SHAWNEE – Oklahoma Baptist's 2026 campaign starts on Thursday. Seventeenth-year head coach
Mike White is back to lead the Bison over the course of a 17-match season.
Last fall was tough for the green and gold, most notably not competing in the Great American Conference Tournament Championship for the first time since joining the league full-time in 2017.
Fast forward to now, and there's renewed optimism about the fall. There are a few reasons:
Charles Barkman. During the majority of the 2025 campaign, the Bison and Coach White operated without a full-time assistant. Then in late February, Barkman was hired. A 2022 graduate of OBU, Barkman returns to campus after serving most recently as assistant coach of Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, N.C.
Coach White: "
Charles brings a love for the game and a willingness to do whatever takes to be successful. His willingness to work with our goalkeepers and put in extra time with player development is invaluable. His wife, Whitney, has been a big help in several areas as well. I'm thankful for them both."
A Massive Newcomer Class. To be exact, there are 15 new players on this year's roster including 12 freshman. There are six defenders, four midfielders and a pair of forwards.
Coach White:
"The new players bring in a new energy, as well as an appreciation for what OBU offers. Several will make immediate impacts on the field. I'm looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish this season."
Notable Returnees. Hali White, a senior, is the lone returnee that played and started in all 18 matches a year ago. She has tallied seven goals and two assists in her career (57 games) and is aiming to have a standout year in 2026. Her sister,
Hope White, is the only other returnee that scored a goal last fall.
Also of note,
Ajae Belliston and
Addison Gray will be relied upon as well as
Camden Ocheskey. Belliston and Gray played in every match last year while Ocheskey saw action in 16 contests. In the goalie's box,
Jolee King is the most experienced returner. The Elk City native played in eight matches in 2025.
Many Close Matches. There were 18 matches a year ago. Five of OBU's defeats were by one goal and in five other contests, the Bison and their opponents tied. If the Bison have improved on the offensive end, it's fair to expect a major bounce-back season in Shawnee.
Motivation. A 2-11-5 season took place last year. There are 10 returning players that experienced that. Throw in the GAC Women's Soccer Preseason Poll which placed the Bison tied for sixth, and there should be legitimate eagerness to prove many wrong. Stay tuned.
OBU's season starts Thursday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. when it hosts Midwestern State – an NCAA Tournament participant from last year - out of the Lone Star Conference. The Bison's first GAC match takes place on Sept. 16 at rival Southwestern Oklahoma State.
