Duquesne Dukes
is the name of the athletic teams of Duquesne University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Duquesne has played men's basketball only in NCAA Division I and has played football as a club team from 1891-1894, 1896-1903, 1913-1914, and 1920-1928, in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) from 1929-1942 and 1947-1950, again as a club team from 1969-1978, in NCAA Division III from 1979-1992, and in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) from 1993-present.
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DUQUESNE DUKES TICKETS
| EVENT | DATE | AVAILABILITY |
|---|
| Richmond Spiders vs. Duquesne Dukes Tickets 2/5 | Feb 05, 2025
Wed, 7:00 PM |  | | Duquesne Dukes vs. Loyola Chicago Ramblers Tickets 2/8 | Feb 08, 2025
Sat, 6:00 PM | | | Duquesne Dukes Women's Basketball vs. Richmond Spiders Tickets 2/9 | Feb 09, 2025
Sun, 2:00 PM | | | Duquesne Dukes Women's Basketball vs. UMass Minutewomen Tickets 2/12 | Feb 12, 2025
Wed, 6:00 PM | | | Dayton Flyers vs. Duquesne Dukes Tickets 2/15 | Feb 15, 2025
Sat, 2:30 PM | |
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Mascot
The "Dukes" nickname dates back to 1911, when what is now Duquesne University changed its name to honor the
Marquis Du Quesne, the French governor of Canada, who first brought Catholic observances to the Pittsburgh area.
Since a Marquis and a Duke are not visually distinct (and the name "Duquesne" implies a "Duke"), the unofficial symbol of the school's athletic teams became a man dressed in a top hat, tails and a regal sash across his chest. "Dukes" being more readily recognized than "Marquis," the name Duke was popularly assigned to the symbol and stuck ever since the fall of 1911.
The Duquesne Department of Athletics unveiled its most notable "Duke" mascot prior to the January 18, 2003 game against the University of Richmond. The Duke is 7-feet tall with an oversized head and sports a dapper navy blue suit with red piping, a red shirt with a red bow tie, and red gloves, with a black top hat. The new Duke replaces "Duke the Bear" who was a fixture at DU athletic events since 1996.
At the December 13, 2008 game versus West Virginia, Duquesne introduced its new human-figure mascot to replace the 7 foot tall character mascot. "Dickie Duke" is the name of the mascot who traditionally sports his black jacket with coat-tails and overbearing top-hat.
Duquesne's school colors of scarlet and navy, the colors of the
Congregation of the Holy Ghost, have been in place since the school's inception.
[1]
University fight song
The Victory Song
(
Red and Blue
) was written in 1926. Words and music were composed by Father Thomas J. Quigley (class of 1927).
[2]
Basketball
For extended information about the men's basketball team, see Duquesne Dukes men's basketball
.
The Dukes men's basketball team has had great success over the years, playing twice in national championship games in the 1950s and winning the
National Invitation Tournament championship in 1955. (At the time, the NIT was the premier collegiate basketball tournament in the country.) The men's basketball Dukes annually play their cross-town rival, the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, in
Pittsburgh's much anticipated and highly attended City Game. The current head coach is
Ron Everhart, who has a two-year record of 27-32 (13-19 in the
Atlantic 10 Conference).
The Dukes women's basketball team also plays the University of Pittsburgh every year in the women's version of the City Game. The current head coach is
Women's Basketball Hall of Famer
Suzie McConnell-Serio, who has a two-year record of 35-27.
Football
The Dukes begin playing varsity football in 2008 in the
NCAA Division I
Northeast Conference. In recent years, Duquesne Football was a member of the
NCAA Division I
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, winning or sharing 11 conference titles, including nine in a row and 11 of the past 13.
Duquesne was the
ECAC Bowl champions and
NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major National Champions in 2003. (The team was the 1995
ECAC Bowl Champions as well.)
Major Bowl Games
The Dukes had some success before
NCAA college football's alignment into divisions. Duquesne won the 1934
Festival of Palms Bowl (now known as the "Orange Bowl") and 1937
Orange Bowl.
AP Poll Appearances
From 1933-42, Duquesne was among the elite college football teams in the United States, garnering the sixth-highest winning percentage (71-22-2, 0.762) in the nation behind Alabama, Tennessee, Duke, Fordham, and Notre Dame. In 1941, Duquesne finished the season undefeated and untied, earning a No. 8
Associated Press ranking while leading the nation in scoring defense, rushing defense, and total defense. (Duquesne also led all of NCAA Division I Football in scoring defense in 2002 and rushing defense, passing defense, and total defense in 2005.)
- October 19, 1936 #11
- November 16, 1936 #20
- November 23, 1936 #12
- November 30, 1936 #14 FINAL
- November 1, 1937 #16
- October 23, 1939 #11
- October 30, 1939 #13
- November 6, 1939 #12
- November 13, 1939 #10
- November 20, 1939 #20
- November 27, 1939 #6
- December 4, 1939 #10
- December 11, 1939 #10 FINAL
- October 27, 1941 #16
- November 3, 1941 #12
- November 10, 1941 #10
- November 17, 1941 #6
- November 24, 1941 #5
- December 1, 1941 #8 FINAL
- October 12, 1942 #13
Innovations
Duquesne is noted for establishing numerous firsts in collegiate football. Former head coach
Elmer Layden is credited with devising the system of hand signals that officials use today. The signal system was put to use for the first time on November 11, 1928, when Duquesne hosted Thiel College at
Pitt Stadium.
Layden was also the first coach to use two sets of uniform jerseys for home and away contests. In 1929, graduate student manager
John Holohan conceived the idea of Pittsburgh's first night game at
Forbes Field. On the evening of November 1 that year, the Dukes made history by defeating Geneva College, 27-7, in front of more than 27,000 spectators.
At the club level, Duquesne won the 1973
National Club Football Association National Championship and was runner-up in 1977.
The Dukes football team also boasts the greatest all-time intraconference winning streak in
NCAA Division I FCS history with 39 straight wins in the
MAAC. The 39-game streak also ties for the second-longest intraconference winning streak in
NCAA Division I Football history, five games shy of the all-time record.
Although Duquesne will offer football scholarships as it moves to the
Northeast Conference as an associate member in 2008, the Dukes will still be in consideration for the
NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major National Championship as awarded by the
Sports Network, at least until further notice.
The
National Football League's Pittsburgh franchise has drafted more players out of Duquesne University than any other institution.
Yearly football results
(yellow = .500 record; soft orange = above .500 record; green = undefeated)
| Year
| Wins
| Losses
| Ties
| Coach
|
|
|
|
| Total
| 363
| 268
| 19
|
|
|
|
| 2008
| 3
| 7
| 0
| Jerry Schmitt
|
|
|
| 2007
| 6
| 4
| 0
| Jerry Schmitt
| #8 NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major (Sports Network)
| Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Champions
|
| 2006
| 7
| 3
| 0
| Jerry Schmitt
| #6 NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major (Sports Network)
| MAAC Champions
|
| 2005
| 7
| 3
| 0
| Jerry Schmitt
| #3 NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major (Sports Network)
| MAAC Champions
|
| 2004
| 7
| 3
| 0
| Greg Gattuso
| #5 NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major (Sports Network)
| MAAC Champions
|
| 2003
| 8
| 3
| 0
| Greg Gattuso
| #1 NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major (Sports Network)
| MAAC Champions
Eastern College Athletic Conference Bowl Champions
| NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major National Champions
|
| 2002
| 11
| 1
| 0
| Greg Gattuso
| #2 NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major (Sports Network)
| MAAC Champions
|
| 2001
| 8
| 3
| 0
| Greg Gattuso
| #4 NCAA Division I FCS Mid-Major (Sports Network)
| MAAC Champions
|
| 2000
| 10
| 1
| 0
| Greg Gattuso
|
| MAAC Champions
|
| 1999
| 8
| 3
| 0
| Greg Gattuso
|
| MAAC Champions
|
| 1998
| 8
| 3
| 0
| Greg Gattuso
|
|
|
| 1997
| 7
| 3
| 0
| Greg Gattuso
|
|
|
| 1996
| 10
| 1
| 0
| Greg Gattuso
|
| MAAC Champions
|
| 1995
| 10
| 1
| 0
| Greg Gattuso
|
| MAAC Champions
ECAC Bowl Champions
|
| 1994
| 6
| 4
| 0
| Greg Gattuso
|
|
|
| 1993
| 4
| 6
| 0
| Greg Gattuso
|
|
|
| 1992
| 5
| 4
| 0
| Dan McCann
|
|
|
| 1991
| 0
| 9
| 0
| Dan McCann
|
|
|
| 1990
| 1
| 8
| 1
| Dan McCann
|
|
|
| 1989
| 6
| 4
| 0
| Dan McCann
|
|
|
| 1988
| 2
| 7
| 0
| Dan McCann
|
|
|
| 1987
| 2
| 7
| 0
| Terry Russell
|
|
|
| 1986
| 5
| 3
| 1
| Terry Russell
|
|
|
| 1985
| 3
| 6
| 0
| Terry Russell
|
|
|
| 1984
| 3
| 5
| 1
| Terry Russell
|
|
|
| 1983
| 5
| 4
| 1
| Dan McCann
|
|
|
| 1982
| 6
| 3
| 0
| Dan McCann
|
|
|
| 1981
| 4
| 5
| 0
| Dan McCann
|
|
|
| 1980
| 4
| 5
| 0
| Dan McCann
|
|
|
| 1979
| 5
| 4
| 0
| Dan McCann
|
|
|
| 1978
| 5
| 3
| 0
| Dan McCann
| #7 club football (National Club Football Association)
|
|
| 1977
| 7
| 2
| 0
| Dan McCann
| #2 club football (NCFA)
|
|
| 1976
| 6
| 2
| 0
| Dan McCann
| #4 club football (NCFA)
|
|
| 1975
| 5
| 4
| 0
| Dan McCann
|
|
|
| 1974
| 5
| 2
| 0
| Dan McCann
| #6 club football (NCFA)
|
|
| 1973
| 10
| 0
| 0
| Dan McCann
| #1 club football (NCFA)
|
| NCFA National Champions
|
| 1972
| 7
| 1
| 0
| Dan McCann
| #3 club football (NCFA)
|
|
| 1971
| 4
| 4
| 0
| Dan McCann
|
|
|
| 1970
| 4
| 3
| 1
| Dan McCann
| #15 club football (NCFA)
|
|
| 1969
| 2
| 4
| 0
| Joe Nicoletti
|
|
|
| 1950
| 2
| 6
| 1
| Phil Ahwesh / Doc Skender
|
|
|
| 1949
| 3
| 6
| 0
| Phil Ahwesh
|
|
|
| 1948
| 2
| 7
| 0
| Kass Kovalcheck
|
|
|
| 1947
| 2
| 8
| 0
| Kass Kovalcheck
|
|
|
| 1942
| 6
| 3
| 0
| Aldo Donelli
|
|
|
| 1941
| 8
| 0
| 0
| Aldo Donelli
| #8 NCAA Division I FBS (Associated Press)
|
|
| 1940
| 7
| 1
| 0
| Aldo Donelli
|
|
|
| 1939
| 8
| 0
| 1
| Aldo Donelli
| #10 NCAA Division I FBS (AP)
|
|
| 1938
| 4
| 6
| 0
| Clipper Smith
|
|
|
| 1937
| 6
| 4
| 0
| Clipper Smith
|
|
|
| 1936
| 8
| 2
| 0
| Clipper Smith
| #14 NCAA Division I FBS (AP)
| Orange Bowl Champions
|
| 1935
| 6
| 3
| 0
| Christy Flanagan
|
|
|
| 1934
| 8
| 2
| 0
| Joe Bach
|
|
|
| 1933
| 10
| 1
| 0
| Elmer Layden
|
| Festival of Palms Bowl Champions
|
| 1932
| 7
| 2
| 1
| Elmer Layden
|
|
|
| 1931
| 3
| 5
| 3
| Elmer Layden
|
|
|
| 1930
| 7
| 3
| 0
| Elmer Layden
|
|
|
| 1929
| 9
| 0
| 1
| Elmer Layden
|
|
|
| 1928
| 8
| 1
| 0
| Elmer Layden
|
|
|
| 1927
| 4
| 4
| 1
| Elmer Layden
|
|
|
| 1926
| 2
| 5
| 1
| Frank McDermott
|
|
|
| 1925
| 0
| 7
| 0
| Frank McDermott
|
|
|
| 1924
| 2
| 4
| 2
| Mike Shortley
|
|
|
| 1923
| 4
| 4
| 0
| Hal Ballin
|
|
|
| 1922
| 0
| 8
| 0
| Hal Ballin
|
|
|
| 1921
| 0
| 4
| 1
| E.A. Jake Stahl
|
|
|
| 1920
| 3
| 3
| 1
| E.A. Jake Stahl
|
|
|
| 1914
| 1
| 5
| 0
| Dr. Budd
|
|
|
| 1913
| 3
| 5
| 1
| Dr. Budd
|
|
|
| 1903
| 3
| 5
| 0
| T.A. Giblin
|
|
|
| 1902
| 1
| 6
| 0
| T.A. Giblin
|
|
|
| 1901
| 1
| 1
| 0
| Coach Unknown
|
| Record Incomplete
|
| 1900
| 2
| 3
| 1
| Coach Unknown
|
| Record Incomplete
|
| 1899
| 2
| 0
| 2
| Walker
|
| Record Incomplete
|
| 1898
| 5
| 4
| 1
| J. Van Cleve
|
| Record Incomplete
|
| 1897
| 2
| 4
| 1
| J.P. Wolfe
|
| Record Incomplete
|
| 1896
| 12
| 1
| 0
| Mr. Brown
|
|
|
| 1894
| 9
| 3
| 0
| Coach Unknown
|
|
|
1891-1893: Results Unavailable
Other varsity sports
The Dukes wrestling squad has also been immensely successful, although it competes as an Independent in
NCAA Division I. The Dukes wrestlers have won two
NCAA Division I East Regional Championships (2000 and 2005) and have sent at least one wrestler to the NCAA Championships every year during
John Hartupee's 11 seasons as head coach, the position he currently holds.
Duquesne fielded an
NCAA varsity rifle team for many years (a coed sport). This team competed in the
Middle Atlantic Rifle Conference, claiming a share of the conference title in the 2001-02 season. The team officially disbanded after the 2003-04 season.
Recently, Duquesne's Olympic/"non-revenue" sports were led by distance runner
Tom Slosky, a member of the university's cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field teams.
Slosky is a five-time
Atlantic 10 champion--winning a team and individual cross country title in 2005 and 2007, respectively, and the conference's 3,000-meter steeplechase as a member of Duquesne's outdoor track & field program in 2005, 2006 and 2008--as well as a three-time
IC4A champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (2006, 2007 and 2008). Slosky also was a 3,000-meter steeplechase competitor in the
NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 2006, 2007 and 2008--advancing to the final heat in 2007--and a competitor in the 2007 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.
Club sports
Duquesne fields many club, or non-varsity, teams that compete regularly against other schools. Club sports offered at Duquesne are
tennis, men's indoor track & field, men's rowing, men's
ice hockey, and men's
roller hockey.
The Duquesne Club Tennis team started in the Fall of 2008. They are a part of the
USTA's Tennis on Campus program.
The men's indoor track & field program practices and competes alongside Duquesne's varsity women's indoor track & field program during the winter months and is affiliated with the
Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America. The men's team is recognized as varsity during the spring months when it becomes an outdoor track & field program and competes in the
Atlantic 10, although it maintains its affiliation with the
IC4A.
The men's rowing program generally practices and competes alongside Duquesne's varsity women's rowing team.
The men's ice hockey team is affiliated with the Division I level of the
American Collegiate Hockey Association, competing in the
College Hockey Mid-America conference. The team was
CHMA champions during the 2006–07 season.
The men's roller hockey team competed as a Division II team in the
National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association (NCRHA)'s
Eastern Collegiate Roller Hockey Association (ECRHA), specifically in the Central Conference. The team is currently inactive.
Atlantic 10 Championships
Duquesne's first full/"postseason"
Atlantic 10 team championship came in 1977 with a men's championship in the
Eastern Collegiate Basketball League (the forerunner to the
Eastern Athletic Association—now known as the
Atlantic 10 Conference. The Dukes' only other full/"postseason"
Atlantic 10 team championship came in 2005 by way of men's cross country, but the Dukes have also won numerous regular season
Atlantic 10 team championships. Men's basketball was co-champion of the league's regular seasons in both 1980 and 1981 when it was known as the
Eastern Athletic Association. Men's soccer was co-champion of the league's regular season in 2003, sole champion in 2004, and again co-champion in 2005. Women's lacrosse was co-champion of the league's regular seasons in both 2004 and 2005.
The Dukes have crowned numerous full
Atlantic 10 individual champions in men's cross country (1), women's rowing (5), men's and women's swimming [17 (men), 10 (women)], women's indoor track and field (8), and men's and women's outdoor track & field [11 (men), 8 (women)].
Postseason/"Full" (62)
Team (2)
Men's Basketball (1)
- 1977 – Eastern Collegiate Basketball League (the forerunner to the Eastern Athletic Association--now known as the Atlantic 10 Conference)
Men's Cross Country (1)
Individual (60)
Men's Cross Country (1)
Women's Rowing (5)
- Novice 4 – 1999
- Novice 4 – 2007
- Lightweight 4 – 2007
- Lightweight 8 - 2008
- Lightweight 8 - 2009
Men's Swimming & Diving (17)
- 100-yard Freestyle – Edwin Wicker – 2003
- 100-yard Backstroke – Scott Darwin – 2005
- 200-yard Backstroke – Scott Darwin – 2005
- 50-yard Freestyle – Scott Darwin – 2006
- 100-yard Freestyle – Edwin Wicker – 2006
- 200-yard Freestyle Relay – Edwin Wicker, Ian Walsh, Mike Ley and Scott Darwin – 2006
- 50-yard Freestyle – Edwin Wicker – 2007
- 200-yard Freestyle Relay – Eric Bugby, Scott Darwin, Mike Ley and Edwin Wicker – 2007
- 100-yard Butterfly – Eric Bugby – 2007
- 400-yard Freestyle Relay – Eric Bugby, Scott Darwin, Ian Walsh and Edwin Wicker – 2007
- 800-yard Freestyle Relay – Jim O'Hara, Brendan Schilling, Ian Walsh and Edward LeBlanc – 2008
- 500-yard Freestyle – Edward LeBlanc – 2008
- 200-yard Freestyle Relay – Brendan Schilling, Jim O'Hara, Rich Ryan and Edward LeBlanc – 2008
- 200-yard Freestyle – Edward LeBlanc – 2008
- 400-yard Freestyle Relay – Jim O'Hara, Brendan Schilling, Ian Walsh and Edward LeBlanc – 2008
- 200-yard Freestyle - Edward LeBlanc - 2009
- 100-yard Breaststroke - Ian Walsh - 2009
Women's Swimming & Diving (10)
- 50-yard Freestyle – Katrina Streiner – 2006
- 200-yard Backstroke – Kyla Favret – 2006
- 100-yard Freestyle – Melissa Johnson – 2007
- 1,650-yard Freestyle – Liz Yager – 2007
- 200-yard Freestyle Relay – Melissa Johnson, Lauren Stephens, Christina Sherrard and Katrina Streiner – 2008
- 200-yard Freestyle – Melissa Johnson – 2008
- 200-yard Backstroke – Kyla Favret – 2008
- 100-yard Freestyle – Melissa Johnson – 2008
- 50-yard Freestyle - Christina Sherrard - 2009
- 100-yard Freestyle - Christina Sherrard - 2009
Women's Indoor Track & Field (8)
- Triple Jump – Shea McMillan – 2002
- 4,000-meter Distance Medley Relay – Michelle Flynn, Julie Tyo, Alison Buchanan and Carrie Hucko – 2003
- 1,000-meter Run – Tara Gerlach – 2004
- 3,200-meter Relay – Tara Gerlach, Elizabeth Graham, Alison Buchanan and Michelle Flynn – 2004
- 4,000-meter Distance Medley Relay – Tara Gerlach, Emily Beahan, Ashley Earnest and Amy Ruffolo – 2006
- 1,000-meter Run – Emily Beahan – 2007
- 4,000-meter Distance Medley Relay – Amy Ruffolo, Ashley Earnest, Emily Beahan and Samantha Howard – 2007
- Pole Vault – Daniela Siciliano – 2007
Men's Outdoor Track & Field (11)
- Long Jump – Leigh Bodden – 2002
- 10,000-meter Run – Ryan Bender – 2004
- High Jump – Mike Murawski – 2005
- Hammer Throw – Chuck Mohan – 2005
- Discus Throw – Chuck Mohan – 2005
- 3,000-meter Steeplechase – Tom Slosky – 2005
- 3,000-meter Steeplechase – Tom Slosky – 2006
- Discus Throw – Robert Healy, III – 2006
- 3,000-meter Steeplechase – Derek Dutille – 2007
- 10,000-meter Run – Josh Eddy – 2007
- 3,000-meter Steeplechase – Tom Slosky – 2008
Women's Outdoor Track & Field (8)
- 100-meter Hurdles – Nicole Wiley – 2001
- 400-meter Hurdles – Kathleen McCabe – 2002
- Triple Jump – Shea McMillan – 2002
- Discus Throw – Melissa Stewart – 2003
- Pole Vault – Sarah Fetterman – 2004
- Pole Vault – Sarah Fetterman – 2005
- 400-meter Hurdles – Kristen Micsky – 2005
- 3,000-meter Steeplechase – Amy Ruffolo – 2005
Regular Season (7)
Team (7)
Men's Basketball (2)
- 1980 – Co-Champions – Eastern Athletic Association
- 1981 – Co-Champions – Eastern Athletic Association
Men's Soccer (3)
- 2003 – Co-Champions
- 2004
- 2005 – Co-Champions
Women's Lacrosse (2)
- 2004 – Co-Champions
- 2005 – Co-Champions
References
- Why Dukes?
- The Duquesne University Fight Song