ABOUT THE STORM
The History of the Crimson Storm
In 1964, David Baker, Southern Nazarene's first Athletic Director, and the Administration at then Bethany Nazarene College, had a vision for the small Bethany campus. They envisioned the beginning of an athletic program, one built not just on athletic competition, but one steeped in a positive, enthusiastic environment; an athletic program that would allow for BNC to celebrate its proud heritage on the athletic playing fields of Oklahoma while upholding a higher calling. Their vision began with the start of BNC's first-ever intercollegiate men's basketball team. And from those humble beginnings over five decades ago, Southern Nazarene University has built itself into a powerhouse of athletic excellence and a model by which small-college athletic programs can be judged.
Throughout the years since the inception of Athletics at SNU back in 1964, Southern Nazarene has grown from one sport, men's basketball, to 22 varsity sports. Much of this growth came under the leadership of former Athletic Director Bobby Martin. After Martin's retirement in June of 2019, the Storm began a new era under the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Danny Thomason, which has already seen the addition of Men and Women's Rugby, Bowling, and STUNT the Sport.
SNU has claimed 13 Team National Championships over the years. The first two came in Men's Basketball in 1974 and 1977 in the NCCAA. SNU then won the 1981 NAIA Men's National Championship, the schools first ever NAIA National Title. The women's basketball program has claimed seven NAIA National Championships in 1989, 94, 95, 96, 97, 2003 and 2004 and won the 2013 NCCAA National Championship. In 1999 and 2002 the women's golf program posted NAIA National Championships under Head Coach Steve Hulsey.
Southern Nazarene University's track and field programs have also claimed 13 individual National Championships. Russell Watson (2), Steph Miller (3), Ben Daniel (1) and Jamal Hepburn (2), led by coaches Paul McGrady and Tim McMichael. Current Head Coach Billy Miller coached the 2004 NAIA National Champion men's distance medley relay team of Sam Dech, Alex Dech, Clay Schubert, Dustin Vasquez and Derek Lane and gained an NCCAA National Championship in each of the past two seasons with Grayson Haws, who won the 2013 Indoor National Championship in the 800 meters, and with Airick Johnson who won the 2014 Outdoor National Championship in the 110-meter hurdles.
In 5+ decades of competition, Southern Nazarene's athletic programs have seen many changes; from changes in leadership, to changes in coaches and athletes. Most notably Southern Nazarene has embraced name changes from Bethany Nazarene College to Southern Nazarene University, and from Redskins to Crimson Storm and began it's adventure into NCAA Division II with full active membership in the 2014-15 academic year.
However, one thing has remained the same during the past five decades of Crimson Storm athletics and that is the mission of the athletic programs at Southern Nazarene University, to make Christlike disciples through higher education! Staying with the university motto: Refining Character, Creating Culture, Serving Christ; athletics at SNU has come to stand for something more than victories and championships. SNU athletics has come to stand for sportsmanship, Christian fair play, positive and pro-active support and most of all a family atmosphere for not only athletes and coaches to participate in, but fans as well.
Baseball
1 National Tournament appearance
Men's Basketball
1974 - NCCAA National Champions
1977 - NCCAA National Champions
1981 - NAIA National Champions
1998 - NAIA National Runners-Up
20 National Tournament appearances
Women's Basketball
1989 - NAIA National Champions
1994 - NAIA National Champions
1995 - NAIA National Champions
1996 - NAIA National Champions
1997 - NAIA National Champions
2003 - NAIA National Champions
2004 - NAIA National Champions
2013 - NCCAA National Champions
12 straight NAIA Final Four appearances
24 National Tournament appearances
Football
1 National Tournament appearance
Men’s Golf
17 National Tournament appearances
Women's Golf
1998 - NAIA National Runners-Up
1999 - NAIA National Champions
2002 - NAIA National Champions
18 National Tournament appearances
Men’s Soccer
2005 – NAIA Final Four
12 National Tournament appearances
Women's Soccer
1995 - NAIA Final Four
1996 - NAIA Final Four
2013 - NCCAA National Runners-Up
4 National Tournament appearances
Softball
2 National Tournament appearances
Women’s Tennis
2004 – NAIA Final Four
2013 – NCCAA Final Four
2014 – NCCAA Final Four
13 National Tournament appearances
Men's & Women's Track & Field
1996 - Russell Watson, Indoor Track National Champion
1996 - Steph Miller, Indoor Track National Champion
1996 - Russell Watson, Outdoor Track National Champion
1998 - Steph Miller, Indoor Track National Champion
1998 - Steph Miller, Outdoor Track National Champion
1999 - Ben Daniel, Outdoor Track National Champion
2000 - Jamal Hepburn, Indoor Track National Champion
2001 - Jamal Hepburn, Indoor Track National Champion
2004 - Distance Medley Relay Team of Sam Dech, Alex Dech, Clay Schubert, Dustin Vasquez and Derek Lane
2013 - Indoor 4x400-Meter Relay NCCAA National Champion; Kentrell Miller, Korey Eakers, Sterling Wright, Rilwan Jimoh
2013 - Indoor 800 Meters National Champion; Grayson Haws
2013 - Outdoor 4x400-Meter NCCAA National Champions; Rilwan Jimoh, Kentrell Miller, Korey Eakers, Sterling Wright
2014 - Outdoor 110-Meter Hurdles NCCAA National Champion; Airick Johnson
Volleyball
4 National Tournament appearances
