Drumming up support for OSU women's team

Music blared through the lobby of the Des Moines Marriott earlier this week. As the Oklahoma State University Cowgirls exited the elevators on their way to the team bus that would take them, ultimately, to the Sweet 16, they were greeted by familiar tunes.

The OSU spirit band played "Ride 'em Cowboy” and "Oklahoma!” and the other songs that ring through Gallagher-Iba Arena each winter.

Later, those same songs echoed through Wells Fargo Arena, where the Cowgirls beat Florida State in overtime.

With help from the band.

"You hear that fight song when we come out, we're like, ‘Yeah!'” OSU's Danielle Green said. "Makes us feel like we're at home. They help you win. I'm so happy they travel with us.”

The Cowgirls' Cinderella tale continues this weekend in New Orleans, and some band members will have been along for the entire ride.

The NCAA pays for a band party of 30 to travel with the teams in its tournament, and some OSU band members will be making their third trip in as many weeks: Kansas City, Mo., for the Big 12 Tournament; Des Moines, Iowa, for the NCAA's first and second rounds; and now New Orleans for the regional.

"This has just been awesome,” said Austin Ambrose, a senior saxophonist from Tulsa.

The OSU spirit band consists of 70 members. The 29 musicians — band director Wayne Bovenschen is the 30th member of the traveling party — are determined by seniority and class schedules.

Ambrose planned his semester schedule around possible March Madness; he has only one Friday class, so he misses minimal school time.

The band stays in the team hotel, although the musicians, at four to a room, are a little more cramped. "The tuba players get cozy,” Bovenschen cracked, though the Marriott gave the band a room in which to store instruments.

Band members are paid per diem — in Des Moines, they received $121 for the first three days, then got $65 more after OSU won its opening game.

"I went to Quiznos about five times,” said drummer Zac Oswald of Broken Arrow.

Eat cheap, and they can make a little cash.

The biggest downer for the band is the down time. Players have practice and team meetings and film sessions. The band sits around almost 48 hours between games.

In Kansas City, Amanda Godwin, a mellophonist from Jenks, toured the World War I museum and "just explored.”

In New Orleans, all kinds of adventures await.

But in downtown Des Moines, especially on Easter weekend, when the city seemed to shut down, boredom could set in.

"I watched the basketball tournament all day,” Oswald said.

Others explored Des Moines' maze of skywalks, which connect downtown buildings and offer comfort from Iowa winters, though the weather wasn't half bad while the Cowgirls were in town.

"You find something to do and you watch basketball,” Ambrose said.

"It's an awesome time. Play music while watching sports. You can't beat it.”

In the women's tournament, most schools don't have huge blocks of fans traveling to games. OSU had maybe 200 in the stands at Wells Fargo Arena. But the band provided familiar music and supportive voices.

"We like to get on the referees,” Ambrose said. "We like to get in the game as much as we can to help our team win. That's why we're here. Help the Cowgirls win. We'll do everything we can to make sure that happens.”

And last Monday, as the band played the Marriott, and a couple of managers and Pistol Pete danced in rhythm, and OSU fans stood in the lobby applauding, the Cowgirl players walked by.

Green hugged band members and Bovenschen.

"We're really close to our band,” Green said. "They're there with the ups and downs.”