Former Barton star takes over Oklahoma State women's program
Former Barton County Community College men's basketball player Kurt Budke will take over the reigns of the Oklahoma State University women's basketball program it was announced Monday afternoon. Budke spent the last 3 seasons as the head coach at Louisiana Tech, where he guided them to an 80-16. Budke was an All-Conference player for Barton County during his playing days in 1981. The Salina-native becomes the 6th coach in Oklahoma State women's basketball history. Joining him will be legendary Seward County Coach Jim Littell, whom Budke named as Associate Head Coach in one of his first moves with the Cowgirls.

Budke takes over for Julie Goodenough, who resigned after 3 years and a 23-61 record. Her teams never won more than 8 games and lost at least 20 games every year. The Cowgirls finished 2-14 in the Big XII this season. Oklahoma State never won more than 3 conference games in a season under Goodenough.

For Budke, who had guided Louisiana Tech to records of 31-3, 29-3, and 20-10 with at least a share of the conference title in every season, it was an opportunity to get back to Big XII country, where he grew up.

"Every move I have made in my career was for an opportunity to come home to Big 12 country," Budke said in a press conference Monday afternoon in Stillwater. "I grew up in the middle of the Big Eight, Salina, Kan. Now to be able to coach at a place that has Mr. Iba and Coach Sutton, two of the greatest legends in the history of basketball, and I get to be on the same floor with them. I am truly humbled today."

Budke started his coaching career as a Graduate Assistant at Washburn and had a stint at Friends University as well. Budke got his 1st head coaching job at Allen County, where he guided the Red Devils to 22-8 and 25-7 seasons. Both years his teams were ranked in the NJCAA Top 20. From there he went to Trinity Valley (Texas) Junior College, where he had one of the most successful NJCAA teams in the country over the next 7 seasons. In his 1st season, Trinity Valley went 35-1 and won the NJCAA Championship in 1994. That started a string of 6 straight years his teams played for the NJCAA title, winning it all in 94, 96, 97, and 99. His 1999 team went a perfect 36-0. During his 7-year stay at Trinity Valley, he posted a 226-16 record.

Budke joined the staff at Louisiana Tech as the associate head coach in the fall of 2000 before taking over as the head coach in the fall of 2002. He is the youngest coach ever inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame. His career record as a collegiate head coach is 353-47.

In addition to Littell, who ends a brilliant 14-year stint with the Saints, is Miranda Serna, who served as an assistant with Budke at Louisiana Tech. Littell will move on after a 418-56 mark as the Saints head coach, including 4 NJCAA Tournament appearances and the 2002 NJCAA National Championship team that went 38-0.