Oklahoma

Oklahoma State wrestling hoping to get ’10K in GIA’ for Missouri dual

Published

11 months ago

February 1, 2025

Press Room

Oklahoma State wrestling hoping to get ’10K in GIA’ for Missouri dual

STILLWATER — David Taylor isn’t the type to hide his goals.

One in particular that the first-year Oklahoma State wrestling coach has expressed is attendance — and the pursuit of bringing 10,000 fans to Gallagher-Iba Arena.

The Cowboys have surpassed 8,200 twice this year, and are well ahead of pace to break the program’s single-season average for attendance since the arena was expanded to its current capacity for the 2001 season.

But the third-ranked Cowboys have one last shot to hit Taylor’s 10,000 mark when they host No. 20 Missouri at 2 p.m. Sunday at GIA. They’ve labeled the goal as “10K in GIA” on social media promotions.

OSU’s season high attendance is 8,257, set a couple weeks ago in the 30-12 rout of West Virginia, and that brought the season average to 7,073.

Last year’s Cowboys set the known record for season average at 5,871. This year, the team has been over 6,000 for every dual.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Taylor said after the West Virginia win. “When we sat down with guys, we were like, ‘Hey, these are our goals for the season.’ They said, ‘You guys aren’t gonna be able to do that unless you get Team X, Y and Z to come in here. I was like, why’s that? You don’t know.

“Oklahoma State wrestling, this is an important thing to people. So I think it’s awesome.”

It’s possible that OSU has had a higher average attendance than whatever this year’s number ends up being.

Before the major renovation for 2000-01, which brought the capacity to 13,611, the previous arena had seated 6,381 since 1986. It was in the 6,700 range for a few years before that.

But the exact attendance numbers from anything before 2001 weren’t as closely tracked as they are today.

So maybe there was a season when the historically legendary program brought more fans through the GIA turnstiles.

But this year remains historical regardless, and signals the excitement Taylor brought to OSU both with his reputation and the product he’s putting on the mat — an aggressive, enthralling style of wrestling that draws fans’ attention.

“I love the amount of fans that we have,” OSU 141-pound sophomore Tagen Jamison said. “Other programs, if you look at their videos, they’re not having the support system that we have here. It’s really awesome to see the amount of fans that we get to show up.

“I think it helps drive what we’re doing already.”

At a point in time when revenue is about to become a much more impactful term in college athletics — with the NCAA antitrust settlement expected to open the door for revenue sharing directly with athletes.

“We’re in a time in college athletics where that stuff matters,” Taylor said. “How many people that come to our matches matters.

“I think we’re continuing to push the limits. It means a lot to our guys, our program, our university. It’s really cool to see that and be a part of a program that can show that type of support for wrestling.”

And it’s been particularly inspiring for the newcomers from other programs that don’t draw the way OSU has this year to see the support Cowboy fans have brought.

“I think it’s really exciting,” said OSU heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson, who wrestled the last four years at Air Force. “Stillwater is a special place. The wrestlers that come here are all special guys. There’s a lot of good stuff going on here and it’s contagious when you’re in that environment and there’s so much passion toward a sport.

“They’re all here to support the Cowboys and see some good wrestling, and we like to deliver that every single time.”

OSU vs. Missouri

2 p.m. Sunday at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater (ESPN+)

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Oklahoma

Former Oklahoma State QB Zane Flores announces transfer destination in the Big 12

Published

6 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Former Oklahoma State QB Zane Flores announces transfer destination in the Big 12

Former Oklahoma State quarterback Zane Flores has committed to Iowa State, via the NCAA Transfer Portal, per On3’s Pete Nakos. Flores spent three seasons with the Cowboys.

Flores began the 2025 campaign as Oklahoma State’s backup QB, but took over starting responsibilities in Week 2 after Hauss Hejny suffered an injury in the season-opener. Flores made nine appearances this past season.

He completed 59.8% of his pass attempts for 1,490 yards and three touchdowns, while throwing seven interceptions. Additionally, Flores recorded 117 yards and two scores in the ground game.

Zane Flores played high school football at Gretna (NE), where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 467 overall player and No. 29 QB in the 2023 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.

Flores is the 33rd player who has committed to Iowa State this offseason via the NCAA Transfer Portal. At the time of his commitment to the Cyclones, Flores was the No. 97 QB in On3’s 2026 Transfer Portal Player Rankings.

Iowa State is entering a new after longtime head coach Matt Campbell left the program to take over at Penn State. Campbell had been the head coach at Iowa State since 2016. In his 10 seasons at the helm of the program, he amassed a 72-55 overall record and a 50-40 mark in conference play.

In response to Campbell’s decision, Iowa State hired Jimmy Rogers to be its next head coach. Rogers was Washington State‘s HC in the 2025 campaign. He led the Cougars to a 6-6 overall record.

Prior to his time at the helm of WSU, Rogers was South Dakota State‘s head coach. In just two seasons with the Jackrabbits, he led the program to a 27-3 record and a 15-1 mark in conference play.

Moreover, in 2023, South Dakota State won the FCS National Championship. The team lost in the national semifinals in 2024, but won the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Now, he’ll look to lead Iowa State to similar heights.

“My family and I are excited to be joining the Iowa State University community and the Cyclone football program,” Rogers said. “Iowa State has been one of the nation’s top programs for the last decade and we look forward to building upon its upward trajectory. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity that Jamie Pollard has given me to lead the Cyclones.”

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma Insurance Department offers guidance after Jan. 8 storms and tornado damage

Published

18 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Oklahoma Insurance Department offers guidance after Jan. 8 storms and tornado damage

The Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) offers support to residents affected by the severe storms that hit central and eastern Oklahoma on Jan. 8.

Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready emphasized the department’s commitment to helping those impacted.

“As we begin recovery after this severe weather, the Oklahoma Insurance Department is here to help,” Mulready said. “We want everyone affected to know that if you have questions about your policy, need assistance with the claims process, or just aren’t sure where to start, our Consumer Assistance Division is ready to support you every step of the way.”

Residents can reach out to OID’s Consumer Assistance division at 800-522-0071 or visit oid.ok.gov for support. Mulready also urged Oklahomans to report damage at damage.ok.gov.

The department provided several post-storm tips for victims, including documenting damage with photos or videos, making necessary temporary repairs, and consulting with trusted roofing contractors. Residents are advised to contact their insurance company after obtaining repair estimates and to save all receipts for any repairs made.

Additionally, the OID warned against contractor fraud, advising residents to get multiple bids, check references, and avoid paying upfront. Suspected fraud should be reported to the Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General Consumer Protection Unit at 833-681-1895.

For more information on storm preparation and insurance coverage, visit oid.ok.gov/GetReady.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma storms bring widespread damage, tornadoes in Purcell and Shawnee

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Oklahoma storms bring widespread damage, tornadoes in Purcell and Shawnee

8:45 p.m. Tornado Update from NWS Norman:

EF1 (high end) at Purcell
EF0 near Lake Thunderbird (south of Stella/northwest of Little Axe)
EF1 west and near the Shawnee Twin Lakes
EF1 in north Shawnee.
There are other areas of damage that we will continue to investigate.

Original story:

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Storms moved through parts of Oklahoma on Thursday morning, with at least five tornado warnings issued and two tornadoes that touched down in Purcell and Shawnee, leaving behind damage.

A line of strong to severe thunderstorms moved through central and eastern Oklahoma early Thursday that producing tornadoes, damaging winds, and power outages.

Preliminary information from the National Weather Service in Norman shows that at least EF-1 damage was found in Purcell. Survey teams are continuing to assess the damage that was left behind from the morning storms.

Officials also reported that widespread power outages occurred in the city, along with downed trees and powerlines, with nine homes having damaged roofs, and a semi-truck rollover accident on I-35 with one injury.

Shawnee also suffered some damage Thursday morning, which includes downed fences and partial roof loss at the Holiday Inn Express. As of Thursday evening, NWS officials confirm that a tornado did touch down in the northern portion of Shawnee; however, a preliminary rating hasn’t been given at this time.

According to Comanche County Emergency Management, damages related to the storms were reported across the City of Lawton, with roof damage at Sheridan and Lee, along with power pole and power line damage.

Lawton Fire Department responded to a rooftop fire at MacArthur High School on Thursday morning, caused by wind damage to AC units.

Lightning strikes in Edmond were reported to have caused a transformer fire near Covell and Kelly, with another lightning strike having caused a tree to fall on top of a vehicle near Covell and Broadway, resulting in one person being injured.

Straight-line winds were also reported to have destroyed a barn north of Guthrie, while structures were damaged in south Wynona, including a shop building that was devastated and a mobile home that was damaged.

Damage assessments are said to be ongoing at this time. News 4 will provide updates as we learn more.

According to NWS Norman officials, the last time the department issued a tornado warning in January was on January 10, 2020. However, Thursday’s reported tornado was not the earliest for a tornado to occur in Oklahoma. Tornadoes happened in Osage, Mayes, McIntosh, Ottawa, and Sequoyah Counties back on January 2, 2023.

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