Above: Junior Forward shoots for the goal Feb. 25 in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center. The Stars fended off Oklahoma Baptist University 95-46. Photo by: Krista Spears
By Farris Willingham, Editor-in-Chief
Rob Edmisson
The coach who led the women’s basketball team to the 2012 national championship last month has accepted a coaching job at another university.
Coach Rob Edmisson will be Missouri Western State’s women’s basketball coach for the 2012-13 academic year.
He’s relocating his post to be closer to his family.
“It was more than just a basketball decision,” Edmisson said. “Basketball was just part of the whole opportunity.”
Edmisson said he was prepared to finish his coaching career at OCU, but family became more of a priority after his son died in April 2011.
“Things changed in my life,” he said.
Claire Coggins, assistant women’s basketball coach, will assume the position of interim coach until officials find Edmisson’s replacement.
Officials will conduct a national search to fill his position, Athletic Director Jim Abbott said.
“We wish Rob Edmisson the best of luck in his new endeavor,” he said. “We respect his desire to seek out a position where he could be closer to his family.”
During his seven-year career at the university, Edmisson steered the women’s basketball team to five Sooner Athletic Conference regular-season championships, five conference tournament championships and the 2012 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championship.
Edmisson’s game record at OCU is 212-31, and his overall 22-year coaching record is 514-150.
Edmisson said he’s grateful about the opportunity he had to coach at the university and be part of its achievements.
“The relationships professionally and personally I created at OCU will forever be in my heart and my family’s hearts as we move on,” he said. “It’s a bittersweet moment because of the joy we had while we were there.”
SAC officials named Edmisson, who guided 38 all-conference players, Coach of the Year in 2008, 2010 and 2012. He also led two defensive Players of the Year, the Sportsmanship award-winner and three SAC Player of the Year honorees.
Edmisson said he’s not a coach who claims a national title and then “moves to bigger and better opportunities.”
“That’s the farthest thing from the truth,” he said.
