Todd Thurman, an award-winning and experienced administrator and coach with a proven track record of success, was named director of athletics at Metropolitan State University of Denver on May 22, 2020.
After his July 1 start date, Thurman immediately helped steer the program back towards competition while managing the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thurman helped MSU Denver Athletics institute a cohesive series of protocols designed to keep Roadrunners student-athletes healthy and safe while maximizing their opportunities for success. In the meantime, he worked with NCAA and RMAC leaders in the decision-making processes required to return to play.
MSU Denver had another successful season in 2022-23, as the volleyball and baseball teams return to NCAA Tournament play, with the volleyball team winning the RMAC regular-season and tournament championships, spending four weeks ranked No. 1, and breaking the RMAC record by extending its winning streak in league matches to 40. Individual honors continued across the board, including volleyball player Rylee Hladky, softball player Shelby Robb and baseball player Jake Williams earning Academic All-America first team honors. Hladky, in fact, was named the Academic All-America of the Year in volleyball. The Roadrunners continued their commitment to community service, which included being named a national finalist for the NCAA's Award of Excellence for the second time in three years.
On the field and courts, the Roadrunners continued to excel in 2021-22, winning an RMAC regular-season championship in volleyball and RMAC Tournament championships in women's basketball and baseball. The volleyball team spent five weeks ranked No. 1 in the country in Division II -- a first in program history -- while the baseball team reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. MSU Denver finished fifth in the RMAC All-Sports Cup, including third in the league's five "core" sports. Among the program's numerous accolades, MSU Denver also received five Sportswomen of Colorado awards -- volleyball was named the team of the year, volleyball's Jenny Glenn was college coach of the year, Hladky received "outstanding achievement in volleyball, Division II," Shelby Robb earned "outstanding achievement in softball -- college," and Allie Navarette earned "outstanding achievement in basketball -- college -- Division II." Hladky also earned All-America first team honors as well as Academic All-America first team recognition.
The Roadrunners succeeded in competition, in the classroom and in the community during the 2020-21 academic year. One student-athlete was a conference level candidate for NCAA Woman of the Year. Five Roadrunners student-athletes earned All-American recognition, two were Academic All-Americans (including the RMAC Male Student-Athlete of the Year and RMAC Academic Athlete of the Year for his sport), still another was a sport Academic Athlete of the Year in the RMAC, two were RMAC Player of the Year and eight earned Academic All-District recognition. In the community, MSU Denver Athletics was a finalist for the Downtown Denver Partnership Award and was a national finalist for the NCAA's Award of Excellence.
Prior to joining MSU Denver, Thurman had been the director of athletics at Southwestern Oklahoma State since 2008, where he spearheaded efforts to found the Great American Conference and develop a new event center and athletics facilities, achieving $27 million in fundraising.
Under Thurman’s leadership, Southwestern Oklahoma State celebrated championships in golf, soccer, baseball, rodeo, volleyball and women’s basketball. He also established initiatives such as reading programs, community clean-ups and game-day pride events.
Southwestern Oklahoma State teams claimed 14 regular season or tournament championships after the Bulldogs joined the Great American Conference, with six teams (women’s soccer, women’s basketball, volleyball, baseball, men’s and women’s golf) reaching NCAA Division II postseason play. Thurman was also instrumental in adding the Bulldogs’ 13th intercollegiate athletic program with the addition of women's track & field prior to the 2017 outdoor season.
Another highlight of the Thurman era came in January, 2014, as Southwestern Oklahoma State played its first games inside the brand-new Pioneer Cellular Event Center, a 93,000 square foot arena that serves as the home for the Bulldogs’ basketball and volleyball teams, while also doubling as an all-purpose venue. The Pioneer Cellular Event Center also houses offices for Bulldogs athletics staff and coaches.
Thurman led the university and the City of Weatherford, Okla., in campaigning, fundraising, designing, and building the facility.
He also created other new athletics facilities for football (turf field, new coaches’ offices, film and training rooms), weight training, rodeo and golf as well as press boxes and locker rooms for soccer, baseball and softball.
Thurman led the campaign for Southwestern Oklahoma State to be a founding member of the Great American Conference during its first year of competition, the 2011-12 academic year.
The entire department was elevated under the direction of Thurman. An increased focus on fundraising led to renovations of facilities for all programs, and the department budget tripled over six years.
Thurman also created community initiatives including an elementary school reading program, clean-up Weatherford day and SWOSU Move-in day.
He created new game-day initiatives including SWOSU Pride Night, tailgating, corporate and faculty/staff events, athletic booster events and incentives, and the “Bulldawg Nation” student section including student organization competitions and theme games.
His hires include GAC coaches of the year in men’s and women’s basketball, football, soccer, golf and baseball as well as a softball Olympic gold medalist.
Thurman arrived at Southwestern Oklahoma State in 2006 as the school’s men’s basketball coach. He quickly won over supporters with his fast-paced, high-scoring style of basketball. Thurman’s teams were consistent winners, averaging better than 19 wins in his three seasons. His last team advanced to the Lone Star Conference tournament championship, a first in the school history.
He served as head coach from 2006 through 2009. During that time, the team qualified for the conference tournament all three years, and the program had a 100 percent graduation rate. Thurman was recognized as Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year in 2008 and was named administrator of the year by the Southwestern Oklahoma State student body in 2015.
Before Southwestern Oklahoma State, Thurman went 131-82 in seven seasons at Wayland Baptist (Texas) of the NAIA. He led the Pioneers to four NAIA National Tournament appearances.
He worked as an assistant coach for nine seasons at his alma mater, Southern Nazarene, where the Crimson Storm earned tournament trips regularly in both the Sooner Athletic Conference and NAIA. He also served as an assistant at Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma Christian in the early 1990s.
Thurman had an illustrious playing career and went on to play several years professionally in England, Argentina and the Philippines during the mid-1980s.
An all-state selection at Yukon (Okla.) High School, Thurman led the Millers to the 1979 state championship and he went on to earn all-American honors at nearby Bethany Nazarene (Okla.). He led Bethany to its first NAIA title by scoring 39 points in the 1981 championship against Alabama-Huntsville. He was inducted into Southern Nazarene’s inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame class in 2011.
He has a bachelor’s degree in business education from Southern Nazarene (Okla.) and earned a master’s degree in education, graduating summa cum laude, from Central Oklahoma.
