The Central Oklahoma Bronchos, often referred to as Central Oklahoma, Central State or UCO, are the intercollegiate athletic teams representing University of Central Oklahoma. The official colors of the teams are bronze and blue. Central Oklahoma participates in the NCAA Division II level and competes as a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.
Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews
History
The Bronchos joined the MIAA in 2012, along with in-state rival Northeastern State University. Previously, Central Oklahoma competed in the first Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference from 1919 to 1929; the Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference from 1929 to 1974; was a charter member of the second Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference from 1974 to 1976; as an NAIA Independent from 1976 to 1988 and the Lone Star Conference from 1988 to 2011, participating in the North Division.
Uco Volleyball Video
Sports
UCO currently fields the following 15 sports at the NCAA Division II level:
Football
The University of Central Oklahoma football team began in 1902 and has since compiled over 600 wins, two national championships, and 27 conference championships. As of 2016, the Bronchos were ranked fourth in NCAA Division II for total wins and ranked 12th in winning percentage (0.606). In 1962, the Bronchos went 11-0 on the season and defeated Lenoir-Rhyne University (NC) 28-13 in the Camellia Bowl to claim its first NAIA national championship. Twenty years later, Central Oklahoma defended its home turf and defeated Colorado Mesa University (then Mesa State College) 14-11 in the NAIA national championship game to take its second title and finish the season with a 10-2 record.
Despite its rich history in football, Central Oklahoma has struggled beginning in the late 2000s, posting a 29-58 record and attaining only two winning seasons since 2009. The decline in performance coincided with the NCAA's decision to place the Bronchos on three years probation for "lack of institutional control", starting in 2008. Chuck Langston, the Bronchos' head coach during the period when the rules violations occurred, was fired and replaced by Tracy Holland. As a result of penalties, UCO's roster was reduced from 100 players to 90 players each season during the probation, and Holland's win-loss record declined each year. In December 2011, Tracy Holland was fired as head coach after compiling a 15-29 record during his four seasons at the helm. The following month, Nick Bobeck, a UCO-alumnus and former fullback for the Bronchos, was hired to take the reins as head football coach at UCO. The Bronchos finished Bobeck's first two seasons with identical 2-8 records. In 2014 the Bronchos rebounded to finish third in the MIAA with an 8-3 record and a Mineral Water Bowl appearance. In 2015 the Bronchos finished with a 7-5 record victory and a victory in the Live United Texarkana Bowl. In 2016 UCO finished with a 3-8 record.
The Bronchos play their home games at Wantland Stadium, a 10,000 capacity football stadium built in 1965. The Bronchos have enjoyed nine undefeated home seasons and are 5-1 in playoff games at Wantland Stadium. As of 2016, their current record at home stands at 168-97-5, a 62.9 winning percentage.
Men's basketball
The men's basketball team has enjoyed recent success and rose to national prominence since the 2000s with head coach Terry Evans and national Division II player of the year Daunte Williams. It currently plays in Hamilton Field House. While the team has never won a national championship, it has played in 17 national tournaments, and has made the NAIA and NCAA Division II Elite Eight four times. The team played in the 2008 Elite Eight, and lost to Augusta State University in double overtime. The Bronchos hosted the South Central Regional in 2011 but lost to Midwestern State in the Regional finals.
The Bronchos have one notable player in the NBA, Eddie Robinson who played five seasons with the Charlotte Hornets and the Chicago Bulls.
Baseball
The Central Oklahoma Baseball team began in 1896, and is currently coached by John Martin. The Bronchos have eight national tournament appearances, as most recently as 2017. The program had 16 All Americans, and 15 since 1990. The Bronchos highest national finish came in 1997, when they finished runner-up to Chico State in the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship. Their home field is Wendell Simmons Field, named long time coach Wendell Simmons.
Wrestling
With seven NCAA Division II team national championships and eight NAIA championships, wrestling is one of the most successful sports at Central Oklahoma. The team is coached by Todd Steidley, who in 2016 took over from twelve time national champion David James. The Central Oklahoma wrestling team began in 1921. The program found immediate success, finishing in a second place tie with Oklahoma A&M in the 1936 NCAA Championship to Oklahoma. In 1947 the school cut the program. The program returned to campus in 1972 under coach Jimmy Rogers. After two years at the Division II ranks, the program became an NAIA power, winning national championships in 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1989. In the 1990s after rejoining Division II, the Bronchos enjoyed a streak of four straight national championships (1992-1995). UCO's three most recent crowns came in 2002, 2003, and 2007. Mixed Martial Artist and current UFC fighters Tim Elliott and Muhammed Lawal wrestled for the Bronchos while attending Central Oklahoma.
Softball
The university decided to create the women's varsity softball program in 1975 and the Central Oklahoma softball team officially started competing under former head coach Gerry Pinkston. Since the beginning of the program, the program has won several championships, five conference championships (three in the Lone Star Conference, and two in the MIAA), and one national championship. The program has made eleven appearances in the NCAA tournament, including two appearances in the NCAA Division II Women's College World Series (2012, 2013), and one College World Series national championship (2013).
The Bronchos most recently won the MIAA regular season and tournament championship in 2017. In 2012, they played for the NCAA softball championship in the Women's College World Series, losing to the UC San Diego Tritons in the semifinals. The Bronchos advanced to the finals of the 2013 Women's College World Series this time defeating the Kutztown Golden Bears to win their first NCAA national championship.
The current head coach is Cody White; the 2017 season was his fourth as the Bronchos' coach. He was previously the Bronchos' assistant coach, and a softball and baseball assistant at Edmond Memorial High School. He played baseball for Southern Nazarene University. Entering the 2017 season, White has a record of 102-57.
The Bronchos softball team plays its home games at the Broncho Softball field which has recently been renovated.
Rowing
Women's rowing was established by the university in 2008. The team competes from a state-of-the-art boathouse facility located on the Oklahoma River. In addition to accommodating the UCO rowing team, the facility is used as a training facility for United States Olympic and Paralympic programs.
Facilities
- Broncho Field is the home of Broncho softball. The facility was constructed in 1994. In 2016, the facility underwent a $2.4 million renovation as part of the "Complete the Dream" campaign.
- Hamilton Field House is the 3,000-seat multipurpose arena located on the campus of the university. It serves as the home for Broncho Basketball, Volleyball, and Wrestling.
- Tom Thompson Field is the home for Broncho soccer. The facility was constructed in 1996 to prepare for the first season of the soccer program in 1998. It has since undergone renovations and has hosted the finals of the 2015 Women's Premier Soccer League.
- Wendell Simmons Field is the home for Broncho baseball. The facility seats roughly 1,400 and is located on the North side of the campus. It was renamed in 2011 after long-time Bronchos coach Wendell Simmons who retired in 2010.
- Wantland Stadium is home for Broncho football. First used in 1965, it went under a $16 Million renovation in 2005 increasing the seating capacity to 10,000.
Championships
NCAA/NAIA team championships
In their 120-year history of intercollegiate competition, the University of Central Oklahoma's varsity athletic teams have won eighteen national team championships (including eight sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and ten by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
Men's national championships
- Football (2): 1962 o 1982
- Wrestling (15): 1979 o 1981 o 1982 o 1984 o 1985 o 1986 o 1987 o 1989 o 1992 o 1993 o 1994 o 1995 o 2002 o 2003 o 2007
Women's national championships
- Softball (1): 2013
Conference championships
The University of Central Oklahoma is a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), one of the nation's premier intercollegiate sports conferences, and fourteen of the fifteen Broncho sports teams compete in the MIAA. The MIAA does not sponsor women's rowing. Since the Bronchos joined the MIAA in 2012. Central Oklahoma's varsity athletic teams have won eighty-three total conference championship and six MIAA team championships. Prior to MIAA competition, the Bronchos competed in the Lone Star Conference, from 1988 to 2011. The second incarnation of the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference, Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference, and the first incarnation of the OIC The Bronchos conference championships include:
Men's conference championships
- Baseball (14): 1929 o 1936 o 1937 o 1939 o 1947 o 1948 o 1963 o 1994 o 1997 o 2001 o 2002 o 2003 o 2005 o 2006
- Basketball (17): 1937 o 1938 o 1939 o 1953 o 1954 o 1958 o 1963 o 1964 o 1974 o 1991 o 1992 o 1993 o 1995 o 1997 o 1998 o 2008 o 2010
- Cross Country (2): 1989 o 1990
- Football (27): 1914 o 1915 o 1921 o 1923 o 1924 o 1929 o 1931 o 1932 o 1934 o 1935 o 1936 o 1937 o 1938 o 1939 o 1941 o 1942 o 1948 o 1949 o 1950 o 1954 o 1955 o 1956 o 1961 o 1962 o 1972 o 1998 o 1999
- Golf (6): 2000 o 2002 o 2003 o 2011 o 2013 o 2016
Women's conference championships
- Cross country (1) 2000
- Golf (5): 2004 o 2005 o 2013 o 2014 o 2015
- Soccer (2): 2000 o 2002 o 2005 o 2006 o 2009
- Softball (6): 1998 o 2005 o 2009 o 2013 o 2017
- Tennis (1): 1998
- Volleyball (1): 1994
Athletic directors
The Bronchos have had seven athletic directors.
Non-varsity/club sports
The university also offers various sports outside of the NCAA at the club level:
Ice hockey
The UCO men's ice hockey team was founded in 2006 and currently competes in the American Collegiate Hockey Association as an independent team at the ACHA Division I level. UCO Bronchos main rival is the University of Oklahoma Sooners. The home games are played off campus at the Arctic Edge Ice Arena and is coached by Craig McAlister, the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division I Coach of the Year for 2008-2009. The 2009-10 season saw the Bronchos advance to the Semi-Final Round of the ACHA Men's Division I National Tournament before losing to the eventual nation champions, Lindenwood University. The 2010 fourth-place finish was the team's highest in its history at the time; following the season the team was honored by the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The team finished the 2011-12 regular season with a 15-22-1 record and qualified for the 2012 ACHA Division I Nationals, ranked 15th. UCO defeated Kent State 2-1 in the opening round before the team lost to Lindenwood 5-2 in the round. In 2015, the hockey club captured the ACHA National Championship with a win over Stony Brook by a score of 4-0. In 2017, the hockey club captured their second ACHA National Championship with a win over Ohio by a score of 3-0.
Men's track & field
In 2012, due to the efforts of several enterprising students, the Men's Track & Field team was reorganized. Although short lived, they did secure the USATF Southwest Regional Championship the same year.
Rugby
The University of Central Oklahoma Rugby Football Club existed from 2007-2011. The rugby team recorded their most famous victory of The University of Tulsa on January 31, 2009, by winning the match 26-0.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
EmoticonEmoticon