Weatherford, OK – More than 270 athletes ages 52 to 89 came to Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) Aug. 28-29 for two days of Oklahoma Senior Games basketball competition. The weekend included a 3-on-3 qualifying tournament for the 2027 National Senior Games, along with 3-point and free throw contests. Athletes competed at the Pioneer Cellular Event Center and the SWOSU Wellness Center.

The 2027 National Senior Games will take place next summer in Tulsa. Oklahoma teams in the 3-on-3 tournament received automatic bids to the national competition. Teams from Texas, Arkansas and Arizona also came to Weatherford to compete for qualifying spots.

Oklahoma Senior Games selected SWOSU to host its basketball events for the third consecutive year. The organization promotes physical wellness by providing athletic opportunities for adults 50 and older. The partnership supports the Department of Kinesiology’s goal of helping people make lifetime sports and physical fitness part of a healthy lifestyle.

Hosting an event of this size took a team effort across SWOSU. Nate Downs, Tyler Walker and their staffs prepared nine courts across the Pioneer Cellular Event Center and Wellness Center. Angela Fleming, Zack Saunders, James Bagwell, Dan O’Dowd and Brett Weiberg handled much of the organization and event monitoring. Members of the SWOSU men’s and women’s basketball teams volunteered both days and helped keep the competition running across both facilities.

"I am so proud of our teams, coaches, faculty, and staff, without whom we could not have pulled off such a great event,” said Dr. Bo Pagliasotti, chair of the Department of Kinesiology and SWOSU’s NCAA faculty athletic representative. “The partnership with Oklahoma Senior Games fits SWOSU’s commitment to serving the people and communities of western Oklahoma. It also supports our department’s focus on creating a better quality of life through movement and activity at any age.”

For more information about the SWOSU Department of Kinesiology, visit swosu.edu/academics/academic-departments/kinesiology.

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