Steve Smith

STEVE SMITH RETIRED THIS SPRING after decades of service to Truman as both a faculty member and head tennis coach.

A member of the faculty staff since 1988, Smith taught mathematics courses for generations of students. His academic background includes degrees from North Dakota State University, where he was also a tennis student-athlete, as well as master’s and doctoral degrees in mathematics from Oregon State University.

In 2019, Smith added coaching duties, becoming Truman’s head tennis coach. During his tenure, the Bulldogs posted .500 or better records in five seasons and concluded the 2026 campaign with a 12-10 mark.

Smith emphasized respect for teammates, opponents and the game itself, values that shaped the culture of the program throughout his time as coach. His retirement marked the close of a unique Truman career that combined excellence in the classroom with leadership in athletics.

Theo Dean

THEO DEAN BECAME THE WINNINGEST HEAD COACH in Truman women’s basketball history during the 2025-26 season, earning his record-setting 113th career victory in an
82-76 win over Indianapolis, Feb. 26.

Dean also reached another milestone earlier in the season when the Bulldogs defeated Southwest Baptist 90-55, Dec. 6, for his 100th career win.

Since taking over the program in 2019, Dean has helped guide Truman women’s basketball through one of its strongest stretches in recent history. His teams earned multiple postseason appearances, a GLVC divisional championship and established a consistent standard of success in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Dean’s program also excelled academically, producing more than 80 Academic All-GLVC selections so far during his tenure.

A former Truman student manager, graduate assistant and assistant coach, Dean became the program’s full-time head coach in January 2020 and the first African-American head coach in school history.

“REIGNING CATS & DOGS,” the weekly coaches podcast featuring Truman State University and Kirksville High School athletics, completed a successful first season this spring.

Hosted by Kirksville Daily Express sports editor Henry Janssen (’16) the show aired weekly during the academic year and offered listeners an inside look at local athletics through conversations with coaches, activity directors and administrators. Topics included recent competition, team development, leadership and what lies ahead for each program.

Season one featured 22 episodes and included more than 50 guests representing a wide range of sports and activities from both Truman and KHS. The show also continued to improve throughout the year with stronger audio and video production, including the addition of a full backdrop and upgraded presentation elements.

Season two is scheduled to begin in September, continuing a growing platform that has helped connect the Kirksville community with the people leading local athletics.

“Reigning Cats & Dogs” can be found on the Truman Athletics YouTube channel, TrumanStateBulldogs, as well as Spotify and Apple podcasts by searching “Reigning Cats & Dogs.”

Mike Worley, Paul Yoder, Cruz Lewis and Henry Janssen (’16)

John Cochrane

SOME COACHES ARE REMEMBERED for wins. Others are remembered for records. John Cochrane will be remembered for something larger.

For more than three decades, Cochrane shaped Truman track and field and cross country programs through a rare combination of competitive excellence, personal sacrifice and unwavering belief in student-athletes. His passing in March marked the loss of one of the most influential figures in Bulldog Athletics history, but his impact remains woven into the fabric of the program he helped build.

From 1980 until his retirement in 2013, Cochrane led Truman’s women’s track and field and cross country programs, later taking over the men’s teams as well.

Under Cochrane’s leadership, Truman athletes won multiple NCAA national titles and earned dozens of All-America honors across track and field, cross country and relay competition. His teams captured seven conference championships, including a remarkable sweep of indoor track, outdoor track and cross country in 2000. He was recognized repeatedly by peers and governing bodies for coaching excellence and service to the sport.

What made Cochrane special was the way he built opportunity where resources were limited and belief where obstacles existed. He invested in facilities, helped modernize training spaces, directed meets, recruited tirelessly and often purchased equipment himself when athletes needed it. If something could help the program move forward, he found a way to make it happen. He was known for personalized workouts posted daily on brightly colored paper, for driving beside runners during training sessions, and for staying connected with former athletes long after graduation. Coaching, for Cochrane, did not end when eligibility expired.

That is why his legacy extends far beyond championships. Generations of Truman student-athletes remember him not simply as a coach, but as a mentor who demanded effort, cared deeply and helped shape the direction of their lives. He built teams, but more importantly, he built people.

In 2013, Cochrane was inducted into the Truman Athletics Hall of Fame. It was a fitting honor for a career that transformed an entire program. Yet the truest measure of his legacy is not found in banners or trophies. It lives in the athletes who still carry his lessons, the coaches who learned from his example and the program standards he helped establish. Cochrane’s time on the sideline has ended. His influence has not.

TWO OF THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED TEAMS in University history were inducted into the Truman Athletics Hall of Fame this year, as the 1994 and 1995 men’s cross country teams were honored during Hall of Fame Weekend.

Both teams finished third nationally at the NCAA Division II Championships, marking the highest national finishes in program history. The 1994 Bulldogs captured the MIAA championship before advancing to nationals, where they earned the program’s first podium finish. The 1995 team followed by winning the NCAA Great Lakes Regional title and returning to the national podium with another third-place finish.

Together, the teams established Truman as one of the premier Division II cross country programs in the country during the mid-1990s. Led by head coach Ed Schneider, the back-to-back national trophy teams remain one of the defining eras in Bulldog athletics history.

Kellen Nesbitt

FOR THE FIRST TIME in more than three decades, Truman football is back where many alumni remember it belonging.

The 2025 season marked a turning point for the program, as the Bulldogs returned to the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the first time since 1994. An 8-4 campaign, highlighted by a 7-1 conference record and a second-place finish in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, signaled more than just a successful season. It marked the reestablishment of a program standard.

The postseason result, a loss to nationally ranked Indianapolis in the opening round, does not define what this team accomplished. The significance lies in the breakthrough itself. For a program that had spent decades working back toward national relevance, 2025 delivered that moment.

Under GLVC Coach of the Year Kellen Nesbitt, the Bulldogs developed into one of the most complete teams in the conference. Truman finished second in scoring offense in the GLVC at 36.7 points per game and third in scoring defense, allowing just 22.5. The identity was clear. A physical, disciplined team built around a dominant rushing attack that led the league with more than 2,200 yards.

Denim Cook

That production was supported by impact players across the roster. Running back Denim Cook led the conference with 905 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. Quarterback Dylan Hair directed one of the league’s most efficient offenses. Defensively, Truman consistently created disruption and controlled the line of scrimmage.

The depth of the roster showed up in postseason recognition as well. Fifteen Bulldogs earned All-GLVC honors, including seven first-team selections, reflecting one of the strongest collective performances in recent program history.

More important than any single statistic is what this team represents. This was not a one-year surge. It was a team with a defined identity, experienced leadership and a structure built for sustained success.