Tahlequah, Okla. — Club sports at Northeastern State University (NSU) have allowed students to participate in activities not traditionally considered collegiate sports.
To be considered a club sport at NSU, a team must have a minimum of five members and a faculty advisor, submit a club sports constitution and bylaws, and maintain a president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary.
NSU Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Dr. Jerid Freeman said he would like club sports to register as student organizations to ensure they have advisors, sufficient participation and supervision.
“Club sports cannot be successful without student interest and leadership,” Freeman said. “We want to ensure that Club Sport maintains a good relationship with NSU and represents NSU well, so that we have the support our student leaders need to succeed. These students can not only participate in the sport they love, but also continue to compete locally and nationally while gaining leadership experience.”
Current NSU club teams are the NSU Disc Gold Team, Riverhawk Esports, and the NSU Fishing Team.
NSU Disc Golf, NSU’s newest club team, is in its first year of existence and has competed in several college disc golf events, including the 2024 Collegiate National Championship.
The NSU eSports team was formed in 2020 and competes virtually against other university teams in games like Overwatch, Valorant, and The Finals.
Esports team president Corbin Malloy said running the program was a great opportunity to realize the lifelong career he had always wanted.
“I learned a lot of organizational skills running four teams at once, like getting a team to the finals, finding a coach, and running an event. It all grew over the years I was in charge. I did,” Malloy said. “These players are simply students at our school, but we would be nothing without them. Their skills allow us to continue to increase our scholarships and opportunities each year.”
The NSU fishing team has been competing since 2016, primarily in southeastern states from Oklahoma to South Carolina.
They are currently the second-highest ranked collegiate fishing team in the state of Oklahoma and ranked No. 33 nationally according to the College Fishing Association Bass Pro Shops School of the Year rankings list.
Dr. Freeman, who serves as faculty advisor for the NSU disc golf team, said club sports can also provide non-sports experience, such as budget experience and communication skills.
He said he participated in club sports because he wanted to strengthen the relationship between students and the university.
“I joined because I love helping students get involved in student organizations and club sports that make them feel part of NSU and connected,” Freeman said. “Ultimately, we want every student to connect with NSU in some way that connects to their personal interests.”
Click here for more information on club sports available at NSU. here.
