Tony Hoops - Thursday 7pm "Using sport to become an elite competitor and leader"
Bethel College
Tony Hoops enters his third year as the Director of Athletics at Bethel College. Hoops took over duties as Athletic Director beginning the summer of 2017. Prior to this, Hoops spent three seasons as head coach of the Bethel men's basketball program and held both responsibilities during the 2017-18 season.
During his tenure as athletic director, Hoops has had a hand in re-energizing Thresher Athletics. This has been shown with several coaching hires over the past three years, a significant increase in the Thresher Booster Club, upgrades to athletic facilities, corporate sponsorship, and excitement from Bethel alumni in general.
Hoops has overseen several facility projects during his tenure as AD including an addition to the Ward Tennis Center of an on-site facility housing an office, restrooms, and a concessions stand, new turf and videoboard installation at Thresher Stadium, new scoreboards and press tables for Thresher Gymnasium, and a new branding appeal to Goering Hall, the home of the Bethel Athletics coach offices.
The Threshers have seen improvement on the competition forefront as well as several new coaches have now established their programs for success over the past 2-3 years. Hoops has been instrumental in guiding the Bethel Athletic Department to becoming a Champions of Character 5 Star Gold standard school each of the past two years, a first in school history.
Aside from Hoops’ duties as Athletic Director, he chairs the Student-Athlete Leadership Team (SALT), and Bethel College FCA committee.
Under the guidance of Hoops, student-athlete participation has increased as well as retention within programs.
Hoops played basketball at Bethel from 2001-05 and was an Academic All-American in 2005 and KCAC Academic All-Conference player in 2003, 2004, and 2005. He was a member of the 2003 KCAC Championship team and played in the 2003 NAIA National Tournament, the first and only in Bethel history. Hoops was named a Champion of Character scholarship recipient in 2004. He also ran track at Bethel in 2003.
Hoops is a graduate of Belleville High School in Belleville, KS. He received his Bachelor of Science from Bethel in 2005 with a degree in Health Management (Health and Physical Education) and a minor in Coaching. He received his Masters of Science degree in School Leadership and Administration from Baker University in 2013.
Hoops serves on the leadership team of the “New Anthem Community Church” in Park City and is actively involved in the Kansas Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is married to Kelli (Ackerman) Hoops. Kelli, a 2007 graduate of Bethel College was an All-Conference volleyball player in 2005 and 2006, All-Region in 2006, the George Rogers Outstanding Female Athlete recipient in 2006-2007, and helped lead the Threshers to a conference title in 2005. Tony, Kelli, and their children Kendri, and Tysen reside in Newton.
