History of the Cowboys

The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Cowgirls are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University, located in Stillwater. The program's mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The university's current athletic director is Chad Weiberg, who replaced the retiring Mike Holder on July 1, 2021. In total, Oklahoma State has 52 NCAA team national titles, which ranks fourth in most NCAA team national championships. These national titles have come in wrestling (34), golf (11), basketball (2), baseball (1), and cross country (4).

College Sports Established
1901

Location
Stillwater, Oklahoma

College Name
Oklahoma State University

Collegiate History
1973 - Present / NCAA Division 1
1915 - 1973 / University Division of the NCAA

Conference History
1996 – Present / Big 12 Conference
1957 - 1996 / Big Eight Conference
1956 - 1957 / Independent
1927 - 1956 / Missouri Valley Conference
1924 - 1927 / Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1914 - 1924 / Southwest Conference
1901 - 1914 / Independent

Nickname
Cowboys - Around 1923, when Oklahoma A&M College was searching for a new mascot to replace their tiger (which had been copied from Princeton and accounts for the orange and black school colors), a group of students saw Frank Eaton leading Stillwater's Armistice Day Parade. He was approached to see if he would be interested in being the model for the new mascot, and he agreed. A likeness was drawn and began to be used on sweatshirts, stickers, etc. and a tradition was born. That caricature was the basis for what is used today as the official Oklahoma State University mascot. For thirty-five years, the crusty old cowboy was a living symbol of OSU, representing the colorful past of the area. As such, he would attend OSU athletic events, building dedications, etc., and sign autographs, pose for photographs and reminisce about the American Old West with anyone who would listen.

However, it was not until 1958 that "Pistol Pete" was adopted as the school's mascot. The familiar caricature of "Pistol Pete" was officially sanctioned in 1984 by Oklahoma State University as a licensed symbol.

NCAA Championships
Baseball 1
1959

Men's Basketball 2
1946, 1945

Women's Basketball 0

Football 1
1945

Soccer 0