From USAO Sports Information
CHICKASHA – It’s been 40 years of blood, sweat and tears. Forty years of struggles and forty years of success. Forty years of Shining Moments.
USAO will celebrate its 40th Anniversary of Drover Athletics in first weekend of November. Registration, which is just $65 for a weekend full of events, is open currently, but prices will increase in less than two weeks. The deadline for early bird registration is Sept. 30.
The event is open to all former athletes, coaches and supporters of all kinds. The weekend includes two basketball games, a bonfire gathering, an athletics mixer, a Saturday tailgate and of course, the 40th Anniversary of Athletics’ Banquet. Participants also are invited to join in the golf scramble on Nov. 3 for an additional $30.
The celebration, themed “Shining Moments,” takes place on the same weekend as the annual USAO Alumni Homecoming and at the end of USAO’s student Homecoming Week.
Coaches are encouraging athletes from all USAO sports, current as well as former, to join the celebration. Former coaches, including women’s basketball coach George Davidson, baseball coach L.J. Powell and the school’s first men’s basketball coach John Hudson all have committed to attending the Anniversary.
The weekend will kick off with a Thursday evening basketball game — the season opener — at 7 p.m. Nov. 1. The Drovers will take on Northwestern Oklahoma State for their Homecoming game.
On Nov. 2, alumni will be welcomed into departments and classrooms for an open house. A bonfire gathering will take place that evening before an alumni mixer at Elk’s Lodge.
The golf scramble is the following morning. Teams of four will compete at Cottonwood Creek Golf Course. From there, attendees will head to a BBQ tailgate before the Saturday basketball game, and potentially a post-season home soccer game.
The entire 2002 Men’s Basketball National Championship team will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at halftime of the basketball game, which is set for 2 p.m. Nov. 3 against Langston University.
That night is the main event — the banquet, which has proven to be a favorite among attendees in the past. Each USAO sport, current and former, will honor one alumnus during the banquet. USAO also has chosen three major athletics supporters to recognize at the event.
Registration and a full schedule can be found on USAO’s sports website, www.usao.edu.
Jessica Jackson is the Sports Information Director at USAO.