Oklahoma State football under coach Mike Gundy reached heights never before achieved in 2011. The Cowboys won 12 games for the first time in school history and earned their first-ever BCS bowl trip, capped by a victory over Stanford in the 2012 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Oklahoma State climbed to as high as No. 2 in the national polls and narrowly missed out on a shot to play in the national championship game. The Cowboys have emerged as one of the top grid programs in the country, winning 41 games over the last four years while producing six All-Americans and two-time Biletnikoff Award winner Justin Blackmon.
Under Gundy, Oklahoma State has gone to six straight bowl games and his 59 victories rank second all-time, just three behind Pat Jones. Gundy, an Oklahoma State alumnus, reaffirmed his commitment to the school by recently signing a contract extension that will take him through the 2019 season.
Oklahoma State men’s basketball, despite its 15-18 record in 2012, has traditionally been among the best programs in the Big 12 Conference. Fifth-year coach Travis Ford led the Cowboys to three consecutive 20-win seasons from 2009-11, including back-to-back trips to the NCAA tournament in 2009-10.
The Oklahoma State women’s basketball program overcame tragedy when coach Kurt Budke and assistant coach Miranda Serna were killed in a plane crash on Nov. 17, 2011. Jim Littell was able to rally the team to a 22-12 record that included the school’s first-ever WNIT championship. RUSSELL ATHLETIC and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) recognized the Cowgirls by naming them recipients of the inaugural “Together We R” Team Award.
The team was also honored b
Oklahoma State University is listed by the Princeton Review as one of 120 “Best Western Colleges” for 2011.
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y the state Legislature with a resolution recognizing its remarkable accomplishment in the face of such adversity.
Pro Football Hall of Fame: Barry Sanders, Thurman Thomas
Oklahoma State Bowl Game History 2012, Fiesta Bowl vs. Stanford (W) 2010, Alamo Bowl vs. Arizona (W) 2010, Cotton Bowl vs. Mississippi (L) 2008, Holiday Bowl vs. Oregon (L) 2007, Insight Bowl vs. Indiana (W) 2006, Independence Bowl vs. Alabama (W) 2004, Alamo Bowl vs. Ohio State (L) 2004, Cotton Bowl vs. Mississippi (L) 2002, Houston Bowl vs. Southern Miss (W) 1997, Alamo Bowl vs. Purdue (L) 1988, Holiday Bowl vs. Wyoming (W) 1987, Sun Bowl vs. West Virginia (W) 1985, Gator Bowl vs. Florida State (L) 1984, Gator Bowl vs. South Carolina (W) 1983, Bluebonnet Bowl vs. Baylor (W) 1981, Independence Bowl vs. Texas A&M (L) 1976, Tangerine Bowl vs. BYU (W) 1974, Fiesta Bowl vs. BYU (W) 1958, Bluegrass Bowl vs. Florida State (W) 1949, Delta Bowl vs. William & Mary (L) 1946, Sugar Bowl vs. St. Mary’s (W) 1945, Cotton Bowl vs. TCU (W)
NFL First-Round Draft Picks 2012, Justin Blackmon, WR (Jacksonville) 2012, Brandon Weedon, QB (Cleveland) 2010, Russell Okung, T (Seattle) 2010, Dez Bryant, WR (Dallas) 2009, Brandon Pettigrew, TE (Detroit) 2004, Rashaun Woods, WR (San Francisco) 2003, Kevin Williams, DE (Minnesota) 1998, R.W. McQuarters, CB (San Francisco) 1989, Barry Sanders, RB (Detroit) 1989, Hart Lee Dykes, WR (New England) 1986, Leslie O’Neal, DE (San Diego) 1978, Terry Miller, RB (Buffalo) 1977, Phil Dokes, DT (Buffalo) 1976, James White, DT (Minnesota) 1974, Ruben Grant, TE (Buffalo) 1970, John Ward, G (Minnesota) 1948, Jim Spavital, FB (Chicago) 1947, Bob Fenimore, FH (Chicago) * 1947, Neill Armstrong, E (Philadelphia)
* No. 1 overall pick
Men’s Basketball:
Naismith Hall of Fame: Henry P. Iba, Robert Kurland, Eddie Sutton
Oklahoma NCAA Tournament History 2010 2009 2005, Sweet 16 2004, NCAA Final Four 2003 2002 2001 2000, Elite Eight 1999 1998 1995, NCAA Final Four 1994 1993 1992, Sweet 16 1991, Sweet 16 1983 1965, Elite Eight 1958, Elite Eight 1954, Elite Eight 1953, Elite Eight 1951, NCAA Final Four 1949, NCAA Final Four 1946, NCAA champions 1945, NCAA champions
NBA First-Round Draft Picks 2005, Joey Graham (Toronto) 2004, Tony Allen (Boston) 2000, Desmond Mason (Seattle) 1995, Bryant Reeves (Vancouver) 1994, Brooks Thompson (Orlando) 1949, Bob Harris (Fort Worth)
WNBA First-Round Draft Picks 2010, Andrea Riley (Los Angeles)
VISITING FAN GUIDE:
Popular Attractions: National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Campus Visitor’s Center/Alumni Center, Gardiner Art Gallery, Heritage Hall/Gallagher-Iba Arena, Boone Pickens Stadium, OSU Botanical Gardens
Popular Restaurants: Eskimo Joe’s, Mexico Joe’s, Joseppi’s, Hideaway Pizza, Rancher’s Club, Karsten Creek, Brooklyn’s, Louie’s, Bad Brad’s BBQ, Freddie Paul’s Steakhouse
Lodging: Atherton Hotel, Fairfield Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Microtel Inns & Suites, Residence Inn, Best Western Plus Cimmaron, Stillwater Plaza Hotel & Conference Center
OKLAHOMA STATE-WEST VIRGINIA CONNECTIONS: West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen spent one year on Mike Gundy’s Oklahoma State staff as offensive coordinator. New Mountaineer co-defensive coordinator Joe DeForest worked at OSU from 2001-2011, while WVU assistant coaches Robert Gillespie and Jake Spavital also worked for the Cowboys; Spavital’s grandfather Jim Spavital was a Cowboy great drafted in the first round by the Chicago Cardinals in 1948.
DID YOU KNOW?: Oklahoma State University is listed by the Princeton Review as one of 120 “Best Western Colleges” for 2011, and as one of 50 "Best Value Colleges – Public" for 2010. It is ranked by U.S. News & World Report No. 66 among "Top Public Schools: National Universities" and No. 132 among all National Universities for 2011.
NEXT WEEK: TEXAS
Michael Fragale, Julie Brown, Chris Ostien and Alyssa Casalino also contributed to this report
