Happy Thursday Cowboys! “To be the best, you got to beat the best.”

It’s a quote we’ve heard for years and years and that’s exactly what current and former OSU standouts will be doing this week in Oregon.

Down on the farm, OSU alums continue to make noise on the diamond, while another prepares to take on the world.

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

👟 Keeping Track
🤠 A True Cowboy Legend
🥎 Let’s Take On the World
🤠 And so much more!

🎧 OSU MAX PODCASTS

Six Big 12 Championships.
Five Individual National Champions.
10 Academic All-Americans.
48 All-Americans.
Third straight year in Learfield AD’s Cup Top-25.

Safe to say, it was another record-setting year in Stillwater.

Leading the way for the surge of success has been Director of Athletics, Chad Weiberg.

Earlier this year, OSU Max sat down for an in-depth Face-to-Face Pokes Pod with Weiberg and his journey to Stillwater and his vision for the future.

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 Keeping Track. They don’t call it “Tracktown USA” for nothing.

10 different former and current OSU alums will be in action this week trying to leave their mark on Eugene, Oregon as they compete in the USA Track & Field Championships and the U20 Championships until Sunday, July 9th.

Tickets to the world championships in Budapest, Hungary later this summer are on the line in each event.

Defending U.S. champions Chase Ealey (Shot Put) and Sinclaire Johnson (1,500 Meters) will attempt to defend their titles this weekend and punch their second straight ticket to worlds.

Former OSU stars Josh Thompson (1,500 meters), Kaela Edwards (800 meters) and Craig Nowak (3,000 meter steeplechase) will also all be attempting to earn their way through to Budapest.
 
OSU distance legend and five-time All-American Isai Rodriguez will be making his last appearance in a Cowboy uniform Thursday and Sunday as he competes in the 10,000 and 5,000 Meters. Current Cowboy Mehdi Yanouri will also be running in the 800 Meters after his impressive breakout campaign in the orange and black.
 
Alongside action at the USATF Championships, three Cowgirls will be competing in the USA U20 Championships, also held in Eugene. Madi Surber, Kaylie Politza (both 800 Meters) and Cameron McConnell (1,500 Meters) looking to represent the U.S. at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, in August.

The entirety of the USATF Championships will be broadcast live on CNBC, NBCSports.com/live, the NBC Sports app and Peacock. Live results for the meet can be found here.

🔼 A True Legend. A true Cowboy legend will always be remembered for his work in Stillwater, Dick Young made a lasting impact.

He passed away recently at his home in Florida. He served as the OSU athletic director from 1978-83 and compiled over 40 years of serving in collegiate athletic administrations roles across the country.

🔼 Three’s Company. Can’t get the season started without some preseason hype, right?

A trio of Cowboys earned exactly that when they were named to the 2023 Preseason All-Big 12 team on Wednesday. Wide receiver Brennan Presley, linebacker Collin Oliver and safety Kendal Daniels all received recognition by the conference. 

Presley returns as the team’s leading receiver from a year ago, hauling in 67 catches for 813 yards and earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12 accolades. Oliver led the team last year with five sacks and 12 quarterback hurries, while his 7.5 tackles for loss ranked fourth on the team.

Daniels was the 2022 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and earned FWAA Freshman All-America honors. He played in all 13 games and finished the year ranked fourth among all FBS freshmen with three interceptions and fifth among all FBS freshmen with an average of 5.5 tackles per game.

🔼 Bags Are Packed. Her bags are packed. She’s ready to roll. She’s leaving on a jet plane.

OSU legend Kelly Maxwell is ready to make her return to the circle for Team USA as they compete in the 2023 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women's World Cup beginning next week (July 11-15) in Dublin, Ireland.
 
The U.S. faces Chinese Taipei at 7 a.m. CT on July 11 followed by a pair of 8 a.m. CT matchups against Botswana and Australia the following two days. The opening round concludes with matchups against Great Britain at 8 a.m. CT and Ireland at 11:30 a.m. CT on July 14. Broadcast information for all games will be announced at a later date.
 
A two-time All-American and three-time first-team All-Big 12 honoree, Maxwell ranks among the top left-handed pitchers in the world. Over the span of her Cowgirl career, she sports a 1.58 earned run average, has struck out 746 batters in 494.2 innings of work and has limited opponents to a .158 batting average.

🔼 Maddison Hinson-Tolchard Update. 
 

On Thursday, Hinson-Tolchard will begin her opening round on the 10th hole at 11:01 a.m. CT alongside Albane Valenzuela and Momoko Ueda. She will tee off on the first hole at 4:46 p.m. CT the following day.
 
Throughout the weekend, the U.S. Women's Open will be available for streaming on Peacock, USA Network and NBC. Live scoring will also be available on LPGA.com.

🔼 Not too shabby… Let’s check in with this year’s FedEx Cup Top 10…

And the LIV Golf League….

Yes, that’s right, OSU currently has three of the top-10 in the PGA Tour players and the top golfer in the brand new LIV League.

Again, can we say #GolfSchool?

🤠 A YEAR TO REMEMBER

46 All-Americans. 23 Big 12 Individual Champions. 6 Big 12 Champions. School Record 10 Academic All-Americans.

What a year it was for OSU and on Wednesday, that got even better as the Cowboys set a new school record by finishing in the top-25 nationally in the final 2022-23 Learfield Directors' Cup standings.

It marks the first time since the standings were created that the Pokes finished in the top-25 nationally in three straight years. The Learfield Directors' Cup honors institutions having success in all sports in which the NCAA offers a championship, along with FBS football. All sports are weighted equally.

Because Oklahoma State does not sponsor women's volleyball and does not get credit for its performance in equestrian, it has only 17 sports eligible for Learfield Directors' Cup scoring, while most others count points from 19 sports. Operating with a two-sport handicap, Oklahoma State has still finished in the top 25 nationally in each of the last three years and has finished in the top three of the Big 12 in each of the last five years.

🏈 COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: 57 DAYS

Today, to honor 57 days til kickoff, we’re recognizing our own #57 Osker Ehlrich.

While he didn’t see any game action last year as a freshman, Ehlrich is a critical part of the special teams unit and came to OSU as one of the best long snappers in America.

A native of Stillwater himself (and Stillwater HS), he chose to stay home and walk-on to his beloved Cowboys.

He was honored as a 2022 Oklahoma FCA All-State Athlete and was ranked as the #19 long snapper in the nation coming out of high school.

🤔 COWBOY TRIVIA

OSU legend Chase Ealey is back in action this week at USA Track & Field Championships.

She’s looking to defense her Shot Put crown from last year’s event.

Last year wasn't the first time the former Cowgirl was a US Champion. How many times (indoor and outdoor) has Ealey won the event?

Think you got it?

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

🎥 OSU MAX

Staying with our theme of Hometown legends, we’re throwing it back to one of the best stories of the year from OSU Max.

The strength of family, friendship, and toughness embodies what the Blake family is all about.

You don’t want to miss this My Time feature from OSU Max.

🎥 OSU Access: Hometown Hero - The Randy Blake Story

📬 STICK WITH US

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🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Four.

This weekend, Ealey will be searching for her FIFTH US Championship in the shot put.

She took home the outdoor win in 2019 and 2022, as well as the indoor titles in 2019 and 2020.

Have a great Friday, Pokes!