Milburn Barton will begin his seventh year at the helm of
Northwestern’s athletic department. This year will be quite different as
he takes over the the role of head coach of the Lady Ranger basketball
team in addition to his athletic director duties.
Barton, a 1970 graduate of Southwestern Oklahoma State
University, came to Northwestern in 1977 after seven years at Ames High
School coaching boys and girls basketball and serving as the school’s
principal. He began his coaching career at Northwestern as an assistant
for the men’s basketball team. Only a year later, Barton earned his
master’s in education and was selected to head the women’s basketball
program.
He returns to take over the program he coached from
1978-1998. In his 20 seasons as head coach, Barton tallied more wins
than any other coach in Ranger basketball history with a 346-230 (.601)
cumulative record.
During his tenure, the Arnett native has led the Lady
Rangers to three trips to the NAIA national tournament, won two
conference titles and produced four All-Americans. He was also named the
Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference Women’s Coach of the Year three
times.
Barton is responsible for producing the best season in
Lady Ranger history. His 1980-81 No. 1 ranked squad turned in a 24-2
record and took home the state championship. Northwestern defeated NCAA
Division I powerhouses Wichita State, Oklahoma State and Oral Roberts
during that season.
In 2000, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Girls
Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame. During last February, Barton was among
four recipients to make up the 12th class of the Northwestern Sports
Hall of Fame.
Under the direction of Barton, Northwestern athletics
has experienced the school’s first national championship, expanded the
athletics program to include four additional sports and gained
membership in the Sooner Athletic Conference and Central States Football
League.
