Head Coach Chris Klimas

Chris Klimas wrapped up his eighth season as the head coach of the Rogers State baseball team in 2022.

In RSU's second year in the MIAA, Klimas led the RSU to its second-straight appearance in the MIAA Tournament as the No. 7 seed this season.

After his first season in the MIAA came to an abrupt end due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Klimas guided the Hillcats into the MIAA postseason in his first chance, as the Hillcats went 2-2 to advance into the final four in 2021.

Coming off the programs 2019 Heartland Conference Tournament Championship season, as well as a run in the NCAA National Tournament, advancing to within one win of the NCAA Super Regional, Rogers State's title defense and first year in the MIAA came to an abrupt end with the cancelation of the season in March by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Klimas has overseen a steady rise of the baseball program back to regional and national prominence after being hired as the second head coach in program history in July 2014. Klimas has guided the Hillcats to four-consecutive 25-plus win seasons, which culminated with an NCAA-era best 36 wins in 2019 as the Hillcats claimed the Heartland Conference title in the final year of the league.

His 2019 team totaled six all-conference honorees and finished one game behind Lubbock Christian for the regular season championship after being picked sixth to begin the preseason. Subsequently, Klimas was named the Heartland Conference Coach of the Year prior to the Hillcats first NCAA-era postseason appearance. The Hillcats would sweep the Heartland Conference Tournament, including a pair of wins over the six-time defending champions of St. Edward's to lift the title. In the NCAA Tournament, Klimas led the Hillcats to wins over #22 Lubbock Christian and #4 Angelo State in the opening two games, coming one win shy of the NCAA Super Regional.

Klimas earned his 100th career victory during the 2018 season with a doubleheader sweep of Lubbock Christian on April 19 at the Diamond Sports Complex. He also oversaw the first-ever no-hitter for the navy and red by Tim Luce in a season-opening win over Randall in 2018.

Klimas also set several firsts for the program in 2017, leading the Hillcats to the first 30 win season in the NCAA era, while infielder Chris Miguel became the first-ever Heartland Conference Player of the Year selection for the Hillcats.

Two more Hillcats earned All-American honors under the guidance of Klimas, including the program's first-ever first team selection. Miguel garnered All-American First Team recognition from the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioners Association, and Rusty Huber earned All-American Third Team honors from three different organizations (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, American Baseball Coaches Association and NCAA Division II Conference Commissioners Association).

In total, the Hillcats have garnered 20 all-conference award winners, 16 all-region honors and six All-American selections since Klimas took over the program.

In his first season managing the team, Klimas and the Hillcats had their first All-America selection since making the move to NCAA Division II as senior outfielder Andrew Vanisi was named NCBWA All-America Honorable Mention. The Hillcats made a nine-win improvement in Klimas’ second campaign which included early signs of the future for the Hillcat program when the red and blue picked up a 4-2 victory over No. 7-ranked Lubbock Christian.

Prior to his time at Rogers State, Klimas served as the associate head baseball coach at OBU from 2010-2014 and prior to 2010, he spent nine years as the assistant coach for the Bison. He helped the team reach four-consecutive NAIA Baseball National Tournaments and qualified for the NAIA World Series twice during his last four years at OBU. The Bison tallied an 81-percent winning percentage between 2011 and 2014, registering Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament Championships in 2012 and 2014.  Klimas recruited and coached 10 players selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft with two Bison selected in the top 10 rounds in 2014. During his tenure at OBU, he recruited and coached six First-Team NAIA All-Americans, seven Second-Team NAIA All-Americans, the NAIA Player of the Year in 2013 as well as 51 all-conference selections.

A native of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Klimas was a two-year starting catcher for the Bison from 1999-2001 and graduated from OBU in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies. Prior to his time with the Bison, Klimas earned an Associate of Arts from Collin County Community College (Texas), where he was a two-year starter, earning all-conference and all-region honors in 1999. Klimas earned a Master of Science in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Sport Administration from East Central in 2012.

Klimas and his wife Penny have two daughters, Charlee and Callie, and reside in Claremore.