Softball 4/9/2015 4:08:00 PM

OCU's McSpadden takes aim at record win

Stars meet Southwestern Assemblies of God at 5 p.m. Friday

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University coach Phil McSpadden will try for his 1,457th and 1,458th wins in a doubleheader 5 p.m. Friday against Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) at Ann Lacy Stadium.
If the Stars, ranked No. 1 in the NAIA, can win both, McSpadden will leapfrog NCAA win leader Margie Wright and have the most wins of any college softball coach against four-year schools.
McSpadden has posted a 1,456-356 record in his 28th season leading Oklahoma City. Wright led Illinois State and Fresno State to a 1,457-542-3 ledger from 1980-2012. Mike Candrea stands No. 3 on the list with a 1,418-347-2 record in his 28th season with Arizona, while Carol Hutchins has a 1,406-469-4 record in her 32nd season coaching between Ferris State (Mich.) and Michigan.
OCU has won eight national titles in 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2007, while finishing national runner-up in 1993, 1999, 2010 and 2012 under McSpadden. Along the way, McSpadden has become a member of the Oklahoma Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame, OCU Athletics Hall of Fame, NAIA Hall of Fame and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
"I could just go through a whole list of tremendous ball players that have helped us win ballgames, and in many cases, tremendous people who have supported us behind the scenes," McSpadden said about his induction into the NFCA hall in December. "It's not a one-man honor."
Among those who have played for McSpadden at OCU have been 76 all-Americans, including five who became national player of the year.
"It's an easy sell academically speaking," McSpadden said of OCU. "When you walk somebody around campus, they're always commenting on the facilities. The teacher-student ratio. Some unique majors. We like to think when we take somebody through the gym, with the number of banners in there, you're at least attracted to the right type of competitive athlete, which is what we as coaches are always looking for.
"I always brag on just being an Okie. The small-town feel. People have been friendly. People care and know you. I don't think everybody can brag about that, and that's why I've spent so many years here."
OCU hired McSpadden away from Ponca City High School. The Vinita, Okla., native and Oral Roberts graduate led Dewey High School to three state championships.
In his OCU coaching debut, McSpadden captured win No. 1 over North Texas 14-4 on Feb. 25, 1988 in Denton, Texas. Stephanie Teehee went 2-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs. Teehee drove in the first run of the McSpadden era by scoring Cathy Hayes on a fielder's choice groundball. Teehee went all five innings in the circle and struck out five for the victory. Jennifer Hightower went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Hayes contributed three runs scored and two runs driven in.
"He expects perfection," Oklahoma Christian coach Tom Heath said of McSpadden. "He runs his program to win. His win-loss record is unbelievable. He is an outstanding coach, and with that, he has earned the right to get into the hall of fame."
This year's Stars own a 33-1 record and got off to a 23-0 start. OCU tops the NAIA with 1.824 home runs per game while ranking second with a .656 team slugging percentage. Abby Meador leads the NAIA with a 0.76 earned run average, while Kylee Rounsaville ranks second nationally with 14 homers. Admission for Friday's games will be $7 for adults and $5 for non-OCU students. To watch the games via live video stream, click here.
"Coach McSpadden definitely knows the game, but he also knows his players really well," said Stephanie (Grange) Riley, Moore High School coach and OCU alumna. "He knows how to drive each of them, get them to get their own drive, but also how to push them to get the goals that they all want."

MCSPADDEN BY THE NUMBERS
8 national championships
4 national runner-up finishes
26 national-tournament appearances
23 consecutive national-tournament berths
18 50-win seasons
4 60-win seasons
52.7 average number of wins per season through 27 years
69 career-high total of wins in 1999 for NAIA single-season record
8 national coach of the year awards
7 NFCA coaching staff of the year awards
5 national players of the year
3 national pitchers of the year
4 national catchers of the year
4 alumni who helped their country win Olympic softball medals
76 all-Americans
3 four-time all-Americans
13 CoSIDA academic all-Americans
38 NAIA scholar-athlete award winners

MILESTONE WINS FOR MCSPADDEN
Win No. 1: Oklahoma City 14, North Texas 4, Feb. 25, 1988 in Denton, Texas
Win No. 100: Oklahoma City 13, Boston College 1, March 7, 1990 in Houston
Win No. 200: Oklahoma City 13, Hofstra 5, March 14, 1992 in Tampa, Fla.
Win No. 300: Oklahoma City 11, Northeastern State 0, March 11, 1994 in Columbia, Mo.
Win No. 344: Oklahoma City 3, Athens State (Ala.) 1, May 21, 1994 in NAIA championship game at Columbia, Mo.
Win No. 393: Oklahoma City 3, Puget Sound (Wash.) 1, May 20, 1995 in NAIA championship game at Columbia, Mo.
Win No. 400: Oklahoma City 7, Nicholls State 6, Feb. 23, 1996 in Monroe, La.
Win No. 452: Oklahoma City 9, Shawnee State (Ohio) 1, May 18, 1996 in NAIA championship game at Decatur, Ala.
Win No. 500: Oklahoma City 11, Phillips 0, April 30, 1997 in sectional championship game at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City
Win No. 509: Oklahoma City 12, Athens State (Ala.) 0, May 17, 1997 in NAIA championship game at Decatur, Ala.
Win No. 600: Oklahoma City 10, Emporia State (Kan.) 0, March 20, 1999 in Emporia, Kan.
Win No. 700: Oklahoma City 7, Cornerstone (Mich.) 1, May 17, 2000 in NAIA Championships at Decatur, Ala.
Win No. 704: Oklahoma City 5, Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 1, May 20, 2000 in NAIA championship game at Decatur, Ala.
Win No. 760: Oklahoma City 5, Simon Fraser (British Columbia) 3, May 22, 2001 in NAIA championship game at Decatur, Ala.
Win No. 800: Oklahoma City 3, William Jewell (Mo.) 0, April 19, 2002 at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City
Win No. 818: Oklahoma City 2, Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) 1, May 22, 2002 in NAIA championship game at Decatur, Ala.
Win No. 900: Oklahoma City 10, Friends (Kan.) 0, April 16, 2004 at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City
Win No. 1,000: Oklahoma City 5, Rogers State 0, April 4, 2006 in Claremore, Okla.
Win No. 1,050: Oklahoma City 9, Oklahoma Christian 0, April 5, 2007 at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City
Win No. 1,075: Oklahoma City 7, Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) 2, May 23, 2007 in NAIA championship game at Decatur, Ala.
Win No. 1,100: Oklahoma City 7, USAO 3, April 8, 2008 at Ann Lacy Stadium in Oklahoma City
Win No. 1,150: Oklahoma City 9, Southern Nazarene 5, April 7, 2009 at Ann Lacy Stadium in Oklahoma City
Win No. 1,200: Oklahoma City 3, St. Gregory's 0, April 8, 2010 in Shawnee, Okla.
Win No. 1,250: Oklahoma City 12, Mid-America Christian 2, April 12, 2011 at Ann Lacy Stadium in Oklahoma City
Win No. 1,300: Oklahoma City 13, Northwestern Oklahoma State 0, April 24, 2012 in Alva, Okla.
Win No. 1,350: Oklahoma City 4, Oklahoma Baptist 3, April 5, 2013 at Ann Lacy Stadium in Oklahoma City
Win No. 1,400: Oklahoma City 3, Oklahoma Baptist 2, April 3, 2014 at Ann Lacy Stadium in Oklahoma City
Win No. 1,450: Oklahoma City 8, Southwestern Christian 0, March 30, 2015 in Bethany, Okla.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#14 Kylee Rounsaville: C; 5' 7"; Senior; R/R

#12 Abby Meador: P; 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#14 Kylee Rounsaville
: 5' 7"; Senior; R/R
: C

#12 Abby Meador
: 5' 7"; Freshman; R/R
: P

Players Mentioned

#14 Kylee Rounsaville

#12 Abby Meador

Players Mentioned

#14 Kylee Rounsaville

#12 Abby Meador