Oklahoma State University Athletics
Up Next ... Jentry Holt
October 16, 2015 | Cowgirl Basketball
By Matt Mitchell
Playing basketball at Oklahoma State had always been a lifelong dream for Jentry Holt, and now that dream has become a reality.
"This was always where I wanted to come and it just happened to work out and line up for me," Holt said. "It's been a really big blessing."
Holt, a freshman, grew up in Elgin, Oklahoma, where she starred at Elgin High School, averaging 14.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game as a senior while leading the Owls to a district and regional championship, before falling to Anadarko in the Class 4A state semifinals.
Although her senior year at Elgin didn't end quite the way she wanted it to, Holt, who is a fierce competitor, hopes to transition some of that success over to the college level.
"I'm not a very good loser," Holt said. "I don't enjoy losing, so I'm going to do whatever it takes to make my team and myself successful and give everything I can. Every time I step off the court, I want to be able to say I gave everything."
Holt was also an all-state volleyball player in high school, but says there was never any doubt about which sport she wanted to continue playing at the next level.
"I've always loved basketball," Holt said. "I've grown up playing it. Everyone in my family has played college basketball. I started out playing volleyball just because I was tall. I ended up really liking it and my friends played. It was really fun, but my heart has always been in basketball."
Having grown up in a basketball family, Holt developed a love for the game early on. Holt's grandmother played basketball, as well as her mother, who played at Connors State, and her aunt, who is currently the head coach at nearby Seminole State College.
"I didn't really know any different," Holt said. "My aunt is a junior college coach her in Oklahoma and my grandmother, my mom and myself were all all-state players so we've grown up going to tournaments and watching games It's just what we'd do for fun."
Holt's family is a big reason why her life has seemingly revolved around basketball, but her faith also had a role to play in her first picking up the game. Holt grew up going to church with her parents, and her church offered a league for young kids, which is where she first started playing.
At 6 feet 3 inches tall, Holt has always been one of the taller players on every team she has played on, so she's played in the frontcourt for most of her career. Her height never stopped her from developing other aspects of her game, however.
"I grew up being kind of selfish with the ball," Holt said. "I learned to dribble and handle it more and so that's really helped me be more versatile on the court. I'm able to dribble and bring the ball up and play a guard position if I need to."
Holt cites her parents as her two biggest influences on and off the court.
"They both were very athletic when they were younger and they know the game and know what it takes to be successful," Holt said. "They've never pushed me farther than I wanted to go and they've always had my back and have been supportive of me. I don't know how many I've been at the gym late at night and they've been there rebounding for me. No matter what team I was on or who I was playing for, I knew that they'd be in the stands and that they'd always have my back."
Off the court, Holt enjoys a few other hobbies, such as sleeping and sewing, and she owns a unicycle, though she can't ride it yet. Holt also boasts one other particularly impressive skill.
"I'm really proud that I can solve a Rubik's Cube," Holt said. "I can solve it a minute and 24 seconds."
Jentry Holt: basketball standout and Rubik's Cube master.
Playing basketball at Oklahoma State had always been a lifelong dream for Jentry Holt, and now that dream has become a reality.
"This was always where I wanted to come and it just happened to work out and line up for me," Holt said. "It's been a really big blessing."
Holt, a freshman, grew up in Elgin, Oklahoma, where she starred at Elgin High School, averaging 14.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game as a senior while leading the Owls to a district and regional championship, before falling to Anadarko in the Class 4A state semifinals.
Although her senior year at Elgin didn't end quite the way she wanted it to, Holt, who is a fierce competitor, hopes to transition some of that success over to the college level.
"I'm not a very good loser," Holt said. "I don't enjoy losing, so I'm going to do whatever it takes to make my team and myself successful and give everything I can. Every time I step off the court, I want to be able to say I gave everything."
Holt was also an all-state volleyball player in high school, but says there was never any doubt about which sport she wanted to continue playing at the next level.
"I've always loved basketball," Holt said. "I've grown up playing it. Everyone in my family has played college basketball. I started out playing volleyball just because I was tall. I ended up really liking it and my friends played. It was really fun, but my heart has always been in basketball."
Having grown up in a basketball family, Holt developed a love for the game early on. Holt's grandmother played basketball, as well as her mother, who played at Connors State, and her aunt, who is currently the head coach at nearby Seminole State College.
"I didn't really know any different," Holt said. "My aunt is a junior college coach her in Oklahoma and my grandmother, my mom and myself were all all-state players so we've grown up going to tournaments and watching games It's just what we'd do for fun."
Holt's family is a big reason why her life has seemingly revolved around basketball, but her faith also had a role to play in her first picking up the game. Holt grew up going to church with her parents, and her church offered a league for young kids, which is where she first started playing.
At 6 feet 3 inches tall, Holt has always been one of the taller players on every team she has played on, so she's played in the frontcourt for most of her career. Her height never stopped her from developing other aspects of her game, however.
"I grew up being kind of selfish with the ball," Holt said. "I learned to dribble and handle it more and so that's really helped me be more versatile on the court. I'm able to dribble and bring the ball up and play a guard position if I need to."
Holt cites her parents as her two biggest influences on and off the court.
"They both were very athletic when they were younger and they know the game and know what it takes to be successful," Holt said. "They've never pushed me farther than I wanted to go and they've always had my back and have been supportive of me. I don't know how many I've been at the gym late at night and they've been there rebounding for me. No matter what team I was on or who I was playing for, I knew that they'd be in the stands and that they'd always have my back."
Off the court, Holt enjoys a few other hobbies, such as sleeping and sewing, and she owns a unicycle, though she can't ride it yet. Holt also boasts one other particularly impressive skill.
"I'm really proud that I can solve a Rubik's Cube," Holt said. "I can solve it a minute and 24 seconds."
Jentry Holt: basketball standout and Rubik's Cube master.
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