Association News
Association Takes Tournament Lead
November 1, 2008
The Southwestern Oklahoma State University Athletic Association along with the City of Weatherford Hotel/Motel Tax Commission has again stepped forward as the title sponsors for the season-opening basketball tournament.
The Association and the Tax Commission are lending both their name and financial backing to the eight-team, two-day tournament set to begin Friday, Nov. 21.
“We sincerely appreciate the generosity of both the SWOSU Athletic Association and members of the Weatherford Hotel/Motel Tax Commission,” Todd Thurman, SWOSU Athletic Director said. “They have demonstrated a willingness to make this event a success by providing the funds to host a high quality tournament such as this.”
The tournament will feature four games beginning at 2 p.m. each day. The tournament will conclude Saturday, Nov. 22 with the last game scheduled game to tipoff at 8 p.m.
Friday’s games will begin with the University of Central Oklahoma women taking on Pittsburg State University at 2 p.m. The next game will begin at 4 p.m. and will feature the nationally-ranked University of Central Oklahoma men against the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. The SWOSU women will play at 6 p.m. against Paul Quinn University and the SWOSU men will conclude Friday’s play at 8 p.m. against St. Gregory’s University.
Saturday the teams switch opponents with the UCO women playing Paul Quinn at 2 p.m., the UCO men playing St. Gregory’s at 4 p.m. The SWOSU women will play Pittsburg State at 6 p.m. and the SWOSU men will play USAO at 8 p.m.
Admission for the event is free to all members of the SWOSU Athletic Association. Regular ticket prices are $7 for adults. College students are admitted free with ID.
Scholarship Auction Raises $85 K
August 5, 2008
Scholarship opportunities for future SWOSU student-athletes became considerably greater thanks primarily to a fundraising auction that surpassed even the grandest expectations of the event.
When the auctioneer’s final gavel sounded, more than $85,000 had been raised. The wild evening featured spirited bidding among many of the 300 participants with several items fetching more than $2,000.
Rouben Tourian, SWOSU assistant athletic director and coordinator of the event, said that he could not have imagined a better outcome.
“The support for the scholarship auction was just overwhelming,” Tourian said. “We were hopeful of bettering the $40,000 mark of last year but to more than double it was just amazing.”
More than 150 different items were auctioned off ranging from turkey hunts to a beauty salon pampering. Most items were auctioned off in silent fashion before the Hawaiian-style dinner. The remaining “big ticket” items were presented live for bid to the audience by special guest and KOCO-TV Sports Director Mark Rodgers and auctioneers Brandon and Jimmie Dale Hinz.
Some of the items that fetched the largest bid were as follows:
$5,700 - VIP Tour of Kennedy Space Center with Gen. Thomas P. Stafford
$3,000 - Tom Nix Custom Handmade Alligator Boots
$2,000 -2-Person Fishing Trip with Jimmy Houston
"The success of the event could not have happened without the help of so many people who lent their time, talents, efforts and considerable generosity.” Tourian said. “I’m especially thankful for the support of the university administration who got behind the project and made it succeed.”
SWOSU Nets $10K Check
November 1, 2007
Southwestern Oklahoma State University recently received a $10,000 check provided by the City of Weatherford through the use of its 
newly-funded Hotel/Motel Tax.
The check was to help attract and pay for expenses of six additional basketball teams that made up the eight-team field of the SWOSU Athletic Association Thanksgiving Classic. The two-day tournament, along with the SWOSU women and men, featured teams from the University of Texas Permian Basin, Paul Quinn College, Southwest Baptist University, New Mexico Highlands, Central Oklahoma and East Central.
The money was approved by a special committee that authorizes the expenditure of the tax on projects and/or events designed to promote Weatherford that draws in additional visitors.
Association to Sponsor Classic
November 1, 2007
The Southwestern Oklahoma State University Athletic Association has stepped forward as the title sponsor for the Thanksgiving basketball tournament planned on campus later this year. The Association is lending both its name and financial backing to the eight-team, two-day tournament scheduled to begin Friday, Nov. 23.
The tournament will feature four games-a-day with the first beginning at 2 p.m. The tournament will conclude Saturday, Nov. 24 with the last scheduled game set to tipoff at 8 p.m.
Friday will begin with the East Central University women taking on Paul Quinn University at 2 p.m.. The next game will begin at 4 p.m. and will feature the University of Central Oklahoma men against nationally-ranked Southwest Baptist University. The SWOSU women will play at 6 p.m. against University of Texas Permian Basin and the SWOSU men will conclude Friday’s play at 8 p.m. against New Mexico Highlands.
Saturday teams switch opponents with the ECU women playing UT-Permian Basin at 2 p.m., the UCO men playing New Mexico Highlands at 4 p.m. The SWOSU women will play Paul Quinn at 6 p.m. and the SWOSU men will play Southwest Baptist at 8 p.m.Admission for the event is free to all members of the SWOSU Athletic Association.
Regular ticket prices are $7 for adults or a two-day tournament pass is $12. College and high school students with identification cards will be $2.
Cornbread, Bean Lunch Planned
October 30, 2007
Area residents will have a chance to eat beans and cornbread as prepared by the Southwestern Oklahoma State University women’s basketball team during a fundraising lunch Saturday, Nov. 10 at the Student Union Grill on campus.
The event is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and will conclude at 1 p.m. Diners will have a chance not only to meet members of the SWOSU basketball team but also purchase officially logos merchandise. The money went to help pay for new warm-up apparel, travel bags and help defray the cost of travel and meals on the road.
Tickets are $5 and can be purchased in advance by contacting any member of the SWOSU women’s basketball team or by calling Coach Shelly Pond at 580-774-3290. Tickets will also be made available at the door for the same price.
Popular Pancake Breakfast Returns
September 1, 2007
Members of the Southwestern Oklahoma State University men’s basketball team will again put on their cooking aprons and bring out their spatulas to flip and serve pancakes to the Weatherford-area community. The fund-raising breakfast will take place the morning of Saturday, Sept. 22 between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the newly-remodeled University Grill on campus.
Last year’s event attracted nearly 400 people and raised more than $3,000. The money went to help pay for new warm-up apparel, travel bags and help defray the cost of travel and meals on the road.
The breakfast meal costs $5 and will consist of hot pancakes, syrup, juice, coffee and ham steaks. Tickets will be available at the door or could be purchased in advance by contacting any member of the SWOSU men’s basketball team or coaching staff.
For more information, persons should contact coach Todd Thurman at 580-774-3701.