OKWU SPORTS: Former Eagle leads Bethel soccer; fall openers near
Even during the offseason the Oklahoma Wesleyan University sports scene has received attention in a variety of reports.
Following is a roundup:
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New SDI
As the E-E reported several months ago, Kameron Nettleton had stepped down after one season as the OKWU Sports information Director, in order to work in another billet for the school.
The athletic department and school administration settled on former Lady Eagle softball legend Tahlor Stefek as his replacement.
Stefek completed her final softball season this past spring. Among the honors she reaped was a spot on the NAIA All-America Softball Second Team, the only Lady Eagle to do so.
This proved to be an especially meaningful honor because the Lady Eagles didn’t play in the NAIA national tournament.
Stefek had served as Nettleton’s SDI graduate assistant since January.
She batted .457, crushed five homers, drove in 44 runs, scored 49 runs and recorded 6-for-6 in steals this past spring while helping OKWU finish 35-16 and 18-6 in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.
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Milicevic in charge
Former OKWU men’s soccer icon Luka Milicevic likely will be rooting for the Eagles and Lady Eagle to lose at least one match each this fall.
That’s because Milicevic has will be head soccer coach for both the men’s and women’s teams at Bethel (Kan.) College — an OKWU rival in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Milicevic starred at OKWU during the early to middle years of the 2010s (2013-16).
During his tenure he played 77 games — although only 13 his senior year — and amassed 12 goals, 20 assists and made 48 shots on goal while playing in a defender’s position.
He put together his best season in 2015 (six goals, 10 assists, 18 shots on goal).
Earning a B.S. degree in Business Administration at OKWU, he returned the next year as a graduate assistant coach for Eagle soccer and worked on (and completed) his masters in Business Administration, with an emphasis in leadership.
Milicevic served as an assistant on the Eagles’ 2020 national finalist team.
Last year, he coached as a women’s assistant at Rogers State.
Milicevic has been named as the Bethel Director of Soccer Operations and will be running both the men’s and women’s programs in 2022.
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OKWU soccer picked for No. 1
The KCAC men’s soccer coaches voted the Eagles to the No. 1 spot in the conference’s preseason poll.
OKWU — which is led by head coach Jamie Peterson — pulled in 144 voting points, including 12 of the 13 first-place votes.
McPherson came in next (126, one first-place vote), followed by Friends (115) and Tabor (114).
As mentioned above, OKWU played for the NAIA national title in 2020, barely being sent to defeat.
Last season, the Eagles advanced to the Elite Eight (quarterfinals).
In the seasons just previous, OKWU has played in the Final Four (semifinals) or Elite Eight several seasons.
OKWU has qualified for 10 straight seasons for the NAIA national playoffs.
Earlier this week, the Eagles were ranked No. 5 nationally in the NAIA preseason poll.
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Spiker spotlight
Even though OKWU volleyball saw several impact players off last year’s team depart due to end of eligibility, the Lady Eagles still were voted to the No. 5 spot, out of 13 teams, in the KCAC volleyball preseason poll.
OKWU attracted 103 points. Coming in ahead of the Lady Eagles were Ottawa, McPherson, Kansas Wesleyan and Saint Mary.
OKWU head coach Tracie Gillette hit the jackpot during offseason recruiting, signing multiple players that could have a powerful impact early.
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Great works, good scenery
The OKWU men’s basketball team — which advanced last season to the NAIA Elite Eight — currently is on a mission trip to the Bahamas.
The ministry includes playing exhibition games on the island.
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Fall openers
OKWU volleyball eyes its season opener at noon on Aug. 19 at the Mid-America Christian University/University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma Cruisin' Classic.
OKWU also will battle Science & Arts, at 5 p.m., on Aug. 19.
On Aug. 23, OKWU will hold its home opener at 7 p.m. against Randall.
The Lady Eagle soccer team plunges into the campaign with a road match Aug. 27 at Science & Arts.
OKWU ladies won't play their home opener until Sept. 10, when Columbia (Mo.) comes to town for a 5 p.m. showdown.
No information appeared to be available yet on Friday morning on the school website on the OKWU men's soccer slate.
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Oklahoma Wesleyan University sports news roundup
