Oklahoma State Cowgirls basketball
College basketball team
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The Oklahoma State Cowgirls basketball team represents Oklahoma State University–Stillwater and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I. The team's head coach is Jacie Hoyt, who was hired in March 2022. The Cowgirls play their home games in the Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
(capacity: 13,611)
| Oklahoma State Cowgirls | |||
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| University | Oklahoma State University | ||
| Head coach | Jacie Hoyt (4th season) | ||
| Location | Stillwater, Oklahoma | ||
| Arena | Gallagher-Iba Arena (capacity: 13,611) | ||
| Conference | Big 12 | ||
| Nickname | Cowgirls | ||
| Colors | Orange and black[1] | ||
| NCAA Division I tournament Sweet Sixteen | |||
| 1991, 2008, 2014 | |||
| NCAA Division I tournament appearances | |||
| 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2025, 2026 | |||
| Conference tournament champions | |||
| 1990, 1991 | |||
| Conference regular-season champions | |||
| 1991 | |||
| Uniforms | |||
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The Cowgirls have made 19 appearances in the NCAA tournament, reaching the Sweet Sixteen on three occasions. Oklahoma State has also won three conference titles, all of which came during their time in the Big Eight Conference.
History
Early history (1972–1983)
The Oklahoma State Cowgirls first took the court during the 1973–74 season, when Oklahoma State defeated Cowley County CC 62–27 in the first game in program history. From the program's inception in 1973 until 1983, the Cowgirls were led by three separate head coaches in Dr. Jacy Showers, Brenda Johnson and Judy Bugher. Oklahoma State made numerous appearances in State and Regional AIAW tournaments, but were unable to ever made an appearance in the national AIAW women's basketball tournament.[2]
Dick Halterman era (1983–2002)
Dick Halterman took over as head coach in the 1983–84 season. The Cowgirls immediately found sustained success under him, recording back-to-back winning seasons in his first two years as coach. Halterman would lead Oklahoma State to their first NCAA tournament appearance and victory in 1989, when the Cowgirls advanced to the Second Round after dominating Miami (FL). Oklahoma State would win their first conference title in 1990, defeating Kansas State in the championship game of the Big Eight tournament to claim the title. The Cowgirls would follow with one of the best seasons in program history in 1990–91, winning both the Big Eight regular season and conference tournament titles before advancing to the program's first Sweet Sixteen, knocking off DePaul and Michigan State at the 1991 NCAA tournament before falling to Virginia. Oklahoma State would make four more NCAA tournament appearances under Halterman, but would never again advance further than the Second Round. Halterman remains the most successful coach in Oklahoma State history, amassing 333 wins across 19 seasons.[3]
Julie Goodenough era (2002–2005)
Julie Goodenough was hired in 2002 out of Hardin–Simmons, where she had found major success. The success was not replicated at Oklahoma State, as the Cowgirls went a combined 23–61 in the three years under Goodenough, including an abysmal 8–40 record in conference play. Goodenough resigned after the 2005 season.[4]
Kurt Budke era (2005–2011)
Kurt Budke was hired out of Louisiana Tech in 2005, and brought Oklahoma State back to the NCAA tournament in just his second year as head coach. The Cowgirls won a program–record 27 games in the 2007–08 season, earning a 3 seed in the NCAA tournament before defeating East Tennessee State and Florida State to reach the second Sweet Sixteen in program history. Oklahoma State would again fail to advance further, falling to LSU to end the season. The Cowgirls would make an additional trip to the NCAA tournament in 2010, and Budke had just began his seventh season as head coach of the program before his tragic death in an airplane accident in 2011.[5]
2011 plane crash
On November 17, 2011, Budke died when the Piper Cherokee light aircraft he was traveling in crashed near Perryville, Arkansas, killing all four people on board. The airplane was piloted by former Oklahoma State Senator Olin Branstetter.[6]
The subsequent investigation concluded that the pilot lost control of the aircraft, but the cause of the loss of control was undetermined.[7] It was the second plane crash in 10 years to involve an Oklahoma State basketball team, after the 2001 accident in which two players on the men's team, six staff, and both pilots lost their lives.
Jim Littell era (2011–2022)
Jim Littell was thrust into the role of head coach following the tragic death of Budke in 2011, after serving as assistant coach at Oklahoma State since 2005. The Cowgirls overcame the tragic death of their head coach to record a winning record in the 2011–12 season and earn a trip to the Women's National Invitation Tournament. In the WNIT, Oklahoma State recorded wins over Central Arkansas, Wichita State, Missouri State and Colorado to reach the WNIT Semifinals. The Cowgirls would continue their postseason run following a dominant victory over San Diego, punching their ticket to the championship game. Oklahoma State would go on to win the 2012 WNIT Championship over James Madison, 75–68. The 2012 WNIT title was the first postseason title in Cowgirl basketball history. Oklahoma State would ride the momentum into four straight appearances in the NCAA tournament, including the third Sweet Sixteen appearance in program history during the 2013–14 season. Littell would lead the Cowgirls to additional NCAA tournament appearances in the 2017–18 and 2020–21 seasons, but would struggle to maintain consistency or make deep postseason runs. In 2022, Littell agreed to part ways with Oklahoma State after 11 years as head coach.[8]
Jacie Hoyt era (2022–present)
Jacie Hoyt was hired as head coach in 2022, previously coaching at Kansas City. Hoyt led Oklahoma State to the NCAA tournament in her first season as coach, where the Cowgirls fell by a point to Miami (FL) in a heartbreaking loss. After a disappointing 2023–24 season, Oklahoma State recorded 14 conference wins in 2024–25, setting a program record. Despite a first round exit in the NCAA tournament, the Cowgirls finished the year ranked for the first time in over a decade. In 2025–26, Hoyt led Oklahoma State to the first NCAA tournament win under her leadership, guiding the Cowgirls to an 82–68 victory over Princeton in the First Round.[9]
Roster
| 2026–27 Oklahoma State Cowgirls women's basketball team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Year-by-year results
Conference tournament winners noted with # Source [10]
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | Coaches' poll | AP poll | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacy Showers (Independent) (1972–1976) | |||||||||
| 1972–73 | Jacy Showers | 8–8 | – | ||||||
| 1973–74 | Jacy Showers | 10–9 | – | Regional AIAW | |||||
| 1974–75 | Jacy Showers | 15–6 | – | Regional AIAW | |||||
| 1975–76 | Jacy Showers | 17–7 | – | Regional AIAW | |||||
| Jacy Showers: | 50–30 | – | |||||||
| Brenda Johnson (Independent) (1976–1977) | |||||||||
| 1976–77 | Brenda Johnson | 12–13 | – | Regional AIAW | |||||
| Brenda Johnson: | 12–13 | – | |||||||
| Judy Bugher (Independent, Big 8) (1977–1983) | |||||||||
| 1977–78 | Judy Bugher | 17–14 | – | State AIAW | |||||
| 1978–79 | Judy Bugher | 17–10 | – | Regional AIAW | |||||
| 1979–80 | Judy Bugher | 19–13 | – | State AIAW | |||||
| 1980–81 | Judy Bugher | 14–15 | – | State AIAW | |||||
| 1981–82 | Judy Bugher | 18–13 | – | Regional AIAW | |||||
| Big Eight Conference | |||||||||
| 1982–83 | Judy Bugher | 4–23 | 1–13 | 8th | |||||
| Judy Bugher: | 89–88 | 1–13 | |||||||
| Dick Halterman (Big 8, Big 12) (1983–2002) | |||||||||
| 1983–84 | Dick Halterman | 18–11 | 8–6 | 4th | |||||
| 1984–85 | Dick Halterman | 17–11 | 9–5 | T-3rd | |||||
| 1985–86 | Dick Halterman | 13–18 | 2–12 | 8th | |||||
| 1986–87 | Dick Halterman | 16–12 | 7–7 | 5th | |||||
| 1987–88 | Dick Halterman | 17–11 | 7–7 | T-5th | |||||
| 1988–89 | Dick Halterman | 20–12 | 8–6 | 2nd | NCAA Second Round (Play-In) | ||||
| 1989–90 | Dick Halterman | 20–11 | 9–5 | T-4th# | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 1990–91 | Dick Halterman | 27–6 | 11–3 | 1st# | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 16 | 25 | ||
| 1991–92 | Dick Halterman | 11–17 | 6–8 | 6th | |||||
| 1992–93 | Dick Halterman | 23–9 | 9–5 | T-3rd | NCAA First Round | 25 | |||
| 1993–94 | Dick Halterman | 20–9 | 9–5 | 3rd | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 1994–95 | Dick Halterman | 17–12 | 7–7 | 4th | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 1995–96 | Dick Halterman | 20–10 | 8–6 | T-3rd | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| Big 12 Conference | |||||||||
| 1996–97 | Dick Halterman | 15–12 | 7–9 | T-8th (Big 12) | |||||
| 1997–98 | Dick Halterman | 20–11 | 10–6 | T-5th | WNIT Quarterfinals | ||||
| 1998–99 | Dick Halterman | 13–15 | 4–12 | 11th | |||||
| 1999–2000 | Dick Halterman | 14–16 | 5–11 | 9th | |||||
| 2000–01 | Dick Halterman | 16–15 | 6–10 | 9th | WNIT Quarterfinals | ||||
| 2001–02 | Dick Halterman | 16–15 | 7–9 | 8th | |||||
| Dick Halterman: | 333–233 | 139–139 | |||||||
| Julie Goodenough (Big 12) (2002–2005) | |||||||||
| 2002–03 | Julie Goodenough | 8–21 | 3–13 | T-9th | |||||
| 2003–04 | Julie Goodenough | 8–20 | 3–13 | 10th | |||||
| 2004–05 | Julie Goodenough | 7–20 | 2–14 | T-11th | |||||
| Julie Goodenough: | 23–61 | 8–40 | |||||||
| Kurt Budke (Big 12) (2005–2012) | |||||||||
| 2005–06 | Kurt Budke | 6–22 | 0–16 | 12th | |||||
| 2006–07 | Kurt Budke | 20–11 | 8–8 | 6th | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 2007–08 | Kurt Budke | 27–8 | 11–5 | T-3rd | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 11 | 13 | ||
| 2008–09 | Kurt Budke | 17–16 | 4–12 | T-10th | WNIT First Round (Play-In) | ||||
| 2009–10 | Kurt Budke | 24–11 | 9–7 | T-6th | NCAA Second Round | 22 | 20 | ||
| 2010–11 | Kurt Budke | 17–15 | 4–12 | 11th | WNIT Second Round | ||||
| 2011 | Kurt Budke | 1–0 | – | Died November 17, 2011 in plane crash | |||||
| Kurt Budke: | 112–83 | 36–60 | |||||||
| Jim Littell (Big 12) (2011–2022) | |||||||||
| 2011–12 | Jim Littell | 21–12 | 8–10 | T-6th | WNIT Champions | ||||
| 2012–13 | Jim Littell | 22–11 | 9–9 | T-5th | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| 2013–14 | Jim Littell | 25–9 | 11–7 | T-3rd | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | 21 | 18 | ||
| 2014–15 | Jim Littell | 20–12 | 9–9 | T–3rd | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 2015–16 | Jim Littell | 21–10 | 11–7 | T-4th | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 2016–17 | Jim Littell | 17–15 | 6–12 | 7th | WNIT First Round | ||||
| 2017–18 | Jim Littell | 21–11 | 11–7 | T-3rd | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| 2018–19 | Jim Littell | 14–16 | 5–13 | 7th | |||||
| 2019–20 | Jim Littell | 15–15 | 6–12 | 8th | NCAA Tournament cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
| 2020-21 | Jim Littell | 19–9 | 13–5 | 3rd | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| 2021-22 | Jim Littell | 9–20 | 3–15 | 9th | |||||
| Jim Littell: | 204–140 | 92–106 | |||||||
| Jacie Hoyt (Big 12) (2022–present) | |||||||||
| 2022–23 | Jacie Hoyt | 21–12 | 10–8 | T-4th | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 2023–24 | Jacie Hoyt | 14–16 | 7–11 | 8th | |||||
| 2024–25 | Jacie Hoyt | 25–7 | 14–4 | 3rd | NCAA First Round | 24 | 22 | ||
| 2025–26 | Jacie Hoyt | 24–10 | 12–6 | T-4th | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| Jacie Hoyt: | 84–45 | 43–29 | |||||||
| Total: | 858–676 | ||||||||
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National champion
Postseason invitational champion
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Postseason
NCAA tournament results
The Cowgirls have appeared in the NCAA tournament 19 times. Their combined record is 13–19.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | (9) | First Round Second Round | #8 Miami (FL) #1 Louisiana Tech | W 93–69 L 78−103 |
| 1990 | (7) | First Round | #10 Michigan | L 68−77 |
| 1991 | (5) | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #12 DePaul #4 Michigan State #1 Virginia | W 81–80 W 96−94 (3OT) L 61–76 |
| 1993 | (10) | First Round | #7 SW Missouri State | L 71−86 |
| 1994 | (12) | First Round | #5 Texas | L 67−75 |
| 1995 | (12) | First Round | #5 Duke | L 64−76 |
| 1996 | (7) | First Round Second Round | #10 Rhode Island #2 Georgia | W 90–82 L 55−83 |
| 2007 | (10) | First Round | #7 Bowling Green | L 66−70 |
| 2008 | (3) | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #14 ETSU #11 Florida State #2 LSU | W 85–73 W 73−72 (OT) L 52–67 |
| 2010 | (4) | First Round Second Round | #13 Chattanooga #5 Georgia | W 70–63 L 71−74 (OT) |
| 2013 | (7) | First Round Second Round | #10 DePaul #2 Duke | W 73–56 L 59−68 |
| 2014 | (5) | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #12 Florida Gulf Coast #4 Purdue #1 Notre Dame | W 61–60 (OT) W 73−66 L 72–89 |
| 2015 | (10) | First Round | #7 Florida Gulf Coast | L 67−75 |
| 2016 | (7) | First Round | #10 St. Bonaventure | L 54−65 |
| 2018 | (9) | First Round Second Round | #8 Syracuse #1 Mississippi State | W 84–57 L 56−71 |
| 2021 | (8) | First Round Second Round |
#9 Wake Forest #1 Stanford |
W 84–61 L 62−73 |
| 2023 | (8) | First Round | #9 Miami (FL) | L 61−62 |
| 2025 | (7) | First Round | #10 South Dakota State | L 68–74 |
| 2026 | (8) | First Round Second Round | #9 Princeton #1 UCLA | W 82−68 L 68−87 |
WNIT results
The Cowgirls have appeared in the Women's National Invitation Tournament (NIT) six times. Their combined record is 11–5. They were WNIT champions in 2012.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1st Round 2nd Round | Rice Baylor | W 75–52 L 47–54 |
| 2001 | 1st Round 2nd Round Quarterfinals | North Texas UNLV Hawaii | W 79–67 W 71–67 L 51–52 |
| 2009 | 1st Round 2nd Round | UT Arlington Arkansas | W 82–72 L 60–61OT |
| 2011 | First Round 2nd Round | Pepperdine Wyoming | W 81–74 L 71–75 |
| 2012 | First Round Second Round 3rd Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final | Central Arkansas Wichita State Missouri State Colorado San Diego James Madison | W 72–51 W 63–44 W 70–57 W 78–70 W 73–57 W 75–68 |
| 2017 | First Round | Abilene Christian | L 56–66 |
Cowgirls drafted in WNBA
- Andrea Riley, drafted 1st round, 8th overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2010 WNBA draft
- Toni Young, drafted 1st round, 7th overall by the New York Liberty in the 2013 WNBA draft
- Tiffany Bias, drafted 2nd round, 15th overall by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2014 WNBA draft
- Brittney Martin, drafted 3rd round, 25th overall by the San Antonio Stars in the 2016 WNBA draft
- Loryn Goodwin, drafted 2nd round, 18th overall by the Dallas Wings in the 2018 WNBA draft
- Natasha Mack drafted 2nd round, 16th overall by the Chicago Sky in 2021 WNBA draft
