Kurt John Budke (June 3, 1961 – November 17, 2011) was an American college basketball coach. Budke was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. His final coaching job was as the head coach for the Oklahoma State Cowgirls basketball women's team from 2005 until his death in an aviation accident.

Kurt Budke
Biographical details
BornJune 3, 1961
Salina, Kansas, U.S.
DiedNovember 17, 2011(2011-11-17) (aged 50)
Perryville, Arkansas, U.S.
Alma materBarton County Community College
Washburn University
Wichita State University
Playing career
1979–1981Barton County CC
1981–1983Washburn
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1983–1984Washburn (men's GA)
1984–1988Friends (men's asst.)
1988–1991Kansas City Kansas CC (men's asst.)
1990–1991Kansas City Kansas CC (interim HC)
1991–1993Allen County CC
1993–2000Trinity Valley CC
2000–2002Louisiana Tech (assoc. HC)
2002–2005Louisiana Tech
2005–2011Oklahoma State
Head coaching record
Overall468–157 (.749)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
4x NJCAA Women's Basketball Champion (1994, 1996, 1997, 1999)
7x Texas East Conference Champion (1994–2000)
3x WAC Champion (2003, 2004, 2005)
2x WAC Tournament Champion (2003, 2004)
Awards
All-KJCCC (1981)
KJCCC East Coach of the Year (1993)
2x WBCA NJCAA Coach of the Year (1995, 1998)
4x Texas Coaches Association Coach of the Year (1994, 1996, 1997, 1999)
2x WAC Coach of the Year (2003, 2004)
NJCAA Hall of Fame
Kansas Sports Hall of Fame
Barton Community College Hall of Fame
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame

Career

edit

Prior to being named the women's basketball head coach of Oklahoma State in 2005, Budke had previously coached at Allen County Community College, Trinity Valley Community College, and Louisiana Tech. His teams reached 20 wins in each of his years, and had double digit losses in only one of his years, prior to his first year at Oklahoma State. At the junior college level, his record stands at 273–31 (.898), which is the highest winning percentage in NJCAA.[1]

He was also a two time NJCAA coach of the year (1995, 1998). He was also the youngest coach ever to be inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame. From 2002 to 2005, he coached at Louisiana Tech, where he compiled an 80–16 record, highlighted by three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. His first Louisiana Tech team finished 31–3, and ended the season with a national ranking of 6th. The Lady Techsters reeled off 29 consecutive victories, which is the fourth longest streak in the school's storied history. He was named the WAC coach of the year for his efforts.[1]

In his five years as Oklahoma State's women's basketball head coach, his teams went 99–68, and made three NCAA tournament appearances, highlighted by a Sweet 16 run in the 2008 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament.

Death

edit

Budke was killed in an airplane accident on November 17, 2011, when the Piper PA-28 Cherokee light aircraft he was traveling in for a recruiting trip crashed near Perryville, Arkansas, killing all four on board.[2][3]

The airplane was being piloted by Olin Branstetter, a former Oklahoma state senator and OSU graduate. Also on board were assistant coach Miranda Serna and Branstetter's wife Paula. Budke left behind a wife and three children, the oldest of which was a student at Oklahoma State.[4][5]

Head coaching record

edit
Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Kansas City Kansas Lady Blue Devils (Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference) (1990–1991)
1990–91 Kansas City Kansas 3–27
Kansas City Kansas: 3–27 (.100)
Allen County Red Devils (Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference) (1991–1993)
1991–92 Allen County 22–8
1992–93 Allen County 25–7
Allen County: 47–15 (.758)
Trinity Valley Lady Cardinals (Texas East Conference) (1993–2000)
1993–94 Trinity Valley 35–1 1st NJCAA Champions
1994–95 Trinity Valley 31–1 1st NJCAA Runner-Up
1995–96 Trinity Valley 32–4 1st NJCAA Champions
1996–97 Trinity Valley 34–2 1st NJCAA Champions
1997–98 Trinity Valley 34–1 1st NJCAA Runner-Up
1998–99 Trinity Valley 36–0 1st NJCAA Champions
1999–00 Trinity Valley 24–6 1st NJCAA Region XIV Finals
Trinity Valley: 226–16 (.934) 96–2 (.980)
Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (Western Athletic Conference) (2002–2005)
2002–03 Louisiana Tech 31–3 18–0 1st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2003–04 Louisiana Tech 29–3 17–1 1st NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2004–05 Louisiana Tech 20–10 14–4 T–1st NCAA First Round
Louisiana Tech: 80–16 (.833) 49–5 (.907)
Oklahoma State Cowgirls (Big 12 Conference) (2005–2011)
2005–06 Oklahoma State 6–22 0–16 12th
2006–07 Oklahoma State 20–11 8–8 6th NCAA First Round
2007–08 Oklahoma State 27–8 11–5 T–3rd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2008–09 Oklahoma State 17–16 4–12 T–10th WNIT Second Round
2009–10 Oklahoma State 24–11 9–7 T–6th NCAA Second Round
2010–11 Oklahoma State 17–15 4–12 11th WNIT Second Round
2011 Oklahoma State 1–0
Oklahoma State: 112–83 (.574) 36–60 (.375)
Total: 468–157 (.749)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Budke Inducted Into Hall of Fame". Okstate.com. June 14, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  2. ^ "OSU's Kurt Budke, assistant killed in plane crash". Tulsa World. November 18, 2011.
  3. ^ OSU Women's Basketball Coach, Assistant Killed In Plane Crash, KWTV-DT, November 18, 2011.
  4. ^ Who were OSU women's head coach Kurt Budke and assistant Miranda Serna Archived November 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, KJRH-TV, November 18, 2011.
  5. ^ Branstetters had a love of aviation, OSU Archived November 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, KJRH-TV, November 18, 2011.
edit