Gary Ward (college coach)

Gary Ward

• School Phillips University, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, New Mexico State University

• Born September 9, 1940 in Ramona, OK USA

Biographical Information

Pitcher Gary Ward played both baseball and basketball in college, first at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, and later at New Mexico State University. After graduation in 1963, he was a high school coach for several years before becoming coach of Yavapai Community College from 1971 to 1977.

Ward was then the head coach at Oklahoma State University from 1978 to 1996. In 19 seasons, his Cowboys were 953-313, and he led the school to 10 College World Series, including a record seven in a row from 1981 to 1987. OSU won the Big Eight Conference title his last 16 years. During his tenure, the school produced big league stars Robin Ventura and Pete Incaviglia. He was inducted in the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008.

Ward went to his alma mater, New Mexico State, as an assistant under his son Rocky Ward in 2000. He was the head coach at NMSU in 2001 and 2002, long enough to pick up his 1,000th win, while his son assisted for him. Rocky took over the program again in 2003. Ward again became an assistant in 2007 for Rocky.

Source: 1997 & 2003 Almanacs, NMSU website

Year-by-Year Coaching Record

Year	School	Overall Record	Conference Record	Notes
1971	Yavapai College
1972	Yavapai College
1973	Yavapai College
1974	Yavapai College
1975	Yavapai College	41-9		NJCAA CWS
1976	Yavapai College
1977	Yavapai College	39-9		NJCAA CWS
1978	Oklahoma State University	40-22	8-7	Big Eight / CWS Regionals
1979	Oklahoma State University	33-19	12-8	Big Eight
1980	Oklahoma State University	43-10	17-3	Big Eight
1981	Oklahoma State University	52-17	12-6	Big Eight / CWS Regionals / CWS
1982	Oklahoma State University	57-16	19-5	Big Eight / CWS Regionals / CWS
1983	Oklahoma State University	48-16	11-3	Big Eight / CWS Regionals / CWS
1984	Oklahoma State University	61-15	15-3	Big Eight / CWS Regionals / CWS
1985	Oklahoma State University	58-16	19-4	Big Eight / CWS Regionals / CWS
1986	Oklahoma State University	56-15	18-5	Big Eight / CWS Regionals / CWS
1987	Oklahoma State University	59-13	15-6	Big Eight / CWS Regionals / CWS
1988	Oklahoma State University	61-8	21-3	Big Eight / CWS Regionals
1989	Oklahoma State University	48-19	18-6	Big Eight / CWS Regionals
1990	Oklahoma State University	56-17	18-6	Big Eight / CWS Regionals / CWS
1991	Oklahoma State University	47-20	17-7	Big Eight / CWS Regionals
1992	Oklahoma State University	49-16	17-7	Big Eight / CWS Regionals
1993	Oklahoma State University	45-17	16-8	Big Eight / CWS Regionals / CWS
1994	Oklahoma State University	49-17	21-6	Big Eight / CWS Regionals
1995	Oklahoma State University	46-19	18-10	Big Eight / CWS Regionals
1996	Oklahoma State University	45-21	17-9	Big Eight / CWS Regionals / CWS
2001	New Mexico State University	32-23	9-17
2002	New Mexico State University	37-25	10-14	Sun Belt / CWS Regionals