Berry Tramel
DES MOINES,
Iowa — Amy Weeks wanted her school to hire a woman.
Weeks was a Big Eight champion golfer, then
Oklahoma State's golf coach and finally its associate athletic director and senior woman's administrator.
Three years ago, Weeks was on the committee to hire a Cowgirl basketball coach. Weeks believes, correctly, that it's important to have female head coaches. Today, she worries that
OSU has only one,
Laura Matthews, among its eight varsity women's sports.
But three years ago, then-AD
Harry Birdwell liked
Kurt Budke's resume', and when Budke interviewed on campus, "it was like he was
from Stillwater,” Weeks said.
And finally, a phone call to
Texas Tech coaching legend
Marsha Sharp sealed the deal. Sharp didn't endorse any candidate, other than to tell Weeks she thought highly of all the coaches on
OSU's list.
But
Sharp said something that hit home with Weeks.
"One piece of advice,” Sharp said. "You need to hire a coach that fits your institution and fits your fan base.”
Weeks walked straight to
Birdwell's office and said, "We gotta hire this guy.”
Good hire. Good fit.
Tonight in
Wells Fargo Arena, the Cowgirls play
Florida State in the biggest game in
OSU women's history, a second-round showdown in the
NCAA Tournament, a remarkable rise for a program that was destitute before Budke's arrival.
And
OSU appears to have a coach who is ready to make women's basketball a long-term success in Stillwater.
"No reason in the world we can't build this into a national championship contender,” Budke said.
That's good news for the Cowgirls. Here's better news. Budke just might be in Stillwater for the long haul.
Turn around a program the way Budke has, and you encounter what
OSU athletic director
Mike Holder calls a "high-class problem,” which is someone might want your coach.
But Weeks is not on an island; a lot of decision-makers will look for a woman first.
And Budke has been made to feel wanted by
OSU. A big raise last off-season brought his base pay to $260,000 a year, with incentives of one month's salary for making the
NCAAs, another $10,00 for reaching the Sweet 16 and continued bonuses for victories beyond that. Holder also ponied up recently to retain Budke's chief assistant,
Jim Littell.
"I really am doing my best to put the word out,” Budke said. "I want to stay at
Oklahoma State, as long as
Oklahoma State wants me.
"That is straight from the heart. We're not going anywhere.
"Every move I've made in my career was to come back here (to old Big Eight country). This is what I grew up dreaming of doing.”
Budke has wanted to coach since he was a kid in Salina, Kan., but he already was in the profession before he committed solely to the women's game. In 1992, Budke coached at
Allen County Community College in Iola, Kan., with toes in both ponds: head coach of the women, assistant with the men.
Finally, he went with the women's game, which has taken him to
Trinity Valley Junior College,
Louisiana Tech,
OSU and now to the doorstep of the Sweet 16.
"I found out young ladies will give you their heart way quicker than the men will,” Budke said.
No wonder he was pulled in that direction.
Budke stays on his Cowgirls — "Get your butt back!” he screamed at backup center
Megan Byford during the
East Tennessee State game Saturday night — but there seems to be a respect and admiration relationship between the Cowgirls and their coach.
"We know he cares for us,” said senior
Maria Cordero.
OSU junior
Shaunte' Smith calls Budke "awesome. Very respectful. I look up to him.
"He treats us like we're his daughters. Makes me want to work even harder for him. Don't want to disappoint him.”
These Cowgirls certainly haven't disappointed Budke, and suddenly women's basketball is the hot sport at
OSU.
"Kurt is a perfect fit for Stillwater and a perfect fit for
Oklahoma State,” Weeks said. "Our fans identify with him. That was important for us, because we had been in a hole so long.”
The hole is gone, replaced by hope. Hiring the man turned out just fine.
