Oklahoma State Earns Spot in AP Top 25 For First Time Since 2018
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Oklahoma State is back in the top 25.
On Monday, the Cowgirls made their way back into the AP Top 25, coming in at No. 24, tied with Minnesota for that spot with 45 votes. After being in the receiving votes category for much of the season, the Cowgirls finally broke through and into the rankings.
OSU is in the AP Top 25 for the first time since the 2017-18 season. That year, the Cowgirls made it as high as No. 19 and were ranked for nine weeks. Considering the trajectory of this OSU team, it could have its sights set even higher.
The Cowgirls have been on a roll in Jacie Hoyt’s third season at the helm. Her squad has gone 14-2, including a 4-1 mark through the first few weeks of Big 12 play. With OSU’s win against West Virginia on Saturday, it made enough noise to move into the top 25, but strangely not enough to move ahead of the team it just beat.
West Virginia remained ahead of the Cowgirls and dropped only three spots to No. 20. Overall, OSU is one of five Big 12 teams in the top 25, also joined by No. 10 TCU, No. 11 Kansas State and No. 23 Utah.
While every player in the rotation has been an important piece in OSU’s hot start to the season, Stailee Heard is the team’s unquestioned leader. Averaging 14.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, Heard willed her team to the win against West Virginia, consistently getting big buckets down the stretch.
Of course, the Cowgirls have other stars, such as Micah Gray and Anna Gret Asi, who have also had their moments in OSU’s magical start. With another couple of months of Big 12 play remaining, there is still plenty of basketball left to play, but for now, the Cowgirls have earned their spot among the 25 best in the country.
The Cowgirls will be in action again on Tuesday when they travel to face Houston and look to remain undefeated on the road in Big 12 play.
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Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.