramelized onions and it’s on a brioche bun. I always get two patties.”

See BURGER on page 4A

Later in the evening, the awards were held, but the festivities lasted until after midnight due to the party being held at the finish line to celebrate athletes coming in deadlast starting at 9 p.m.

From brain chips to map ads, big tech tightens its grip

CO-EDITORIN-CHIEF

If it feels like tech news has whiplash right now, that’s because it does. In the span of a week, we got new brain chips, a possible initial public offering for Elon Musk’s space company, an arms race over AI power plants and OpenAI quietly killing the app responsible for your favorite cursed fruit “Love Island” clips.

OpenAI pulls the plug on Sora

OpenAI is shutting down Sora, its AI video app, just months after launch and without a clear public explanation. The app went from “this will change Hollywood” to “thanks for playing, servers are off” in record time.

The timing makes the story even stranger. Disney reportedly had a deal worth around $1 billion to license more than 200 iconic characters — think Mickey Mouse, Yoda, Cinderella and others — for use inside Sora. The idea was that creators could legally drop those characters into their AI‑generated shorts instead of just hoping the lawyers were asleep at the wheel. Now that deal is dead, and reporting says no money changed hands before OpenAI pulled out.

Officially, OpenAI is offering vague language about sharpening focus and aligning products with its long‑term strategy. Unofficially, the subtext is loud: the company is burning enormous amounts of cash and is widely expected to pursue an initial public offering. Video generation at consumer scale is expensive, messy and legally radioactive. A playful app full of surreal minisodes — from fruit dating shows to anime soap operas — is a lot harder to justify to investors than boring but lucrative enterprise tools.

OpenAI says it will keep working on video models internally, in part to help train robots and multimodal systems, folding Sora‑style capabilities back into products like ChatGPT. So Sora is not dead so much as it is being moved from “make weird TikToks” to “teach robots how to see.” For users, though, this is another reminder that entire creative ecosystems can vanish overnight if they live on a single company’s servers. One day you are binge‑watching AI‑generated reality TV starring anthropomorphic produce; the next, the island sinks into the cloud.

Arm stops playing nice and builds its own AI chip

On the hardware side, Arm — the company whose chip designs power most of the world’s smartphones — decided it is tired of just being

the blueprint provider. The company announced its first in‑house AI central processing unit, a processor designed specifically to run large language models and other machine learning workloads efficiently.

What makes this a big deal is who is already lined up. Meta, OpenAI, Cloudflare and other major players are reportedly on board as early customers. That puts Arm in a new position. Instead of licensing designs to companies such as Qualcomm, Apple and Samsung, it is now competing directly in the AI silicon market.

For most people, this matters because the AI boom is increasingly a chip story. Whoever controls the best, cheapest hardware controls how fast and how widely these models can spread. If Arm’s move makes AI chips more commoditized and less dependent on a few giants, we might eventually see cheaper, more capable AI on devices themselves, not just rented from the cloud.

China’s first commercial brain‑computer chips

If you thought AI video apps were unsettling, China’s latest move is straight out of cyberpunk. Regulators there approved the first commercially available brain‑computer interface implant to treat paralysis and signaled a national push to dominate the global brain‑technology industry.

These devices are in the same general class as those Neuralink has been implanting in United States patients, but with a key difference. China is explicitly framing brain‑computer interfaces as a strategic industry, backed by the state and aimed at export markets. That sets up a new front in the United States–China technology rivalry that goes beyond phones and social

Editorial board

Co-Editors-in-Chief Bryson Thadhani & Parker Gerl editorinchief@ocolly.com

Design editor Katie Lehew design.ed@ocolly.com

Social media editor Jose Brito news.ed@ocolly.com

Assistant news & lifestyle editor Caleson Coon news.ed@ocolly.com

media into reading signals from the human brain. There are reasonable, even exciting, uses: helping paralyzed patients control computers, restoring some forms of movement or sensation and new therapies for neurological disorders. But there are also surveillance and military concerns when a government that already runs an extensive digital monitoring system starts leading in brain‑computer interfaces. It is no longer theoretical to ask who owns your thoughts when they are routed through a chip.

SpaceX flirts with the biggest public offering in U.S. history

Back on Earth — or at least low Earth orbit — SpaceX is reportedly inching toward going public in a move that could become the largest initial public offering in U.S. history. The company has already raised money at sky‑high private valuations thanks to its reusable rockets and Starlink satellite internet service.

Listing shares on a stock exchange would do a couple of things at once. It would give SpaceX access to even more capital for projects such as its Starship rocket, satellite expansion and interplanetary ambitions. It would also give ordinary investors a way to buy into Musk’s space company instead of just cheering from social media.

For students, the angle is simpler: SpaceX is one of the clearest examples of how “big tech” is no longer just apps and ads. It is infrastructure: launch capacity, global internet coverage and satellite networks that can bypass terrestrial cables entirely. If your rural hometown has better internet from a dish in the yard than from the local internet provider, you are already living in the world SpaceX built.

Assistant social media editor Megan Gibson news.ed@ocolly.com

Photo editor Chance Marick photo.ed@ocolly.com

Assistant photo editor Andon Freitas photo.ed@ocolly.com

AI is eating the power grid

All of this new AI activity runs on something unvirtual: electricity. The biggest technology companies — Google, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft and others — are set to spend huge amounts on data centers in 2026, with estimates running into the hundreds of billions of dollars in capital spending, much of it for AI infrastructure.

Some of these new “AI factories,” as Nvidia likes to call them, are being built alongside power plants. That is a polite way of saying the industry is building computing farms where the electricity is, whether that is next to a natural gas facility, a hydroelectric dam or a nuclear plant. It is efficient from an engineering standpoint and a nightmare from a climate and policy standpoint.

For college campuses already arguing over sustainability, this is a useful reality check. Every time we gush about a more powerful AI model, what we are really talking about is a bigger monthly power bill somewhere. Universities proudly weaving AI into classrooms and research will have to square that enthusiasm with their climate pledges.

Apple Maps discovers advertising

Finally, in the category of “this will definitely annoy you personally,” Apple reportedly is opening up Apple Maps as a new home for advertising. That means as you search for coffee, dinner or gyms, you could start seeing sponsored placements from businesses that pay to be bumped up the list.

Apple has spent years marketing itself as the privacy‑first alternative to Google, with ad campaigns that mocked data brokers and targeted advertising. But

services revenue has become one of Apple’s biggest growth engines, and advertising is a neat, if slightly hypocritical, way to boost that line item. From a user perspective, the irony is that Maps was one of the few places left on your phone that still felt like a neutral tool. Turning it into yet another advertising surface blurs the line between “best nearby option” and “who paid to be here.” If you have ever wondered why the most convenient choice in your apps keeps quietly shifting, this is why.

The throughline: consolidation and control These stories feel disconnected — brain chips here, a dead video app there, rockets and power plants in between — but they are all versions of the same trend. The technology industry is consolidating power at the infrastructure level: chips, data centers, satellites, app stores and even brain‑computer interfaces.

When OpenAI kills Sora, Arm jumps into AI silicon, China fast‑tracks brain‑computer interfaces, SpaceX heads for public markets, big technology companies build data centers beside power plants and Apple monetizes Maps, they are all chasing the same thing: tighter control over the stack and more predictable revenue on top of it.

For everyone else — students, creators, small businesses — the question is not just “What cool new thing can I do with this?” It is “What happens to my work, my data and, increasingly, my body when the company behind it decides it is time to pivot?” If you want to binge another season of fruit “Love Island,” you might want to download it first.

Various bands played as runners, bikers and supporters enjoyed The Mid South throughout the weekend. As well as organizations and businesses setting up on 8th street as pop us shops, and food trucks around the corner.

50k, half marathon, Double Runners came from all over to participate in The Mid South events. Checking in before sunlight peeks in and finishing at various times throughout the day, they are then greeted by volunteers handing out water and Redbull, while offering their congratulations.

Chris Oversteake, coming in from Shawnee, biked the 50 mile race from 2021 to 2024, but set her sights on the half marathon for this year’s event.

“I feel like the intensity feels different,” Oversteake said. “A bike is a machine, so you have like, mechanical advantage. Whereas running, you just have your feet, so it’s all you.”

She said 90% of what led her to completing the race was staying disciplined in her planning, training and reminding herself through the race that it may hurt now, but it’ll stop hurting in a minute.

“It’s just a really wonderful, kind of celebratory place to come and be around people that like to do things like this,” Oversteake said. “It’s a lovely experience all around, I’m just really happy to be here.”

Fellow runner, Chris Sobie, ran the 50k as a part of the double, and came in ahead of pro doublers who were racing later that day.

Sobie said though he came in first for the run, seeing how he is more of a runner than a biker, there’s a lot of ground that can be made up in the biking but that didn’t stop the moment from being anything less than special as this is his first time participating in the double.

“It felt so good, it made me tear up–just feel a lot of gratitude for this event and the ability to do this,” Sobie said. “And I think no matter if you’re going for first, you’re just trying to PR, you’re just trying to finish, I think everyone’s in it and I just love these events.”

Traveling from Colorado, Sobie has been coming to The Mid South for three years now, but has friends that give him a nice tie to Stillwater outside of racing.

“We got a whole crew of friends that come here that we all met in Colorado, and we live in other places, and we reunite here every year,” Sobie said.

He initially decided to participate in the double last year, though the events were cancelled due to the wildfires, but he knew he was going to sign up for the next year either way and didn’t carry any ill feelings into this year’s event.

“It wasn’t disappointing, you can’t be disappointed in that. You

got to be more grateful that the damage wasn’t worse,” Sobie said. “My heart went out to the people that did lose their homes and just came together as a community and made sure that everyone was safe.”

To Sobie, The Mid South is a representation of community inside and out.

Volunteers

First-time volunteer, Rachel initially began as a supporter of her husband who has been a rider in the event as they’ve traveled from Tahlequah for the past four years.

“I always feel left out, because he has so much fun, so I decided to volunteer this year,” Rachel said.

Her job consisted of working at the drink cooler and being the gatekeeper, which is ensuring that people don’t cross the street when riders or runners come in.

On Friday, she and her husband, Andrew, had the chance to promote their gravel group’s–Cherokee County Gravel Cyclists–bike ride, the Illinois River Ramble.

Rachel hopes to begin a new tradition next year and participate in the 50 mile bike ride.

Keeping up traditions of his own is Chris Franklin, a resident of Stillwater and volunteer for The Mid South going on four years.

Franklin said he enjoys being a part of the event as much as he can, so he signed up as soon as he received the email. His favorite shift to volunteer for is the finish line so that he can watch the competitors and enjoy the atmosphere. Originally from New Mexico, Franklin has seen multiple people from his hometown and has gotten the chance to talk and enjoy The Mid South with them in passing. Franklin even met a guy who lives where his grandpa used to live at the exact same location, which is a huge part of how The Mid South creates one big community.

“It’s such a big event that draws in people from all over,” Franklin said. “You have the opportunity to have a lot of those small world moments.”

Sklar + Roly Poly Coffee Coffee roaster and business owner from Bozeman, Mont., Taylor Wallace sold coffee out of the back of his truck he traveled in.

Wallace, having many friends who come out to The Mid South, was invited and thought ‘why not?’

“So, just a quick little two 12hour driving days, back to back, to get down here. No big deal,” Wallace said.

He has worked in coffee for some time, and five years ago, began what is now known as Roly Poly Coffee Co. It began out of the back of his truck in a bike shop parking lot, but now has its own shop. He still takes the truck out for events such as this one.

“It’s cool to travel, makes the world feel a little bit smaller,”

Wallace said “I’ve seen so many people here in Oklahoma that

have told me they’ve been to my coffee shop in Bozeman–so it’s just fun to get out.”

All Bodies on Bikes

From Portland, Ore., Marley Blonsky, executive director of All Bodies on Bikes, returned for her fifth year at The Mid South and the organization’s third year. All Bodies on Bikes is a nonprofit working toward making cycling more inclusive for everyone.

The organization was the host for this year’s last-place finisher party, and a part of the reason is due to Blonsky’s experience from her years coming to The Mid South. In 2023, she was the last rider, which led her to wanting others to have a special experience such as herself, so they partnered with mid south to throw an official party.

“We really believe in celebrating every last rider,” Blonsky said.

She said the organization has a discord that people can join as well as 14 chapters across the country. And while there is not one in Stillwater, she would love for it to happen in the future.

For the organization, The Mid South is a chance to bring awareness and spread the word that everyone can participate in the events.

“It’s just watching people do hard things that they didn’t think they could do–brings me so much joy,” Blonsky said.

Heading back home, she said she always leaves with her heart full and renewed energy for the year. The Mid South allows those of all different lives and perspectives to come together over a shared love of gravel cycling and community.

To Blonsky, The Mid South means community, a family reunion and the Bobby hug.

Bobby’s Hugs

Bobby Wintle, The Mid South director, co-owner of District Bicycles, stood at the race line all day Friday and Saturday cheering on athletes at the beginning and end of their races. Wintle did not fail to be intentional with each athlete as they crossed the finish line.

“Mid-ride, it’s like ‘oh, I’m gonna die, but at the end it’s like yes!’ and the Bobby hug is a cherry on top,” said Sarah Armstrong, 50 miler from Ponca City.

“Best hug ever, best hug ever,” said Anna Lopez, 50 miler from Nevada.

“This is the best event, this is the best race and he makes it that,” said Nikki Humphrey, 50 miler from Bella Vista, Ark. “I mean all people do, but yeah, he’s the one–you’re ready for that hug. You’re thinking about it about 10 miles out.”

“I’ve heard stories (about the Bobby hug), so getting to experience it was nice,” said Rachel Runyon, 12 miler from Chattanooga, Tennessee.

“He’s really awesome, his energy is very contagious,” said Melissa Brooks, 50 miler from Edmond.

The Stillwater Country Club burgers weren’t always a favorite. Reid said the quality improved significantly after the restaurant hired a new chef, which is when it became good.

“The servers will ask you how you want it cooked, but it’s going to be cooked how he wants it. Which is medium rare,” Reid said.

The Stillwater Country Club is Reid’s favorite place to eat, but Braum’s burgers are easier to get because they’re a fastfood place. While he is bulking from consuming a caloric surplus, Reid goes to Braum’s three times a week and orders a Bag of Burgers Deluxe, which costs $7.87.

“They’re cheap, and it’s a lot of food,” Reid said. “I do like [fast-food burgers], but there are some stipulations to that. I’m anti-McDonald’s 100%. I just don’t think there’s any soul in the burger.”

Reid grew up in Austin, TX., where he has tried a lot of great food places. Hopdoddy Burger Bar is one of his favorites, where Reid said it makes wacky hipster burgers. Terlingua, which it stopped making, is his favorite burger there. Fritos on top of the burger is his favorite part.

When it comes to building a great burger, Reid focuses on one thing.

“The patty is the most important part,” Reid said. “You can have a good brioche bun and toppings, but if the patty is cooked way too long and all the juices are gone, the soul is taken out of it.”

Reid said he prefers a thick pub-style patty rather than a smash burger.

“Smash burgers are kind of like Janko cut jeans,” Reid said. “It’s a generational thing. I don’t think that Smash Burgers will remain in 10 years. I think that it will always be pub cut, thick burgers, thick patty because it has more and you’re getting it at the same price.”

Reid also has strong opinions about meat quality. If given the option, Reid would choose wagyu beef for the patty.

Reid isn’t the only one who likes Braum’s burgers; Jenny Schmidt, a senior industrial engineering and management major, called Braum’s fast-food chain an underdog.

“It’s not expensive, and it doesn’t make you feel disgusting afterwards,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt’s memorable burger moment happened far from Oklahoma. Schmidt was a freshman in high school and she marched with her band in the Tournament of Roseses

lifestyle

Parade in Pasadena, California.

After marching about 6 miles and playing her clarinet, she was exhausted. At the parade’s end, dozens of food trucks lined the streets, including several from In-N-Out Burger.

“There were about 20 food trucks just lined up and each one had a different specification,” Schmidt said. “You just go to the one that has what you want to order at it. Almost any variation that you would want. That was the best burger experience ever, but I partially think that’s because I was starving.”

Schmidt recently visited Springfield, MO., where she tried a burger topped with brisket marinated in Dr. Pepper at Black Sheep Burgers & Shakes. Schmidt sticks with ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise, but she enjoys restaurants that experiment with flavors.

“The place in Springfield had truffle ketchup and truffle mayo,” Schmidt said. “They gave you a whole tray of different sauces.”

Even so, Black Sheep Burgers & Shakes and In-N-Out did not create her ideal vision of a perfect burger.

“The bun needs to be sourdough cooked to perfection, which is a little toasted, topped with deli mustard, ketchup and truffle mayo,” Schmidt said. “Then a medium-sized burger, not so juicy that you don’t have to take a drink after taking a bite. No cheese because of a texture thing, but then it would have pickles and chopped cucumbers and maybe some thin fries, like The Garage [Burgers & Beer] thin on the burger.”

Back in Stillwater, Schmidt

ranked local burger spots. At the bottom: McDonald’s, where she once got food poisoning, followed by Whataburger, Braum’s, The Garage and Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers. Schmidt refuses to eat at Burger King and she does not like Wendy’s and White Castle.

The important part, burgers should have a balance.

“They can’t be greasy, but they can’t be dry either,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt’s not the only one who agrees with this. Kaid Malone, a junior majoring in computer science and minoring in math, said he doesn’t like a dry burger.

Malone was with his OSU men’s bowling team, talking with teammates about how to create a perfect burger, but each team member had a different idea. Malone hates ketchup. James Webber, a junior majoring in pre-med microbiology, looked at him with disgust, along with the rest of his teammates.

“We can’t be friends,” Webber said.

Even with disagreements, the one thing the team agreed on was that The Garage Burgers & Beer was its favorite place in Stillwater. Even though the real debate is what makes a burger great.

Sophomore Chad Chancellor, majoring in music industry, focused on the ingredients of a burger.

“The cheese adds a lot to the burger,” Chancellor said. “You can’t go wrong with American cheese.”

Christian Crockett, a junior majoring in aerospace and mechanical engineering,

answered the holder of the burger question.

“Brioche buns increase the odds of a good burger,” Crockett said. “The burger should also look nice and not falling out of the bread.”

Webber prefers a messy burger, but he said the burger should not fall out of his hands. His teammate, Chancellor, also agreed to this about a burger.

While these teammates debated over their ideal burger. Lee Boyle, a manager at The Garage Burgers & Beer in Stillwater, said quality ingredients form the foundation of every burger.

“We always get fresh produce and fresh beef,” Boyle said. “Nothing is ever frozen.”

The Sweet Oklahoma burger is Boyle’s favorite item at her favorite burger place, which has cream cheese, bacon, a turkey patty, jalapeños and jalapeño relish.

“The more smash style is what I like a lot,” Boyle said. “I think that’s kind of what also makes us stand out. You get that nice char on the outside, but it’s still juicy on the inside. So every good burger starts with a good patty.”

Boyle graduated from Oklahoma State with a degree in hospitality and tourism management. After working at Eskimo Joe’s for several years, she joined The Garage Burgers & Beer nearly two years ago in March.

“It feels like family here,” Boyle said. “Our staff is close, and a lot of our regulars know us by name.”

Seeing familiar faces is one of the most rewarding parts of the job, Boyle said, and creating an environment

On This day

where guests enjoy spending time together.

At The Garage Burgers & Beer, any customer can create a combination of types of burgers.

“They will start with a jalapeno bacon cheeser, which already has bacon, jalapenos, cheese, but then they will add the sweet jalapeno relish, grilled mushroom and a fried egg,” Boyle said.

Cooking the burger too dry, Boyle said, is the biggest mistake a kitchen can make.

Audrey Caban, a cook and cashier who has been a part of the team for eight months at Frontier Lanes, agrees the biggest mistake is overcooking a burger.

“Everyone loves the burgers here, and people come back for them,” Caban said. “Sometimes they just come in and order a burger and walk right back out that door.”

Caban is an OSU student majoring in mechatronics and robotics, and she usually orders a cheeseburger from Frontier Lanes. The cheeseburger is also the most popular item on the menu.

“I put bacon on it, then lettuce, mayo, ketchup and then sliced up onions,” Caban said.

If Caban had to choose a different burger place, it would be The Garage Burgers & Beer for its Sticky Finger burger, which includes peanut butter, bacon bits, sweet jalapeno relish and cheddar cheese. Lately, she hasn’t needed to go to any burger place in Stillwater. Working behind the grill at Frontier Lanes means she can cook her favorite burger whenever she wants.

news.ed@ocolly.com

1989. 37 years ago.

Tulsa artist Brummett Echohawk is donating his portrait

“Pistol Pete, Frank tiaton.:” to Oklahoma State University and will present it to the university on Monday.

Echohawk is scheduled to give a lecture at 3:30 p.m. in room 109 of the Bartlett Art Center. A reception will follow in the Gardiner Gallery where the painting will be displayed. The event is open to the public.

Echohawk has estimated the value of the painting at $50,000.

Since last August, the painting has been on display in the Indian Territory Gallery and Frames in Sapulpa. Gallery owner Shirley Wells said that Echohawk does not want to sell the painting because he wants it to remain in Oklahoma.

“He’s turned down several large offers for the painting,” Wells said.

Echohawk said the painting took more than a year to finish.

Lifestyle

Making the most of the spring season

Lilian Easter STAFF REPORTER

As the temperature rises and daylight stretches longer, Stillwater begins to feel like a different city.

For Madi Young, an Oklahoma State University junior majoring in business management, spring is more than a season; it is a mindset for her. When she walks to class, she watches students’ energy shift and routines change.

“Vibes are high,” Young said. “People are outside, riding bikes, tossing the ball around, it’s exciting for me to see.”

Students across Stillwater trade indoor routines for time outside. From afternoons at the lake to busy weekends filled with live music, spring offers something for everyone.

“I love when the trees bloom, just walking and seeing the greenery boost my mood,” Young said. “Even though it kills me with my allergies.”

As the weather warms and students head outdoors, Boomer Lake Park draws steady crowds. Students walk the trails, tan in the sun and take breaks after a busy day.

Senior Sydney Mohr, majoring in applied exercise science, enjoys the sunshine that comes with spring weather.

“I like to take walks around Boomer Lake Park,” Mohr said. “If the UV is above eight, I’m tanning outside; it’s a requirement.”

Students also drive out to Lake Carl Blackwell for a peaceful setting. Many spend afternoons there picnicking, fishing, relaxing and catching up with friends.

Spring also changes how students approach school work. Instead of staying inside, many bring their assignments outdoors.

“I focus better in fresh air than indoors,” Mohr said. “In the spring, my mood is better, my grades are better and everything improves.”

A season of music and events Spring also kicks off festival and concert seasons in Stillwater. Madelyn Trentham, director of marketing for Visit Stillwater, said April brings one of the busiest event schedules of the year.

“STOKd is a live music festival celebrating red dirt

music here in Stillwater,” Trentham said. “The Boys from Oklahoma concert is the headliner at the end of the week.”

From April 3–12, venues across Stillwater host concerts as part of the festival.

Students and visitors can attend performances throughout downtown and experience the city’s music scene.

Another major event, Calf Fry, takes place April 30 through May 2 at Tumbleweed Dancehall & Concert Arena. The event draws large crowds each year and features popular country and Red Dirt artists.

“I already have my tickets for the Boys from Oklahoma and Calf Fry,” Mohr said. “Spring is the best time for concerts because of the weather and great energy.”

Stillwater also hosts several cultural events during the season. The Stillwater Arts Festival, scheduled for April 17–18, brings artists and vendors together in a community setting. The International Red Dirt Film Festival, held April 17–19, highlights independent films and filmmakers. These events give students opportunities to explore new interests while staying connected to the local community.

Activities for every pace

Since not every student wants a packed schedule, Stillwater offers students places of a different atmosphere. The Stillwater Public Library hosts book sales and events to encourage students to pick up a book.“I read more in the spring,” Young said. “It’s just a calmer pace.”

Students who want group activities can visit The Hub Stillwater, which offers bowling, pickleball and other recreational options. The space gives students a place to gather and stay active.

For a more traditional outing, the AMC Stillwater 10 remains a popular choice for watching movies.

Spring also brings a full schedule of OSU athletics. Baseball, softball and tennis matches draw steady student crowds and add to campus life. Many students attend games with friends, creating a strong sense of community.

Spring in Stillwater blends activity and relaxation in a way that stands out to students. The season encourages people to spend time outside, connect with others and enjoy the city. Whether students choose to attend concerts, explore local events or simply relax by the lake, they find ways to make the most of the season. “I get giddy thinking about the spring semester every year,” Young said. “It’s always the most fun.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

‘Project Hail Mary’ saves book adaptations

Kaitlyn Robertson STAFF REPORTER

Grace and Rocky save cinema, Statement.

Based on the 2021 science fiction novel by Andy Weir, “Project Hail Mary” stars Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher and a molecular biologist and James Ortiz, as Rocky, an alien from Eird — a planet suffering the same problem as earth, which is the sun losing light.

Taking the box office by storm, “Project Hail Mary” made $140.9 million - $141 million globally in its opening weekend, winning the hearts of people around the world. In the film Grace is taken out of the classroom to explore. Finding what is taking the sunlight, eventually being privy to the master plan, Project Hail Mary. The smartest minds across earth are working together to save the world, eventually figuring out a plan to send people into space to investigate further and send back their findings. Grace, being the only person left on the ship, sets out to remember who he is, why he is in space and what he needs to do while he’s there.

Directors, Phil Lord and Chris Miller took the book and made it almost exactly to life, using no green screens and only practical effects to portray the beauty of space and the universe. Some ways they used practical effects is through puppeteering to get the effect of Rocky and his movements and harness work for the movement of gravitational forces around space. The space pictures are real photos from

space by astrophotographer Rod Prazeres based in Brisbane, Australia.

Following the book’s science and making it easier to understand, they beautifully explain and create all the science you need to know to follow the story without having to have a degree in any science field.

Bringing humor and new exciting ways to explain science between Earth science and Erid science, most of the book is the inner monologue of Ryland Grace — a challenge the directors thought through using the silence as storytelling just as well as the dialogue of Grace and Rocky throughout the film.

“Project Hail Mary” has taken the world by storm with people falling in love with Rocky and his learning of earth through movies and the only human he’s ever met, Grace. Ryan Gosling portrayed Ryland with an excellence and moxie that has been missing from most movies in theaters. His acting shows that he really enjoys the character he is playing and is dedicated to making the book come to life.

An anthem to the movie has become “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles, which is sung in a karaoke scene and it is being used as the song of most fan edits playing on social media and drawing more fans to the theatre. While no sequel has currently been announced, it has been joked about and is wanted by fans. Andy Weir has multiple books published in the genre and are all available at most places books are sold. “Project Hail Mary” is still in theatres and is worth the watch.

Lifestyle

From dorm‑room spa nights to opening Ur Moms Nails, student builds a business

The music is loud, but the laughter is louder.

The grinding of the nail file fades into the background, the smell of acetone and polish fills the air and the latest campus gossip is the topic of the evening. This is a regular night for Kaylee Keller.

Keller earned her esthetician license her senior year of high school. Keller, 19, is a sophomore at Oklahoma State University and her interest in nails and esthetics formed from sister bonding back home in Edmond.

“We actually grew up doing nails together and she would always do mine,” Keller said. “I was always super picky, I was like, ‘Give me the file, you’re not doing it right.’”

When she moved to college, Keller bought her sister’s nail supplies and began doing her own. Spa nights in her dorm room were frequent for Keller and her friends. What started as a hobby and a joke turned into a business.

“I kind of just did it for fun,” Keller said. “I didn’t see it going anywhere. Didn’t think it was going to be a big thing. I was like, ‘It’s just a hobby. If it makes a little bit of side cash, why not?’”

From those girls’ spa nights, Keller and her friends landed on a name, and Ur Moms Nails was born.

“I was in my dorm, I had just done one of my friends’ nails and we were all talking about it,” Keller said. “My roommate now said, ‘You need to make this a business.’ And collectively they all grouped in and were like, ‘I’ll run your social media,’ ‘I’ll do your books,’ ‘I’ll do this.’”

In February 2025, Keller began taking her first paying clients, about two a week at first. Now she sees at least two clients a day and books two weeks in advance.

Hayden Burley, a nursing student at OSU, is one of the friends who watched the idea take shape from the beginning.

“It kind of started out as she would always ask our group of friends to come over, and she would just do our nails every once in a while,” Burley said. “And then we really started all talking. We’re like, ‘You know what? You could really kind of profit off of this, but also it’s a really great way to connect with a lot of other people.’”

Burley said going to Keller’s house is different from going to a commercial salon. What

BY ADDY BLANKENSHIP I STAFF REPORTER

could be a quick appointment turns into much-needed time for the women.

“We have like little girls’ days where we all just go over, spend like eight hours a day and just back and forth, we eat, get our nails done, we watch movies, dance around,” Burley said. “It’s just very much like the epitome of girlhood.”

Those marathon nail days have become ritual. The work of choosing colors, trading stories and hyping one another up is as important as the polish.

“Whoever’s not getting their nails done helps whoever is getting their nails done pick colors and everything, and then we really just sit there and talk about literally anything,” Burley said. “It’s a really great stress relief because if you have something on your mind, I just know that everyone in that room is not going to judge.”

Those girls’ days spill across couches and kitchen counters in Keller’s off-campus house. The business was built in a much smaller corner of campus life.

Keller’s humble beginnings started in her 13-by-9-foot dorm room in Village D.

“The hardest part was I couldn’t have a whole setup that was just permanent there,” Keller said. “I had to move the desk out from the wall every time and then set up all my nail things and put them back under the bed because it was such a tiny space.”

Plenty of clients remember those early days of scooting furniture and sitting crosslegged on the floor. For Madilynn Short, Keller’s girlfriend, those first sets in Village D are part of the story she carries into every appointment now.

“It’s just so cool to have been there in the beginning when it’s like your back hurts, her back hurts, but the nails are awesome,” Short said. “And then now it’s like this full setup and she’s expanded her colors and expanded her work.”

Short has had a frontrow seat to Keller’s life as a business owner and a full-time student.

“She loves being the boss of herself,” Short said. “She says that all the time. That’s why she’s an entrepreneurship major.”

Being her own boss gives Keller control over her hours and her art, but it also means

every slot on the calendar depends on her. Some weeks, that balance gets hard to keep.

“I try not to push myself too much because it has gotten to the point where I don’t have time to study,” Keller said. “I normally plan out my week in advance so I can kind of see ‘OK, we have presentations and things to do and all of the events I have,’ and then schedule clients around that.”

Running a small business as an entrepreneurship major has helped Keller in other ways, from scholarships to networking to understanding class material better.

“I think it’s made it easier to connect with people in my major,” Keller said. “We all have that collective interest in the field, and so that’s been really fun to bring up and talk about.”

Doing nails has also shown Keller a love for people she didn’t expect. She is interested in the idea of a nail tech being her full-time job and opening a commercial salon after she graduates.

“I really love having conversations with people and laughing,” Keller said. “Tell me about your boyfriend, tell me about your major switch, any sort of gossip. I love learning things about people and having those conversations.”

As her client list grew, Keller leaned on friends to help keep the business running behind the scenes. Emi Sengvilay, is one of those friends; she manages the Instagram account for @ur.moms.nails.

“I remember the first call that really established kind of our partnership and working together,” Sengvilay said. “I was at the mall with my mom, and she called and she said, ‘I want to do this, like I have the resources to do so, here’s my dream, and here’s the goal. Would you want to help me with it?’ And it was something that was very exciting, and I was immediately very excited to be able to fill that position for her.”

Sengvilay, a multimedia journalism sophomore, helps take a load off Keller by running the Instagram account. Sengvilay handles the posts and collaborates with Keller on the vision for the feed, and the partnership has kept their friendship close.

“I think one thing that it’s done well is that it forces us to be in communication,” Sengvilay said. “Last year it was really easy. We lived in the same dorm, and we had

the same friend group, and we were able to be close because we were always together. It can be harder when we both moved off campus this year.”

This year, they hit 200 followers on Instagram, bringing in more clients and keeping Keller’s schedule busy. Along with Instagram, Sengvilay and Keller post to Snapchat stories for OSU students, drawing in clients Keller might not have met otherwise.

That is how Rayleigh Carter, a junior agriculture business major, found Keller.

“I try to be a big ‘girl supporting girls’ kind of person and support small businesses where I can,” Carter said. “And that seemed like a great place to do that.

After talking to Kaylee and hearing her story of how she pursued these certifications in high school to help pay her way through college, it just made me want to support her even more.”

What started in April 2024 as a first-time nail appointment has blossomed into a yearlong friendship.

Carter became a client when Keller was using her dorm room as a salon and has watched the business move into a bigger space.

“I think it’s a fun transition,” Carter said. “It’s kind of like watching

THURSDAYS IN MARCH

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someone grow through different stages of life, because I am older than Kaylee, so that makes me proud, in like a big sister sort of way.”

Carter said watching Keller’s business grow and blossom makes her proud.

“From the first time I ever met with her... she felt like my best friend, not someone who was just trying to ask me generic questions to get a better tip,” Carter said.

Keller’s warm personality brings a unique and welcoming atmosphere to a nontraditional nail-tech experience. Burley said it is her emboldening personality that makes her so wonderful to talk to.

“Kaylee is very talkative,” Burley said. “You can talk to that girl about anything and she will have something to say or want to learn about what you’re talking about.”

For Burley, that atmosphere is what sets Ur Moms Nails apart from a typical salon.

“The difference when it comes to having a commercial nail salon experience versus being with Kaylee is you feel comfortable in your own skin,” Burley said. “Where you could be having a really rough day and need a good cry and still feel amazing when you get out because you have beautiful nails.”

news.ed@ocolly.com

Long days, heavy stories

Twenty-Seven Salon owner balances beauty work, hobby farming and faith

BY AUDIE MARTIN I STAFF REPORTER

On the way home, Jamie Nichols doesn’t turn on the radio.

Some days are too heavy for music.

As she drives away from Twenty-Seven Salon, Nichols carries the weight of her clients on her shoulders.

“Let’s say you have five clients that day,” Nichols said. “The first one could be getting married, and she’s so excited. The next person lost her mom and you’re helping her with that. The third person is pregnant and about to have a baby or just had a baby. And then your fourth person could be going through a divorce… And then your fifth one could be their first time in college.”

Nichols is a witness to her clientele’s lives; 16 years of cosmetology and eight years owning Twenty-Seven Salon has been more than haircuts and eyebrow waxes. Although some days are more difficult than others, Nichols aims to treat each client in her chair as if he or she is the first.

“I have actually [gone] to the back and cried and then got my makeup redone and went back out to saying, ‘Hi, how are you?’” Nichols said. “You just have to keep going.”

Nichols sees all life stages sitting in her chair every day. For some clients, Nichols has watched entire chapters unfold.

Patty Smith, a client of 15 years, has been a biology professor at Tulsa Community College and has a two-hour round-trip commute to see Nichols. With Smith’s coming retirement after 40 years of teaching, Smith and Nichols have plenty to catch up on each visit.

“She’s just so pleasant to be around,” Smith said. “She doesn’t gossip. Not that there’s anything that I would know to gossip about there. But she talks about what she’s been doing the last few months and we have a good time when I go see her. I always look forward to it.”

Smith has rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the lining of joints and causes painful inflammation, stiffness and swelling. Without a cure for the disease, Smith began taking immunosuppressive medications at the cost of her hair.

“One day I had hair, and then the next probably a quarter or a third was gone, and I have very thick [and] long hair,” Smith said. “So, when I came in, I said, ‘You may notice, I’m losing my hair.’ And I’d already

warned [Nichols], and she said, ‘Oh, I see that.’ And she didn’t laugh or anything, but she was really nice about it, and worked with me to cut it shoulder length where it would look much better and then she found some products to use, which I’ve been using.”

Although the price of the medication was losing some of her hair, Smith said it was worth it.

“If I would have lost every single hair, I didn’t care,” Smith said. “I just wanted to feel better.”

After years of sitting in Nichols’ chair, Smith said she has always had a positive experience. Nichols’ father, Jim Wilson, said she has been a hard worker with a heart of gold since her childhood.

Wilson said Nichols has never known a stranger. As the fire chief for South Coffeyville, OK, Fire Department and a retired paramedic supervisor for Emergency Medical Services, Wilson said young Nichols would come into the fire station and talk with anyone willing about fire trucks.

After a major flood in 2007 in Coffeyville, Kansas, Wilson came off work as a paramedic to go to the fire station. While Red Cross and the National Guard trucks hauled bottles of water and other supplies, Wilson said he remembers Nichols, 15, handing out items and helping any way she could.

“She became really good friends with those Guard people…But that’s just the way Jamie was,” Wilson said. “She just got involved. She always wanted to do something to help somebody, and it was a really proud moment [to] go there and watch her [as] she helped others.”

If the bond between Nichols and her father starts at the frontlines of comforting others, it shines brightest on a fishing dock.

Nichols grew up hunting, fishing and target practicing. A tomboy who gravitated to her father, Nichols said she loved spending quality time with her dad.

Her tenacity not only translates into her job as a cosmetologist, but also as a hobby farmer.

“I was raised with a grandpa who farmed his whole life,” Nichols said. “And I have two uncles that have farmed their whole life, and I am the first to say we don’t do hardly anything [as] how hard they have to work at it. So, I don’t ever want to underestimate anybody and make it seem like it’s this fun, glorious thing because

it’s definitely hard work and I know that we are very surface level with it.”

Nichols and her husband, Ryan Nichols, inherited 120 acres from his family, with 80 acres used for growing alfalfa for round bales and 40 for grazing. With a herd of about 30 cattle, spiking to 60-70 at times, Nichols was new to the process. For Ryan Nichols, raising and selling cattle was a reminder of childhood.

With grandparents who had longhorn and comparing to other famers, Ryan Nichols considers the cattle he and Nichols have to be “play farming.”

Yet, play farming takes more work than expected.

Every morning between 4-5, the Nichols check on the herd.

In freezing weather, ice in troughs needs to be broken and cattle must be counted, and formula, bottles, vaccinations and powdered milk are ready in case a calf has complications during birth.

Making a hobby farm requires teamwork; thankfully, the Nichols’ find communication easy. Ryan Nichols is the co-owner of Twenty-Seven Salon and said there is a balance for how decisions are made.

“There’s some give and take on both sides to make things work,” Ryan Nichols said. “We’re just superstrong in that and I think that’s what makes a great relationship. So very, very blessed and fortunate.”

When transitioning to owning the salon at 712 S. Main St., Nichols struggled to find the perfect name. She passed the baton to her husband, who named Twenty-Seven Salon after the recurring number in the Nichols’ lives.

“I was turning 27 that year and my birthday is [March] 27,” Nichols said. “We met on April 27, 2015. So, there was just a big 27 number. He was like, ‘We need to have it all spelled out.’”

With a nine-year age gap, Ryan Nichols said the couple clicked after mutual friends set the pair up. Wilson praised the Nichols’ marriage.

“Everything they do, they do together and that’s the way it’s supposed to be,” Wilson said. “They just they help support each other so much. He’s fantastic guy [and we are] very lucky to have him in our family.”

Both lead in humility, and Ryan Nichols praised Nichols’ work ethic and care for others above everything.

Nichols is always on the move to help, and Megan Comstock deemed Nichols a fearless leader for the salon.

“She showed me more than just what it is to put color on somebody’s head or to give a haircut or to wax an eyebrow,” Comstock said. “She taught me how to engage in clients and communicate and make a client feel like they’re the only client you have ever had. [How to] just make somebody feel very appreciated while they’re in your chair.”

Comstock is the manager at Twenty-Seven Salon and is coming up on her fourth year. Starting in the industry in 2022 after graduating from high school and cosmetology school, she toured through Meridian and met Nichols.

During her time at TwentySeven Salon, Comstock praised Nichols’ work ethic and said the pair have a great relationship inside and outside of the salon. Although Comstock mentioned Nichols’ bedtime of 9 p.m., she said Nichols was always there when stylists needed her.

Six stylists are in the salon through booth rent, which means the salon provides a space for their independent

business for a weekly rent. This can be a point of controversy in the salon world.

“I think if Jamie wasn’t even the owner, she would still be the same way that she is now,” Comstock said. “And she genuinely wants the best for every single girl that’s ever worked for her and that still does work for her.”

In the drama-free salon, Comstock and Nichols said the team of stylists will take the weight of the day off together. Walking downtown, getting an apple from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, sipping on a dirty soda from Southern Wilde or sitting to breathe and pray, Nichols finds strength in her faith and her team.

“I can’t be more proud of each stylist that’s here,” Nichols said.

Having gained the admiration from her stylists, clients and family, Nichols’ love for others is reflected back to her.

“She’s just a beautiful person, inside and out,” Wilson said.

news.ed@ocolly.com

News our best photos from the mid south

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!.

Friday, March 27, 2026

‘I

Cowgirls looking to build off strong season

Cayden Cox STAFF REPORTER

Two NCAA Tournament appearances, 32 wins at home and a pair of top-four finishes in the Big 12. That is what Oklahoma State

women’s basketball has achieved in the last two seasons.

Over those two seasons, Jadyn Wooten, Stailee Heard and Micah Gray emerged as key pieces for the Cowgirls. Gray is the only one who has exhausted her eligibility.

Surviving practice to national Champion

Sergio Vega’s rise at OSU

Weston Wertzberger STAFF REPORTER

Before Sergio Vega became a national champion, he was trying to survive practice. But that’s where everything started to change.

By March, Vega stood alone — an undefeated true freshman national champion at 141 pounds, the first to do so since 1947. But his rise wasn’t built on dominance alone. It was shaped in the Oklahoma State wrestling room, where belief had to be earned before it could be proven.

That belief started long before he ever stepped on campus.

Originally committed to Cornell, Vega flipped to OSU in October 2024 following the hiring of coach David Taylor. For Vega, the decision came down to one thing — growth.

“I’ve always loved watching Coach Taylor because he was so dominant, and just the things that he did were really cool,” Vega said. “For me, I’ve always liked his cradle, and that’s the position I started working on. …If I could get into the room and work with him and learn the things that he does, I could be unstoppable.”

See SURVIVING on page 5B

Wooten and Heard are set to return for the third season together on what has been a special journey for the pair of stars.

“It’s been a ride for us two,” Heard said. “We’ve been through a lot together, and it goes way deeper than just basketball with us. We have a really close relationship.

It just hurts, because I’m going into my senior year and she’s getting better and better every single game… I’ve just loved to see the person she has become within these two years.”

Lutz, OSU turn focus to year 3 with March Madness in mind

Parker Gerl CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Year two of the Steve Lutz era is finished, but the work to prepare for Year three will soon begin.

Oklahoma State’s season ended on Sunday with a 96-70 loss to Wichita State in the NIT, a close to the Cowboys’ 20-15 season that featured a 6-12 record in Big 12 Conference play.

That’s an improvement from Lutz’s first season, when OSU finished 17-18 and 7-13 in conference play. But he and the Cowboys have their sights set on going well beyond reaching the NIT.

OSU has missed out on March Madness every year since 2021. Since Cade Cunningham’s departure to the

NBA, the Cowboys have come close to reaching the big dance only a few times. Lutz was hired to fix that. It’s been his goal since day one, and it remains his biggest task at hand.

“Let’s go get a team that’s gonna get us to the NCAA Tournament,” Lutz said. “... (a team that’s gonna) play the right way and be physical and tough and defend and rebound every single night next year. That’s the job moving forward.”

Lutz will soon have his hands full. The transfer portal opens on April 7 and will be active until April 21, a three-week period in which OSU can reshape the roster with new faces and returning players.

SPORTS

4 early, bold predictions for OSU football

Parker Gerl CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Fire up the prediction machine.

In 162 days, the Oklahoma State football program will embark on a momentous season. A new coach for the first time since 2005. More than 80 new players. A star quarterback looking to continue his success with the Cowboys.

We’re still a good days away, but we’ve made it to the heart of spring ball. It’s never to early to start guessing.

Here are four way-too-early, bold predictions for OSU’s 2026 football season.

Miles Coleman catches 60plus passes

Wyatt Young is the talk of the town when it comes to the Cowboys’ new wide receiver corps. And rightfully so.

But Miles Coleman, another receiver to transfer to OSU from North Texas, has the skillset to be equally as impactful. At 5-foot-6, Coleman’s game is predicated on speed and making defenders miss. He’s versatile, and can do damage both downfield and in the screen game.

Teams will key on Young, which will set up plenty of open opportunities for Coleman. But Coleman is just a guy Morris will want to get the ball to, though, given Coleman’s one-play, home-runhitting abilities.

Coleman caught 47 passes for UNT last season and put up 550 yards and three touchdowns. He also served as the Mean Green’s primary punt returner.

The Cowboys score 50-plus points against Tulsa

Remember those bold, confident words from Tre Lamb in February?

“We’ll beat their ass again.”

That’s what Lamb said in regards to a rematch with OSU during a video presentation at a Tulsa basketball game previewing the 2026 football season.

You can’t knock Lamb for it. He and the Golden Hurricane hold the bragging rights after upsetting the Cowboys this past season.

But come September, OSU will enter H.A. Chapman

Stadium with an offense that’s miles better than the one it had in the loss to TU, one of the top quarterbacks in college football and a new coach looking to make a good impression in his first game with the Cowboys.

A blowout OSU win is absolutely on the table.

A top Big 12 passing offense

The easiest part of Morris’ transition to Big 12 football is that he will have his starting quarterback and running back, with his top two wide receivers, from his last season’s UNT team — a team that was No. 1 in FBS in yards per game.

Will the Cowboys have the best offense in all of college football? Probably not.

But they should still have a highly-explosive one, which will finish in the top five in the Big 12 in passing yards per game on the shoulders of Mestemaker, Young, Coleman and Morris’ play-calling.

The Cowboys go ‘bowlin again OSU should be able to finish nonconference play at 2-1 with wins against TU and Murray State and a loss to Oregon.

That means the Cowboys will need just four conference

wins to finish .500, if not better, and earn bowl eligibility after missing out in each of the past two seasons. The Big 12 has become the toughest conference to predict, but that feels well within reach.

A couple of games against two of the league’s projected top teams — Houston and Texas Tech — are featured on OSU’s schedule, but so are several games against teams who are down or have hit the reset button — West Virginia, UCF, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas State and Kansas.

Cowboys leaning on freshmen, getting results

Weston Wertzberger STAFF REPORTER

Oklahoma State isn’t waiting on its future — it’s already relying on it.

The Cowboys have leaned on a group of freshmen throughout the first six weeks of the season, with contributions coming across the lineup and pitching staff. Whether through power at the plate, speed on the bases or key innings on the mound, OSU’s youngest players have quickly become part of the team’s identity.

That impact has shown up not just in production, but in consistency. On any given day, a different freshman has stepped into a meaningful role — something that hasn’t gone unnoticed inside the clubhouse.

“It’s been awesome that Josh has faith in all of us freshmen,” Sebastian Norman said after Sunday’s win against Baylor. “I would say it’s kind of unique. I feel like we have a bunch of freshman guys who have the capacity to play at this level. And it displays every single day.

“I feel like there’s a new freshman out there almost every day. So, it just shows what all we can do and all we’re learning from the older guys, the coaches. I think they put us in a pretty good spot.”

That trust has translated into clearly defined roles, even this early in the season.

Norman has emerged as one of OSU’s most reliable power bats, often serving as the designated hitter and providing run production in the middle of the lineup. He’s slashing .280/.379/.500 with five doubles, two home runs and 12 RBIs while also adding three stolen bases.

Norman’s ability to drive the ball has made him a consistent presence in key offensive situations.

On the other end, Ezra Essex has carved out a different — but equally valuable — role. Frequently used as a pinchrunner and defensive option, Essex has appeared in 15 games with three starts and has totaled seven stolen bases, giving OSU a dynamic lategame weapon.

“(Essex) can change the game with speed, and that’s where his dimension is,” coach Josh Holliday said postgame on March 1.

“Whereas Sebastian (Norman) can change the game with

strength, Ezra can do it with speed.

“When Ezra gets the bunt down and he runs the bases and then he’s playing defense, he can create some things. He’s a creator, facilitator of offense — like a pocket knife.”

That contrast highlights the versatility of OSU’s freshman class. Rather than relying on one or two newcomers, the Cowboys have received contributions in a variety of ways, from situational roles to everyday at-bats.

Remo Indomenico, Danny

Wallace, Terrance Bowen and Deacon Pomeroy have also found opportunities throughout the lineup, adding depth and flexibility as the season has progressed. Bowen has been a regular presence, starting 18 games while recording 11 hits and drawing 10 walks. Meanwhile, Pomeroy and Wallace have made the most of limited opportunities, each posting an OPS above .950 despite smaller sample sizes. Indomenico has also contributed in a reserve role, appearing in 14 games

with a .633 OPS while backing up Campbell Smithwick behind the plate.

The impact extends to the mound as well.

Freshman pitchers Parker Jennings and Zane Burns have been called upon in multiple roles, providing innings as OSU continues to manage its pitching staff early in the season. Jennings has made five appearances with eight strikeouts through 6 2/3 innings, while Burns has appeared in seven games and recorded 14 strikeouts across 10 2/3 innings.

While the results have been mixed at times, their usage reflects the coaching staff’s willingness to trust young arms in meaningful situations — a sign of both necessity and long-term confidence in their development.

For Essex, the group’s success is rooted in a connection that began well before they arrived in Stillwater.

“It’s been amazing,” Essex said postgame on March 1. “I don’t think a lot of people know about the journey of us freshmen, just how close we were before we got here, and we had a group chat with all of us for about probably a year and a half, two years before we got here.

“Just to see us thriving, I think, like seeing one freshman thrive, it kind of just passes along to the rest of us and gives us more confidence. It’s just been huge.”

That shared experience has translated into confidence on the field, where freshmen aren’t just filling in — they’re producing.

As conference play continues, that depth could prove critical. But through the first stretch of the season, one thing is clear: OSU’s freshmen aren’t waiting their turn — they’re already helping define it.

Cowgirls

To go along with Heard and Wooten, another key piece the Cowgirls expect to have back is Achol Akot.

Akot joined the Cowgirls after spending her first two seasons at UCF, and stepped into a new role in Jacie Hoyt’s system. Despite being undersized at 6-foot-1, Akot started at the center position in all 34 of the Cowgirls’ games and found her footing down the stretch.

She turned into the workhouse for the Cowgirls, scoring double-digits in four of OSU’s last five games, including a double-double and career high in an NCAA Tournament win against Princeton.

Akot was also highly efficient, finishing with the sixth-highest field goal percentage in the country at 63%.

“She’s carrying herself with a lot of confidence right now and belief in herself,” Wooten said. “We believe in her so much. Watching her come out and take 3s and take shots she doesn’t normally take, it’s awesome

because those are the shots we want her to take. It’s just something that’s cool to see and it’s going to be exciting watching her build into the next season.”

Amari Whiting, Lena Girardi and Praise Egharevba can return to OSU as well. Whiting joined Akot and Heard in the starting lineup and embraced a role as a defensive-first point guard. In conference play, she guarded eight of the All-Big 12 guards and held six of them under their season average.

Egharevba was on the roster during Hoyt’s first season at OSU and has been a Cowgirl since.

As for Girardi, she was the lone freshman on OSU’s team this season and showed flashes of potential before suffering a shoulder injury in practice at the start of Big 12 play that hindered the rest of her season.

“If you look at what we’re returning, we’re in really, really good shape,” Hoyt said. “With that, a lot of people are going to come and try to tear what we have apart. I hope that our kids and the bond that they have, the sisterhood that we have built and their vision for what we can continue to do will be strong enough to overcome all that.

COWGIRL ROSTER MAKEUP

• Micah Gray

• Haleigh Timmer

• Willie Joseph ENTERING

• Macey Huard

• Favour Onoh

• Faith Acker

ELIGIBILE

• Amari Whiting

• Lena Girardi

• Jadyn Wooten

• Achol Akot

• Praise Egharvba

• Stailee Heard

• Tyla Heard

“I hope and pray that we can keep them together. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of noises, a lot of voices, a lot of things that are very worldly pulling at them. I hope that they choose to be uncommon and choose a path for themselves that not a lot of kids choose.”

With the time period to begin recruiting players out of the transfer portal just around the corner, on Monday, Hoyt said she hopes her team is able to savor its accomplishments from this season and hopes to keep the roster turnover limited.

“There’s a lot of talk,” Hoyt said. “A lot of conversation and it’s important for us to recruit our own team right now. (We’ll) take some time and soak in all the good things that we have to celebrate this season. It’s really hard to do what we did. So just enjoying and appreciating that, but also looking forward as well.”

A pair of Cowgirls, Macey Huard and Favour Onoh, entered their names in the transfer portal on Wednesday.

Huard missed the entirety of the season with a foot injury, while Onoh appeared in five games for OSU.

Micah Gray grew up in Oklahoma City and had always hoped to play at Oklahoma State.

“OSU was my dream school,” Gray said. “I always wanted to go there when I was younger, so it was a full-circle moment when I transferred to OSU.”

Although Gray always knew she wanted to go to OSU, she had to make two stops before arriving in Stillwater.

Gray played her freshman season at Texas Southern before transferring to Seton Hall. After finishing her sophomore season with the Pirates, Gray found her way to Stillwater and closed out her college career as a Cowgirl.

“This college career has been everything to me,” Gray said. “I did things I didn’t even think I could do, just ending it off with this group of girls, it’s amazing and been a blessing.”

Upon Gray’s arrival at OSU, Jacie Hoyt immediately elevated her game.

In her sixth game for the Cowgirls, Gray set a new school record with 10 3-pointers against Chicago State on Nov. 25, 2024.

Hoyt continued to push Gray to her full potential, and that led to Gray attempting nearly eight 3-pointers per game across the last two seasons.

“She’s meant a lot for me,”

Although Gray, Haleigh Timmer and Wilnie Joseph have exhausted their eligibility and Huard and Onoh plan to exit via the portal, the Cowgirls are bringing in incoming freshman Bralyn Peck and Addisyn Bollinger.

Peck starred in her four seasons at Decatur High School, averaging 15.1 points and 7.2 rebounds across those four seasons. Notably, she recorded a 34-point, 12-rebound outing in her final game with the Eagles, which earned her MVP honors in the state championship game.

Bollinger also starred in her high school days, breaking multiple school records at Frenship High School in Texas.

In addition to Peck and Bollinger, the Cowgirls are bringing in Annie Kibedi from Belgium and will likely make splashes when the portal opens. With new faces surrounding her in her senior season at OSU, Heard is excited for what’s in store.

“I can’t wait to get back in the gym and see what we have for us next year,” Heard said.

Gray said. “She helped my confidence grow. She was a hard coach on me and I like hard coaching, so she just pushed me to be great and better. I appreciate her for that, especially transferring over to the next level.”

To go with her single-game school record in made 3s, Gray set a single-season record with 83 made 3s last season, only to break it with 93 made 3s this season.

Across her career, Gray scored 1,753 points and made 301 3-pointers, but having her name in the history books at her dream school adds a little extra.

“It means a lot,” Gray said. “It means my hard work has paid off. I’m just leaving a little bit of me here.”

Gray also left an impact on her teammates at OSU.

With multiple stops and seasons under her belt, Gray was someone Stailee Heard looked to for advice.

“It was awesome bringing her in last year,” Heard said. “Just playing with her and just being around her all the time, just as an older person. Seeing her point of view as a vet… I learned a lot from her.”

Along with Heard, Lena Girardi gained advice from Gray and fellow senior Haleigh Timmer.

Gray and Timmer’s games are built around their 3-point

ability, and Girardi took advice from them, setting a new OSU freshman record along the way with nine made 3-pointers in a game against Langston this season.

“They’re knock down 3-point shooters,” Girardi said. “I think we have the two best 3-point shooters in the country, getting to learn from them every day in practice… they definitely helped me a lot.”

Along with their on-court teachings, Girardi became close with both Gray and Timmer off the court, as they became two leaders for the freshmen to rely on.

“We love to have fun together,” Girardi said. “They’re both great people. Timmy was always doing Bible studies and Micah was always having us over at her apartment, playing Fortnite. I’m gonna miss them.”

While Gray not only left an impact at OSU and with her teammates, she also impacted her coach.

Gray helped lead Hoyt to a career-best 25 wins last season and a win at the NCAA Tournament this season.

“Micah came here and took us to the tournament two (times),” Hoyt said. “(She) broke all kinds of records. That was incredibly special to have those two years with her.”

Parsah Fallah and Anthony Roy, the Cowboys’ two leading scorers, are out of eligibility. But other contributors, such as Vyctorius Miller, Jaylen Curry, Kanye Clary, Benjamin Ahmed, Robert Jennings II and Isaiah Coleman can return.

Lutz is also bringing in a 2026 recruiting class that ranks 14thbest in the country by 247Sports. It features Jalen Montonati, a four-star forward from Owassso, and Latrell Allmond, a McDonald’s All-American from Virginia.

OSU will need to get an idea of who will stay and who will exit before it goes full throttle in the portal. But it’s probably safe to assume the Cowboys will look to improve defensively on the perimeter after giving up the most points per game in the Big 12 and the most 3s they ever have.

Other points of interest could be another veteran center to mirror Fallah’s lowpost scoring production, or a lanky, experienced forward to make up for the loss of Christian Coleman’s defensive versatility — But as

always, the portal landscape is tough to forecast.

“We’ve gotta figure out a way to spend our money wisely to get the right people, get the right people and then do more with less,” Lutz said. “... All of that wil evolve in the next week to 10 days.”

OSU got off to an impressive start this season and heightened fans’ tournament hopes when it beat Auburn in a preseason exhibition and won 12 of its first 13 games. But as the season progressed, the Cowboys continuously struggled defensively and didn’t pick up enough Big 12 wins to remain in the March Madness equation.

Getting that done remains priority No. 1, but Lutz is pleased with the improvement and believes OSU is on the right trajectory heading into next season.

“When I was hired, I was told that you need to get us to the NCAA Tournament, and I failed to do so in two years,” Lutz said. “We’re 25 points better in the NET and RPI this year (than we were last season)… I think we had the 34th (toughest) strength of schedule in the country this year and still won 20 games.”

SPORTS

SPORTS

Surviving

Continued from 1B

When Vega caught David Taylor’s attention soon after becoming the Cowboys’ coach, he saw that potential early.

“I felt like I remembered just when I watched him wrestle in high school, and I watched his skill set,” Taylor said. “I was like, ‘Man, this kid’s pretty unique.’ It was really exciting to have the chance to coach him because of what he did and his style. You can kind of see his style was one that could have the ability to be a dominant wrestling style.”

But when Vega arrived in Stillwater, that potential didn’t immediately translate to success.

The transition into one of the toughest rooms in the country tested him. Practices didn’t come easy. Matches in the room didn’t go his way. There were moments where nothing seemed to click.

Instead of backing down, Vega stayed in the fight.

“All the tough practices where it’s like, I get whooped and I’m doubting myself — because I had a lot of those,” Vega said. “I was having success, but even during the season, I had a bunch of practices where it’s like, things are just not clicking and I’m just getting beat up.”

That’s where teammates like 149-pounder Casey Swiderski made a difference.

“(Swiderski) was telling me, ‘You’ve got to stay in the fight,’” Vega said. “And once he realizes you’re not going to back down, he’ll back up a little bit. And then it’s like, ‘All right, now he’s human.’ …He just got me ready for that moment, and I probably wouldn’t be there without him.”

The breakthrough didn’t come all at once, but Vega could feel it building.

“I think National Duals was really big for me,” Vega said. “I think mainly, it was all those tough practices where I’m just not finding success, and then it’s like, I can’t get too down on myself. It’s always been a thing for my career. I think just having those tough practices — I always try to have my practices be the hardest thing that I’m doing.”

From there, the results followed. Vega rolled through the season

Never satisfied

Cowboys carrying championship mindset into offense

Weston Wertzberger STAFF REPORTER

There’s no such thing as satisfied inside Oklahoma State’s wrestling room.

The Cowboys returned home to Stillwater after taking home the second-place team trophy with three individual national champions for the first time since 2005. All three champions were freshmen, making OSU the first program in NCAA history to pull off that feat.

Even after the best weekend of their careers, the message stayed the same.

“We want three more,” Sergio Vega said. “We want to win three more national titles, and we want to win team titles. So I think just not being content and getting in the room, just keep getting better.”

The trio of 133-pounder Jax Forrest, 141-pounder Vega and 157-pounder Landon Robideau walked out of their first NCAA Championships on top of the podium, in a group that sent six freshmen to the national tournament.

Even with those three reaching their goals individually, there’s still a higher goal to chase after for next season.

“Our goals were never to be one-time NCAA champions or take second as a team,” Robideau said. “They’ve always been (to become) four-timers and win team championships. So I think just realizing it’s just one tournament. We’ve got a lot more to go, and people are now going to realize we’re pretty good freshmen. So next year when we’re wrestling, they’re going to try to take us out. Just trying to widen the gap, get better and continue our dominance.”

anywhere.

“Honestly, nothing changes,” coach David Taylor said. “I think the biggest change is you finish the collegiate season, and then you’re into the RTC season. If guys are gonna compete, they’re competing with the same fire and passion that they wrestle during the regular season, and then you have RTC guys now (who) are getting ready for their season. And that stuff is contagious.”

That standard doesn’t disappear once the season ends — it evolves. Jax Forrest has already lived it, competing through the RTC season last year on his way to a U23 World title and a spot on the Senior World Team.

“I think we got people that keep us humble in the room,” Forrest said. “We got great coaches that will beat us up. When we think we’re the top dogs, we’ve got RTC guys, we’ve got each other. We got the coaches that will beat us up and make us rethink our lives and wonder how we want an NCAA title. But then those days are the best, because then it’s really tight, like figuring out a puzzle.

“Then just keep having goals that we’re trying to achieve — short-term, long-term, day by day. Just getting better, stacking the days.”

Before the season, OSU focused on building its foundation while expectations outside the room told a different story. The Cowboys didn’t care and believed in themselves as the season progressed, culminating in four conference champions, three national champions and eight AllAmericans.

With nine starters returning next season, the message is simple as OSU chases its first national championship since 2006.

unbeaten, capturing a Big 12 title and carrying that momentum into the NCAA Championships. Match by match, he kept finding ways to win, leaning on the same mentality that had carried him through the toughest practices of his career.

That mindset was tested one final time in the national championship match.

Facing two-time defending champion Jesse Mendez, Vega found himself in a battle that went beyond technique. After three periods, the match was tied, sending it to sudden victory. When Mendez shot in, Vega didn’t panic. He stayed in position, trusted his training and worked through the scramble.

Moments later, he was on top — a national champion. But for Vega, the moment wasn’t just about the title, but the journey he went through with family by his side.

“It means everything,” Vega said.

“I remember telling my brother at the beginning of the year, like it’s going to be awesome whenever I win the Nationals and run up to my family and stuff. It’s just been my favorite part of watching the national tournament since I was a little kid.

“I just always thought it was so cool that their families were always right next to them, and then being able to experience that, there’s nothing like it that I’ve ever experienced in my life.”

Outside the program, what Vega — along with fellow freshman Jax Forrest — accomplished may have felt surprising. Inside the room, it didn’t.

“I think those guys are very unique, and they’re very motivated and hungry,” Taylor said. “They have some things that make it really hard for their opponents to prepare for. It’s not like that’s an end goal for these guys. They’re excited for what’s next and they can both get a lot better.”

That might be the most telling part of Vega’s story.

Even after an undefeated season, a national title and one of the most dominant freshman campaigns in college wrestling history, he doesn’t see a finished product.

“Still to this day, I have so much room to improve,” Vega said. “That just gave me so much confidence that I was able to win the nationals. I feel like I’m not even 50% of where I could be.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

The Cowboys have kept their killer mentality throughout the season, spanning four months. Heading into the offseason, where college wrestling won’t return until November, that mentality won’t go

“I would say believe in yourself,” Vega said. “There’s no reason why we can’t go do it. I’ve mentioned it before. I just always tell myself, “Why can’t we go do it? So just knowing all of us can — it doesn’t matter.

“The freshmen coming in, the guys who redshirted — it doesn’t matter. Just keep getting better every day.”

cowboys continue spring ball

Sports

Gerl: Moore vs. Mestemaker offers quarterback showcase in Stillwater

Parker Gerl CO-EDITORIN-CHIEF

Dante Moore has already cemented himself as a top NFL quarterback prospect, but he still chose to go the uncommon route.

Rather than entering the 2026 NFL Draft, Moore, Oregon’s 20-year-old star quarterback, opted to return for another season of college development — a decision in which he gave up the chance to make $50 million in guaranteed money as a projected top-three pick.

“Mainly all my life has just been about being the most prepared as I can for any situation I go into,” Moore told ESPN in January.

Moore’s return makes the Ducks one of the national title favorites in 2026. He will also enter the season as potentially the best passer in all of college football.

So, when Oregon and Moore come to Stillwater on Sept. 12 to face Oklahoma State and Drew Mestemaker, college football fans who love some good quarterbacking will be in for a treat. And for Mestemaker, it will be his first big opportunity to accomplish what Moore has already done — establish himself as a highly-touted 2027 NFL prospect.

The Ducks will probably enter that game as doubledigit favorites. A good Mestemaker performance early in the season against that opponent would only help the Cowboys’ young quarterback

start the process of going from intriguing but raw to established and ready.

Mestemaker was a breakout star last season at North Texas, where in his first season as a starter, he led the NCAA in passing with 4,379 yards and guided the Mean Green to a 12-2 season. He wowed with his downfield passing and often fit balls into windows that some quarterbacks wouldn’t even attempt to.

Now, the question is whether Mestemaker’s skills and confidence will translate well to Power Four football, and, ultimately, the NFL.

Mestemaker’s worst two performances last season came against the only ranked teams on UNT’s schedule, when he combined for six interceptions against Tulane and South Florida, but still managed to throw for two touchdowns and more than 290 yards in both games. So, the matchup with the Ducks will be Mestemaker’s next bigtime opportunity to produce against a high-level opponent before OSU gets into Big 12 Conference play.

Mestemaker doesn’t need to lead the country in passing again, but as long as the move

• Pruning & Trimming

• Removals

• Stump Grinding

• Firewood Sales

to Stillwater comes with similar production against a higher level of competition, he should continue to rise in NFL prospect rankings. His arm talent and remaining alongside Eric Morris and several of his UNT teammates should bode well for the transition process, too.

Mestemaker and Moore are not drastically different, either. Moore began his career at UCLA and threw 114 passes before transferring to Oregon to continue developing and become a top NFL prospect, the same thing Mestemaker wants to do at OSU after starting elsewhere.

They’re both 20 years old and share similar skill sets, with each player considered a highly accurate passer who operates well in the pocket. The only difference is that Moore was a highly-touted recruit, while Mestemaker had to work his way up as a walk-on.

When Moore and Mestemaker meet at Boone Pickens Stadium in September, it’ll be a treat to watch two of college football’s best on one field, while Mestemaker looks to join Moore in the highest tier of NFL quarterback prospects.