Kurt Budke

Kurt John Budke (June 3, 1961 – November 17, 2011) was an American college basketball coach. His final coaching job was as the head coach for the Oklahoma State University Cowgirls women's basketball team from 2005 until his death in a plane accident in 2011.

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.

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.

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.

Budke was killed in an airplane accident on November 17, 2011, when the Piper PA-28 Cherokee he and others were traveling in for a recruiting trip crashed in Perry County, Arkansas, about four miles south of Perryville. Budke and assistant basketball coach and recruiting coordinator Miranda Serna were killed in the accident. Budke left behind a wife and three children, the oldest of which is a student at Oklahoma State. Olin Branstetter, an Oklahoma state senator from 1986 to 1990, and his wife, Paula Branstetter, were also killed in the crash. Both Olin and Paula Brandstetter were certified pilots; the plane was being piloted by Olin.