For more than 100 years, the story of Connors State College has been one of hope, challenges, triumphs and excellence. Our student athletes have been an important part of a rich and distinguished history that has been recognized time and time again as a tradition of excellence. The true legacy of Connors State is not just measured by accomplishments in the classroom, on campus or in life, but in the hearts and minds of our people.
We take great pride in our student athletes and how as Aggies and Cowboys they have inspired our campus and community. Their success in life, as well as on the field of play, serves as a great example of how hard work and commitment are essential to fulfilling the promise of your potential. The Connors State Athletic Hall of Fame is a place to gather and celebrate our tradition of excellence as well as to continue our legacy of building futures one at a time.
2017
Nesila Onjiko Brown
Carin Ranae Stites
2016
Athena McCoy
Kenya Robinson
2015
Gail Cooks
Pam Pennon Kokel
2014
Monte Madewell
Carri Hayes Storts
2013
Dr. Alicia Burke
Kamara Stancle
2012
Rhonda Smith
Kim Davis
1985 Women’s Basketball National Championship Team
Lisa McMillin
Carolyn Greul
Stacy Cunningham
Vicki Price
Alicia Burke
Tonya Godsby
Wendy Sanders
LaDonna James
Traci Krumsiek
Michelle Gordon
Gail Cooks
Jan Gilmore
Rhonda Smith
Mannon Mahon
Dede McLemore
Coach Monte Madewell
Coach Bill Martin
2017
Bruce Shropshire
Leonard Wood
2016
Lloyd Jernigan
Dr. Michael McGee
2015
Eddie Louie
Jim Miller
1990 National Championship Team:
Elmore Spencer, Reggie Tinch, Sebastian Neal, Angelo Hamilton, Mike Allen Aaron Sunderland, Eddie Shepherd, Marc Whaley, John Barrett, Howard Hampton, Bryan Jarrad.
Team Managers: Tracey Cole & David Adams,
Head Coach Ed Stepp, Coach Doug Durham, Coach Brian McLaughlin
2018
Dr. Frank Borovetz, Jr.
Jim Hamric
2016
Jack Gilbreath
Nick Ditolla
2015
Tommy Williams
Beauford Jones
2014
Harold Lackey
Dan Sulivant
Pete Evans
2013
Harold Cagle
Cecil Devine
Harry Jackson
2018
Biff Thompson
2016
A.D. Stone
2015
Dr. Carl Westbrook
2014
Ed Hardeman
2013
Duwayne Briley
2012
V. David Miller
The brick building, known today as the Fine Arts Building, sits on the southeast corner of campus and was home to a basketball court, locker rooms and played host to numerous college dances. Concrete bleachers were built into the south side of the gym and were used for track meets and football games. After Melvin Self Field House was constructed, the gym was remodeled into the Fine Arts Building, housing classrooms, faculty offices, music rooms and a 600-seat auditorium. Some of the hardwood from the gym floor serves as the stage floor of the auditorium.
Melvin Self Field House was constructed in 1966-67 and was named after Connors State College’s 12th President, Dr. Melvin Self. The new facility contained a basketball court, collegiate-sized swimming pool, coaches offices, locker rooms and a couple classrooms. Expansion began in 1982 with the addition of a hospitality room, multi-purpose room, fitness center and additional office space. By 2000, the Field House upgraded some of its facilities with new bleachers, a new concession stand and additional restrooms.
The Connors State College Softball Field was constructed in 1986 in the southernmost part of campus. Both left and right field measure 200 feet, while center field is 205 feet. The facility was constructed before the first team took the field under Head Coach Clarence Lynch in 1987-88. In 2011, new lights and poles, an outfield fence, backdrop bleachers and guard rails in front of the dugout were updated.
Men’s Basketball started in 1915 under the direction of the first recorded Aggies coach, J.T. Martin. Burt Huckleberry followed as coach during the 1920s. Conference play began in 1946-47.
In 1947-48, the Aggies had a 15-8 record under Coach Earl Iba, brother of OSU basketball coach, Henry Iba. The Aggies claimed a conference championship in 1951 and repeated the next year with a conference and regional championship under Coach Bobby Jack Rogers. The team placed seventh nationally and produced Connors’ first 1st Team All-American, Clarence Lynch.
The 1970s produced additional regional championships and national rankings under Head Coach Carl Scott. Scott earned his 300th career win in 1977-78. By the end of the decade, the Cowboys had earned a Region II Championship and Eddie Louie became the second basketball player to earn 1st Team All-American honors as well as Region II MVP and Oklahoma Junior College Player of the Year.
Ed Stepp took the helm as head coach in 1988 and in 1990 his team won the NJCAA Championship title with an overall record of 36-2. All the players from the team went on to play Division I basketball and the 1990 season produced the largest number of All-Americans in the college’s history.
William (Bill) Muse became coach in 1992. By the mid-1990s, Muse had led teams to four consecutive regional titles and appearances at NJCAA national tourneys earning Region II Coach of the Year honors. By the end of the ’90s, Muse’s record was 189-49. Cowboys earned another regional and conference championship in 2009.
Bobby Jack Rogers coached the Aggies during the early 1950s, winning a conference championship in 1951; and the conference and regional championship in 1952. Also under the leadership of Rogers, Connors produced its first 1st Team All-American, Clarence Lynch.
Ed Stepp won the men’s first NJCAA National Championship in 1990, two years after becoming head coach in 1988. The team’s overall record that year was 36-2. The ’90s also produced the largest group of basketball All-Americans at Connors. All the players on the championship team went on to play Division I basketball.
Bill Muse has led the Cowboys for the last three decades. During the 1990s Muse took his team to four consecutive regional titles and appearances at NJCAA national tourneys. Muse has also earned Region II Coach of the Year honors seven times. By the end of the 1990s, Muse’s teams had an overall record of 189-49. At the end of the 2012 season, Muse’s record was 461-89.
1952 Clarence Lynch
1980 Eddie Louie
1990 Elmore Spencer
1994 Cyrus Jones
1996 Horatio Webster
1997 Detrick White
2012 C.J. Washington
2015 Corlbe Ervin
2016 Devin Sims
Elmore Spencer
Lottery pick drafted out of UNLV to the LA Clippers.
Lou Henson
Legendary head coach for University of Illinois & New Mexico State.
Bobby Jack Rogers
Coached at Connors before taking over as head coach at East Texas State, where he won the NAIA National Championship. He ended his coaching career at Texas A&M.
C.W. Lynch
Wayne Mulkey
Jim Miller
Bill Shahan
Lou Henson
H.O. Honer
Roy Smith
Al Drywater
Raymond Ganns
Bill Carr
Neal King
Hang Herden
Bud Richards
Don Parks
Don Pearson
Paul Burris
C.J. Hanson
Paul Ingle
J.B. Stigall
Houston Taylor
Hershel Newberry
Keith Colson
John Paul Johns
Don Compton
Dale Bray
Steve Burks
Raymond Dean
Joel Fast
Willie Glover
Lawrence Howell
Danny Jarrett
Marcus Penny
Haywood Smiley
Den Trickey
Gery Triggs
Manuel Warrior
Lawrence Washington
Mike Allen
John Barrett
Angelo Hamilton
Howard Hampton
Bryan Jarrad
Sebastian Neal
Eddie Sheppard
Elmore Spencer
Aaron Sunderland
Reggie Tinch
Marc Whaley
Paul Banks
Clifton Calendar
Dwayne Davis
Sammie Haley
Simeon Haley
Cyrus Jones
Clifford Marshall
Bryan Pettis
Cornell Skanes
Edward St. Fleur
Michael Sylmon
Demetrius Turner
Eric Wooten
Mike Brittian
Clifton Calendar
Michael Cash
Marcus King
Cifford Marshall
Tavie Mason
Bryan Pettis
Edward St. Fleur
Jerome Vaden
Horatio Webster
Kerry Wright
Eric Wooten
Prince Barnes
Eric Beatty
Wendel Bradshaw
Michael Brittian
Eddie Gaulden
Chris Hayes
Torrin Hawkins
Kyle King
Marcus King
Clifford Marshall
Edward St. Fleur
Shane Tuck
Jerome Vaden
Horatio Webster
Detrick White
John Woods
Prince Barnes
Eric Beatty
Ramon Byndom
Eddie Gaulden
Torrin Hawkins
Shannon Long
Bryan Moeller
Jeff Thomas
Shane Tuck
Detrick White
John Woods
Chris Blake
Orlando Brown
Justin Butler
Rakeem Couch
Joe Fontenot
Ray Jones
CJ Washington
Stephon Weaver
JJ Wesley
Orlando Brown
Jarvis Garner
Jarrett Givens
Darius Hemingway
Ray Jones
Corderio Maclin
Mark Rutledge
C.J. Washington
Jeremy Washington
Corey Wilford
Tevin Worthy
NJCAA Tournament Zone Qualifier
Devante Moore
Willie Atwood
Josh Cameron
Craig Hill
Quan Jones
Hakeem Harris
Tony Cabrera
Anthony Hartfield
Jamarcus Weatherspoon
Erick Broadnax
Denell Henderson
Troy Jones
2015 OCAC Champions
NJCAA National Tournament #1 Seed
32-2 Record
Arlando Cook
Ronnie Boyce
Corlbe Ervin
Damari Edwards
Phabian Glasco
DJ Evans
Kayshaune Spencer
Deven Simms
Erick Broadnax
Montana Gormley
Daniel DeCosta Jr.
2017 OCAC Champions (27-7)
NJCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen
Daniel Melifonwu
Chris Crawford
Dayton Artis
Adarius Avery
Kingsley Nwagboso
Rashawn Langston
Bill Muse JR
Zaph Bobb
Braydon Powell
Daniel DeCosta
J.T. Martin
Burt Huckleberry
W.G. Hudson
Paul Kratz
Alpha Stanphill
Earl Iba
Bill Hunnicut
Tim Carson
Mick Weiberg
Ken Hodges
Lonn Reisman
Ed Stepp
Tony Andre
Bill Muse
Bobby Jack Rogers
Presley Askew
Lee Galloway
Wesley Keeney
Clarence Lynch
Pete Evans
Carl Scott
This makes softball the newest collegiate sport on campus to date. This came 40 years after Connors’ first non-collegiate women’s team was formed in 1947. Clarence Lynch was the first softball coach and he coached the sport until his retirement in 1993. Danny Stone coached the team for two seasons and was followed by John (Rick) Carbone in 1995. Carbone took his team all the way to a Region II Championship and a fifth place national ranking his first year. Since 1990, softball has produced seven All-Americans, two Regional Championships and one NJCAA appearance.
Cassie Tipton
Michelle Taylor: Earned and holds the all-time win record for the Cowgirls with 39 wins in one season.
Sammy Swanda: Earned and holds all-time home run record (23), all-time strike out record (412) and all-time RBI record (210).
Ashley Grider: Cowgirls all-time leading hitter with a career batting average of .496.
Tonya Ary
Stephanie Austin
Scarlet Baker
Paige Boling
Afton Burris
Amber Grider
Sheree Johnston
Alex Orf
Amanda Tanner
Kim Ballard
Sherri Blevins
Virenda Casey
Deborah Conley
Kimberly Cook
Ruby Cox
Michelle Deyo
Shannon Eoff
Michelle Gibbons
Carol Gilliland
Krystal Goodson
Danette Kelley
Karla Ballard
Heather Barnes
Shelly Birk
Melanie Chambers
Amanda Dudley
Shelley Grantham
Amy Hood
Tonya Kight
Sandi Maley
Nikki Morse
Misty Osborn
Tona Palmer
Ronessa Sands
Amy Shaffer
Angie Sillers
Tammy Thomas
Stacy Williams
Tanya Wyatt
Tonya Ary
Angie Best
Deanna Doncho
Heather Fowler
Katy Graves
Wendy Gugello
Tisha Long
Jennifer Medlin
Misty Pierce
Jamie Russell
Michel Taylor
Cassie Tipton
Dawn Viddes
Among numerous other coaching endeavors, Clarence Lynch also started and coached the first collegiate softball program in 1987. Softball began during the tenure of Connors’ 13th president, Dr. Carl O. Westbrook. Lynch coached the cowgirls until 1993, claiming a Region II title in 1992-93. Most importantly, Lynch committed more than 30 years to athletic programs at Connors and spent his last six years starting up an elite collegiate softball program.
He also served as men’s basketball and tennis coach, Athletic Director and Division Chair of Health/PE.
In the mid 1990s, Rick Carbone took over as head coach of the Cowgirls softball team. Since that time, Carbone has produced seven All-Americans, two Region II titles, five Region II runner-up titles and placed fifth nationally in 1996.
Coach Foreman guided the Cowgirls to the 2024 NJCAA Region 2 Softball Tournament Championship and an appearance in the 2024 NJCAA Softball World Series.
J.T. Pugh
Clarence Lynch
Danny Stone
Rick Carbone