CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State Athletics is excited to announce the induction of two distinguished individuals and one team into the Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026. This marks the fourth induction class in the Hall of Fame's history.
These two individuals were pioneers who played a crucial role in the program's future success, while the baseball team embarked on one of the most memorable runs in the history of RSU Athletics. The inductees of the Rogers State Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026 are:
"We are thrilled to induct Gary, Candace and the 2012 baseball team into the 2026 class of the Rogers State Athletics Hall of Fame," said
Dr. Chris Ratcliff, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics. "When the Hall of Fame committee decided on these individuals and this team, it was clear they were exceptional choices. Each of their contributions has been vital in shaping Hillcat athletics into what it is today."
The Class of 2026 will be inducted during the Rogers State Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet to be held in the Dr. Carolyn Taylor Center Ballroom on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2025, with doors opening at 10 a.m. and the banquet beginning at 11 a.m. Tickets for the event are $30 per person, $120 for half a table (4 seats) or $240 for a table (8 seats) and can be purchased by
clicking here or by contacting
Tristen Johnson at 918-343-7782, tjohnson@rsu.edu or by visiting Bushyhead Fieldhouse on the campus of Rogers State University.
Gary Easley
Gary Easley is recognized as the founding figure of the golf program at Rogers State University, formerly Claremore Junior College and Rogers State College.
"I am honored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame," Easley said. "I never imagined a boy from Missouri would come to a military school, especially since I didn't originally think about a military career. Next thing I know, I ended up coaching and teaching at that same school until I retired."
Easley served as the first head coach from 1971 to 1986, during which time the Thunderbirds secured multiple regional championships, achieved consistent national rankings and produced several All-Americans.
"When I was in high school, I thought golf was silly—going out there, hitting that ball and walking after it to put it in the hole. But when I got to college and started playing some rounds during non-football season, I got the hang of it and began to enjoy it. I've enjoyed it ever since," Easley said about his first impression of golf.
In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Easley was a faculty member and ultimately became the division director of the Social Sciences Department, dedicating 30 years to the institution as a cadet, educator and coach.
Easley added, "One day, I received a call from the dean at OMA in Claremore asking if I would be interested in teaching and possibly coaching. I never thought I would get a call from OMA asking if I would be interested in coming back, but I answered yes rather quickly. I asked my wife, whom I had just married, if she would be interested in moving to Oklahoma, and she told me to do whatever I wanted to. I told her we would stay in Claremore for about two or three years and move back to Springville, Missouri, but to this day, we haven't gotten back to Springville yet."
Easley's journey began in 1957 at the Oklahoma Military Academy, where he was on an athletic scholarship after graduating from Cassville High School in Missouri. He excelled in football and basketball, served on the Student Senate and acted as class secretary. Easley earned both the Merit and Military Proficiency ribbons, ranking in the top 10 percent of his military classes.
"They used to call OMA the 'West Point of the Southwest,'" Easley remarked. "I was considering playing football at Southwest Missouri State, but my dad encouraged me to take the junior college route. My high school coach, J.C. Duncan, played basketball at TU with Jerry Evans. Jerry ended up taking a job at OMA. Those two talked about me, and before I knew it, I was in Claremore with my dad, asking where OMA's headquarters was. So, I ended up playing in last season of football at OMA and did pretty well in basketball."
After concluding his playing career at the Oklahoma Military Academy, Easley pursued further education at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, also on an athletic scholarship. Following his graduation, he taught social sciences and coached in Missouri for three years before earning a master's degree from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.
In addition to his teaching and coaching, Easley officiated high school football and basketball games for the Oklahoma High School Officials Association for 45 years. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Officials Association Hall of Fame in 2015.
Candace (Monigold) Rudd
Candace (Monigold) Rudd is a pioneer for the Rogers State softball program, having played a crucial role in the team's future success. The Broken Arrow native spent two seasons with the Hillcats, earning NAIA First Team All-American and All-Heartland Conference First Team honors.
"It feels pretty surreal, and I am very honored to get this recognition," Rudd said about her induction into the RSU Hall of Fame. "I am really grateful for this opportunity. I played this sport my whole life and worked really hard at it, so it's really cool to get this as a result."
During the 2014 season, she participated in all but one game in the outfield, leading the team in nearly every offensive category. Her impressive performances earned her selection to the All-Heartland Conference First Team. Monigold concluded the season with a .357 batting average, 10 home runs and 27 RBIs. She played under head coach Amy Cope during her senior season, who was assisted by current head coach
Andrea Vaughan.
In her first season with the Hillcats, Monigold had an outstanding season, receiving NAIA First Team All-America honors. She posted a remarkable .433 batting average, breaking the RSU single-season record with nine home runs and 50 RBIs over 56 games. Under head coach Mark Dicus, the Hillcats achieved a 40-19 record and qualified for the NAIA Tournament in his final season.
"I was scouting a couple of schools after playing at the JUCO level when my former coach at NEO and I received a call from Amy Cope. We took the opportunity to tour the campus, where they showed us the field, locker room and beautiful campus. Those and them saying the right things during the visit reeled me in," Rudd said about how she became a Hillcat. "I immediately fell in love with the atmosphere there, and it was nice to be close to home."
Before her time with the Hillcats, Monigold spent two seasons at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, where she played a key role in the Lady Norse winning back-to-back NJCAA Region Championships and earned all-region honors as a sophomore in 2012.
Additionally, the Broken Arrow native was a member of Rogers State's inaugural track and field team during the 2014-15 season. She would go on to earn her bachelor's degree in business administration from RSU.
2012 Baseball Team
The
2012 RSU Baseball Team is widely regarded as one of the best in program history, making a memorable run under Hall of Fame head coach Ron Bradley. The Hillcats compiled a 49-16 record and finished as runners-up at the NAIA World Series held at Harris Field in Lewiston, Idaho.
"A lot of the schools that were powerhouses in the NAIA built their success on power. We had to find a different way to compete against them, so we relied on defense, speed and pitching," Bradley said. "With our speed, a walk could quickly turn into a double, and an error could result in a double or a triple. We also minimized our defensive mistakes, and our pitchers focused on pitching to contact, which meant we didn't give up many free passes. Opposing teams had to earn everything against us, and that approach was key to our success."
The season started explosively for the Hillcats, who opened with a 12-0 record and began 18-1, reaching as high as 19th in the NAIA national poll. They completed the regular season at 41-12, with notable victories over No. 9 Oklahoma Baptist and No. 2 Oklahoma City. Entering the postseason on a nine-game winning streak, they outscored opponents 63-19 during that span.
"We had a good year the following season and had many key players returning, and then we were able to add pitching," Bradley said, reflecting on the early success. "Going heavily to left-handed pitching helped us gain a competitive advantage over some of those big right-handed hitters by allowing us to throw off-speed pitches and changeups."
However, the postseason began on a rocky note, as the Hillcats finished 1-2 in the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) Tournament. Despite this setback, they received an at-large bid to the NAIA Tournament and made the most of the opportunity. In the opening round in Hutchinson, Kansas, the Hillcats defeated No. 17 Judson 9-5 and avenged their SAC Tournament loss to No. 7 Oklahoma Baptist in an 11-inning thriller, winning 5-4. They then secured a 7-3 victory over Tabor to earn their place in the NAIA World Series.
Motivated by the spirit of fallen teammate Tyler Brown, who passed away in November 2011, the Hillcats embarked on a remarkable journey that remains a part of RSU's history. Brown's initials were painted in the on-deck circle, imprinted on the bracket and featured on each player's cap. In addition, the Hillcats would break each huddle in honor of Brown.
Dubbed the "Cardiac Cats" by the media and fans during the series, the team captured the hearts of fans and the Lewiston community with their relentless efforts during the series.
"After the host Lewis and Clark had an early exit, the community of Lewiston just absolutely adopted Rogers State," Bradley said about the community shifting its fandom towards the Hillcats. "That community and those fans turned their allegiance to us because we played with a lot of charisma and excitement. We just had a good mix of players and played with a lot of energy."
In all four of their wins, the Hillcats pulled off upsets, including a 2-1 victory over No. 1 LSU-Shreveport, where senior left-hander Brandon Bargas set an NAIA record with 18 strikeouts in 9.0 innings of work. In a game against No. 2 Lee, senior outfielder Eric Baker shone, going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a triple. Both losses came against No. 6 Tennessee Wesleyan, including a 10-6 defeat in the championship game, which the Hillcats led until the sixth inning.
With a successful season behind them, the Hillcats received numerous accolades.
Bradley was named the Oklahoma Baseball Coaches Association College Coach of the Year and the Rawlings-NAIA Plains Region Coach of the Year.
Baker earned spots on the NAIA World Series All-Tournament Team and received the NAIA World Series Gold Glove Award. He was also recognized as a First Team All-Sooner Athletic Conference selection and a member of the Sooner Athletic Conference Gold Glove Team as a center fielder.
Bargas was named to the NAIA World Series All-Tournament Team, awarded Second Team All-Sooner Athletic Conference honors and recognized as Sooner Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week twice, on April 9 and April 23. Shawn Spainhoward also made the NAIA World Series All-Tournament Team and earned First Team All-Sooner Athletic Conference honors.
Colton Campbell received Second Team All-Sooner Athletic Conference honors and was selected for the Sooner Athletic Conference Gold Glove Team as a left fielder. Kyle Duncan, Hector Rivera, and Lance Rymel were all named Second Team All-Sooner Athletic Conference. Emmanuel De La Cruz was honored as Sooner Athletic Conference Player of the Week on April 23.
Casey Cassity was named a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete and a Capital One Academic All-District selection. Drew Taylor also received Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete recognition.
