TONKAWA, Okla. — Humboldt native Brad Witherspoon has been named the head men’s basketball coach at one of the premiere junior college basketball programs in the nation.
Witherspoon, 35, will take the helm at Northern Oklahoma College, based on Tonkawa.
Northern Oklahoma is coming off a 24-2 season in which the Mavericks lost in the national quarterfinals to eventual NJCAA champion Coffeyville in overtime.
He replaces Donnie Jackson, who is leaving NOC to take over the head coaching job at Cowley College in Arkansas City.
Witherspoon, son of Gary and Jackie Witherspoon, spent the past four years as an assistant coach at Barton Community College in Great Bend. Witherspoon also has coached at Doane College in Crete, Neb., Kilgore College in Kilgore, Texas, John Wood Community College in Quincy, Ill., and Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo.
“I am extremely excited to be the next head basketball coach of the Mavs,” Witherspoon said in an NOC news release. “The tradition and resources of NOC Tonkawa made this a very sought-after job and I am humbled to have been chosen to lead the program, and be a part of the NOC faculty.
“We can’t wait to get to work and to bring in a new era of Maverick basketball.”
Alan Foster, NOC athletic director, is excited for Witherspoon and the NOC program.
“We had a very impressive pool of applicants that made this a difficult decision and the search committee’s work is greatly appreciated,” Foster said. … “Throughout the process Brad’s enthusiasm, energy and his knowledge of what it took to continue the successful trajectory we are on became more evident with each conversation.
“No doubt his experience working for multiple successful coaches has prepared him to be our next head coach at NOC Tonkawa. I believe Brad is going to be a great head coach and I am proud we can give him that opportunity. I look forward to working with him and welcoming him and his wife Emily to the NOC family.”
After earning all-state honors in basketball at Humboldt, Witherspoon played as a walk-on at the University of Kansas, and was part of the 2008 national championship team.
He also served as assistant director of numerous basketball camps and the intramural sports supervisor while earning a listing on the Dean’s Honor Roll, being named a Jayhawk Scholar Athlete, and placed on the Big 12 Commissioner Academic Honor Roll.
Witherspoon earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from the University of Kansas in 2009, before earning his master’s of health & physical education degree from Emporia State University in 2013.
Witherspoon will teach in Northern Oklhaoma’s Health, Physical Education, & Recreation Division.
