Goodwell, Okla. — It’s a mid-November Wednesday afternoon in Goodwell, Oklahoma. Population, 951. Smack dab in the middle of “No Man’s Land,” USA.

No Man’s Land — home to Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Enrollment, 1,085. An agriculturally rooted institution, proudly standing since 1909 and serving four-year college students for over 100 years. 

Yet on this afternoon, Nov. 12, 2025, from 1-3 p.m., it’s the place to be for dozens of elementary school students. Why? There’s a nonconference NAIA women’s basketball game being played between the Oklahoma Panhandle State University Aggies and the Dallas Christian College Crusaders.

And, oh yeah, it’s Elementary Day.

Students in elementary grades from nearby Goodwell, Guymon, and Texhoma school districts were invited for a half-day departure from normal classroom activities to cheer on their hometown college team.

“I have been to a couple of other schools that I’ve coached against on elementary day or played at a college elementary day before. So the idea comes from those past experiences. It’s always extra loud and crazy,” OPSU women’s basketball head coach Maria Belt said. 
 
Extra loud and crazy turned out to be an understatement for the passion local Panhandle students brought. From the announcement of the starting lineups to Aggie players firing t-shirts towards the cheering youth during pregame introductions, the tone for the afternoon inside Anchor D Arena was set. 

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Elementary Day 2025 is far from the only event going on throughout the year where Aggie Athletics dives into forming bonds with local schools. Throughout the year, several teams, including women’s volleyball and women’s soccer, travel to elementary schools located within the Panhandle to spend recess time outside with them. 
 
Head women’s soccer coach Ken McAlpine spoke on the team’s several trips to Texhoma Elementary for recess days. 
 
“We feel for the players, it forces many of them to get out of their comfort zone and to take the lead. Along with our other sports teams, we want to continue to provide these types of experiences for the local youth to establish and continue to build a sense of connection with OPSU,” McAlpine said. 
 
OPSU women’s soccer also partakes in a “Welcome Back to School” day at Texhoma Elementary. 
 
“This (Welcome Back to School) event is during our preseason, and is a great way for our new players to get a sense of connection with the local community,” McAlpine said. “It gives our players a sense of the excitement that their presence can bring and introduces our new players to the idea that they can be someone that kids look up to. For the elementary school students, we hope it provides a spark of excitement to start the new school year.”
 
These types of events all fit into the theme of connecting with the broader Oklahoma Panhandle and No Man’s Land community.


The Panhandle State baseball team bands together for an annual community cleanup day in the fall, something several other teams have done as well. 
 
Aggie softball also travels to the Panhandle’s largest town, Guymon, where the team spends a full day each fall volunteering at Loaves & Fishes, a local food pantry. Most recently, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, OPSU Cheer put on a canned food drive with donations taken to Loaves & Fishes.  
 
The relationship between Panhandle State Athletics and the community goes both ways. During any Aggie home gameday, signage and banners are proudly displayed from truly local sponsors ranging from hometown banks, insurance agents, tech companies, restaurants and more. 
 
In October, the men’s and women’s basketball teams hosted the inaugural No Man’s Land Classic, which could not have been done without the support of the community and a partnership with O’Daddy’s, Susie Q’s, and Round Top restaurants, as well as the local Hampton Inn.
 
It’s all part of what makes the OPSU Aggies “Panhandle Proud.” And it blends perfectly with the University’s larger mission, which is “committed to promoting excellence in the preparation of students for success in a global community.”
 
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Back to the action on Nov. 12, the Aggies fed off the screaming encouragement from the youthful crowd. OPSU knocked down 10 of its first 17 shots, eventually opening up an 18-point halftime lead, 40-22. 

The kids were then invited to the court for a photo opportunity and a rousing halftime game of lightning, but the party was just getting started. 
 
As the second half played out, OPSU continued to take full control of the game as the lead ballooned to as many as 26 points.

Then, the moment came. With 5:04 remaining in the Wednesday matinee, the Aggies hit 67 points on a jumper from Jamie Baum. That’s right. 6-7. The reaction? Deafening pandemonium.


“Having those kids here went exactly as what I was hoping. They brought extra noise, excitement, smiles and laughs. I even caught myself laughing at their pure enjoyment of it,” Belt said. “I know if I was enjoying it, my players were lovingit. They feed off that type of energy and they gave that energy right back to those kids.” 

The joy of a child. The welcome of a small-town community. The University’s embracement of No Man’s Land. That’s “Panhandle Proud.”