Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) ( ) is a private Christian university in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, United States. It is affiliated with the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, a state convention affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. The university's name is taken from the Ouachita River, which forms the eastern campus boundary.

History

Ouachita Baptist University was founded as Ouachita Baptist College on September 6, 1886, and has operated continually since that date. It was originally located on the campus of Ouachita Baptist High School.

In 1965 the college changed its name to Ouachita Baptist University.

Academics

thumb|Cone-Bottoms Hall, home to the Grant Administration Center, is the oldest building on campus

The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission with specific programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), National Association for Schools of Music, the Commission on the Accreditation of Athletic Training Education Programs (CAATE), and the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association.

The university was ranked tied for 151 of 183 in the 2025 National Liberal Arts Colleges rankings by U.S. News & World Report.

Athletics

thumb|left|Ouachita's Tiger statue has stood on campus since 1935

OBU fields intercollegiate men's teams in baseball, basketball, football, soccer, swimming, tennis, cross country, and wrestling. Women's sports include basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis and volleyball.

The school mascot is the Tiger, and colors are purple and gold. As of fall 2011, Ouachita began competition in the Great American Conference.

The Tigers football team were the conference champions of the inaugural 2011 season and the 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2019 seasons. In wrestling, a sport not sponsored by the GAC, OBU competes as a single-sport member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

In 2010, Ouachita Baptist was the first university in Arkansas to offer an NCAA wrestling program. Dallas Smith, a four-time All-American, earned the program's first national title at the NCAA Division II National Championships in 2015.

Notable alumni

References

  • Athletics website

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