Neale Richardson
Baseball Head Coach
Neale Richardson enters his ninth season as the head coach of the Baseball Bobcats.
After an NCCAA semi-final appearance in 2019, the Bobcats have been on the brink of trips to the final four the past two seasons. The Bobcats overcame a myriad of obstacles in 2022 and were just one run away from yet another semi-final appearance. Richardson’s 2022 Bobcats completed a 33-22 record and propelled the veteran coach past his 200th win at C of O. With a solid nucleus returning and post-season experience under their belts, the 2023 Bobcats look to continue their upward climb and once again, make a deep run into the post season.
Richardson’s collegiate coaching record currently stands at 204-179. Each year of his tenure, Richardson has been adding strong recruits to his team, and this year is no exception. With 30+ wins four of the last six seasons, the Bobcats look to continue building success on the diamond.
Richardson is well known in the Ozarks area, having served 19 years in the Forsyth R-III Public School system as a high school principal, assistant principal, physical education teacher, coach, and athletic director. Richardson’s on-field experience includes coaching high school baseball from 1996-2009 in Forsyth and 1985-1995 in Seymour, as well as playing at North Arkansas Community Technical College from 1980-1982. As a high school coach, Richardson compiled a successful overall record of 552-217-1 and was inducted into the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2006.
Following his retirement from Forsyth Schools in June 2014, Richardson sought to pursue his dream of coaching college baseball and is honored to lead the Bobcats. He states, “I know College of the Ozarks well and the reputation of Hard Work U. I feel that I am a perfect fit for what College of the Ozarks represents. I have strong Christian values and believe that hard work and character are what define a person. I have based my entire career on these beliefs.”
Richardson holds a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Lindenwood University and a Bachelors and Master’s degree in Education/Physical Education from Missouri State University.