Baseball 8/26/2025 9:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Robbie Rea Named Head Baseball Coach

Central Oklahoma Promotes Fourth Year Assistant

EDMOND – Central Oklahoma Vice President for Athletics Stan Wagnon announced Tuesday Robbie Rea as the new head baseball coach of the Bronchos.

"Robbie Rea is ready to become a head coach, and I'm thrilled that he will get that opportunity at UCO," Wagnon said. "Robbie's background as an accomplished player and his broad experience coaching throughout the region are tremendous assets that will help him to recruit and maintain relationships with student-athletes in college baseball's changing climate. I look forward to supporting Robbie in this new role, along with his wife Rachel and their young family."

Rea has spent three seasons at Central Oklahoma guiding the pitching staff. The Bronchos have won 105 games since Rea joined the staff and qualified for the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship in each of the past two seasons.

Central Oklahoma went 32-19 in Rea's first season as an assistant coach, then 37-16 the following year in 2024. Last spring, Rea and the Bronchos went 36-17 and won the MIAA postseason championship for the first time since joining the league 13 years ago.

Overseeing the pitching staff, Rea has coached nine All-MIAA selections, two All-Region selections, and two All-Americans. Former Broncho Valek Cisneros was an All-American for the Bronchos, setting the UCO and MIAA record for career saves with 31 during his three-year career under Rea's guidance. Former Broncho Dax Sharp earned All-American honors in 2025 after posting a 1.88 ERA, the third-best mark of any pitcher in the country last season.

Central Oklahoma has ranked in the top three in the MIAA in staff ERA each of the past three seasons. The Bronchos were second in 2023 (5.12), first in 2024 (4.60), and third this past season (5.21). UCO's pitching staff has put up 1,274 strikeouts, 8.5 per nine innings, in three seasons with Rea at the helm.

Prior to UCO, Rea made stops at MIAA schools Newman and Northeastern State. He spent time at Cowley College in Kansas as well as Abiline Christian in Texas, coaching at multiple levels in the region developing his skill and the network he utilizes recruiting at UCO.

As a student-athlete himself, Rea was a three-time state champion in high school and was named Kansas State Player of the Year. He earned All-Big XII honors as a second baseman for the Oklahoma State Cowboys after earning All-American honors at Cowley during his junior college career.

Central Oklahoma returns 22 players from last year's squad, including two-time All-MIAA pitcher Brett Pense. The Bronchos will return to the field in February. A complete schedule will be announced later this fall.

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