Darin Grover, the 2003 Region II Junior College Coach of the Year, has been named the next women’s basketball coach at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, announced today by Interim Director of Athletics Dr. Jeff Hale. Grover will take over as just the fourth head women’s basketball coach since 1970 beginning April 1.
“Coach Grover has all the tools,” commented Dr. Hale on the hiring. “He has had great success at the college level. His student–athletes earn degrees and he has developed a wonderful base of fan support for his program. We are pleased and excited to welcome Darin and his wife Courtney to our Southeastern family.”
Grover, 32, spent the past three seasons as the head women’s basketball coach at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College where he amassed an 81.1% winning percentage as he led the Lady Norse to a 77–18 overall record during that span. In his first season as the head coach at NEO, Grover led the Lady Norse to a No. 8 national ranking and a 28–7 overall record becoming the youngest NEO coach in any sport to lead a squad to the Region II Championship. His first squad went on to finish sixth at the 2003 NJCAA National Tournament and he was later named the NJCAA Region II Coach of the Year.
In his second year, Grover’s squad posted a 23–5 overall mark and ended the year ranked 15th in the final NJCAA national poll. This past spring, NEO went 26–6 and once again advanced to the Region II tournament. In his three seasons as head coach of the Lady Norse, Grover coached two All–Americans.
Prior to taking over the helm of the Lady Norse program, Grover spent seven seasons as NEO’s assistant over a span where the program tallied a 177–52 overall mark (77.3%). During that span, NEO claimed three–straight Bi–State Conference Championships (2000, 2001 and 2002) and two Region II Championships (2000 and 2002). The 1999–2000 Lady Norse squad finished as the NJCAA national runners up and the 2001–02 team finished fourth at the national tournament. He served the program’s interim head coach during the 1999 signing period and inked four players that recorded a 33–4 record the following season. In seven years as an assistant, Grover coached five All–Americans, two Region II Players of the Year and two WNBA draft picks.
“I am extremely excited and honored to be selected to lead such a tradition–rich program,” commented Grover on his new position. “Southeastern Oklahoma is a storied history and I look forward to the opportunity to add an already great program.”
A native of Miami, Okla., Grover earned his associate’s degree from NEO is 1992 after spending two seasons as a manager for the men’s basketball team. He then spent one season as the manager at the University of Tulsa under Tubby Smith before receiving his bachelors’ degree from Oklahoma State University in Technical Education in 1995. Grover later earned his master’s degree in Health and Human Performance from Northeastern State University in 2002.
“The future is bright for the Southeastern women’s basketball program,” said SOSU President Dr. Glen D. Johnson. “Under the director of Coach Nick Keith, a tradition of excellence has been established. We look forward to building upon this great tradition with the leadership of Coach Darin Grover, who has a proven track record. With the construction of a new arena on the horizon, we believe the sky is the limit for our basketball programs at Southeastern.”
The screening committee, led by Dr. Hale, received over 50 applicants from coaches at all levels and from all parts of the country. Grover takes over a Southeastern women’s basketball program that is no stranger to national success. The Lady Savages have three national runner–up finishes to their credit over the past 11 seasons including an appearance in the NCAA Division II National Championship game in 2002. Grover will replace long–time Lady Savage head coach Nick Keith who guided SOSU to a 402–258 overall record in 24 years at the helm of the program. Southeastern went 3–24 last season and finished seventh in the Lone Star Conference North Division with a 1–11 league mark.
