Oklahoma State Remembers The Ten on the 25th anniversary of the tragic plane crash that happened on January 27, 2001
On January 27, 2001, a Beechcraft King Air 200 carrying 10 members of the Oklahoma State University (OSU) men’s basketball program and athletics support staff crashed in a snowy field near Strasburg, Colorado.
The group was returning to Stillwater from a game against the University of Colorado in Boulder.
All aboard perished, including players Nate Fleming and Daniel Lawson, student manager Jared Weiberg, broadcast engineer Kendall Durfey, radio announcer Bill Teegins, pilots Denver Mills and Bjorn Fahlstrom, media relations director Will Hancock, athletic trainer Pat Noyes, and director of basketball operations Brian Luinstra.
The crash, attributed to pilot disorientation in poor weather conditions, sent shockwaves through the OSU community and beyond.
Classes were canceled, athletic events halted, and the university plunged into mourning. Stillwater, a tight-knit college town of about 50,000, rallied around the grieving families, with memorial services drawing thousands.
The tragedy united the Cowboy family in grief, highlighting the fragility of life and the bonds forged through sports and education.
Twenty-five years later, on this somber anniversary, OSU’s commitment to remembrance endures.
The “Remember the Ten” initiative has transformed loss into legacy, primarily through 10 endowed scholarships established in honor of the victims.
Funded by donations from families, alumni, fans, and the broader community, these awards embody the values of mentorship, service, and opportunity that defined the lost lives.
These scholarships have supported 368 students, disbursing over $580,000. Recipients, often born after 2001, learn about the tragedy during the application process, fostering a sense of connection to OSU’s history.
For instance, Stephen Howard, a graduate student and Spears School of Business marketing director, receives the Kendall Durfey Scholarship.
Durfey, a beloved radio producer, inspired Howard’s daily work ethic: “It’s about carrying on someone else’s name and honoring that legacy.”
Similarly, Serg Thomas, a mass communications master’s student and athletics communications assistant, holds the Will Hancock Scholarship.
He strives to emulate Hancock’s uplifting spirit, noting, “It gives me good pressure to fulfill his legacy.”
Karen Hancock, Will’s widow and OSU’s senior woman administrator for athletics, emphasizes the scholarships’ intent: “Will had the heart of a teacher. This inspires others to pay it forward.”
The tragedy’s significance extends far beyond financial aid.
It has shaped OSU’s culture of resilience and community support, evident in annual memorials, a campus statue, and the “Remember the Ten Run.”
In Stillwater, the event reinforced communal bonds, with local businesses and residents providing ongoing aid to affected families.
Nationally, it prompted aviation safety discussions in collegiate sports.
OSU has kept its promise. Remembrance is active, not passive.
As Howard reflects, “Oklahoma State wraps its arms around its people during adverse times.”
The Ten’s influence persists in classrooms, careers, and the enduring spirit of loyal and true Cowboys, proving that from profound loss can emerge lasting purpose.
Today, We Remember The Ten.