EDMOND, Okla. - Oklahoma Christian men's and women's swimming coach Josh Davis, men's and women's cross country and track and field head coach Wade Miller, softball head coach Shalee Rodriguez and men's soccer head coach Neil Hilton (not pictured) were named as recipients of the 2026 Mitchell Excellence in Coaching Award.

The Mitchell Excellence in Coaching Award, named after boosters Dennis and Phyllis Mitchell, is given annually to a coach who has received a coach-of-the-year honor at the conference or regional level, guided a team into the NCAA Division II postseason, coached an All-America selection or won a conference title.

"We are so blessed to have Dennis and Phyllis as loyal Oklahoma Christian supporters," athletics director David Lynn said. "They champion so many worthwhile causes all over OC's campus. Coaching Excellence is something that is very close to my heart and I'm so thankful to the Mitchells for their support of this initiative and how it specifically impacts our hard working and amazing coaches who do so much to make OC great."

For the second year in a row, coach Davis produced a two-time All-American on the women's side with Vanessa Weatherford earning first team honors for her seventh-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle at the NCAA Division II National Championships before placing 12th in the 100 free to garner second team honors. Weatherford also earned Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles in the 50 free and 200 free relay.

Coach Miller produced a nationals qualifier on the women's side during cross country season as Brooke Latham, who also became the program's first female all-region recipient since 2016, posted the best finish by an OC female runner in NCAA DII history after finishing 51st at the 2025 National Championships.

In the spring, Miller produced the first women's track and field First Team All-American since 2018 when Laniyah Curry took seventh in the long jump at the DII National Championships back in March. The sophomore Curry is now a two-time Lone Star Conference Champion and an All-American.

Coach Rodriguez led Oklahoma Christian softball to one of its best seasons in program history, reaching a program-record 43 wins while leading her team to a South Central Region-1 Championship. As a team, the 2026 squad set new program records in runs scored (364), hits (571) and RBI (325). Rodriguez and her staff were named the NFCA South Central Region Coaching Staff of the Year while producing the program's first NFCA All-American since 2021 in shortstop Kallie Rupp.

Coach Hilton sat at the helm of one of the most prolific individual seasons in OC men's soccer history. Sophomore forward Ethan Nakolo was named the Lone Star Conference Player of the Year, the South Central Region Player of the Year and the program's inaugural Division II Conference Commissioner's Association First Team All-American after finishing the 2025 regular season tied for the nation's goals leader with 17 goals, including 14 against NCAA competition.



"The Mitchell's investment in OC athletics encourages us coaches to pursue excellence while making the best "Kingdom Way" experience for our student-athletes. They are an inspiring model of giving back and loving well."
                    -Josh Davis, head men's and women's swimming coach 

"The Mitchells and their kindness is such a big part of OC athletics and it means so much to our program to receive this award. Our athletes worked hard to put together a strong year on several fronts and this award is a reflection of that. We hope to use the momentum from this past year as we gear up for another great season. We are so thankful for the Mitchells and all the fans like them who support OC so well."
                    -Wade Miller, head men's and women's cross country and track and field coach

"The Mitchells are truly one-of-a-kind people. They are the biggest OC athletic fans and we love seeing them in the stands here at the softball field! Their support of our program is truly unmatched and it goes far beyond just a financial support. I cannot say enough about how much they mean to me. We are so thankful for them!"
                    -Shalee Rodriguez, head softball coach

"The Mitchell Excellence in Coaching award is a fantastic honor for myself and the program. A huge thank you to the Mitchell family for supporting this award. Oklahoma Christian holds a special place in my heart for a magnitude of reasons and it is amazing to be recognized."
                    -Neil Hilton, head men's soccer coach