Bob Battisti

Director of Athletics
24th Year at NWOSU  

Bob Battisti is in his 24th year with the Northwestern Oklahoma State University athletic program. For 21 years he served as the men’s basketball coach and is beginning his third season as the Director of Athletics.

Named as Athletic Director on May 3, 2007, Battisti has devoted many hours to move the athletic program forward. In conjunction with the faculty senate, Battisti has implemented a mandatory course performance check for all sports. In addition, he has developed the Student-Athlete Handbook that places an emphasis on student-athlete conduct, eligibility and academic responsibilities. Battisti currently is working with his coaches to ensure that athletic facilities remain a high priority for improvement. Under his leadership, the softball field has added a new seven-inning scoreboard, rebuilt the dugouts and added a new press box. The men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms have been totally renovated with new custom lockers, new carpet, computers and signage. The soccer field underwent changes as well with a new scoreboard, new press box and improved player benches. The school also has begun a “Vision for Victory” campaign that will lead to an upgrade of their football and baseball venues. This $4.5 million project includes construction of a new football locker room, construction of a new football press box and public use facility, construction of permanent seating and new dugouts at the baseball field and construction of a new baseball locker room and baseball/softball indoor practice facility. These facility upgrades will directly impact at least 220 student-athletes. 

Battisti brings a wealth of intercollegiate athletics experience and a history of pride in being a Ranger. A veteran of 28 years in collegiate coaching, he was the Men’s Basketball Coach at Northwestern from 1986-2007. During that time Northwestern won six conference titles and finished in the NAIA’s top 25 seven times. Battisti finished with a 409-295 overall collegiate record including a 374-265 mark at Northwestern. He led the Rangers to the NAIA national tournament five times including an “elite eight” finish in 2007. Battisti’s finest season was that of 1993-94 when the Rangers posted a 29-2 overall record and finished ranked #2 in the final national poll after advancing to the “sweet sixteen” of the NAIA national tournament. While at Northwestern he was named conference coach of the year five times and was selected as the NAIA National Coach of the Year in 1994 by Basketball Times. During his tenure, Battisti has coached three All-Americans and five Academic All-Americans.

Before coming to Northwestern, Battisti served as an assistant coach at Bethany (Minn.) Lutheran College for three seasons before earning his first head coaching position at Lakewood (Minn.) Community College. After three seasons there, he joined the staff at the University of Minnesota for two years.

Battisti, born in Warren, Mich., received his bachelor’s degree in health and sports science in 1981 from Minnesota State University-Mankato. He furthered his education with a master’s degree in education in 1985 from the University of Minnesota. He and his wife Shelly, have one son, Cooper, age 13.