Current Students — Athletics — Athletic Staff

BOB BOLEN
Athletic Director/Head Men's Basketball Coach

Under the guidance of coach Bob Bolen, Mountain State University has risen to the top of the NAIA polls. In just thirteen years, Bolen has taken then The College of West Virginia from the new kids on the NAIA block to a solid contender for the NAIA national title. The Cougars have made eight consecutive national tournament appearances and have advanced to the Sweet 16 three times and made the National Championship game twice. Coach Bolen has been named Independent Region Coach of the Year for nine consecutive years.  The pinnacle for Bolen’s high-scoring Cougars came in January of 2001, when the Cougars spent 3 weeks at the No.1 team in the Country.  Bolen has a career record of 339-101 (77%) at MSU.

Bolen started his coaching career at Park Junior High in Beckley, where he was 31-5 as head coach. As an assistant at Woodrow Wilson he was involved with 3 state championships and was 83-17 and the Flying Eagles JV coach, including an 18-0 season. A graduate of Bluefield State College, Bolen averaged 15.2 points and 6.7 assists as a senior and was among the national leaders in free throw percentage at .900 (81 of 90).

Bolen is married to the former Lisa Toler and they have three children (daughter Katie 9, and sons Jaysen 6 and Andrew 4).

KATHY LEWIS-PAYNE

Faculty Athletics Rep. & Champions of Character Rep.

Kathy is in her 6th year as Mountain State University’s Champions of Character Representative, and her 11th year as a marketing/management professor for the School of Business. She also serves as the newly appointed Faculty athletics Representative.  Originally from Huntington, WV, where she graduated from Marshall University earning 3 degrees, she now resides in Fayetteville with her husband Chris and their son Chuckie, who is also a MSU student and cheerleader.