Littell Will Not Return as OSU Women’s Basketball Coach

Editor’s note: With the announcement on Monday of Oklahoma State moving on from Cowgirl basketball head coach Jim Littell, this marks the first time in Chad Weiberg’s tenure as Athletic Director that he’s made a change at head coach. Not only the action of moving on from Littell, but the timing of it, coming just before the start of the Big 12 tournament, shows Weiberg won’t hesitate to do what he needs to inject new life into a struggling program and should be a message to all head coaches on campus as to what Weiberg expects from his programs.

Here's the release Oklahoma State athletics media relations sent out on the change at head coach of Cowgirl basketball.

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State head women’s basketball coach Jim Littell and the university’s Department of Athletics have mutually agreed that his tenure at OSU will end at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season.

Littell, who first arrived at Oklahoma State as the associate head coach in 2005, enters the Big 12 Tournament with an OSU record of 203-139. He is the second winningest coach in program history and has led the Cowgirls to eight postseason berths, including six NCAA Tournament appearances. His 2013-2014 Cowgirl squad became the third from Oklahoma State to earn a trip the Sweet 16.

“I want to thank Coach Littell for everything he has done for our program over the past 17 years, first as associate head coach and these past 11 seasons as our head coach,” said OSU athletic director Chad Weiberg. “We are greatly appreciative of the leadership and direction he has provided over the years, including shepherding our program through the most difficult circumstances imaginable.”

“However, after my discussions with Coach over the past two days, he and I have mutually agreed that it is time for a new direction.”

Littell ascended into the position of head coach following the plane crash that took the lives of four members of the Oklahoma State family, including head women’s basketball coach Kurt Budke and assistant coach Miranda Serna, on Nov. 17, 2011, just one game into the 2011-12 season.

Providing a steady hand to a distraught roster and community, Littell guided OSU to a 22-12 record and the championship of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament during the 2011-2012 season. The next four seasons saw the Cowgirls advance to the NCAA Tournament, including three wins in the national bracket. His 11 seasons of guiding the program have produced eight winning seasons, including 25 wins in 2013-14.

Littell is a two-time Big 12 coach of the year (2016, 2021). He coached some of the program’s most decorated student-athletes, including national honorees Toni Young, Tiffany Bias, Brittney Martin, Kaylee Jensen and Natasha Mack.

Littell first arrived at Oklahoma State as associate head coach, working for his long-time friend Budke. The duo slogged their way through a 6-22 first season but led OSU to the NCAA Tournament in year two while year three featured a run to the Sweet 16 and a record-tying 27 victories.

Before arriving in Stillwater, Littell was an ultra-successful high school, community college and small college coach in Kansas with his all-time head coaching record at 831-256. Immediately before joining the OSU staff, Littell’s final six seasons as head coach at Seward County Community College included a record of 199-15 with a national championship.

“We have truly competitive women’s programs here at OSU and our expectation is that we can have consistent success and provide a great experience for our student-athletes in Cowgirl Basketball as well,” Weiberg said.