Happy Monday Cowboy Nation. Who didn’t love throwing down a little game of Connect Four with your friends after a day at the pool? The track & field teams did just that at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships in Austin.

A recap of the action and remembering one of the all-time greats in today’s Countdown To Kickoff is on tap for today.

What else are we stirring in today’s Brew?

👟 Fantastic four in Austin
🇺🇸 Earning his stars and stripes
🏈 Countdown to kickoff continues
🤠 And so much more!

🎧 OSU MAX PODCASTS

“Once I stepped foot on campus. Once I walked by Theta Pond and saw Edmon Low, I knew this had to be home.”

Riley Taylor’s journey to mound for the Pokes wasn’t an easy one, but it was absolutely worth it.

He was a two-sport standout out of high school with offers to play both football and baseball in college. But he knew, no matter what, Oklahoma State had to be his home.

Hear more about his journey to Stillwater, anticipating his much awaited call to the bullpen and what makes this place so special to him.

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Fantastic Four. Not one, not two, not three… but four First-Team All-Americans were earned at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships last week by the OSU track & field squads.

Gabija Galvydyte was spectacular in the 800 meters, playing the field just in time to make a burst to earn a second-place finish, while Billah Jepkirui placed fifth in the 1,500 meters to both earn First-Team accolades.

On the men’s side, Victor Shitsama (3,000 meter steeplechase) and Mehdi Yanouri (800 meters) shined on Friday night to earn First-Team honors. Shitsama and Yanouri join their teammate Isai Rodriguez to make it a total of three Cowboys with First-Team honors this year.

🔼 Two-For-Two. Not to be outdone, Fouad Messaoudi and Bailey Golden added to the All-American parade over the weekend, both garnering Second-Team recognition.

Fouad Messaoudi capped off his historic year with second-team All-America honors in the 1,500 Meters, crossing the line in 3:44.41—less than two seconds off the winning time.

Bailey Golden rounded out the evening for the Cowgirls with the final event of the Heptathlon, the 800 Meters. She finished with 5656 points and a 13th-place finish, resulting in second-team All-America honors for the second straight year.

🔼 Earning Their Stars & Stripes. OSU wrestler Dalton Fix earned a top-three spot on the U.S. Senior National Team with a shutout victory in the true third-place match on Saturday. With the win, Fix will receive benefits that include access to international tours and National Team training camps as a member of the Senior National Team.
 
At 79 kg, former Cowboy Alex Dieringer also took his match against David McFadden by VPO1 2-2 for the third spot on the Senior National Team.

🔼 Summer On the Links. OSU standout Maddison Hinson-Tolchard finished out a great weekend at the Arnold Palmer Cup, playing as part of Team International in the event. She was the third Cowgirl to appear at the Arnold Palmer Cup in the last three years, joining Maja Stark and Isabella Fierro, who were teammates on Team International in 2021.
 
Following her qualification in May, Hinson-Tolchard will now begin preparing for the 78th U.S. Women's Open, which will be played from July 6-9 at Pebble Beach Golf Links. 

🏈 COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: 82 DAYS

“Starting at wide receiver… from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma… No. 82 Rashaun Woods!”

There was nothing better than hearing that loud and clear over the speaker at Boone Pickens in the early 2000s, when the two-time All-American dominated the opposition.

He was a first-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2004, but injuries cut his career short, and he was named the head coach of Tyler High School in January of this year.

To this day, he still holds the second-longest fumble return in program history and his seven-touchdown performance against SMU still gets regular play on the highlight reels.

🤔 COWBOY TRIVIA

On this date in 2016, Oklahoma State baseball returned to the College World Series for the first time since 1999 with a 3-1 win over South Carolina in the Super Regionals.

Which Cowboy (and current member of the San Francisco Giants organization) knocked home the winning RBI in the win that sent the Pokes to Omaha?

Think you got it? Scroll on down to the bottom of this email for the answer!

🎥 OSU MAX

“When we have each other, we have everything.”

Nothing could be truer for the Blake family. OSU redshirt freshman pitcher Drew Blake fell in love with baseball thanks to his father Randy—a lifelong friend of Coach Josh Holliday.

But this spring, as Drew battled on the field with his teammates, Randy was in a battle for his life after contracting COVID in 2021 leading to him needing a double lung transplant. You don’t want to miss incredible story from OSU Max.

🎥 My Time: Hometown Hero - Randy Blake

📬 STICK WITH US

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🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Donnie Walton

A four-year starter for the Cowboys, Donnie followed in his dad’s footsteps to star at Stillwater. He was a .315 lifetime hitter for the Cowboys, racking up 135 RBIs during his time.

But none were bigger than his RBI single into right field to score J.R. Davis in the bottom of the fifth against the Gamecocks.

Let’s have a great start to the week Pokes!