Category Athletics

SSC Lights Up the Night with Holiday Fun

Josh Hutton
In this photo, local families alongside dozens of SSC student-athletes are busy working at crafting stations, helping community children create crafts.

Seminole State College hosted its annual Night at the Lights event on Dec. 2 at the Reynolds Wellness Center in Seminole. Local families enjoyed the community Snowman Wonderland light display, as well as cookies and hot chocolate provided by the College. Dozens of SSC student-athletes manned crafting stations, helping children create crafts.

In this photo, Several of the SSC athletics staff pose for a picture with Mr. and Mrs. Clause. Pictured (left to right): Women’s Basketball Head Coach Rita Story-Schell, Women’s Soccer Head Coach Dan Hill, Mrs. Claus, Santa Claus, SSC President Lana Reynolds, Baseball Head Coach Mack Chambers and Women’s Softball Head Coach Amber Flores.

Several of the SSC athletics staff also assisted with the event. Pictured (left to right): Women’s Basketball Head Coach Rita Story-Schell, Women’s Soccer Head Coach Dan Hill, Mrs. Claus, Santa Claus, SSC President Lana Reynolds, Baseball Head Coach Mack Chambers and Women’s Softball Head Coach Amber Flores

SSC Soccer Returns Home Following National Tournament Play

Josh Hutton
In this photo, the Seminole State College women’s soccer team huddles around Head Coach Dan Hill.

The Seminole State College women’s soccer team recently competed in the NJCAA Division I Soccer National Tournament in Wichita, Kansas. The Trojans secured a decisive 3-0 victory against Cowley County on Nov. 19 but were unable to advance out of pool play following a first-round loss to Daytona State College on Nov. 17. The team concluded the season with a record of 19-1-2. This year marked the sixth consecutive national tournament appearance for the Head Coach Dan Hill and the women’s soccer team.

SSC Rallies for Women’s Soccer Team Before National Tournament

Josh Hutton
In this photo, a large crowd is gathered inside the SSC student union to wish the Trojan soccer team good luck as they head off to the NJCAA National Tournament,

Seminole State College hosted a sendoff for the women’s soccer team ahead of their appearance at the NJCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship on Nov. 15 in the E.T. Dunlap Student Union. This year’s national tournament will take place from Nov. 17-23 at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas. The team ended the season ranked No. 3 in the nation with an undefeated record of 18-0-2. They will enter the national tournament as the No. 2 seed. This year marks the sixth consecutive national tournament appearance for the women’s soccer team.

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SSC Women’s Soccer Team Heads to Nationals for Sixth Year in a Row

Josh Hutton
In this photo, the SSC Soccer team poses for a group picture after their NJCAA Region II and South Central District Championship win on Nov. 3
The SSC women’s soccer team celebrates their NJCAA Region II and South Central District Championship win on Nov. 3 at the Advance Soccer Complex in Enid, Oklahoma.

Seminole State College’s women’s soccer team captured the NJCAA Region II and South Central District Championships with a 2-0 win over Rose State on Nov. 3 at the Advance Soccer Complex in Enid, Oklahoma. This victory secures the team’s sixth consecutive trip to the NJCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship, set for Nov. 17-23 at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas.

Led by Head Coach Dan Hill and Assistant Coach Caitlyn Bidart, SSC’s team remained undefeated in regular season play with an 18-0-2 record and a national ranking of No. 3.

SSC will hold a sendoff for the team on Nov. 15 at 8:30 a.m. in the E.T. Dunlap Student Union, inviting supporters to celebrate the Trojans as they head to Wichita.

Pictured is Interim Head Coach of the Trojans Men's Basketball team, Austin Bogle.

SSC Announces Men’s Basketball Coaching Change

Josh Hutton

Seminole State College Men’s Basketball Coach Lucas Hunter announced this week that he will be departing the college to join his fiancée, who has recently completed medical school and is beginning a four-year residency in North Carolina. Hunter has also accepted a coaching position close to where his fiancée is currently residing.

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity that SSC provided me to be the Head Basketball Coach of such a storied program,” Hunter said. “I took pleasure in getting to work in a community where the success of the local junior college athletics programs mattered, and their support matched that.”

Hunter took the reins as Head Coach in July of 2023. He was pivotal in recruiting and rebuilding the basketball team. Prior to joining SSC, he served as an Assistant Coach at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah for three years.

“We hate to see Coach Hunter leave,” SSC President Lana Reynolds said. “In his short time with us, he has begun building a strong, respected program and has been extremely active in the Seminole community. We wish him nothing but the best in his career and much happiness in his personal life.”

Effective immediately, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Austin Bogle has been appointed as the Interim Head Coach of the Trojans. Bogle brings six years of experience at the collegiate coaching level. He holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Most recently, he served as a Graduate Assistant and Director of Operations at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii. Prior to that, he was an Assistant Coach at Northeastern State University.

“We are fortunate to have Coach Bogle here, available and willing to step up to help the college as we quickly enter the semester and the upcoming basketball season,” SSC Athletic Director Leslie Sewell said.

In this photo, Ryan Franklin alongside other members of the SSC Board of Regents pose for a photo at the grand opening of the Brian Crawford Memorial Sports Complex on Oct. 20, 2022. Pictured (left to right): Franklin, Kim Hyden, Robyn Ready, Marci Donaho, Curtis Morgan and Bryan Cain.

From Seminole to Sydney: Gold Medalist Recounts Olympic Journey

Josh Hutton

As the 2024 Olympics in Paris continue through Aug. 11, viewers around the world tune in as the best athletes in the world compete in a wide range of sports. From rhythmic gymnastics to Greco-Roman wrestling, from fencing to equestrian dressage, it would be easy to assume the most popular sports suited for the summer months are all represented.

“One sport is painfully missing,” Seminole State College Regent Ryan Franklin said. “America’s pastime. Baseball.”

For Franklin, the omission is personal. After graduating from Spiro High School in 1991, Franklin attended what was then Seminole Junior College, where, as a pitcher, he went 20-0 across two seasons. He was then signed by the Seattle Mariners. He spent the next few years building a reputation as a reliable closing pitcher in the minor leagues, eventually leading to an opportunity to try out for the United States’ 2000 Olympic baseball team.

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In this photo, SSC Athletic Director Leslie Sewell welcomes athletes across all sports to campus in the fall of 2023.

SSC Student-Athletes Earn NJCAA Academic Honors

Josh Hutton

Fifty-eight student-athletes and six athletic teams at Seminole State College have been recognized for their academic achievements this year by the National Junior College Athletic Association. The NJCAA Academic All-American Student Athlete Awards are divided into the three groups based on grade point average – First Team requires a 4.0 GPA, Second Team requires a GPA between 3.80 and 3.99, and Third Team requires a GPA between 3.60 and 3.79.

“Our students’ dedication to excellence both in the classroom and on the field exemplifies the core values of Seminole State College. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and perseverance,” SSC Athletic Director Leslie Sewell said.

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In this photo Seminole State College Athletic Director Leslie Sewell throws the opening pitch of the Oklahoma City Spark’s game against the Chattanooga Steam at Devon Park on July 3.

SSC Athletic Director Throws Opening Pitch at Spark Game

Josh Hutton

Seminole State College Athletic Director Leslie Sewell was invited to throw the opening pitch of the Oklahoma City Spark’s game against the Chattanooga Steam at Devon Park on July 3. Sewell has worked at SSC for 14 years. She was named Athletic Director in July of 2023. When she began the role, she was the only female athletic director in all the two-year colleges in Oklahoma. Since she has taken the helm, the SSC women’s volleyball, baseball and women’s soccer teams all won their regional tournaments. Soccer advanced to the national tournament ranked number two in the country.

The Oklahoma City Spark professional softball team had their inaugural season in the summer of 2023. They are led by Head Coach Amber Flores, who also serves as Head Coach for the SSC softball team. The Spark’s regular season runs through July 21.

In this photo Seminole State College infielder Caden Powell rounds third base.

Trojan Infielder Named NJCAA National Baseball Player of the Year

Josh Hutton

Seminole State College infielder Caden Powell, of Clinton, was recently named the 2024 NJCAA Division I National Baseball Player of the Year. The last time the SSC Trojans had a national player of the year was in 2008.

Powell had a standout performance this season, achieving a batting average of .502 with 109 hits and 104 RBIs. In 217 at bats, he recorded 32 homeruns, 17 doubles and 7 triples. Powell led the Trojans in runs scored, hits, RBIs, doubles, triples, homeruns and total bases.

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