Tweet #theGAC ALVA, Okla. – Northwestern Oklahoma State Director of Athletics, Brad Franz announced the hiring of Ryan Bowen as head baseball coach.

Bowen has been the lead assistant at Great American Conference foe, Southeastern Oklahoma State for the past five seasons where they have consistently competed year in and year out.

"I am extremely happy to have Ryan Bowen join Northwestern as our head baseball coach," Franz said. "Ryan comes from a storied family tradition and has also coached under a legend, Mike Matheny at Southeastern. Ryan brings tremendous drive and enthusiasm to Ranger baseball. He is a strong teacher of the game, understands young people, has a vast recruiting network and is well respected in the baseball community. I look forward to having he and his wife Alyssa join the Ranger Family. Ryan exhibits all of the qualities of a Ranger in that he wants his student-athletes to succeed as young men, grow and graduate as students and develop into the best players they can be."

Bowen was the Recruiting Coordinator where he developed many solid contacts across the state at the high school level and numerous junior colleges around the country. He was also very instrumental in the overall program leadership at Southeastern as he was highly involved in practice and game preparation, handled team academics and did a majority of the field maintenance as well. While a part of the Savage Storm coaching staff, Bowen assisted in the team getting to three-straight postseason appearances in 2015, 2016 and 2017. 2016 was a big year for the program as they finished third in a tough Great American Conference.

Prior to joining the Southeastern staff, Bowen spent three seasons with Carl Albert State College in Poteau, Okla. where they built a very successful program and made the National Junior College Athletic Association Region II title game along the way in 2011, the first for the school in eight years.