sports spotlight: donnie bostwick

By Mike Tupa

Bartlesville Area Sports Report

DONNIE BOSTWICK

It’s been more than 17 years since Donnie Bostwick accepted the men’s head basketball job at Oklahoma Wesleyan University.

In some ways, it seems an eon of ancient history ago. In other ways, the same optimism, the same humility, the same enthusiasm, the same hunger, the same guileless confidence, the same vision, the same faith are as fresh this morning’s danish and milk.

Bostwick was just a new head basketball coach back then. But, he wasn’t a stranger to Bartlesville or Northeastern Oklahoma.

He had been raised in Pryor and had coached at Vinita — leading the Hornets to the state title game.

He then moved to the college assistant coach level at his alma mater John Brown (Ark.) University, where he had been a 6-foot-5 guard/forward in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

As an assistant coach in 2004-05, he helped guide JBU to the national NAIA crown.

Two years later, Bostwick entered the college head coaching ranks, taking charge of an OKWU Eagles team coming off three-straight losing campaigns — including a 10-20 mark in 2006-07.

Without delving into too much detail, Bostwick’s recruiting acumen and charisma — and just as importantly his ability to assess raw, even hidden potential — resulted in a miracle turnaround in 2007-08 — a school-record 26-8 record, a first-ever appearance in the NAIA-II national tournament and a first-round tourney win.

Just one season later (2008-09), Bostwick’s Eagles swooped to the national NAIA-II title while recording a 35-2 record.

OKWU would win 50-or-more straight home games prior to Bostwick’s resignation (in 2011) and departure to the Southwestern Assemblies of God basketball team, which he navigated to the NAIA-I national championship game in 2013.

Bostwick returned in 2017 to revive a slumping men’s basketball program (13-17 in 2016-17).

Once again, he helped boost the team immediately, which improved by 13 wins (26-9) in 2017-18.

Going into the 2024-25 season, Bostwick’s career overall record stands at 467-118 (.80) and overall OKWU mark at 324-62 (.84), according to available information.

In addition to success between the foul lines, one can’t paint a verbal portrait of Bostwick without also referring to his unashamed faith in Jesus Christ and his total commitment to spirituality.

At times he has indicated success in competing the right way is a way to glorify the Almighty.

Oklahoma Wesleyan University head men’s basketball coach Donnie Bostwick.