Cowgirl Freshman Continues to Impress as Big 12 Play Begins

Lena Girardi is already a difference-maker for Oklahoma State.

Oklahoma State's Lena Girardi (2) reacts after a 3-point basket next to Langston's Laula Curry during the college basketball game between the Oklahoma State Cowgirls and the Langston Lions at Gallagher-Iba Arena, Okla., Thursday Nov., 6, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma State’s star freshman is making some noise once again.

Earlier this week, OSU freshman guard Lena Girardi was named the Big 12’s Freshman of the Week. Already taking home the award in the opening week of the season, she secured her second after a great finish to nonconference play and a stellar outing in her first Big 12 contest.

In Sunday’s win against Cincinnati, Girardi scored 13 points and added a steal, an assist and a couple of rebounds in 18 minutes of action. The award also accounted for her performance against Tulsa to finish OSU’s nonconference slate, going for 14 points in 21 minutes in that matchup.

So far this season, the Cowgirls have racked up a 12-2 record and are just on the outside of the AP Top 25. In those 14 contests, Girardi is averaging 12.4 points while coming off the bench.

Her scoring output is good for third on the Cowgirls, trailing only Haleigh Timmer and Micah Gray.

With 10 double-digit scoring performances already this season, Girardi has established herself as a legitimate threat for Jacie Hoyt’s offensive attack. While there will surely be bumps in the road for the freshman once Big 12 play gets going again, Girardi has set a solid foundation for the rest of her debut season in Stillwater.

For the Cowgirls, getting these types of performances from a freshman could prove massive down the road as the competition continues to get tougher. While Hoyt and company likely won’t ever be in a position this season where they need to fully lean on Girardi, having such an impactful freshman who can deliver in big moments might be exactly what OSU needs to get over the hump in 2026.

Coming into this season, the Cowgirls were expected to have one of the best seasons in program history, and they’re still well within reach of having the best season in school history if they can get back to their dominant ways in conference play. Already showing they can take down inferior opponents in their huge win against Cincinnati in the Big 12 opener, the Cowgirls have made a statement that they belong at the top of the conference picture.

Of course, it will take some more big performances against premier opponents to get all the way to the top, but they’ve put themselves on the right path. As Girardi continues to grow and evolve as a player, she might just continue racking up awards throughout her Cowgirl career.

---