Connors State Cowboy’s head men’s basketball coach Bill Muse posted his 600th career victory at the start of the 2017-18 season. In his 26 seasons as head coach, Muse has set a high standard for success at Connors State.
“Getting 600 wins is a tribute to all our players and assistant coaches, but mainly to all the good players we’ve had here,” said Muse.
On Thursday, January 17, 2018, Connors State held a ceremony in Muse’s honor during the intermission between the men’s and women’s double-header games against Northern Oklahoma College-Enid. Dr. Ron Ramming, president of Connors State College presented Muse with an award and spoke of his legacy with the college.
“This is a tremendous accomplishment for coach Muse,” said Ramming. “I’ve enjoyed working with Bill for the past 26 years. This is a man who knows how to lead a team, how to play the game, and more importantly how to turn these boys into upstanding young men.”
During the ceremony, Muse was joined by his wife Connie, and former Connors State College president and friend Dr. Donnie Nero, under whom Muse won a fair amount of his 600 wins.
Dr. Nero served as the 15th president of Connors State from 2000 to 2011.
After a touching video of former players, giving thanks to their coach, Muse spoke to the audience, made up of alumni, friends, family, and loyal Connors State fans, and relayed his gratitude towards the ones who helped him get to this point.
“The thing about getting this many wins is coaches usually get them by moving from school to school, and not all in one place,” said Muse. “Connors has been very good to me and my family. This number is nice, but we still have a lot to accomplish.”
Muse has won 71 percent of his games, eight Bi-State conferences, six Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference crowns, and nine Regional II titles. He has led Connors State to the National Junior College Athletics Association Final Four in 1994, 1996, 2009, a fifth place finish in 1997, an Elite Eight in 2015, and a Sweet Sixteen in 2017. With Muse, the Cowboys made four straight NJCAA trips for the first time in Region II history.
His winning record makes him the winningest coach in Connors State history.