Robbie ReaRobbie Rea was named head baseball coach at Central Oklahoma in August 2025 prior to entering his fourth season with the program.
Rea joined the staff in August 2022 and served as pitching coach for the Bronchos for his first three seasons.
In three seasons leading the Broncho pitching staff, Rea has helped UCO to a top three ERA in the MIAA each season. The Bronchos have won 105 games in the last three seasons with Rea on staff, and made the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship in each of the past two seasons.
In Rea’s first season with the Bronchos, he helped UCO put together the No. 2-ranked team ERA in the MIAA, with UCO’s staff carrying a 5.12 mark. UCO also had 417 strikeouts on the season, which ranked fifth in the league. Central went 32-19 and finished fifth in the league standings. Three of UCO’s seven All-MIAA selections in 2023 were pitchers.
In 2024, Rea helped the Bronchos to the No. 1 rated pitching staff in the conference with a 4.91 ERA. UCO finished fourth in the league standings before earning the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Central Regional, where the Bronchos finished their season in the consolation final. Central went 37-16 last season. The Bronchos had eight All-MIAA selections, including four pitchers.
Rea continued leading a dominant pitching staff in 2025, with UCO’s 5.21 ERA ranking third in the MIAA. The Bronchos went 36-17 and won the MIAA postseason tournament for the first time since joining the league in 2012. UCO reached the national tournament for the second consecutive season.
Rea coached Valek Cisneros, who was named First Team All-MIAA, First Team All-Region, and All-American in 2024, and set the UCO and MIAA all-time saves record with 31. He also coached Dax Sharp, an All-MIAA, All-Region, and All-American in 2025, who had the third-lowest ERA (1.88) in all of DII baseball.
Rea came to UCO from Newman, where he spent the three seasons working with the MIAA school in the same role.
Originally from Topeka, Kansas, Rea played high school baseball at Seaman High and was a three-time state champion. He was named Kansas State Player of the Year his junior year and Pitcher of the Year his senior season. He began his college career at Cowley County in Arkansas City, Kansas, earning All-American honors there.
As a two-year player at Oklahoma State, Rea earned All-Big XII honors during his junior season in 2012, when he led the Cowboys in several offensive categories. Rea had the team-high batting average (.324), hits (72), RBIs (38), runs scored (33), doubles (18), and home runs (five). He had a three-home run game against Alabama A&M and totaled nine RBIs in the contest and was named Big XII Player of the Week after the performance. Rea also earned Academic All-Big XII in 2013.
Rea began his coaching career at Cowley, leading the team to a Jayhawk East title and coaching player- and pitcher of the year award winners.
From Cowley, Rea moved to Northeastern State from 2015-17 and coached 14 All-MIAA selections during that span. He spent 2017-18 at Abilene Christian before moving Grayson College in Denison, Texas.
Rea arrived in Newman in 2019 and coached seven All-MIAA selections there.
Rea is married (Rachel) and has one daughter (Molly).
Butch ReaButch Rea joined the University of Central Oklahoma baseball coaching staff in August 2024 and serves as the hitting coach for the Bronchos.
Rea spent the 2024 season at the University of Incarnate Word, where he helped with outfielders, hitters, and recruiting. As a team, the Cardinals tallied the most home runs, RBI, and most runs scored in a single season in the Division I era for UIW.
In one season at UIW, Rea coached two student-athletes that received postseason honors. DH Dalton Beck was named the Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year and to the All-Conference First Team, while outfielder Cameron Caley earned second-team status. Beck ended the 2024 season with the most hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, total bases, intentional walks, highest slugging percentage, and most at-bats in a single season in UIW history, while Caley stamped his name into the record book with the most runs scored and most walks in a single season.
Rea joined the Cardinals after spending three years at Cowley College. During those three seasons, the Tiger’s posted a 140-43 record and took two trips to the JUCO World Series where they finished fifth and runner-up. During that time, three student-athletes were drafted, along with naming three All-Americans, four Gold Glove winners, two Players of the Year, and two Pitchers of the Year. In the 2022 season, Rea coached POY Bryce Madron, who was one of only eight players in all of college baseball to have 20 home runs and 20-plus stolen bases. Madron also broke Rea’s records for most hits and runs in a career at Cowley College.
Prior to Cowley, Rea spent 2018-20 at Northeastern State University. During that time, the RiverHawks had nine All-MIAA selections.
Originally from Topeka, Kansas, Rea played high school baseball at Seaman High and was a two-time state champion. He spent his collegiate playing career at Cowley College, the University of Central Arkansas, and Northeastern State University.
Rea is married (Abby) and has one daughter (Emzey).
