The Sooner Schooner, OU’s horse-drawn wagon that runs the field after each score, had its first female Native American driver during the Sooners’ game against Illinois State.
Brianna Howard, a member of OU’s RUF/NEK Lil’ Sis program, became only the seventh woman ever to drive the Schooner. The organization is responsible for managing the wagon.
Howard is a part of the Choctaw Nation, something she said she was always encouraged to take pride in.
“Growing up, I was always told to be proud of my tribe, where I came from,” Howard said. “My papa was full-blood. My great-grandmother, she’s Choctaw as well. I kind of was able to know where I came from.”
Because of her heritage, Howard said she had to overcome hurdles and negative criticism on her achievement.
“My great-grandmother was in the Native American boarding schools, so we have a history of oppression,” Howard said. “I’ve gotten a lot of comments about me being a native woman driving something that was used to oppress our people in the land run.”
Driving the Sooner Schooner was more than just making history to Howard — she said it was a way to reclaim her identity.
“I kind of see it as, like me taking something back and making it a thing that can empower indigenous people,” Howard said. “It feels really great to be able to do that.”
Howard said her biggest motivation is making her family proud, especially her papa.
“My papa, he’s a very reserved man, but he made sure to tell me how proud he was,” Howard said. “So that’s really what it was for me. It’s just making my family proud.”
Becoming a Sooner Schooner driver is a role Howard said takes effort and putting yourself out there.
“You put in the work, and you’re willing to do what’s asked of you,” Howard said. “Every time there’s something at the farm, I’d be there to help.”
She hopes the message of hard work paying off was shown through her drive.
“I just hope it shows that if you want to do something, you do it,” Howard said. “I hope that other indigenous girls, and just people in general, can see that.”
This story was edited by Madisson Cameron. Gretchen Schultz and Sophie Hemker copy edited this story.
