Hall of Fame
Milburn Barton, considered a “Dean” of Oklahoma women’s basketball, has compiled more wins than any other coach in Ranger basketball history. In his 20-year head coaching career at Northwestern, from 1978-1998, Barton led the Lady Rangers to a 346-230 record for a .601 winning percentage. During his tenure at Northwestern, he produced two Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference titles, three NAIA National Tournament appearances and four NAIA All-Americans. Barton owns the record for the best Lady Ranger basketball season when his No. 1 ranked 1980-81 squad went 24-2 and claimed the State Championship. Barton also defeated NCAA Division I powerhouses Wichita State, Oklahoma State and Oral Roberts during that season. He also was named the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference Women’s Coach of the Year two times. In 2000, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Girls Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 1970, Barton coached boys and girls basketball and was the principal of Ames High School for seven years. In 1977 he began his coaching career at Northwestern as an assistant coach for
the Ranger basketball team. A year later, Barton earned his master’s in education from Northwestern and was selected to head the women’s basketball program.
Since retiring from coaching, Barton has continued to work at Northwestern as the director of athletics. Under his direction, Northwestern athletics has experienced the school’s first national championship, expanded the athletics program to include six additional sports and gained membership in the Sooner Athletic Conference and the Central States Football League. He lives in Alva with his wife JoDonna. They have two sons, Doug and Mike.
