Changes in leadership at SWO

From the SWO Website


Southwestern Oklahoma State University long-time Athletics Director Cecil Perkins has accepted a new assignment, and Kelli Litsch has been named interim AD at SWOSU effective June 1, 2008.

Perkins, who has been the AD since 1981, will serve as a special assistant under President John Hays. Litsch, who has been associate athletics director at SWOSU since 1996, is well-known for her basketball accolades.

SWOSU President John Hays has plans for Perkins. Hays said it is imperative that SWOSU enhance its efforts to recruit and retain more students on both the Weatherford and Sayre campuses. SWOSU must make every effort possible to continue to improve its relationships with school and community leaders throughout western Oklahoma.

“Cecil Perkins is the ideal person to assist the university in these efforts,” Hays said. “He is one of the best known and most admired persons in this part of the state.”

Perkins has overseen a myriad of changes in the Bulldogs’ athletics program, culminating with a move to NCAA Division II in 1997. Under his watch, SWOSU teams have won 12 national championships—six in rodeo, five in women’s basketball and one in football.

A 1960 graduate of SWOSU, Perkins began his coaching career at Carnegie High School and then held coaching positions at Northern Oklahoma Junior College and Northwestern Oklahoma State University before coming back to SWOSU in 1981, when he assumed the AD and golf coach duties.

Perkins is a member of three halls of fame, including the SWOSU Athletic Hall of Fame, NWOSU Sports Hall of Fame and NAIA Hall of Fame.

Litsch won championships, set records and brought a new spotlight to women’s basketball during her remarkable playing career, first at Thomas High School and later at SWOSU. She became the first NAIA player to be selected as a first team All-American four consecutive years. She ended her magical run at SWOSU on teams that combined for a 129-5 record and as the NAIA all-time record holder in points with 2,700.

Litsch has served in numerous roles at SWOSU, including NCAA compliance officer, Title IX officer, senior women’s administrator, and adviser to the Student Athlete Advisory Council.
She has been inducted into four halls of fame: SWOSU Athletic Hall of Fame, NAIA Hall of Fame, Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Women’s National Basketball Hall of Fame.