Travis Ford, OSU men’s basketball coach (via ESPN): “I just found out and there are so many unanswered questions. I just saw him. We talked every single day. He came to my shootarounds. It just doesn’t seem real. It just doesn’t seem real. It just doesn’t seem real.

“Everyone I was calling didn’t even know yet. The news just hit. It happened yesterday, but obviously they waited to (inform) the team. They told them this morning. I was there in the office when it came across the ticker and I went right to (Budke’s) house. I just left his wife and children. I’m stunned. I’m saddened. I’m pissed. It’s crazy. I just, I just can’t believe it.”

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OSU football Coach Mike Gundy: "We are very sad to learn of the death of Coach Budke and Coach Serna. We are a tight family at OSU. Our coaches are very close, and we pull for each other. They both always had encouraging words and were excited about our season. Our prayers go out to the families and team."

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Megan Byford, former OSU player and now a graduate assistant at Pittsburg State: “Coach Budke always told us that in our program and his life it was God first, family second and basketball third. … I know I came out of his program a better person and I know a lot of other girls did, too. He touched so many lives, not just at Oklahoma State but at all the former places he coached at. …

“Coach Serna had a heart of gold and probably was one of the sweetest women I’d ever met on the face of the planet. She would do anything she possibly could for you to help you out. She was that spark and energy you could feed off of in practice. When you were having a bad day, she could pick you up. She was always excited about life.”

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Sherri Coale, Oklahoma women’s basketball coach: "I am devastated by the tragic news of the deaths of Kurt and Miranda. Kurt was a fantastic basketball coach and he was a tremendous competitor. More importantly, though, he was a devoted father and husband, and a humble but courageous leader of young people.
"Our hearts and prayers go out to Kurt’s wife, Shelley, and their children, and to Miranda’s family, and the families of the other victims as well. Additionally, we are praying for the entire Oklahoma State women’s basketball family.”

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Gary Blair, Texas A&M coach: "The basketball world and college athletics has lost a great man and a great young assistant coach. Coach Budke has been the person that I've been the closest to in the league since we both joined. We both can trace our history back to Louisiana Tech as assistants. He was somebody I talked to regularly on the phone just about the game itself and the direction we were going. He was a devout family man and the conversation never stopped without us talking about our own kids, not just the players we coached. Miranda was one of the young rising stars in recruiting and as an assistant coach. …
"Life is precious. We must enjoy it and we must respect it because it can be taken away at any time. I hope the basketball world and the sports world will honor Coach Budke and Miranda in the right way and help the rest of us realize how special our families and the extended families of our teams are."

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David Boren, OU president: “All of us at the University of Oklahoma extend our deepest sympathy to the families and loved ones of Coaches Budke and Serna and those who lost their lives in the plane crash. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. We are sadden by this tragic loss for the entire OSU community.”

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Joe Castiglione, OU athletic director: “We are profoundly saddened by the loss of Kurt Budke, Miranda Serna and their traveling companions. The people at Oklahoma State are our colleagues and, more importantly, our friends. The OU family pledges its support to those at OSU. We understand that the period for grieving and recovery will be difficult and want them to know that they do not face it alone. As fellow Oklahomans, we want them to know that our hearts are broken too.”

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Lon Kruger, OU men’s basketball coach: “This is tragic news and an extremely sad day. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Budke and Serna families, as well as the families of the other victims. I’d known Kurt for many years and always admired and respected him for his work as a basketball coach and for the type of person he was. We’re all thinking about everyone in the Oklahoma State family affected by this terrible tragedy.”

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Bob Stoops, OU football coach: “We want everyone at OSU to know that they have our prayers and support. Like them, we fail in finding the words that adequately capture our feelings. We feel devastated for the families that have been impacted, the Cowgirl basketball team, the athletics department and the entire university community. We share in your grief and sadness.”

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Mark Emmert, NCAA president: On behalf of the NCAA, I want to express my deepest sympathies to the families, friends and colleagues of Kurt Budke and Miranda Serna and the other victims of last night’s plane crash. For any coaching community to lose bright stars like Kurt and Miranda is tragic. This is a profound loss for the Oklahoma State women’s basketball family, the entire university and future women’s basketball players as well. The NCAA stands ready to help Oklahoma State should it need any assistance as it copes with this terrible accident.

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Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin: The loss of Coach Kurt Budke and Assistant Coach Miranda Serna has shocked and saddened all of us. In addition to working to reshape the OSU women's basketball program into a top 10 contender, both coaches were mentors and role models to countless young women. They will be remembered as great coaches and great people who made all of Oklahoma proud. I am asking all Oklahomans to keep the OSU community, the women's basketball team, and the family and many friends of Coach Budke and Coach Serna in our thoughts and prayers as they deal with this terrible tragedy.

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U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe: Our hearts break for the Oklahoma State Cowboy family over this tragic loss of life. Kay and I pray for the families of Coach Kurt Budke, Coach Miranda Serna, and the entire Cowboy family.

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Donnita Rogers, coach of Grambling State who was set to play OSU on Saturday: "We're one team today. It doesn't matter what was going to happen on the court tomorrow."

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Pat Summitt, Tennessee women’s basketball coach: “I've known Kurt for many years and enjoyed watching his success all along the way. He was a great guy and a wonderful family man. He had such a great passion for teaching and coaching the game of women's basketball. Obviously, Miranda was a highly-respected assistant coach and had a promising career ahead of her. It is just so terribly sad that we had to lose them.”“Tennessee will be keeping Oklahoma State, the family and friends of Kurt and Miranda in our thoughts and prayers. Our hearts go out to them.”

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T. Boone Pickens, OSU alumnus and donor: "This is a sad day for the OSU Cowboy Nation. I'm stunned and saddened that another tragedy has hit our basketball program.

"My heart goes out to so many ... Kurt Budke's and Miranda Serna's families as well as the members of the OSU Women's Basketball team who have been touched by their passionate commitment to sportsmanship, competition and an unwavering focus on responsibility.

"I grew to know and respect Coach Budke during his seven-year coaching history at OSU. His star burned bright and his loss will sadden yet strengthen the University for generations to come."

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Remember the Ten Run Steering Committee members Kerry Alexander, Becky Shipley and Jason Pogue: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the tragic death of Coach Kurt Budke, Coach Miranda Serna, Olin Branstetter and Paula Branstetter. Coaches Budke and Serna represented Oklahoma State University with class, humility and dignity.

"Each year the Remember the Ten Run provides support to University Counseling Services. This support helps enable them to provide grief counseling and materials to those on the OSU campus in need. We are humbled to know that those resources are being put to good use. We ask for your prayers and support for the counselors, their staff, and others who are providing support to the families.

"Just as we did after the devastating events of January 27, 2001, the OSU family will come together to support the families, friends and loved ones of those lost on November 17th in Arkansas. As co-chairs of the Remember the Ten Run, we ask you to join with us in keeping them in your thoughts and prayers."

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