Longtime Oklahoma Basketball Coach Becomes Athletic Director

ALVA, Okla. (AP) _ Long-time Northwestern Oklahoma State basketball coach Bob Battisti is resigning to become the school's athletic director. <br/><br/>Battisti is 374-265 in 21 years at Northwestern.

Friday, May 4th 2007, 2:21 pm

By: News On 6

ALVA, Okla. (AP) _ Long-time Northwestern Oklahoma State basketball coach Bob Battisti is resigning to become the school's athletic director.

Battisti is 374-265 in 21 years at Northwestern. He's second only to Oklahoma Christian University's Dan Hays in tenure. Hays has been at Oklahoma Christian.

Northwestern was 22-12 last season and advanced to the final eight of the NAIA tournament. Northwestern was the only team to beat eventual NAIA champion Oklahoma City last year.

Battisti succeeds Milburn Barton who is retiring as athletic director but will continue as women's basketball coach.