LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Guiding Oklahoma City University to its second straight national championship and 10th overall, head coach Phil McSpadden and his staff have been recognized by their peers as the 2017 NFCA NAIA National Coaching Staff of the Year. It marks the second consecutive honor for McSpadden, Bobbi Bridges, Guy Cook, Harold Copas and Scott Gallagher, and the fourth in program history.

In route to their 2017 NAIA World Series title, the Stars (68-1) posted a 7-0 postseason mark, including 4-0 at the World Series, and reached the 60-win plateau for the second straight season. A 4-1 win over Corban completed the title run, which included victories over Southern Oregon, LSU Alexandria and Corban (semifinals). In the opening round, they swept through Kansas Wesleyan, Bellevue and Simpson.

The Sooner Athletic Conference regular season and tournament champions, started the season 47-0 and set an NAIA record with a 52-game winning streak. It was snapped in game two of a doubleheader at NCAA DII power West Texas A&M. The Stars have won 70 straight against NAIA competition.

McSpadden, who has guided OCU to a 135-4 record the past two seasons, reached the 1,600-win mark in 2017 and finished his 30th season with a 1,613-367 overall record, tops amongst four-year college head coaches. The 68 victories were one shy of the NAIA record held by the 1999 Stars team.