USAO Foundation

06/04/2026

Today we had an alumnus stop by while passing through town to share some of his favorite memories of USAO and learn more about how he can support the university that helped shape him.

He told us about a close group of 10 friends who enjoyed their time at USAO, and more than half of them went on to pursue PhDs. Stories like that are a great reminder of the impact this university has on the lives and futures of our students.

It’s always encouraging when alumni return years after graduation with such positive things to say about their experience. Even more meaningful is hearing that they still stay connected, follow what’s happening on campus, and want to find ways to give back.

Drover Nation is a big part of what keeps this beautiful university strong and moving forward. The support, pride, and connection of our alumni make a difference every day.

To our Drovers who now live across Oklahoma and beyond, if you’re ever passing through Chickasha, stop by and say hello. We’d love to see you. Visits like these truly make our day.

05/29/2026

Yesterday, the USAO Foundation Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a strategic plan that will shape the future of our university for generations to come.

By December 31, 2036, we are committed to growing the USAO Foundation Endowment to $100 million.

Let that sink in.

A $100 million endowment would create transformational opportunities for scholarships, student success, faculty support, campus improvements, and the long-term strength of Oklahoma’s only public liberal arts university.

The best part?

We’re not starting from zero.

Because of the generosity of alumni, donors, and friends who believe in USAO, we’re already more than one-quarter of the way there.

This goal is ambitious.

It should be.

The students who will walk this campus in 2036 deserve a university that is stronger, more accessible, and more impactful than ever before.

Yesterday was more than a vote.

It was a declaration that we believe in the future of USAO. We believe in our students. We believe in this community. And we believe that together, we can accomplish things that once seemed impossible.

The momentum is real.

The vision is clear.

And we’re just getting started.

🐎

05/20/2026

We can’t wait to be a part of this!

05/19/2026

05/18/2026

What a year for Drover Athletics!

With the support of our incredible Cornerstone Sponsors, our Drovers continued competing at one of the highest levels in the NAIA throughout the 2025-26 season.

This year included:
🏆 Back-to-back SAC Regular Season Championships in Softball
⛳️ A 7th place NATIONAL finish for Men’s Golf
🏀 Women’s Basketball advancing to the NAIA National Tournament
🏐 The most successful season(program wins record) in the history of the volleyball program
⚽️ SAC Players of the Year, Freshman of the Year honors, and NAIA All-Americans in Soccer
⚾️ First Team All-SAC and Gold Glove honors in Baseball
📈 National rankings across multiple programs throughout the year
📺 THREE SportsCenter Top 10 plays by Ilse De Jong, Chris Yapo, and Maveryck Lightfoot

Coach of the Year honors in multiple sports this season:
⭐️ Women’s Golf
⭐️ Women’s Soccer
⭐️ Softball

We also want to recognize the incredible student-athletes who earned conference and national honors this season:

⭐️ Aarin Simon – Third Team All-SAC
⭐️ Agnes Aas – SAC Freshman of the Year, All-SAC
⭐️ AJ Meyer – Third Team All-SAC
⭐️ Amy Reavis – SAC Freshman of the Year, All-SAC
⭐️ Ashlyn Lonberg – All-SAC, SAC Defensive Player of the Week
⭐️ Aubree Ferguson – SAC Pitcher of the Year (Softball continued one of the most dominant streaks in the NAIA, producing its 9th consecutive SAC Pitcher of the Year), All-SAC, SAC Pitcher of the Week honors
⭐️ Bryce Cowns – SAC All-Freshman Team
⭐️ Chaniya Felton – Honorable Mention All-SAC, SAC All-Defensive Team
⭐️ Chloe Conover – Second Team All-SAC
⭐️ Corey Morro – First Team All-SAC, SAC Gold Glove
⭐️ Crispin Mbii – Third Team All-SAC
⭐️ Dagbjort Gudmundsdottir – SAC Player of the Year, SAC Offensive Player of the Year, NAIA All-American, First Team All-SAC
⭐️ Duncan Key – First Team All-SAC
⭐️ Evangelia Davlakou – Second Team All-SAC, SAC Offensive Player of the Week honors
⭐️ Henry Garcia – First Team All-SAC, SAC Gold Glove
⭐️ Hudson Woloss – All-SAC
⭐️ Jaeden Ellis – NAIA All-Tournament Team, All-SAC
⭐️ Jayden Anderson – NAIA Pitcher of the Week
⭐️ Katlego Lekgetho – First Team All-SAC, SportsCenter Top 10
⭐️ Kyli Reser – First Team All-SAC
⭐️ Leighanne Eaton – SAC Gold Glove Award, All-SAC
⭐️ Matija Malenovic – First Team All-SAC, SportsCenter Top 10
⭐️ Miah Luong – SAC Golfer of the Week
⭐️ Mohand Ammad – Third Team All-SAC, SAC Offensive Player of the Week honors
⭐️ Morgan Kobe – All-SAC, SportsCenter Top 10
⭐️ Nyapar Mathot – Honorable Mention All-SAC
⭐️ Pashonnay Johnson – Honorable Mention All-SAC
⭐️ Thato Lekgetgo – First Team All-SAC, SportsCenter Top 10
⭐️ Ytzel Garcia – SAC Setter of the Week

Thank you to our Cornerstone Sponsors for helping make these opportunities possible. Your support helps fuel scholarships, travel, facilities, championship runs, and unforgettable experiences for student-athletes representing Science & Arts across the country.

The future of Drover Athletics is incredibly bright.

05/14/2026

🏌️𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗗𝗔𝗬🏌️
#8 USAO is within striking distance of the lead going into the third round of the 2026 NAIA National Championship!

📍: Silvis, IL
⛳️: TPC Deer Run
📊/📺: usaoathletics.com/composite

🏇 x

05/14/2026

A year ago, I knew USAO as an alumnus and a community member.

Now, getting to see it through the lens of the Foundation has completely changed me.

Over the last month alone, I’ve watched this community show up in the most incredible ways. Generous donors. Alumni who still deeply care. Businesses stepping in to help. A packed graduation ceremony filled with proud families, loud cheers, and students walking across that stage because someone believed in them enough to invest in their future.

That’s the part people don’t always see.
Behind every scholarship, opportunity, renovated space, emergency fund, athletic program, or student success story… there are people in this community making it possible.

In July, I’ll hit one year with the USAO Foundation, and honestly, I’m still blown away by what I’ve had the privilege to witness and be part of. One of the most unexpected gifts of this role has been getting to know our students personally, hearing their stories, watching them grow, and cheering them on along the way.

The momentum building around this university is real. The vision is big. The support is growing. And the future of USAO feels incredibly exciting right now.

We are dreaming boldly about what the next year and the next four years can look like for our students, our campus, and this community.

I truly hope you’ll be part of it.

Shelby Hurst
Director of Development
Photo By: Hannah Thompson

05/13/2026

After 18 holes, the Drovers hold a 7⃣-stroke lead at the 74th Annual NAIA Men’s Golf National Championship!🏌️‍♂️

📈LEADERBOARD⏩ scoreboard.clippd.com/tournaments/244652/scoring/team

🏇 x

05/13/2026

Great news at the end of day 1 for USAO Men’s golf!