Northwestern Oklahoma State University

As a player, coach and administrator, Ryan Hintergardt was a part of the Northwestern athletic department for more than 14 years, distinguishing himself as one of the school’s best baseball players.

Hintergardt played five positions for coach Joe Phillips during his career for the Red and Black, pitching and playing third base the majority of the time. At the conclusion of his final season, Hintergardt had cemented himself in the Northwestern baseball record books with seven individual records, including games played at 196, career at-bats with 591, 196 career runs batted in and 201 career hits. He owned the pitching mark of strikeouts in a game with 13.

After his senior season in 1999, Hintergardt was honored on a national level as an NAIA Baseball All-American honorable mention pick. He was also selected to the Southwest All-Region team, named the Red River Athletic Conference Player of the Year and selected as an All-RRAC First Team Utility player. The numbers backed up the accolades. He batted .386 with team highs in home runs (10), doubles (15) and hits (59). A team captain his senior season, he also got the job done on the mound with a 3.58 earned run average and 78 strikeouts in 70.1 innings. Hintergardt finished the season with an 8-3 record.

Hintergardt was named a second team All-Southwest Region selection after his junior season in which he led the Rangers with seven home runs and 55 RBI. Following his sophomore season, Hintergardt was an All-Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference honoree as an honorable mention selection.

Not only was Hintergardt a standout on the diamond, but he was successful in the classroom as well. He was an NAIA Baseball All-American Scholar Athlete in 1999 and a Northwestern Scholar Athlete Award honoree the same year. He was also named OIC Scholar Athlete in 1998.

After graduating with a degree in Health and Physical Education in 1999, Hintergardt added two more degrees to his resume while serving as a graduate assistant coach with Ranger baseball: business administration and E-commerce. Hintergardt received the Outstanding Senior Award and the Business Department Outstanding Senior Award in 2001.

Hintergardt took a position in the private sector before returning to Northwestern as the Sports Information Director in 2003 and was later promoted to Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Media Relations. He was a member of the Hall of Fame Committee from 2003-11 and a member of the Northwestern Alumni Board. He also served as the Central States Football League Sports Information Director from 2004 until the league ceased operations in 2018.

Hintergardt was also the co-founder of the Ranger Dugout Club in 2008, which supplements the baseball budget through fundraising and an annual golf tournament.

Since moving back into the private sector as a self-employed land professional in the oil and gas industry, Hintergardt has continued to be a strong supporter of Northwestern athletics. He was the founder of the OKC Ranger Shootout Golf Tournament in Oklahoma City to benefit the baseball, football and men’s basketball teams. As an owner of JR Okie Smokie Gourmet BBQ Sauce, Hintergardt also gives a percentage of proceeds of Ranger BBQ branded sales back to the University. 

Hintergardt in a 1995 graduate of Ponca City High School. He currently lives in Edmond with his wife Christie.