Alva,Okla.- Northwestern Oklahoma State Ranger Baseball head coach Ryan Bowen has been honored by the state as the Oklahoma baseball coach of the year recipient for 2021. This is the first time he has been named Oklahoma Baseball Coaches' Association College Coach of the Year winner. The Ranger Baseball head coach was presented the award for his achievement at Friday night's banquet in Stillwater.
Bowen was named the 2021 Great American Conference Coach of the year back in May at the conclusion of the regular season and now the Oklahoma Baseball Coaches Association coach of the year earning the OBCA accolade. He was chosen by the other Oklahoma coaches across the state.
"This is a fantastic honor for Coach Bowen to be recognized by his peers as the best in the state of Oklahoma, a state so rich in baseball tradition. He has done a great job at Northwestern, and nobody is more deserving than him. We are so excited for him to receive this as he does a great job not only winning, but with his student-athletes as students and young people," stated Brad Franz, director of athletics at Northwestern.
This award occurs for Bowen after he helped lead Northwestern's baseball team to their first-ever Great American Conference tournament berth. His 26 wins last season was the most Ranger Baseball has had since the 2012 season. The Red-and-Black's 21 conference wins are the most in school history since Northwestern has joined the GAC. Following the 21 win conference season and making it to the Great American Conference finals, Northwestern was able to host a playoff game last season in the GAC tournament.
On top of the team's success, Bowen coached six players who received conference accolades from last season's team success, including one first-team member on the All-conference team and two players on the Central All-Region Team, with one being named to the All-America Team.
"I'm extremely humbled to receive this honor from the Oklahoma Baseball Coaches Association. My roots are deep in Oklahoma baseball and to be chosen by Oklahoma coaches for this honor is about as special as it gets for me personally," stated head coach Ryan Bowen on winning coach of the year.
Bowen has now coached the Rangers for four seasons after joining Northwestern in 2017. He has led the Rangers to 20+wins in each full season, the one exemption being the shorted COVID-19 season. He now holds an 84-79 record, with the Northwestern program entering his fifth season beginning on February 4th.
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