Coach Wilson enters his thirteenth season as the Head Coach at College of the Ozarks.  Under his leadership, the Lady Bobcats have amassed an impressive 327-69 record and have become one the strongest NAIA women’s basketball programs in the country.  During the 2006-07 season, Coach Wilson picked up his overall 800th career win, and after completing forty-one years of coaching, has an astounding record of 886-353.  While at College of the Ozarks, Coach Wilson has led his teams to ten Midland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships and advanced to the NAIA Division II National Tournament eleven times.  The eleven appearances in the National Tournament by the Lady Bobcats have resulted in three quarterfinal appearances and the past three seasons of finishes as the National Championship Runner-up.  In addition, he has also coached nine All-Americans, several of whom were multiple honorees, as well as eight Academic All-Americans.

Before coming to College of the Ozarks, Wilson coached high school boys’ basketball for thirty-one years in the Southwest Missouri area, compiling a 559-284 record.  In 1992, he was honored with enshrinement into the Missouri Sports Basketball Hall of Fame for his contribution to the game of basketball in the area.  In 1996, the Fiftieth Anniversary of the prestigious Blue and Gold Tournament, Wilson was honored as one of the top five coaches in tournament history.  Perhaps most honoring was Wilson’s induction into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, in 2008.

Wilson is highly respected at College of the Ozarks for his commitment to the mission of the college.  He strives to recruit student-athletes who meet the standards of the college and can uphold the tradition of the women’s basketball program on and off the court.  Wilson leads by example and motivates his players by keeping basketball enjoyable for them as they work hard to maintain the expected level of excellence in the program.

Wilson received his undergraduate degree in Physical Education and History from Drury College (1963) and a graduate degree in Physical Education and Athletic Management from Pittsburg State University (1968).  In addition to his coaching duties, he is an Associate Professor of Physical Education in the P.E. Department.

Wilson and his wife, Sue, have three children, Tami, Eric, and Tara, all of whom graduated from College of the Ozarks.  Eric and Tara both played basketball for the Bobcats.  Coach Wilson and Sue are blessed with eight grandchildren, four boys and four girls, and enjoy spending time with them.  They also split their time between their homes in Ash Grove, Missouri and Branson. 

Becky Vest begins her eighth year as assistant coach for the Lady Bobcats.  Coach Vest is a valuable asset to the Lady Bobcats program and has been instrumental in helping the Lady Bobcats become one of the top NAIA programs in the nation as well as the Midlands Conference.  During Coach Vest’s time as assistant coach the Lady Bobcats have compiled a 205-34 record.  The team has been to the national tourney each year and has been a Final Four Team each of the last four seasons, including three runner-ups finishes. Coach Vest is responsible for many things including scouting, film analysis, and helping with practice preparation.  She also has played a major part in recruiting for the Lady Bobcats and has helped to find many of the talented players that are part of the roster.  Many of the players on this year’s team possess strong work ethics and excel both on and off the court, qualities that Coach Vest exhibited when she was a player here.