Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: OSU Athletics
OSU Athletics Head Team Physician Announces Retirement
February 16, 2026 | General
STILLWATER – Dr. Val Gene Iven, who has served as the head team physician of Oklahoma State Athletics since 2007, has announced his retirement from the position.
"I've been blessed to have worked in college athletics for 32 years," Dr. Iven said, "including 19 at my alma mater and the alma mater of my parents."
A graduate of Pond Creek High School, and a 1985 graduate of Oklahoma State, Dr. Iven attended medical school at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where he completed a family medicine residency and was later chosen as the program's first Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellow. He returned to Stillwater from the University of Tennessee after spending 13 years as the head team physician for the Volunteers, where he was part of the 1998 national championship football team. In 2025, he worked his 400th collegiate football game and retires as the second longest tenured head team physician in the Big 12 Conference.
"I am grateful to former president Burns Hargis and former athletic director Mike Holder for bringing me back to Oklahoma State in 2007," Dr. Iven said. "I'm especially thankful for all of our student-athletes and their families throughout the years who entrusted their care to me and our sports medicine staff. I will forever treasure those relationships. I'm also very appreciative of the support I've always received within our athletic department from our coaches and most importantly from our outstanding athletic training staff and the loyal medical consultant base we have assembled over the years – both in Stillwater and around the country.
"Lastly, I can never thank my family enough for allowing me to follow my passion while being such gracious supporters along the way."
At OSU, Dr. Iven had served as the NCAA Athletic Healthcare Administrator and Director of Sports Medicine since 2014. He has been an active member of the Big 12 Conference Head Team Physicians Medical Advisory Committee. Dr. Iven played a critical role in both the Big 12 and Oklahoma State's COVID response, coordinating OSU's COVID medical advisory team, whose plan was lauded by many as one of the most effective in the country. He was also a member of the Big 12 COVID medical advisory team and served on numerous other Big 12 committees.
His tenure in the Southeastern Conference as well as the Big 12 saw him work with 10 national championship teams across six different sports. He oversaw athletic medicine for 29 bowl teams, 13 Southeastern Conference championship teams, 28 Big 12 championship teams and more than 30 Olympians and over 500 All-Americans.
Dr. Iven has been recognized by Top Doctor Magazine with its family medicine award and sports medicine award. He was recently honored with a 25-year membership award by the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine and achieved Fellowship status within the American Academy of Family Physicians. He has been a member of the U.S. Olympic Sports Medicine Society and has served at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and at the Goodwill Games in New York City.
Dr. Iven and his wife, Angela, have two children: a daughter, Austyn and a son, Carson. Both are OSU graduates. Austyn works as a sports reporter in Dallas, and Carson works in the National Basketball Association as part of the Washington Wizards organization.
"I've been blessed to have worked in college athletics for 32 years," Dr. Iven said, "including 19 at my alma mater and the alma mater of my parents."
A graduate of Pond Creek High School, and a 1985 graduate of Oklahoma State, Dr. Iven attended medical school at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where he completed a family medicine residency and was later chosen as the program's first Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellow. He returned to Stillwater from the University of Tennessee after spending 13 years as the head team physician for the Volunteers, where he was part of the 1998 national championship football team. In 2025, he worked his 400th collegiate football game and retires as the second longest tenured head team physician in the Big 12 Conference.
"I am grateful to former president Burns Hargis and former athletic director Mike Holder for bringing me back to Oklahoma State in 2007," Dr. Iven said. "I'm especially thankful for all of our student-athletes and their families throughout the years who entrusted their care to me and our sports medicine staff. I will forever treasure those relationships. I'm also very appreciative of the support I've always received within our athletic department from our coaches and most importantly from our outstanding athletic training staff and the loyal medical consultant base we have assembled over the years – both in Stillwater and around the country.
"Lastly, I can never thank my family enough for allowing me to follow my passion while being such gracious supporters along the way."
At OSU, Dr. Iven had served as the NCAA Athletic Healthcare Administrator and Director of Sports Medicine since 2014. He has been an active member of the Big 12 Conference Head Team Physicians Medical Advisory Committee. Dr. Iven played a critical role in both the Big 12 and Oklahoma State's COVID response, coordinating OSU's COVID medical advisory team, whose plan was lauded by many as one of the most effective in the country. He was also a member of the Big 12 COVID medical advisory team and served on numerous other Big 12 committees.
His tenure in the Southeastern Conference as well as the Big 12 saw him work with 10 national championship teams across six different sports. He oversaw athletic medicine for 29 bowl teams, 13 Southeastern Conference championship teams, 28 Big 12 championship teams and more than 30 Olympians and over 500 All-Americans.
Dr. Iven has been recognized by Top Doctor Magazine with its family medicine award and sports medicine award. He was recently honored with a 25-year membership award by the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine and achieved Fellowship status within the American Academy of Family Physicians. He has been a member of the U.S. Olympic Sports Medicine Society and has served at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and at the Goodwill Games in New York City.
Dr. Iven and his wife, Angela, have two children: a daughter, Austyn and a son, Carson. Both are OSU graduates. Austyn works as a sports reporter in Dallas, and Carson works in the National Basketball Association as part of the Washington Wizards organization.
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