“The 2011-12 academic year provided Oregon Tech with many successes including a National Championship in men's basketball and successfully hosting major CCC events on its campus,” CCC Commissioner Rob Cashell said. “The OIT family also endured the devastating loss of one of its student-athletes. Mike’s leadership and guidance through the wide spectrum of joy and sorrow at Oregon Tech is well respected by his colleagues in the CCC.”
The 40-year-old Schell, who began working as Tech’s Athletic Director in 2003, was named the CCC Athletic Director of the Year in 2003-04 and 2005-06. Schell was named the NAIA Region 1 Athletic Director of the Year in 2005-06.
Schell currently serves as liaison to the Sports Information Directors at the conference level, where he has also served on numerous committees including the Facilities Planning committee. He recently agreed to re-join the Finance Committee.
This past year Schell assumed the main duties of organizing, overseeing and running the 2012 Conference track & field meet where the CCC meet sent 115 student-athletes to the 2012 NAIA Outdoor National Track and Field Championships. In early 2012 Schell was instrumental in the raising of funds and replacement of the aging basketball floor at Danny Miles Court. In 2005 a 2,000 sq. foot addition was added for fitness and weight equipment, and in 2007 a remodel of the athletic center lobby was completed. Schell was instrumental in purchasing new scoreboards for both the softball field and gymnasium, along with two new video boards in Danny Miles Court to be used for entertainment, marketing/advertising and video presentation.
In 2011-12, Oregon Tech won two Cascade Collegiate Conference Championships (men’s basketball and softball).
In addition, the Tech men’s basketball team captured their third NAIA Division II National title in 2012, to go with four-straight CCC regular-season and four-straight CCC Tournament titles. The Oregon Tech softball team, coming off a NAIA National Championship in 2011, earned back-to-back Cascade Collegiate Conference regular-season and CCC tournament crowns, including a second-straight berth to the NAIA National Softball tournament. The Tech softball team finished with a second-straight 40+ win season and was ranked No. 10 in the final NAIA coaches’ poll in 2012. The 2011-12 Oregon Tech women’s basketball team pushed their way back into postseason play while finishing with 21 wins. The Owls turned in an impressive 11-3 mark in non-conference action, including an overall seven win improvement from the previous year’s record.
Academics remain a top priority at Oregon Tech under Schell, as athletes combined for a 3.15 GPA with 10 of the 11 varsity teams meeting NAIA Team Academic Honors. A total of 19 Oregon Tech athletes were named NAIA Scholar-Athletes in the 2011-12 academic year.
