Southeastern Foundation announces creation of Will Robinson Memorial Scholarship

June 11, 2025

Southeastern Oklahoma State University and the Southeastern Foundation celebrated the creation of the Will Robinson Memorial Scholarship with a signing ceremony June 6.

The scholarship was established in memory of Coach Will Robinson, a 2011 Southeastern graduate who played four years of Savage Storm basketball for his father, head coach Tony Robinson. He went into coaching, with stops in Plano (Texas), Colbert, S&S Consolidated (Texas), and Achille before becoming the head girls’ basketball coach at Durant High School in 2019.

Coach Will turned the Lady Lions’ program around and had the team pointed to success before he and his 8-year-old daughter Clara tragically passed away in floodwaters after an automobile accident in Sherman, Texas, on Christmas Eve 2024. The Lady Lions went on to qualify for the Class 5A state tournament for the first time in 16 years, playing in memory of Coach Will Robinson.

The new Will Robinson Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to Durant High School graduates who have participated in athletics for the Lions. Special consideration will be given to leadership and civic involvement in the selection of scholarship recipients.

The scholarship was established through a gift from Scott and Carol Crain of Durant.

“Will was an amazing leader. He came to Southeastern as a men’s basketball walk-on and worked his way into the starting lineup,” said Scott Crain. “He was a natural leader, and his impact on his teammates and everyone he came into contact with will be felt for many years.”

Contributions to the fund can be made at https://www.se.edu/giving/give-here/. The Will Robinson Memorial Scholarship is the first giving option available in the drop-down.