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Notable Achievements for Dr. Joseph “Bud” Sahmaunt
6 1. Bud Sahmaunt stands in front of the site where Fredrickson Fieldhouse once stood. 2. Sahmaunt poses with the All College Champion trophy in 1959. 3. From left, Eugene Tsoodle, Fred Yeahquo and Bud Sahmaunt. 4. Fred Yeahquo and Bud Sahmaunt 5. 1959-60 team photo 6. Sahmaunt, left, sits with friends in a diner during his college days.
• Named Most Outstanding Athlete of Elgin High School by the Tulsa World • MVP in the 1958 All-College Tournament • Member of The Oklahoman’s 1950s all star basketball team • Counselor in Comanche County Public Schools • Taught and coached in Mustang and Cache schools • Assistant director of Indian Education for Oklahoma Department of Education • Board member of the National Indian Education Association • Earned the Outstanding Young Man of America award • Head marshal for OCU for several years • Earned full professor status in the Education Department at OCU • OCU athletic director, 1987 to 2000 • Conducted basketball clinics in Tianjin, China • Inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978 • Inducted into the OCU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1981 • Elected vice chairman of the Kiowa Tribe • Inducted into the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma Hall of Fame • Athletic director for OCU, 1987-2000
for jobs in Oklahoma. He sent letters to universities across the state. “I didn’t get much of a response at first,” he said. “I received some replies thanking me for my inquiry, but no acceptances.” On a second try, Sahmaunt received some good news from OCU’s president, Dolphus Witten Jr., who said that OCU wanted to hire a part-time education professor. His schedule also allowed him to write grants on the side, giving Sahmaunt a way to champion his cause of getting his fellow Native Americans into college. “There was a lot of federal money at that time to help American Indians who wanted to get their education,” Sahmaunt said. While attracting more than $1 million in grants, Sahmaunt was moved up to full-time status. He helped OCU establish the Hispanic, Asian and Native American Services and research program and served as dean. All told, he recruited and helped more than 200 American Indian students earn their degrees. He later became athletic director and held that position until 2000. Among his hires
were baseball coach Denney Crabaugh, men’s golf coach Kyle Blaser and softball coach Phil McSpadden. All three have won NAIA national championships for OCU. The current athletic director, Jim Abbott, was Sahmaunt’s director of athletic development and promotions. Sahmaunt returns to campus for games as much as he can to cheer on the OCU Stars. He stays busy with volunteer work and is active with the Angie Smith Memorial United Methodist Church. He is also active with his Kiowa tribe and participates in powwows. One of his hobbies is crafting beadwork for powwow dress. His children, a daughter and son, live in the state, and he spends time with his grandchildren every chance he gets. Sahmaunt is also a regular figure at OCU athletic games and special events. “Looking back, I can only say that I was truly blessed to be a part of OCU for 30 years of my life,” he said. Contact Rod Jones at Rod.Jones@okcu.edu.
• Served as head gourd dancer for the 2011 OCU Powwow focus FA L L 2 0 1 1
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