Bio

When you think of the success of Cowley College athletics you have to think of the man who has helped put the Tiger athletic program in the national limelight and that is Tom V. Saia. From 1995 to 2012 Saia has helped Cowley athletics garner 72 conference titles, 41 region titles, and 72 finishes in the top-10 of the national tournament. He will be recognized for his outstanding work by being inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 4.

Under Saia’s leadership, the school started men and women’s soccer and men and women’s cross country programs. He also re-instated the track and field programs at the school. His vision helped Cowley build the Tiger Track and Field/Soccer Complex and the Travis Hafner Training Center. He also oversaw the renovation of W.S. Scott Auditorium. Saia’s passion for sports started at a young age and grew while playing high school football for Pittsburg Colgan head coach Frank Crespino, who is a member of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.

“He was my inspiration,” Saia said. He then learned from legendary Coffeyville Community College head football coach Dick Foster, who is in the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. “A lot of people played a part in getting me to where I am at today,” Saia said.

Saia received an associate’s degree from Coffeyville Community College before earning his undergraduate degree from Missouri Southern University. He then earned a Master’s degree and Ed.S. from Pittsburg State University.

Prior to coming to Cowley, Saia spent 12 years as a football coach at the junior college level. Eight of his teams were ranked in the top-15. His teams played in six bowl games, winning four. He was an assistant coach at Coffeyville in 1980 when the team went undefeated and capped the season with a victory over Arizona Western in the Beef Empire Bowl in Garden City, finishing No. 2 in the nation. That team was inducted into the Coffeyville Community College Letterman’s Club Hall of Fame in 2010.

Along with coaching football at Coffeyville Saia also coached at Butler, Hutchinson and Independence and was inducted into the NJCAA Football Hall of Fame in 2004. Getting ready to be inducted into his third Hall of Fame, Saia is quick to praise the people he has been associated with.

“I have been at the right place at the right time,” Saia said. “I am accepting this for all the student athletes and coaches that have been a part of Cowley athletics since 1922.”

While coaching at Butler Community College, Saia had captured a region title and had signed a solid incoming recruiting class for the next season but felt he wanted to pursue being an athletic director. Having coached in the Jayhawk Conference and recruited several athletes from the Ark City area, Saia was familiar with the Cowley College program. He interviewed for the vacant athletic director position and was impressed by Cowley College president Dr. Patrick J. McAtee’s desire to field winning athletic teams.

“Dr. Pat liked to win as much as I did,” Saia said. Still, Saia envisioned being at Cowley for only a couple of years before pursuing work at a four-year university. However, once he got to Cowley, he fell in love with the school. “Being a part of this with Dr. Pat and the coaches was like a family,” Saia said. “This place has been very good to me and my family.”

Cowley College’s athletic programs have flourished under Saia as the school captured the 2011 NJCAA Division II national volleyball championship, as well as two JUCO World Series titles in baseball and national championships in men and women’s cross country. Along with finishing second in the NATYCAA Cup standings during the 2010-2011 academic year, Cowley has finished as the top junior college athletic program in the state of Kansas four of the past five years based on the standings.

“I am proud that the college is known athletically on the national level,” Saia said. “Dr. Pat allowed me to bring in the best coaches. I have been fortunate to work with some great people.”

Being inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame along with Dr. McAtee is something that Saia is looking forward to. “I have been blessed to have one of my best friends as my boss,” Saia said. “We want to win in everything and I think people feed off of that.”

Saia has four children. His oldest son Bryce is the defensive coordinator at Emporia State University; son Boomer graduated from the University of Kansas in December and is currently in graduate school studying sports administration; son Tommy is a student at the University of Kansas; and daughter Courtney is a junior at Ark City High School. Boomer received an associate degree from Cowley and Tommy earned 48 credit hours from the school prior to transferring to KU.

Saia was the one who spearheaded the movement to start the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. Although he never envisioned one day being inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame, he is most definitely deserving of the honor.

“I am humbled to be going in with all the great players and coaches that have been here at Cowley,” Saia said. “It has been a great run!”