Connection - April 2024

Connors State Men’s & Women’s Basketball Make Deep Postseason Runs to End 2023-2024 Campaigns

CONNORS STATE COLLEGE WARNER CAMPUS 700 COLLEGE ROAD WARNER, OK 74469

THREE RIVERS PORT CAMPUS

2501 N 41st St E

MUSKOGEE, OK 74403

ADMINISTRATION

PRESIDENT

Dr. Ronald S. Ramming

VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Chris McBeath

VICE PRESIDENT FOR FISCAL SERVICES

Mike Lewis CONNECTION CONTRIBUTORS

Dr Krystle Lane

Derotha Rivenbark

Matthew Harmon

Marty Darnell

Josie Correll

Haley Hilton

Connors State Men’s & Women’s Basketball Make Deep Postseason Runs to End 20232024 Campaigns

Connors State College Hosts 77th Annual Aggie Day

Connors State Community Gathers to Watch Solar Eclipse

Connors State Hosts Annual Interscholastic Competition for AreaWide Schools

Connors State Student Awarded Nigh Public Service Scholarship

Connors State Tops NEO in Inaugural A&M Classic

Connors State Shotgun Sports Compete at ACUI Nationals

Connors State Men’s & Women’s Basketball Make Postseason Runs to End ‘23-’24 Campaigns

by Releford's

remembered as one of the most successful in Connors State College history. Both the Cowgirls and Cowboys put together fantastic seasons, highlighted by major individual achievements and deep runs in postseason play.

In February, Brayden Hubbard and Hatiana Releford accomplished the rare feat of scoring their 1,000th career points. Hubbard, from Tulsa, OK, became the 12th Cowboy to reach 1,000 points on February 3rd against NOC-Tonkawa. The sophomore averaged 24.9 points, 2.4 assists and 10.6 rebounds per game this season. Releford, a 5'11" guard/forward, joined the elite Cowgirl scoring ranks as well against NOC-Tonkawa while averaging 19.9 points, 1.8 assists and 11.7 rebounds.

scoring and rebounding, along with Samantha Shanks' 9.4 points, 7.1 assists, and 8.0 rebounds per game from the point guard position. Freshman PaShonnay Johnson also made a big impact this past year, contributing 14.6 points per contest.

On the men's side, Hubbard's dominance was complemented by Donyae May's 12.0 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.0 rebounds as the floor general. Freshman Buddy Hammer Jr. chipped in 13.9 points and 7.1 boards per game, while electrifying crowds with his athletic playstyle.

Several Cowboys and Cowgirls received individual accolades throughout the season, including Region 2 Coach of the Year wins for both Coach Fisher and Coach Muse. For the men, Hubbard and May were both named to the All-Region

FEATURE

the year. For the Cowgirl’s, and Shanks received All-Region the year selections as well. and Releford also earned NJCAA All-America honors, being named to the first and third teams respectively.

Throughout the regular season, both dominated the Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference, claiming before going on to cut down the nets egion 2 tournament champions in Muskogee.

For the Cowgirls, it was their first trip to

Cowboys a remarkable four-game Men's National Hutchinson, Kansas as knocked off #3 Salt Hutchinson to improbably Four. Down 18 points semifinal, the gritty stopped fighting and before ultimately falling 87-84 in a heartbreaker.

Thanks to clutch performances, milestones, and passion, season further cemented status as a national program.

CAMPUS LIFE

Connors State College recently hosted its 77th annual Aggie Day interscholastic competition. Over 2,500 students from more than 200 schools, 4-H clubs, and FFA chapters across six states attended the event to compete in 17 career development contests.

"Aggie Day is a long-standing tradition at Connors State, and it continues to grow," said Dr. Ron Ramming, President of Connors State College. "This competition provides a valuable opportunity for agricultural students to put their learning into practice and compete against their peers."

The daylong event featured a range of contests, including livestock judging, entomology, environmental science, and

and nursery/landscape management. Students demonstrated expertise in areas like soil and water conservation, rangeland management, and food science.

Silo FFA took home the Grand Sweepstakes award, while the Morris FFA Chapter earned the Reserve Grand Sweepstakes title. Westville FFA, Edmond FFA, and Byng FFA rounded out the top five in the overall competition.

Coordinating the event required extensive support from the entire Connors State community. But, Connors State is already looking ahead to next year's Aggie Day competition, set for April 3, 2025.

2024, a celestial event of cosmic proportions took place - a total solar eclipse swept across the United States. While the path of totality narrowly missed the Connors State College campuses in Warner and Muskogee, the CSC community still experienced 98% coverage of the moon over the sun.

Students, faculty, staff and local residents

campus, in awe as as the phenomenon transformed the mid-afternoon into an eerie twilight.

Thanks to CSC Campus Life, attendees were provided free certified solar viewing glasses, so that everyone could safely observe the eclipse without risking eye damage.

Connors State Hosts Annual Interscholastic Competition for Area-Wide Schools

Connors State College's Warner campus welcomed 15 high schools for the 35th annual Academic Interscholastic Competition on March 7th.

In Division 1 for smaller schools, Dewar HS placed 1st, Gore HS 2nd, and Quinton HS 3rd.

For the larger Division 2 schools, Preston HS won 1st, Wagoner HS took 2nd, and Morris HS finished 3rd.

The daylong event celebrates academics and gives students a chance to see Connors State College, while competing with their high school’s academic teams.

EDUCATION

Connors State Student, Jeremy “Seth” Brown Awarded Prestigious George and Donna Nigh Public Service Scholarship

Connors State College student Jeremey "Seth" Brown has been selected as recipient of the prestigious George Donna Nigh Public Service Scholarship. This scholarship, established by the Oklahoma Legislature, provides opportunities for outstanding students preparing for careers in public service.

The Nigh Scholarship is highly competitive, with each college and university in Oklahoma nominating just one student per year. Recipients must demonstrate academic excellence and a commitment to public service.

"Seth is truly deserving of this honor," said Derotha Rivenbark, Director of Connors State College’s President’s Leadership Class. "He is a fantastic student and person, and has a passion for serving his community. I think it’s these traits that make him an ideal Nigh Scholar."

Brown, is currently enrolled full-time at Connors State College. His commitment to making a difference in his community made him an ideal candidate for the Nigh Scholarship.

As part of the scholarship, Brown will participate in seminars on public service offered by the Nigh Institute. The $1,000 award is granted annually to a new group of promising public servants.

The George and Donna Nigh Public Service Scholarship continues to attract the state's top students to careers in public service. Connors State is proud to have Brown represent the institution as a Nigh Scholar.

For further information regarding the George and Donna Nigh Public Service Scholarship, contact the Nigh Institute at the University of Central Oklahoma.

For State was desire from Carolina.

"Being somewhere with "Connors from home for me."

Correll renowned welcoming campus community for helping her thrive during her time in Oklahoma. "The equine program here is incredible, and I've been able to explore

term goal is to pursue a career in the agricultural industry, in the realm of communications or marketing.

SPOTLIGHTS

Alumni Spotlight: Marty Darnell (‘85)

Marty Darnell looks back fondly on his time as a Connor's State student and baseball player in the mid-1980s. A standout pitcher, he pitched in the 1985 regional game that sent the Connors squad to the Junior College World Series under Coach Keith.

"I have so many great memories - the teammates, the atmosphere," Darnell said. "It was special playing with future Connors’ Hall of Famers like Jeff Turtle and Baine Brooks."

After Connors, Darnell continued his baseball career at Kansas State University in the Big 8 conference. Behind the plate was a familiar batterymate - Turtle.

Darnell finished his degree at Northeastern State in 1989. He now resides in Chouteau with his wife Cindy, married 36 years. They have two sons, Tanner and Conner.

For over three decades, Darnell has worked in the printing business. He currently serves as General Manager at Western Printing Company in Tulsa.

"My time at Connors was invaluable," Darnell said. "The lessons I learnedteamwork, creating a strong support system - helped me greatly in life and in my career.”

Connors State Tops NEO in Inaugural A&M Classic

The inaugural edition of the A&M Classic was a memorable one for the Cowboys, who defeated Northeastern Oklahoma A&M 12-2 at ONEOK Field in Tulsa. The highly anticipated matchup took place on April 3rd. Connors State got off to a fast start, scoring 2 runs in the first inning.

"Our guys were locked in from the start," said Connors State head coach Perry Keith. "They embraced the opportunity to play on this stage."

Connors State continued to pull away, adding 6 runs in the 6th. NEO scored 2 runs through 4 hits, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Cowboys' offensive onslaught.

to overcome the Cowboys' offensive onslaught. Joseph Gutierrez had himself a day to remember at the plate, going 3-for3 with a RBI, and a few walks to go with it. First baseman Wally Diaz drove in 5 for the Cowboys, and Twine Palmer earned a win on the mound, giving up just 1 run in 7 innings.

The inaugural A&M Classic was made possible through support from the Western Bank of Oklahoma and OSU/A&M Regent Jimmy Harrel and his wife Marilyn. Connors State and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M worked closely with the Tulsa Drillers to ensure a successful event.

Connors State Shotgun Sports Compete at ACUI Nationals

Competing in Division IV, the Cowboys and Cowgirls put together an impressive overall showing, highlighted by a 3rd place finish in the ACUI Division IV High Overall (HOA) Team competition. The team also claimed the ACUI Division IV National Super Sporting Team title.

In individual events, several Connors State shooters earned top placements. Braden Chambers shot his first college 100 in Skeet and finished 10th in the Men's Class AA division. Luke Spradlin took 1st place in Mens Class C Skeet, while teammate Tommy Thew landed in the Top 10 of Mens Class B Skeet. Karlie Weir also cracked the Top 10 in Womens Class C Skeet.

Notable individual standouts included Gunnar Casey finishing in the Top 10 of Mens Class C Double Trap, Thew earning a Top 10 finish in Men's Class B Double Skeet alongside Weir, and Thew taking 3rd place in Men's Class C Super Sporting. Teammates Wayne Gleese and Luke Spradlin also placed in the Top 10 of Mens Class C Super Sporting.

Connors State continues to be a competitive force in the sport. To learn more about the program, visit their Facebook page.

Connors State eSports Athletes Earn Academic AllAmerica Honors

Connors State College is proud to celebrate the academic achievements of eSports student-athletes Evan Borges and Zahayfa Hummingbird. Both Borges, from Muskogee, Oklahoma, and Hummingbird, from Tahlequah, Oklahoma, were named NJCAA Academic All-Americans for their excellence in the classroom.

To earn this distinction, Borges and Hummingbird had to not only excel on Connors State's eSports team, but also demonstrate a commitment to their studies and maintain an outstanding grade point average.

CONNORS STATE COLLEGE

700 COLLEGE ROAD

WARNER, OK 74469

The Connors State Cowgirls celebrate after a home run in their April matchup with NOC-Tonkawa in Warner