Rogers State Hillcats
| Rogers State Hillcats | |
|---|---|
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| University | Rogers State University |
| Conference | Heartland Conference |
| NCAA | Division II |
| Athletic director | Ryan Erwin |
| Location | Claremore, OK |
| Varsity teams | 12 |
| Football stadium | none |
| Basketball arena | Claremore Expo Center |
| Baseball stadium | Diamond Sports Complex |
| Mascot | Hunter the Hillcat |
| Nickname | Hillcats |
| Colors |
Navy and Red |
| Website |
www |
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.[1] The school participates in the National Collegiate Athletics Association Division II and is a member of the Heartland Conference.
National Athletic Affiliation
[2] 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.[3] In September 2006 the University announced it was accepted as a member of the Sooner Athletic Conference.
[4] 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.[5] 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.[6] The University was accepted into year two candidacy in July 2014 and in [7] July 2015 entered provisional membership status.
Sports
| Men's | Women's |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Cross Country |
| Cross Country | Golf |
| Golf | Soccer |
| Soccer | Softball |
| Track & Field | Track & Field |
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.[8] The men's basketball team became the school's first number one on January 26, 2009, topping the NAIA DI men's basketball poll.[9]
Current Department Staff
| Men's Program | Head Coach | Women's Program | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soccer | Derek Larkin | Soccer | Heather Cato |
| Cross Country | Chris McCormick | Cross Country | Chris McCormick |
| Basketball | Justin Barkley | Basketball | Bobby Cope |
| Baseball | Chris Klimas | Softball | Andrea Vaughan (interim) |
| Golf | Josh Fosdick | Golf | Josh Fosdick |
| Track & Field | Chris McCormick | Track & Field | Chris McCormick |
The Hillcats' current athletic director is Ryan Erwin, named the third athletic director in school history replacing Ryan Bradley, who replaced Wren Baker.[10]
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.[11]
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.
References
- ↑ RSU | Traditions
- ↑ "RSU Gains Acceptance in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics - Rogers State University". Rogers State University. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ "Hillcats Join Sooner Athletic Conference - Rogers State University". Rogers State University. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ "Rogers State Task Force Recommends NCAA Application". Rogers State University. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ "Rogers State Accepted Into NCAA Division II Membership Process". Rogers State University. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ "Rogers State Accepted Into Candidacy Year Two of NCAA Division II Membership Process". Rogers State University. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ "Rogers State Achieves NCAA Division II Provisional Status". Rogers State University. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ "NAIA Softball Rating No. 2 :: Cal Baptist Hangs on to No. 1 With 12 First-Place Votes". National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
- ↑ "Rogers State (Okla.) Becomes Sixth New No. 1 Team in 2008-09 Division I MBB Coaches' Top 25 Poll". National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
- ↑ http://www.rsuhillcats.com/article.asp?articleID=1319
- ↑ "Cato Named Rogers State Head Women's Soccer Coach". Rogers State University. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
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