that school of Native American art that came to be known as the ‘’Bacone style”. The college possesses the Ataloa Lodge Museum, built in 1932 and housing more than 20,000 pieces of traditional and contemporary Native American art, including the largest collection of Kachina dolls in the country. In January, 2022, the college officially opened the VanBuren Sunshine Gallery, being exhibition space in McCombs Hall used to display new student art. Athletics The Bacone athletic teams are called the Warriors. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing as an NAIA Independent within the Continental Athletic Conference since the 2019–20 academic year. The Warriors previously competed in the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) from 2015–16 to 2018–19; and in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) from 1998–99 to 2014–15. The Bacone football team competed in the Central States Football League (CSFL) until the sport was discontinued after the 2018 fall season (2018–19 academic year). Bacone competes in 11 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf and soccer; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball and volleyball. Former sports included football, wrestling, and rodeo. Baseball The Bacone baseball team won the Junior College World Series in 1967; a school with total enrollment of 250 competed with schools that had over 20,000. They were led by coach Enos Semore, who went on to coach at Oklahoma for 23 years. Decline Because of financial difficulties, in 2018 Bacone dropped its football, volleyball, golf, wrestling and rodeo teams. After several tribes agreed to charter the college in 2019 and ensure its survival, the college reopened. Return As of February 2020, the college has the following sponsored sports returned: men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball, men's and women's soccer, and men's and women's cross country teams. Notable people Administration and staff Dean Chavers (Lumbee), President 1978-81 Alumni Jimmy Anderson (Muscogee), artist, musician and preacher Thomas Banyacya (Hopi), traditionalist and activist Don Chandler, class of 1954, professional football player Eddie Chuculate (Muscogee/Cherokee), author Adee Dodge (Navajo), linguist, painter, Navajo code-talker Franklin Gritts (Cherokee Nation), artist and art director of the Sporting News Enoch Kelly Haney (Seminole/Muscogee), Class of 1962. Politician, artist, and sculptor Sharron Ahtone Harjo (Kiowa), artist and educator Patrick J. Hurley, soldier, statesman, and diplomat Edward E. McClish, soldier and guerrilla leader in the Philippines during World War II. Joseph