WEATHERFORD – SWOSU Athletic Director Todd Helton announced that head football coach Andrew Rice has agreed to a new three-year contract extension.
 
"This extension reflects SWOSU's commitment to the future of Bulldog Football," Helton said. "Coach Rice has demonstrated the ability to develop student-athletes the right way while producing results on the field. Securing his leadership provides stability for our program and reinforces the direction we want to continue moving."
 
Rice recently completed his second season at the helm of the Bulldogs, guiding SWOSU to a 6-5 record in 2025 – the program's first winning season in a decade. Prior to his arrival, the Bulldogs had endured two winless seasons in a three-year span.
 
"I'm grateful to the entire SWOSU community for their continued trust and belief in our program," said Rice. "This extension represents SWOSU's commitment to the future of Bulldog Football and provides stability for our staff as we continue to invest in the development of our student-athletes, both on and off the field."
 
Rice took over the program in December of 2023 and delivered immediate results in his first season. In 2024, SWOSU finished 3-8, highlighted by a 50-0 victory over rival Northwestern Oklahoma State – the Bulldogs' first shutout since 2002. That season also produced four All-Great American Conference selections, the program's most since 2016, along with SWOSU's first All-Region honoree since that same year.
 
The momentum accelerated in 2025. SWOSU earned unofficial State Champion honors, finishing 5-0 against in-state opponents after closing the season with a second straight lopsided win over Northwestern. The Bulldogs placed a program-record 12 players on All-GAC teams, set a new Division II school record with 2,347 rushing yards over 11 games, and ranked fifth in Division II by allowing just 157.5 passing yards per game defensively.
 
Off the field, Rice has emphasized academic and community excellence. The Bulldogs posted a 3.0 cumulative GPA across the four semesters under his leadership, while the program also logged more than 1,200 hours of community service during the spring of 2024 – an offseason benchmark Rice has said is the standard moving forward.