Oklahoma State U. women’s basketball coach Kurt Budke and assistant coach Miranda Serna were killed when the single-engine plane they were riding in during a recruiting trip crashed near a wildlife management area in central Arkansas.
The pair died in the crash Thursday night near Perryville, about 45 miles west of Little Rock, university officials said. The Winona Wildlife Management Area is in steep terrain in the eastern Ouachita Mountains, but a cause of the crash was not announced.
“The Oklahoma State family is devastated by this tragedy,” said OSU President Burns Hargis. “Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of Kurt Budke, Miranda Serna and the other victims.
The plane’s pilot and another passenger also died in Thursday’s crash, OSU said. Their names were not released and OSU said they were not associated with the university.
“Kurt was an exemplary leader and a man of character who had a profound impact on his student-athletes,” Hargis said. “He was an outstanding coach and a wonderful person. We send our deepest sympathies to his wife, Shelley, and their children, Sara, Alex and Brett.
The Perry County Sheriff’s Department said the crash occurred just before 7 p.m. about 4 miles south of Perryville. FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford said an immediate search revealed that at least two were dead. The school’s statement Friday put the death toll at four.
Lunsford said the plane was a single-engine Piper PA-28.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending investigators, and that it could take nine months to determine the cause of the crash.
The university announced the Cowgirls will cancel their games scheduled Saturday and Sunday.
Jim Littell, associate head coach, will assume duties as interim head coach, said Mike Holder, OSU vice president for athletics.
“We are shocked by this terrible loss,” Holder said. “Kurt Budke was an incredibly positive influence on his players and was a tremendous coach. He quickly turned our program around and put Cowgirl basketball on the map. Miranda was a tireless worker and great recruiter.”
Oklahoma State counselors and athletic staff are offering assistance to the Cowgirl student-athletes and staff, the university said.
Budke was in his seventh season at OSU, with an all-time record of 112-83. The university hired Budke from Louisiana Tech.
Under his direction, the Cowgirls made postseason appearances each of the past five seasons, including three trips to the NCAA tournament.
Miranda Serna was in her seventh season as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State. She previously worked in the same capacity at Louisiana Tech under Budke.
In January 2001, 10 men affiliated with the university’s men’s basketball team died in a Colorado plane crash.
The Associated Press contributed to this report