OSU To Part Ways With Head Women's Basketball Coach After Season

Oklahoma State University announced Monday that Jim Littell, head women's basketball coach for the Cowgirls, will not return next season.

The school said in a statement that the university's Department of Athletics reached a mutual agreement with Littell to end his tenure after the 21-22 season.

“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.”

Coach Littell arrived at Oklahoma State as an associate head coach in 2005 and took over head coaching duties after 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.

Littell 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.