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Northwestern College Athletics

Northwestern College
HOME OF NORTHWESTERN RED RAIDERS ATHLETICS
HONORING CHRIST THROUGH EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
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2023-staff-tonyhoops

Tony Hoops

Tony Hoops was named Vice President for Athletics at Northwestern College on July 20, 2023. He served six years as Vice President for Athletics at his alma mater, Bethel College (Kan.) from 2017 to 2023. He began his duties at Northwestern in August 2023.

In his first year at Northwestern, Hoops implemented the Student-Athlete Leadership Team (SALT), the inaugural N-Dubs awards show, and Northwestern's first Raiders Giving Day. In addition to administrative success, Hoops' first year saw Northwestern reach two NAIA national championship games, earn eight team NAIA Championships berths, and nine GPAC regular season and tournament titles. Following the spring season, Northwestern finished 19th overall in the NACDA Learfield Directors' Cup standings.

Hoops was recognized as an Athletics Director of the Year by NACDA in 2025, selected as one of four NAIA athletic directors to be recognized. Northwestern Athletics experienced a 45% increase in athletic giving in 2024-25 under Hoops and will complete the Den Hartog Athletic Complex addition in the summer of 2025.

Alongside his duties leading Northwestern's athletic department, Hoops is a member of the Business of Small College Athletics (BOSCA) Advisory Board and is the GPAC's representative on the NAIA Athletic Directors Association (ADA) board. As a member of the ADA board, he serves on several committees including brand advocacy and membership, ADA strategic plan, and the NAIA revenue generation committee. Hoops was also actively involved at the 2024 NAIA National Convention, presenting on three separate topics for NAIA members to learn from.

Hoops was named the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Athletic Director of the Year for 2020–21, leading the transformation of Bethel College athletics from a struggling department to one that now has programs winning conference championships and competing at the national level. Bethel teams earned a 3.09 cumulative GPA in 2022 (highest in the last 10 years), and the college was named an NAIA Champions of Character Gold Standard institution in five-straight years. While at Bethel, Hoops increased private fundraising departmental gifts by 650%, helped raise over $6 million for facility updates, generated over $400,000 annually for the athletic department, and increased booster club membership by 500%.

"Northwestern is a unique place with unbelievably caring Christian people," says Hoops. "It was going to take a dream position to pull myself and our family away from my alma mater at Bethel College. We found that at Northwestern. The commitment to Christian education, leadership exemplified by President Christy and his cabinet, experienced coaching staff, great facilities, tremendous support for Raider athletics, and the beautiful community of Orange City all made this a position our family could not pass up."

Prior to his role as Bethel's athletic director, Hoops was head men's basketball coach at Bethel College from 2014 to 2018 and spent eight years as a teacher and coach in two Kansas middle and high schools. He earned a master's degree in school leadership from Baker University and a bachelor's in health management and physical education at Bethel.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT HOOPS: 
"I am thrilled that God has called Tony Hoops to join us at Northwestern College to lead our athletic programs to new levels of athletic and academic excellence. First and foremost, Tony is a devout follower of Jesus and a terrific fit with the Christian vision, mission and values of Northwestern. He is drawn to our athletic mission of 'honoring Christ through excellence in athletics.' Tony has a great understanding of what it takes to not only lead a strong college athletic department but also serve as an institutional leader, having served on the president's cabinet at Bethel as well." (Greg Christy, Northwestern College President)

“Tony is a rising star in collegiate athletic administration and I’m excited to have him joining our advisory board. Tony’s experience, drive for professional growth, and determination to give back to the profession make him a great fit as BOSCA continues to evolve and endeavors to provide the best professional development opportunities for small college athletic administrators.” (Jim Abbott, BOSCA Founder)

AWARDS
2025 NACDA Athletics Director of the Year

COMMITTEES
Business of Small College Athletics (BOSCA) Advisory Board member
GPAC Representative on NAIA-ADA Board of Directors

Tony Hoops Through the Years:
YEARS INSTITUTION POSITION
2014-18 Bethel College (Kan.) Head Men's Basketball Coach
2017-23 Bethel College (Kan.) Director of Athletics
2023-pres. Northwestern College Vice President for Athletics

updated June 2025