The Seminole Lions Club will welcome Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) head football coach Chris Jensen to their noon luncheon meeting today, Tuesday, Sept. 21.

This event will be held in the Mirror Room at Seminole State College. Jenson reopened OBU’s football program in 2012 after it had been shuttered since 1940. The OBU Bisons currently have a 2-1 standing so far this season.

Jensen came to OBU from Southmoore High School in Moore, where he had started that football program in 2008. In 2009 the Southmoore Sabercats were 11-2 and reached the Class 6A semifinals and Jensen was named Oklahoma 6A-1 Coach of the Year.

According to the obubison.com website, Jensen is a self-described “Army brat.” He achieved the level of Eagle Scout, the highest rank possible in the Boy Scouts of America. He graduated from Lawton High School and received a Naval Academy nomination.

Jensen was a varsity letterman at the University of Oklahoma, playing on the offensive line. He earned his bachelor of science degree in education from OU in December 1992 and received his master’s degree in education administration from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in May 2006. He and his wife, Patti, have three children and are members of Immanuel Baptist Church in Shawnee.

“I find it necessary to be that kind of role model for young men and feel it essential to develop them as men of God,” Jensen stated when his move to OBU was first announced. “We’re going to equip students to pursue academic excellence, integrate faith in all areas of knowledge and engage a diverse world. That is the mission of the University. That’s the mission of my football team. God bless OBU.”

In his seven seasons at OBU, Jensen has compiled a 30-47 record, having doubled his win total the past two seasons (12) prior to his first three seasons in NCAA Division 11(6). He has coached 13 All-Americans in NAIA and NCCAA, five NAIA Scholar Athletes, 54 All-Conference selections, 85 players who were Academic All-Conference and one Academic All-American.

Last year the 2020 football program was cancelled due to COVID-19, but in 2019 they had their best season so far, with an NCAA Division II record at 7-4 including a second straight 5-0 record over schools from Oklahoma. Quarterback Preston Haire had a spectacular junior season in 2019 and was named GAC Offensive Player of the Year, the first major award to OBU from the GAC. Haire was in the Top 10 nationally in numerous categories all season long including completion percentage, total yards, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. Haire was named GAC Player of the Week three times and put up monster games throughout the 2019 season while setting numerous school records. Haire, along with wide receiver Josh Cornell, were named to the D2CCA Super Region 3 Team.

“Chris has been a friend of mine for several years, and I know him to be a coach who is dedicated to his profession and accomplished in his field, yet defined by his Christian character,” Kenny Mossman, senior associate athletics director at OU stated when it was announced Jensen was starting up the OBU program. “I like the fact that he is highly competitive and every inch a football coach, but also someone who embraces the responsibility of serving as an educator and role model. I guess the highest compliment you can pay any coach is to say that you would gladly send one of your own to play for him. For me, that would certainly be the case with Chris.”

The International Association of Lions Clubs, more commonly known as Lions Clubs International, is an international non-political service organization established originally in 1917 in Chicago, Illinois, by Melvin Jones. While each Lions club has its own service focus, there are five global causes of particular interest around the world. These are vision, diabetes, environment, hunger, and childhood cancer.