Conference Heartland Conference Athletic director Ryan Erwin Varsity teams 12 | NCAA Division II Location Claremore, Oklahoma | |
University Rogers State University | ||
The Rogers State University Hillcats are the athletic teams that represent Rogers State University. Their mascot, a fictional animal based on a bobcat and named for the hill that the school sits upon, was chosen in 2005 by a group of students. The school participates in the National Collegiate Athletics Association Division II and is a member of the Heartland Conference.
Contents
National Athletic Affiliation
After two years of offering baseball as a club team, President Dr. Joe Wiley announced the University was accepted into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in September 2005. In September 2006 the University announced it was accepted as a member of the Sooner Athletic Conference.
The university announced in April 2010 that a task force assembled to review the University's national athletic affiliation recommended the school to apply for membership in the NCAA Division II. On July 13, 2012 Dr. Larry Rice announced that then Director of Athletic Ryan Bradley was notified that the University had been approved for the Division II membership process. The University was accepted into year two candidacy in July 2014 and in July 2015 entered provisional membership status. Rogers State was notified on July 14, 2016 that the NCAA Division II Membership Committee had recommended the University for full, active membership.
Program Success
The school's women's softball team became the first RSU athletic team to be nationally ranked on March 28, 2007, entering the NAIA softball ratings at number 22. The men's basketball team became the school's first number one on January 26, 2009, topping the NAIA DI men's basketball poll.
Director of Athletics
Wren Baker, current Vice President and Director of Athletics for North Texas Mean Green, served as the first Director of Athletics at RSU. After his departure to Northwest Missouri State for a similar position Baker was replaced by Ryan Bradley, previously the Associate Athletic Director for External Relations. Bradley departed for the University of Memphis to work for Baker then Deputy Athletic Director for the Tigers.
In 2013, Ryan Erwin joined Rogers State as the Director of Athletics from Dallas Baptist University. On August 1, 2016 Erwin announced his resignation to accept the Vice President and Director of Athletics position at East Texas Baptist University (NCAA DIII).
Current Department Staff
Derek Larkin is the only coach in men's soccer program history and was the first coach of the women's soccer program before Heather Cato was named Head Coach in January 2014. On April 18, 2016 Cato resigned to accept the assistant coach position at Central Michigan. Scott Parkinson was named the third head coach in program history on May 8, 2016.
Chris McCormick is the lone head coach in program history for both the men's and women's cross country and track & field programs.
Justin Barkley is the third head coach in program history. Wren Baker served as Athletic Director and Men's Head Basketball Coach for one season (2007–08) before resigning as head basketball coach. Lloyd Williams became the second head coach in program history on August 19, 2008. Williams resigned on March 30, 2010 after two seasons at the helm finishing with a 52-13 record. Barkley was named the head coach in April 2010.
Bobby Cope is the third head coach of the women's basketball program having served on the coaching staff of both Amy Williams and Roxanne Long. Williams began the program in March 2007 and helped lead the Hillcats to back-to-back NAIA National Tournament appearances before taking the same position at the University of South Dakota. Long was hired on July 2, 2012 and spent two seasons as head coach before resigning following the 2013-14 season. Cope was named head coach on March 28, 2014.
Ron Bradley began the baseball program at RSU in 2004 as a club team and by 2012 led the Hillcats to the NAIA World Series Championship game where RSU finished Runner-Up. Bradley led the Diamond Cats back to the NAIA World Series in 2013 before retiring following the 2014 season compiling a 281-188 collegiate coaching record. On June 30, 2014 Chris Klimas was named the second head coach in program history joining RSU from Oklahoma Baptist University where he had served as Associate Head Coach.