Southern Nazarene University Athletics

Dr. Loren Gresham's impact on Southern Nazarene University is immeasurable. As the head men's basketball coach from 1979 to 1986, he amassed 145 wins and coached 19 All-Conference players and one NAIA All-American. In 1980–81, he guided SNU to a Sooner Athletic Conference Co-Championship, a District Nine Title, and the program's first men's NAIA National Championship.

Beyond coaching, Dr. Gresham served the university for over four decades — most notably as SNU president — shaping generations of students. SNU President Dr. Keith Newman said, "Dr. Gresham's legacy is lived out in thousands of places and countless ways each day as SNU alumni serve with the grace modeled for them through his life. I count it a great privilege to follow in his footsteps." His steady vision and commitment to Christian education have left an enduring mark on the university he so faithfully led.