Happy Tuesday Cowboys and Cowgirls. How many of us spent summer days and nights playing whiffle ball games in the backyard, pretending to be our favorite stars?

Those dreams became a reality this week for a former Cowboy and a current Cowboy has his eyes on doing the same in a few years.

What else is stirring in today’s edition of the Brew? Check it out!

📞 Call Of A Lifetime
⚾️ Hey Now, You’re An All-Star!
🏈 Countdown to Kickoff
🤠 And so much more!

🎧 OSU MAX PODCASTS

This fall will be the 19th season at the helm of his alma mater for Mike Gundy.

He bleeds Orange and Black and the record books prove he’s the best to ever roam the sidelines at Boone Pickens.

As we prepare for another season of Cowboy football, we look back at our second part of a two-piece Pokes Pod with Coach Gundy that will give you all you need to know about his love for Stillwater and OSU.

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Good Thing The Phone Was Charged. You know it’s always when your phone isn’t charged enough when you miss the most important texts or calls.

The good news for former Cowboy Christian Encarnacion-Strand is that his phone was charged when he received his long awaited call to the Big Leagues by the Cincinnati Reds.

Simply put, he’s been DOMINANT at the Triple-A level this spring for the Louisville Bats. In 67 games, he hit .331 with 20 HRs and 21 doubles. He drove in 62 runs while scoring 65 runs and had an OPS of 1.042.

He was the only player in the International League that ranked in the top-10 in batting average, doubles, HRs and RBIs.

Encarnacion-Strand will join the Reds for this week’s series with the San Francisco Giants as his big league clubs looks to battle for a spot in the National League Playoffs.

🔼 Hey Now, You’re An All-Star. The Cape Cod League has long been known for highlighting some of the best talent the country has on the baseball diamond.

The league is finding out firsthand what Stillwater saw all spring long… Nolan Schubart is good at baseball.

In his first season in the Cape, Schubart earned All-Star accolades to go along with his three All-American honors, his Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Year Award and his All-Big 12 First Team performer accolade.

This spring, he ranked in the top 10 in the league in eight offensive categories.
 
In his first collegiate season, Schubart posted a .338 batting average to go along with 20 doubles, 17 homers and 74 RBIs. His 74 RBIs are the second-highest total in the Big 12 this season and are the most by an OSU player since Tyler Mach's 81 in 2007.

🔼 The Need For Speed (& Smarts). Bet you didn’t think we could bring together Smash Mouth and Tom Cruise… but BOOM, we just did.

Anyway, we’re not talking about Top Gun here, we’re talking about the Orange and Black Track & Field/Cross Country programs!

Late last week, both OSU track & field programs were named U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic teams.
 
This marks the 14^th straight year for the Cowgirls and the 12^th straight year for the Cowboys being named All-Academic teams under Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Dave Smith. Between the men's and women's programs, Oklahoma State has been named All-Academic teams in 28 of the 29 combined seasons coached by Smith.

Additionally, a combined 34 Cowboys and Cowgirls were named USTFCCCA All-Academic athletes, with 24 on the women's side and 10 on the men's side. Overall, the Cowgirls finished with a team-wide GPA of 3.555, tied for the second-highest mark in program history.

🔼 Give Two More. Early last week, six Cowboys had their names called in the 2023 MLB Amateur Draft. 

Late last week, two more joined the professional ranks with them as Chase Adkison (Cardinals) and Bayden Root (Brewers) both singed free agent contracts.

Adkison had a breakout year behind the plate for OSU, appearing in 56 games, including 55 of those as starts. He hit a career best .314, with seven HRs, nine doubles and 44 RBIs.

Root was a machine out of the pen for the Cowboys, appearing in 41 games in two seasons in Stillwater. He had a 10-2 record with one save in 63.1 innings of work, while allowing 57 hits, striking out 70 and walking just 29.

🔼 Oliver’s Octagon. Everywhere he’s gone, Jordan Oliver has won.

During his four years at OSU, he took home four Big 12 individual championships, two national championships and one national runner-up finish. He was 127-6 overall, including a 68-3 mark in dual matches.

Upon graduation, he went on to have a long standing career on the mat, including taking home the 2019 US National Championship at 65 kg.

This past spring, he moved his focus to another challenge, signing with Bellator MMA. This week, it was announced that he will make his MMA debut on August 11 against Andrew Triolo at Bellator 298.

🏈 COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: 46 DAYS

46(.3)

You know, sometimes, you gotta show some love to the specialists!

Back in 2012, Quinn Sharp was all that and then some! He kicked, he punted, he handled kickoffs, the only thing he didn’t do is tape ankles and mix the gatorade.

It was during that 2012 season that Sharp set a single-season program record with a 46.3 punt average. It still stands to this day and helped him earn All-American accolades that year.

🤔 COWBOY TRIVIA

Christian Encarnacion-Strand will be the second Cowboy to make his MLB debut this season.

Early this year, another Cowboy joined the big league ranks.

In fact, we featured him right here in the Brew.

Think you got it?

Scroll on down to the bottom of this email for the answer!

🎥 OSU MAX

Let’s be honest.

You’ve reached the point of the summer where your late nights or rainy days or boredom has led you to the end of all the shows you’ve been binging.

Well, you’re on luck. OSU Max has you covered!

There’s no better way to get ready for Cowboy football season than seeing what Coach Gundy, Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormak and all four OSU players in attendance at Big 12 Media Days had to say!

🎥 OSU Max: Coach Gundy On Stage at Big 12 Media Day

🎥 OSU Max: Coach Gundy Q&A

🎥 OSU Max: Collin Oliver Press Conference

🎥 OSU Max: Brennan Presley Press Conference

🎥 OSU Max: Korie Black Press Conference

🎥 OSU Max: Preston Wilson Press Conference

📬 STICK WITH US

Did someone send you the Cowboy Brew? Subscribe here and get it in your inbox every weekday morning just in time for your first cup of coffee!

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Victor Mederos.

Just a year after taking the mound in Stillwater, Mederos took the mound for two appearances with the Los Angeles Angels in late June and early July.

He’s back in Double-A with the Rocket City Trash Pandas, but don’t be surprised to see him back on a big league mound soon.

We told you, we’re going to try and let ya’ll ease into this week. Two softballs to start the week.

Tomorrow, we bring the heat, so sharpen the mind with a little crossword puzzle or something tonight. We’re not going to hold back!

Have a great Tuesday, Pokes!