WEATHERFORD – SWOSU Athletic Director Todd Helton announced 10-year SWOSU Baseball assistant coach JR Head has been named new leader of the program.
 
Head becomes the fifth head baseball coach in SWOSU's NCAA era and the eighth all-time.
 
"I am very pleased to announce JR Head as our next head baseball coach," said Helton. "Coach Head has a proven record of leadership, recruitment, and skill as a baseball coach. He has earned his chance to be a head coach and we are excited to see him display the vision and passion that we know will bring Bulldog baseball future success."
 
Head has spent the last decade as an assistant for the Bulldogs working alongside former head coach Zack Saunders, who recently stepped down after 13 seasons. He's held many titles as a SWOSU baseball coach, beginning as a volunteer in the fall of 2014 before becoming a graduate assistant from 2016-19. After obtaining his master's degree as a GA, he stayed on with the program as the lead assistant from 2019 through the conclusion of the 2024 season. 
 
In total, including his two seasons as a student-athlete at SWOSU prior to coaching, he's called Weatherford his home for the last 12 years.
 
"I am very excited for this opportunity," exclaimed Head. "SWOSU is such a special place with so many great people and I'm very grateful to get to continue being a Bulldog. I look forward to building on the foundation of the program and competing in the Great American Conference – one of the best conferences in Division II."
 
As the lead assistant with a heavy role in the offense, Head has commanded a Bulldog lineup that has consistently landed at the top of the GAC in multiple areas. The Bulldogs have finished inside the top-three in team batting average in four of the past six seasons.
 
This year, the Dawgs ranked second in the league with a .304 average led by three All-GAC selections. Two of those three led the conference in an individual category, doubles and stolen bases, while the other was second on the doubles list just behind a SWOSU leader. All three finished inside the top-15 in individual batting average.
 
In 2021, Head helped tutor the program's first GAC Player of the Year, outfielder Alex Bedard, who went on to become an All-American – one of two Head has coached while at SWOSU. 
 
In 2016, Head assisted with the Bulldogs as they reached new heights by winning the Great American Conference regular season championship and advanced to the NCAA Division II Central Region Championships. SWOSU won an NCAA era record 34 games and had eight players earn All-GAC recognition.
 
As a student-athlete, he played for SWOSU from 2013-14, starting 74 games in centerfield. He helped lead SWOSU to back-to-back conference tournament appearances and a second-place finish in the GAC in 2013. As a senior, Head was named an Honorable Mention All-GAC selection. He was also a two-time member on the GAC All-Academic team.
 
Before joining the Bulldogs, Head played two seasons at Northern Oklahoma College – Enid, where he was an All-Region and All-American selection in 2012 and a two-time National Gold Glove winner.
 
A native of Midwest City, Okla., Head earned his bachelor's degree in Parks & Recreation Management in 2014 and obtained a master's degree in Sports Management in 2018 – each from SWOSU. He is married to Chelsea (Bates) Head, a former member of the Lady Bulldog Basketball program. The two reside in Weatherford and have a two-year-old daughter, Halle.  
 
"I would like to thank Dr. Lovell, Coach Helton, and the entire hiring committee for believing in me to lead Bulldog Baseball. I want to thank my wife, family, and friends for their continued support throughout this journey. I also want to thank Coach Saunders for his mentorship, friendship, and the foundation he has laid for our great program. As always, it's a great day to be a Dawg!"
 
An eventual meet and greet is being planned to officially welcome Coach Head, though the details for that, including the date, are still to be determined. Information on that will be released when all logistics have been finalized. 
 
The Head File
 
Coaching Career
2024-present: SWOSU (head coach)
2019-24: SWOSU (assistant coach)
2016-19: SWOSU (graduate assistant coach)
2014-16: SWOSU (volunteer assistant coach)
2014: Weatherford Eagles Prep Summer Team (head coach)
 
Playing Career
2013-14: SWOSU
      Honorable Mention All-GAC
      2x Academic All-Conference
 
2011-12: NOC-Enid
      2x Gold Glove winner
      2012 NJCAA All-Region
      2012 NJCAA All-American
 
Education
Southwestern Oklahoma State University
      M.Ed, 2018
      B.S., 2014
Northern Oklahoma College-Enid
      A.A., 2012