Northwestern Oklahoma State Athletics

The late Jenks Simmons coached baseball and basketball from 1933-40 and took Northwestern basketball to state and national prominence during the pre-World War II years. Out of contention for several years, the Rangers basketball team won the 1934-35 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference title in Simmons’ second year. Northwestern made it back-to-back championships the next season. The Rangers would not win consecutive conference titles again until 1995. During his coaching tenure, Simmons also guided Northwestern to two National AAU Tournaments. The Rangers also played in high-profile tournaments in Mexico City and Oklahoma City. In the Oklahoma City tourney, Northwestern lost to the University of Arkansas by just one point.