How Oklahoma State Cowgirls Landed Callin Hake So Quickly in Transfer Portal

Callin Hake’s path to Oklahoma State was quick after she learned she could play a fifth season of college basketball.

Callin Hake. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was one thing for Callin Hake to get a fifth year of college basketball, thanks to a temporary restraining order in California in August. It’s another thing to find a place to play.

Her former school, Nebraska, wasn’t an option. She was already in the transfer portal so she could go wherever she liked, thanks to the TRO. But most rosters were baked in and there were few scholarships left to offer.

She found one at Oklahoma State. If the transfer portal is like speed dating, landing Hake was the portal’s version of a blind date.

How OSU Landed Callin Hake

Oklahoma State Cowgirls head coach Jacie Hoyt. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Oklahoma State head coach Jacie Hoyt said last week that she and Hake had no prior relationship. She didn’t recruit her out of high school. That’s different than her relationship with another transfer, Ellie Brueggemann, a player she did recruit when she was at Kansas City.

So she had to lean on her connections when it became possible to sign Hake. Fortunately, Hoyt had a great one — Nebraska coach Amy Williams. She’s been the head coach at Nebraska since 2016. But Cowgirls fans know her. Williams spent four seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Oklahoma State from 2001-02 to 2004-05.

Among the players she tried to recruit? Hoyt, who played her prep ball at Hoxie (Kan.) High School and eventually landed at Wichita State.

“I had that relationship with her to talk to her about Callin and ask some of the hard questions when Callin was in the portal,” Hoyt said. “Amy was great about it.”

Williams should know Hake well. She played four years for Cornhuskers. Hake averaged 6.0 points with 2.4 rebounds per game. The guard played for three NCAA Tournament teams and is coming off her best statistical season as she scored 7.2 ppg last year.

Hoyt’s biggest concern was chemistry. She completely turned over her roster from last season, with Stailee Heard the only holdover. She and her staff lured the best transfer class in the country, led by center Audi Crooks and guard Liv McGill. They’ve spent all summer building themselves into a team. Bringing in the wrong player could undo much of it.

It only took a few practices to figure out she made the right choice.

“Some days I'm watching in practice, and I'm just like, ‘Thank goodness we have her,’” Hoyt said. “She is just she's been such a light and such an amazing addition on the floor, off the floor… Maybe I didn't know how much we needed her until we got her here.”

Hake projects as a back-up guard on this team, one that can run the point or play the off-guard and provide additional scoring and defense. There is also the matter of her TRO. Her case isn’t settled yet and her eligibility could change. For now, she’s a Cowgirl, thanks to a relationship built 20 years ago.