Houston Cougars
is the name given to the sports teams of the University of Houston. Informally, the Houston Cougars have also been referred to as the Coogs
, UH
, or simply Houston
. After the dissolution of the Southwest Conference in 1996, in which these teams were a member, the Cougars joined Conference USA as a part of the West Division. Also in the West Division of Conference USA is Houston's major sports rival, the cross-town Rice University. University of Houston's colors are Scarlet red and Albino white and the mascot is a cougar named Shasta. The current athletic director for the Cougars is Mack Rhoades, who was hired to the position after the recent retirement of Dave Maggard. Houston has had notable sports teams in its history including Phi Slama Jama.
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Athletics
The University of Houston competes with teams in the following sports:
Football
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UH fielded its first varsity intercollegiate football team in 1946. The Houston Cougars football team currently competes in the
NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of
Conference USA. The team plays its games in
Robertson Stadium and began the 2008 season with a new head coach,
Kevin Sumlin.
Men's Basketball
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The Houston Cougars men's basketball team represents the University of Houston in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Cougars Men's basketball team plays in
Conference USA. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 1992. The Cougars are currently coached by
Tom Penders and play in
Hofheinz Pavilion.
Notable players for the UH Men's basketball team include
Hakeem Olajuwon and
Clyde Drexler, who were part of the legendary
Phi Slama Jama, as well as
Otis Birdsong and
Elvin Hayes. Each of these players has had their number retired. Notable coaches for the Cougars are
Guy Lewis and
Clyde Drexler. Notable games for the Cougars include the first nationally syndicated NCAA basketball game, the
Game of the Century.
Baseball
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Along with the university's other athletic teams, the baseball team is a member of the Conference USA as a Division I team. They play their home games at
Cougar Field and have been coached by
Rayner Noble since 1994. The Houston Cougars baseball program has appeared in numerous NCAA Regionals, Super Regionals, and
College World Series.
Rivalries
Houston's most meaningful current rivalry is with cross-town
Rice University, which is also a member of
Conference USA. The Cougars and
Rice Owls compete in football annually for trophy named the "
Bayou Bucket," referencing one of the city of
Houston's nicknames as the "Bayou City." The Cougars currently possess the trophy after defeating Rice 56-48 at
Robertson Stadium.
Historically, the
University of Texas at Austin was one of Houston's principal rivals, especially after Houston joined the now-defunct
Southwest Conference. This rivalry gave rise to the
Houston Cougar Paw tradition.
[1]
Facilities
Most of the university's major sports facilities are located along Cullen Boulevard, a the central traffic artery through the campus. At times in the past, some of the university's teams have played their home games at off-campus venues such as the
Astrodome and
Rice Stadium. The
men's golf program competes off campus because it does not have a dedicated golf course on campus. University of Houston's current sports facilities include the following
[2]:
- Robertson Stadium - Football
- Hofheinz Pavilion - Basketball
- Cougar Field - Baseball
- Cougar Softball Stadium - Softball
- Tom Tellez Track at Carl Lewis International Complex - Outdoor Track & Field
- John E. Hoff Courts - Tennis
- CRWC Natatorium - Swimming
- Athletics/Alumni Center - All Sports
- *Yeoman Field House - Indoor Track & Field
See also
- Houston Cougars men's golf
- Houston Cougars softball
- Houston Cougars women's basketball
- List of notable Houston Cougars
References
- Houston Cougars Traditions. UH Athletics. Retrieved 13 October 2007.
- Facilities, UH Athletics, Retrieved 19 August 2007.