NORMAN – Oklahoma Sooners head football coach Brent Venables has been named to the 2025 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List, recognizing him among the nation’s top coaches heading into the upcoming season.

The Dodd Trophy, presented by PNC Bank, honors the head coach of a team that achieves success on the field, in the classroom, and within the community. Venables is one of 25 coaches nationally named to the preseason list.

Venables, who enters his fourth season leading the Sooners, guided Oklahoma through its final years in the Big 12 and into its inaugural season in the SEC. Under his leadership, the program has continued to recruit at an elite level while emphasizing academic performance and community involvement.

The annual award, named after legendary Georgia Tech coach Bobby Dodd, evaluates coaches based on their program’s Academic Progress Rate (APR), with Oklahoma posting a strong score of 993 for the 2023-24 academic year.

Venables is joined on this year’s watch list by notable coaches including Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer, Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, and Texas’ Steve Sarkisian.

The winner of the Dodd Trophy will be announced at the end of the 2025 season.

NORMAN – University of Oklahoma Athletic Director Joe Castiglione is set to announce his retirement on Tuesday, according to widespread media reports.

Castiglione has served as the University of Oklahoma’s athletic director since 1998, overseeing one of the most successful eras in the school’s athletic history.

During his tenure, Oklahoma’s athletic programs have flourished on the national stage. Castiglione hired football coach Bob Stoops in 1999, a move that revitalized the Sooners program and led to the 2000 national championship. Under his leadership, OU football has continued to rank among the nation’s elite, with multiple Big 12 titles and College Football Playoff appearances.

Castiglione has also been instrumental in elevating other sports. The university’s softball team has become a dominant force, winning several national championships under coach Patty Gasso. OU’s gymnastics programs have likewise secured multiple national titles during his administration.

In addition to competitive success, Castiglione prioritized academic achievement, facility improvements, and financial stability within the department. Major projects under his leadership include renovations to Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, construction of new training and academic facilities, and the expansion of softball and baseball stadiums.

Known for his steady leadership and vision, Castiglione guided Oklahoma through its upcoming transition from the Big 12 Conference to the Southeastern Conference, positioning the university for continued national relevance in the changing landscape of college athletics.

Prior to joining Oklahoma, Castiglione served as athletic director at the University of Missouri from 1994 to 1998. He is widely respected among his peers and has received numerous national honors, including being named Athletic Director of the Year by Sports Business Journal and induction into multiple halls of fame.

TULSA – Cophie Anderson has been named the 12th head coach of the Oral Roberts University women’s basketball program, Athletic Director Tim Johnson announced Monday.

Anderson, who served as ORU’s associate head coach for three seasons, helped guide the Golden Eagles to back-to-back 20-win seasons and postseason appearances in the WNIT and WBIT. The team finished 24-9 in 2024-25, marking the program’s first consecutive 20-win seasons since 2010-12.

ORU President Dr. William M. Wilson praised Anderson’s leadership, highlighting her faith and commitment to student-athletes. Johnson echoed those sentiments, calling Anderson a vital part of the program’s recent success and expressing excitement for the future under her leadership.

During her tenure as associate head coach, Anderson played a key role in ORU’s offensive success, helping the Golden Eagles rank in the top 20 nationally in scoring for three straight seasons, including top-10 finishes in 2023-24 and 2024-25. She was instrumental in recruiting and developing players, with five Golden Eagles earning Summit League postseason honors in 2023-24, including Freshman of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.

Anderson previously coached at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, where she helped lead the Lady Bulldogs to seven NCAA Division II Tournament appearances, four Great American Conference Tournament Championships, and a national runner-up finish in 2019. Under her guidance, SWOSU ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring offense in seven of nine seasons, averaging over 80 points per game five times.

As a player, Anderson competed at Fresno State from 2001-05, earning three Western Athletic Conference All-Academic selections. She graduated with a degree in Kinesiology.

A native of Arlington, Texas, Anderson is married to Wayne Anderson, and they have three children.

ORU will introduce Anderson at a press conference Tuesday, April 1, at 3:30 p.m. inside the Mabee Center.