Golloway officially introduced as NSU baseball coach
Jul. 29—Sunny Golloway was officially introduced as the new head coach of Northeastern State University at a press conference on the Tahlequah campus Thursday afternoon.
Golloway, who spent the last year as East Central University skipper, said one of the reasons he left Ada to pursue the NSU job was to compete for titles in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.
"We're going to pursue championships. That's why I made the change. I'll be honest with you," Golloway said during the press conference. "But more importantly we're going to invest in our student-athletes, we're going to understand the process and we're going to work hard. I believe NSU baseball has some great, great days ahead of it. I really can't wait to get started."
During his one season with ECU, Golloway's Tigers finished with an overall record of 9-40. East Central finished 4-29 in Great American Conference action.
Golloway will start with a better winning tradition at Northeastern. The River Hawks went 25-28 last spring, 38-18 in 2022 and 26-16 in 2021.
"It's a great day for NSU, it's a great day for NSU Athletics and it's a great day for our student-athletes and our entire student body," said NSU Director of Athletics John Siesmore. "Coach Golloway wants to invest in student-athletes lives and wants to do great things. He has already done many great things, he is a fighter and a hard worker. We are excited to have him as our head baseball coach at Northeastern State."
Golloway is the second coach in as many years for the NSU baseball program. The position opened up after James Cullinane departed the program after just one season to join the staff of former NSU head coach Jake Hendricks at Queens University of Charlotte. Hendricks had spent nine seasons at Northeastern State.
Golloway has 26 years of experience as a collegiate coach with 18 full seasons as a Division I head coach, two seasons at Auburn, and eight seasons each at Oklahoma and Oral Roberts.
"When I decided he was going to be the man for NSU, it wasn't about his accolades or the great things he has done," said Sizemore. "It wasn't about the wins or championships, but because he is a fighter. When I met him for the first time personally, I knew he was a fighter."
Golloway's last Division I opportunity came from 2014-'15 with Auburn University. Before joining ECU, Golloway coached at Moore High School.
"It's really simple for me. I'm world-traveled. I've been to a lot of different places," he said. "I knew in my heart after meeting (Siesmore) and being offered the job ... it really does at the end of the day come down to who you are working with."
Golloway said he was congratulated by many of his former players after the news had spread that he had accepted the job at Northeastern. Oddly enough, the only one he mentioned by name was former Ada High School standout, Chuckie Caufield.
"Chuckie Caufield is a guy I coached a long time ago at the University of Oklahoma," he said, adding that one of his main goals as a coach is building relationships with his players. "We're going to be relationship-oriented."
Northeastern won three of four meetings against East Central during the 2023 spring season.
