Another Oklahoma St Fatal Plane Crash

[Buck]

http://espn.go.com/womens-college-ba...ed-plane-crash

Kurt Budke, Miranda Serna die in crash

Oklahoma State women's basketball coach Kurt Budke and assistant Miranda Serna have died in a plane crash along with two others, just 10 months after the school commemorated the 10th anniversary of a crash that killed 10 men associated with the men's program.

The plane went down Thursday night in Perry County, Ark., the school said in a news release, killing the pilot and another individual not affiliated with the university.

Budke, 50, had opened his seventh season as the Cowgirls' coach on Sunday with a 96-60 win over Rice in Stillwater.

"The Oklahoma State family is devastated by this tragedy," OSU president Burns Hargis said Friday in the statement. "Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of Kurt Budke, Miranda Serna and the other victims.

On Jan. 27, 2001, a plane that took off near Boulder, Colo., went down east of Denver, killing two players, four team officials, a play-by-play announcer, a radio engineer and two pilots.

Budke, born June 3, 1961, leaves wife, Shelley, daughter Sara, who is a student at Oklahoma State, and sons Alex and Brett.

Budke had turned the Cowgirls around from a team that finished winless in the Big 12 in his first season to a perennial conference contender.

In 2010 he led them to the program's most successful season, as they reached the second round of the NCAA tournament after a school-record six wins over Top 25 teams. They also finished with a top-10 ranking for the first time, recording 24 victories. Oklahoma State advanced to the second round of the WNIT in 2011, the Cowgirls' fifth straight postseason appearance.

Budke, a 1984 graduate of Washburn University, earned a master degree at Wichita State in 1985. As a player, he earned all-conference honors at Barton County Junior College in 1981.

The Salina, Kan., native came to Oklahoma State from

Louisiana Tech after coaching stops that included Allen County Community College and Friends University in Kansas, and Trinity Valley Community College in Texas.

Budke had brought Serna with him from Louisiana Tech. She had also coached Fresno State, Chicago State and Long Beach State.

She played on Budke's 1996 national championship team at Trinity Valley Community College and was an assistant coach on his 1999 national championship team at the school.

"Miranda is a rising young star in this business and I think one of the greatest recruiters in this nation," Budke had said of Serna after announcing her hire in March 2005.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

[NewChief]

Why couldn't this have happened to Penn State 15 or so years ago?

[suds79]

I'm afraid of flying so when I see stories like this, not only is the loss of life tragic, I nearly wet myself thinking of those poor people in what that was like.

Sad story.

[BoneKrusher]

very sad news.

[kstater]

This wasn't 50 miles from me. Talked to someone that knows one of the people on the scene, said they could only find.enough body parts to say there were 2 people. Only knew there were more based on the flight record. in such remote place, needed a helicopter to direct people to the area.

[Braincase]

Kurt played his High School ball at Salina Sacred Heart. Helluva high school player. I was on a team with his cousin, Bob (another great guy, career firefighter).

My heart goes out to the entire Budke family, as well as the family of the other victims, and the entire Oklahoma State family. Terrible, terrible.

[DMAC]

I have flown in many private planes. There have been many times I have feared for my life.

That really sucks. Sad sad.

[gblowfish]

That's pretty rough country south of Perryville, AR. Probably hard for rescue workers to get to the wreck.

[chiefqueen]

ESPN just announced that OSU announced the next 2 women's BB games and tomorrow's wrestling match have been canceled but tonight football game (which ESPN moved to tonight b/c there is no NBA doubleheader to air) will go on.