Head Coach - Jason Sautter
jsautter@wtc.edu
325-574-7696

Jason Sautter enters his second season as the head coach of the men’s basketball program at Western Texas College.  Sautter’s first year at the helm of the Westerner basketball program brought significant changes to the program. The men’s basketball program returned to the NJCAA regional championship series after being absent for 23 years. The WTC squad began conference play on December 3rd at The Coliseum, losing to South Plains, 58-46. The next nine conference games would set the tone for the Westerners future. Traveling to Roswell, New Mexico, the men’s basketball team would defeat New Mexico Military Institute, 72-64 on December 6th, to begin a stretch of seven conference wins in nine games. During the span from December 6th through February 2nd, the Westerners would defeat Howard College and Odessa College in key games on the road as the Westerners reeled off five consecutive conference wins from January 10th through January 26th.  After losing three consecutive games in early February, WTC recovered to finish with a three game win streak, including a season finale at Clarendon that produced a 66-56 win, assuring the Westerners a place in regional championship play.

Prior to his arrival in Snyder, Sautter served as the associate coach at Howard College in Big Spring, Texas. During Sautter’s time at Howard College, the team produced a 112-23 record. During the 2005-2006 season, Howard College finished with a 35-2 record (#1 National Ranking) and the Western Junior College Athletic Conference championship. During his tenure at Howard, Coach Sautter recruited and helped coach the NJCAA Player of the Year, All NJCAA All-Tournament Team player, Region V MVP, WJCAC Player of the Year, First Team All-American, four All-Region players, and fourteen All-Conference players. Many of his players moved on to compete for four year schools.

Coach Sautter came to Howard College after a brief stint at Lincoln University during the 2003-2004 season as the assistant coach. Before he arrived at Lincoln, he served as a graduate assistant at Harding University in Searcy, AR.  Sautter was at Harding University from 2001-2003. During the 2002-2003 season, Harding went 21-9, while making the GSC Tournament and the NCAA, Division II national tournament. From 1999-2001, Coach Sautter was the head boys basketball and baseball coach at Bakersfield High School in Bakersfield, Mo. In addition to his coaching skills, Sautter was recognized for his teaching achievements, being named teacher of the year.

Coach Sautter has a Masters of Education from Harding University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from York College in Nebraska. He has been married to his wife Jacy for 10 years. They have two sons, Jacob (7), and Jadon (3), along with a daughter, Jordyn (2).

Assistant Coach - Jonathan Bluitt
jbluitt@wtc.edu

Jonathan Bluitt enters his second year as the assistant coach for the Westerners. Prior to his arrival at Western Texas College in 2008, Bluitt served two years as a graduate assistant under Scott Sutton at Oral Roberts University. His responsibilities as a graduate assistant were directed toward player development, as well as formulating scouting reports on opposing teams.

Bluitt came to coaching after a distinguished playing career at the NCAA Division I level. A three year starter, and four year letterman at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he helped guide the Golden Eagles to a pair of Mid-Continent Conference regular season titles and one NIT appearance at the 2006 NCAA tournament, during his senior year.

Also a sought after camp clinician, Bluitt has worked multiple basketball camps, including Kansas University, Oklahoma State University, Oral Roberts University, and Oklahoma Christian University.

Bluitt received a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Oral Roberts University in 2006.