The Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears are the athletic teams representing Missouri State University. Missouri State (formerly Southwest Missouri State University) athletics date back to 1908. Missouri State is in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, and most teams compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. The exceptions are the football team (Missouri Valley Football Conference), the field hockey team (Mid-American Conference) and the men's swimming and diving team (Sun Belt Conference.)

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Men's Basketball

Recent Recruiting - Zach Ouverson, Ryan Simon, and Kyle Neustrom have recently been offered scholarships to play for the Bears for the 2013-2017 seasons. Ouverson would play point guard, Simon at shooting guard, and Neustrom a swingman (SG, SF). These 3 players are recruited out of Valley High School, in WDM, IA.

NCAA Tournament Results

NIT Appearances

1986, 1991, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007

NAIA Appearances

The Bears made six appearances in the NAIA Men's Basketball National Tournament. The combined NAIA Tournament record is 15-4.

• 1939 - First round
• 1943 - First round
• 1949 - Second round
• 1952 - National Champions
• 1953 - National Champions
• 1954 -Third Place ^[1].

Conference Championships

MIAA (1924-1981) 19
1927-1928, 1930-1931, 1933-1934, 1934-1935, 1948-1949, 1949-1950, 1951-1952, 1952-1953, 1953-1954, 1957-1958, 1958-1959, 1965-1966, 1966-1967, 1967-1968, 1968-1969, 1969-1970, 1972-1973, 1973-1974, 1977-1978

Mid-Continent Conference (1982-1990) 4
1986-1987, 1987-1988, 1988-1989, 1989-1990

Missouri Valley Conference (1990-2007) 1
1991-1992 (Tournament)

Head Coaches

• W.A. Daggett (2 seasons, 11-9), 1908-1910
• Corliss Buchanan (1 season, 13-8), 1910-1911
• No team 1911-1913
• Arthur Briggs (9 seasons, 105-31), 1913-1918, 1919-1923
• Paul Andrews (1 season, 2-4), 1918-1919
• Chester Barnard (1 season, 13-1), 1923-1924
• Donald Holwerda (1 season, 9-6), 1924-1925
• Andrew McDonald (23 seasons, 301-166), 1925-1943, 1945-1950
• No team 1943-1945
• Bob Vanatta (3 seasons, 73-11), 1950-1953, 2-time NAIA Champions
• Edwin Mathews (11 season, 164-91), 1953-1964, NCAA Division II Runners-up
• Bill Thomas (16 seasons, 265-158), 1964-1980, 3-time NCAA Division II Runners-up
• Bob Cleeland (3 seasons, 39-46), 1980-1983
• Charlie Spoonhour (9 seasons, 197-81), 1983-1992, 5 NCAA Tournament Appearances and 3 NIT appearances(1 NIT Quarterfinal)
• Mark Bernsen (3 seasons, 48-37), 1992-1995 ''' 1 NIT Quarterfinal Appearance
• Steve Alford (4 seasons, 78-48), 1995-1999, 1 NCAA Sweet 16 Appearance and 1 NIT Appearance
• Barry Hinson (9 seasons, 169-117), 1999-2008 4 NIT Appearances( 1 NIT Quarterfinal)
• Cuonzo Martin (1st Season, 11-20), 2008-Present

Retired Numbers

• 22 - Winston Garland, 1985-1987
• 32 - Daryel Garrison, 1971-1975; (Bears all-time leading scorer with 1,975 points)
• 43 - Jerry Anderson, 1951-1955
• 54 - Curtis Perry, 1966-1970

Football

Head Coaches

• Walter Langston (1 season, 4-2), 1909
• Corliss Buchanan (2 seasons, 1-10), 1910-1911
• Arthur Briggs (5 seasons, 76-54-11 ), 1912-1917, 1919-1933
• Paul Andrews (1 seasons, 1-2), 1918
• A.J. McDonald (4 seasons, 5-32-5), 1934-1937
• Howard Blair (7 seasons, 39-24-7), 1938-1946
• Tommy O'Boyle (2 seasons, 16-4-1), 1947-1948
• Fred Thomsen (4 seasons, 19-17-4), 1949-1952
• Bill Dellastatious (2 seasons, 5-12), 1953-1954
• Harold Stratton (1 season, 2-6-1), 1955
• Aldo Sebben (5 seasons, 17-27-1), 1956-1960
• Orville Pottenger (4 seasons, 24-12-2), 1961-1964
• Jim Mentis (4 seasons, 20-21), 1965-1968
• Don Cross (7 seasons, 23-45-3), 1969-1975
• Rick Johanningmeier (10 seasons, 58-44-5), 1976-1985
• Jesse Branch (9 seasons,55-44-1), 1986-1994
• Del Miller (4 seasons, 21-23), 1995-1998
• Randy Ball (7 seasons, 34-42), 1999-2005
• Terry Allen (2 seasons, 8-14), 2006-Current

Bowl Games

1948 MoKan Bowl, and the 1963 and 1966 Mineral Water Bowls

FCS Playoffs

• 1989 First Round Missouri State 38, Maine 35
• 1989 Quarterfinals Stephen F Austin 55, Missouri State 25
• 1990 First Round Idaho 41, Missouri State 35

Division-One All-Americans

• 1985:
• AP Honorable Mention:
• OL-- Kevin Bor
• OL-- David Heim
• OL-- Brad Sellenriek
• RB-- Keith Williams
• DL-- Preston Estes
• LB-- James Houston
• Don Hansen First Team:
• RB-- Keith Williams
• 1986:
• AP Honorable Mention:
• OL-- Chris Tayrien
• 1987:
• AP Second Team:
• LB-- Matt Soraghan
• AP Honorable Mention:
• DL-- Preston Estes
• LB-- Ken Braden
• AFCA First Team:
• LB-- Matt Soraghan
• Don Hansen Second Team:
• DL-- Preston Estes
• 1988:
• AP Third Team:
• OG-- Mark Christensen
• AP Honorable Mention:
• OC-- Doug Gardner
• LB-- James Turnage
• 1989:
• AP Third Team:
• OG-- Mark Christensen
• TSN First Team:
• OG-- Mark Christensen
• AFCA First Team:
• OG-- Mark Christensen
• 1990:
• AP First Team:
• QB-- DeAndre Smith
• AP Third Team:
• OG-- Chris Reed
• TSN Second Team:
• QB-- DeAndre Smith
• TSN Honorable Mention:
• OG-- Chris Reed
• AFCA First Team:
• QB-- DeAndre Smith
• Walter Camp First Team:
• QB-- DeAndre Smith
• 1991:
• AP First Team:
• DT-- Bill Walter
• TSN First Team:
• DT-- Bill Walter
• TSN Honorable Mention:
• CB-- Adrion Smith
• AFCA First Team:
• DT-- Bill Walter
• Don Hansen First Team:
• DT-- Bill Walter
• Don Hansen Second Team:
• CB-- Adrion Smith
• Don Hansen Honorable Mention:
• OT-- Tim McDuffey
• Walter Camp First Team:
• DT-- Bill Walter
• 1992:
• AP Third Team:
• OG-- Matt Irvin
• TSN Honorable Mention:
• OG-- Matt Irvin
• Don Hansen Third Team:
• PK-- Richard Grote
• 1993:
• AP Second Team:
• DB-- Adrion Smith
• TSN Second Team:
• DB-- Adrion Smith
• Don Hansen Second Team:
• DB-- Adrion Smith
• Walter Camp First Team:
• DB-- Adrion Smith
• 1994:
• TSN Honorable Mention:
• LB-- DeLaun Fowler
• 1995:
• AP First Team:
• LB-- DeLaun Fowler
• AP Third Team:
• OC-- Luke Hake
• Don Hansen Third Team:
• LB-- DeLaun Fowler
• P-- Christ Hurst
• 1996:
• AP First Team:
• PK-- Wayne Boyer
• DL-- Mike Miano
• TSN First Team:
• PK-- Wayne Boyer
• TSN Third Team:
• DL-- Mike Miano
• Don Hansen First Team:
• RB-- Michael Cosey
• PK-- Wayne Boyer
• TSN Honorable Mention:
• DL-- Mike Miano
• Walter Camp First Team:
• PK-- Wayne Boyer
• 1997:
• AP First Team:
• PK-- Travis Brawner
• TSN Second Team:
• OL-- Brad Kubik
• PK-- Travis Brawner
• AFCA First Team:
• PK-- Travis Brawner
• Don Hansen Honorable Mention:
• OL-- Brad Kubik
• PK-- Travis Brawner
• Walter Camp First Team:
• PK-- Travis Brawner
• 1998:
• Don Hansen Honorable Mention:
• PK-- Travis Brawner
• 1999:
• Don Hansen Second Team:
• TE-- Brad St. Louis
• Teamlink.com First Team:
• TE-- Brad St. Louis
• 2000:
• Don Hansen Honorable Mention:
• WR-- Jeff Hewitt
• DL-- Luis Almanzar
• 2001:
• Don Hansen First Team:
• LB-- P.J. Jones
• 2004:
• AP First Team:
• PK-- Jon Scifres
• AP Third Team:
• DB-- Darren Barnett
• TSN First Team:
• PK-- Jon Scifres
• Don Hansen Second Team:
• PK-- Jon Scifres
• Dopke.com First Team:
• PK-- Jon Scifres
• 2007:
• AP Third Team:
• TE-- Clay Harbor
• TSN Honorable Mention:
• TE-- Clay Harbor

^[2]

Women's Basketball

NCAA Tournament Results

WNIT Appearances

2002, 2005 (Champions)

Conference Championships

AIAW Division II (1969-1982) 5
1970-1971, 1972-1973, 1973-1974, 1974-1975, 1980-1981

Missouri Valley Football Conference (1983-1992) 2
1990-1991, 1991-1992

Missouri Valley Conference (1992-2007) 9
1992-1993, 1993-1994, 1994-1995, 1995-1996, 1998-1999, 2000-2001, 2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2004-2005

Head Coaches

• Reba Sims (10 seasons, 129-116), 1969-1979
• Marti Gasser (4 seasons, 62-60), 1979-1983
• Valerie Goodwin-Colbert (4 seasons, 48-63), 1983-1987
• Cheryl Burnett (15 seasons, 319-136), 1987-2002, 10 NCAA Tournament Appearances, 2 Final Four Appearances
• Katie Abrahamson-Henderson (5 seasons, 95-61), 2002-2007, 3 NCAA Tournament Appearances
• Nyla Milleson , (1 season, 9-19), 2007-present

Retired Numbers

• 10 Jackie Stiles, 1997-2001 (NCAA Division I Women's Basketball's all-time leading scorer with 3,393 points)
• 35 Melody Howard, 1990-1994
• 42 Jeanette Tendai, 1982-1986

References

1. NAIA Championship History
2. Source: MVFC Media Guide