Okla. St. Women's Coaches Die in Ark. Plane Crash

[dannykuconn]

Oklahoma State University says women's basketball coach Kurt Budke ('BUD-kee) and assistant coach Miranda Serna were killed in a plane crash in central Arkansas.

The university said in a news release Friday that the two were on a recruiting trip to Arkansas when the plane crashed near Perryville, about 45 miles west of Little Rock.
The university says the plane's pilot and another passenger also died in the crash. Their names were not released and OSU said they were not associated with the university.

 

[pap49cba]

Terrible

 

[cardfan]

I just heard this awful news on the radio. Prayers and thoughts to their families, loved ones and university. Tragic.

 

[HuskyNan]

How awful, how truly tragic. My prayers go out to the families and friends as well as the Oklahoma State University family.

 

[Wonkster]

How do you protect your school from that kind of accident? It's one thing to split a team into two flights between major cities to minimize the chance of recurrence of the disaster some years ago when an entire hockey team was lost in a plane crash, but it may not be possible to get two unchartered flights to a remote destination as in this tragedy.

What shock to the team. How can they carry on this year after losing their top 2 coaches?

 

[BrooklynKid]

I just received word from friends in OK. What a tragedy. Oklahomans are still trying to heal from the last OK State plane crash.

 

[alexrgct]

Amazing that the same school would get hit by something like this twice. Really feel for Oklahoma State. This would be terrible news regardless, but I'm sure that community is now reliving early 2001 as well.

My heart goes out to the families and communities impacted.

 

[sarals24]

Poor Oklahoma State. How tragic that this happens once to a program, not to mention twice. I work at a private plane company and their coaches on the men's side come in all the time for recruiting, they are such nice people.

 

[VAMike23]

I had forgotten about the other one...... wow - No words for this , lightning striking again in the worst way. Prayers going out to Okie State

 

[Icebear]

Every season I worry about things like this hitting a program. It has happened before and a similar event wiped out a large portion of the Russiah hockey team this year.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by this tragic event.

 

[Vowelguy]

Stunning and sad.

Budke had been successful at JUCO and LaTech before Okla St, so lots of mourners today.

Also feel bad for whatever player he was going to see. That would be tough to hear.

 

[FairView]

May the good Lord instill a peaceful understanding into the hearts of their families, friends and fans. When a true tragedy like this occurs, it makes the Ws and Ls seem a little less urgent.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Just absolutely tragic. There should be a limit as to how many tragic plane crashes should visit one program: Zero!

 

[connboy77]

Whenever a tragedy like this happens it makes you value life a little more.

 

[pap49cba]

Geno's comment:

UConn coach Geno Auriemma: "This just hits you right between the eyes. I had gotten to know him in junior college. He had done a great great job in junior college. The whole time at Louisiana Tech and Oklahoma State I don't think there isn't any coach in the country that doesn't know Kurt. ... When I heard it my first reaction was how are the players? How are they going to handle that? It's the equivalent of losing a parent when you talk about the amount of time you are with them. I had a former player lose both parents in a private plane accident. Its undescribeable. Who cares about the basketball but its about the relationship and Kurt and Miranda's families. Conference realignment and stuff happening on college campuses but all of a sudden it numbs you."

 

[JimGunther]

Plane crashes, though (thankfully) rare, strike so close to home.
So many people travel for work or whatever and Division 1 athletes even more so.
If you rely on prayer, today's not a bad day to offer one.

 

[ctchamps]

A horrible tragedy. Prayers to the family and friends of those who died.

 

[terif831]

Awful.

My prayers and condolences to the families, friends, and all at the University.

 

[Kevin G]

God Bless all those you are affected by this tragic event! You are all in my prayers

 

[pap49cba]

From Rich Elliot:

"Numerous coaches nationally will wear orange ribbons during games this weekend in memory of Budke and Serna."

 

[AllAmerRedHeads]

My condolences to their families and friends. A tragedy. May God help give them peace and comfort during this time of loss

 

[Blakeon18]

I just read that the plane was 47 years old....and the pilot was 82. Yikes!