‘I’ve Never Been More Excited’: Hoyt Extended As Cowgirl Expectations Hit a New High

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STILLWATER — On Monday, Oklahoma State announced an extension for Cowgirl basketball coach Jacie Hoyt, extending her contract through the 2030-31 season.

Stailee Heard, who will unquestionably go down as the face of the Hoyt Era (at least the first decade), wasn’t shy about her thoughts.

“I wish I could stay and play till that, for that time,” Heard said after praising her head coach.

Hoyt, who was sitting next to her at the time, didn’t miss a beat, adding, “Me too,” then the duo erupted into laughter.

“She’s a great role model for Cowgirl basketball, and just for wanting to be the type of player I want to be and the type of person I want to be off the court,” Heard said. “She shows resilience, hard work. You know, she’s very loyal and true.”

The extension comes at a time when expectations for Cowgirl basketball might be at an all-time high following the offseason acquisition of the nation’s No. 1 portal class, according to ESPN.

On Tuesday, Hoyt said she’d never been more excited about a team in her coaching career and added that this is her most talented group. Last season, she led the Cowgirls to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they played the then-future national champs UCLA closer than three of the other teams they faced in the Tournament.

So that, in theory, establishes a pretty healthy floor if the Cowgirls can live up to expectations.

“I’ve had big-time donors step up and have my back, and I would not be in the position that I’m in without them,” Hoyt said of her offseason acquisitions. “One huge one in particular, and I’m just grateful that you know if you look across the country, women’s basketball has elevated to this amazing position when it comes to viewership and the ability to generate revenue, and I’m just grateful that I get to work at a place that has donors that can recognize that and want to pour in and invest in our roster.”

Hoyt said the contract extension meant “everything.”

“This is home to me,” she said. “Even just take out the basketball. You know, I get to work with my husband (OSU associate AD Daniel Helfin) here. I have a daughter (Harlow) that I get to bring around and has literally grown up from 10 days old, you know, being a Cowgirl and a part of this community and this fan base.

“The donors, the people who have invested in me, it’s just, it means everything. And I’m the type of person that if I feel like you’re for me, I’m gonna run through a wall for you. And I feel that here. I feel the investment in me from so many people, and I’ve said from day one I want to do something here that’s never been done. I want to build this thing to be, you know, just a final destination for the greatest players in the country. And I feel like this year we’ve been able to kind of take that step in getting that talent, and the future is brighter than ever. So I’m just thrilled. I’m grateful. I’m just so blessed and grateful to all the people who helped make it possible because it really was on the backs of my players, my coaching staff, and all the people who invested in me.”

The Cowgirls host Langston for an exhibition on Oct. 27 before starting the regular season at home against Southern on Nov. 2. Although Hoyt will likely take every practice she can get in the coming weeks, her excitement for the season ahead was on full display Tuesday.

“I don’t look at it as a oh, you know we’ve arrived or I have this talent so the work is done,” Hoyt said. “I actually look at it complete opposite. Like I’ve never wanted to work harder. I’ve never wanted to have more answers for my players and help put them in positions to be successful.

“So I am probably for that reason more motivated than I’ve ever been, and that’s saying a lot because I’ve never thought of myself as not being super motivated. But I just love coaching this group, and I just want to be at my very, very best for them.”