The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
is the name given to Louisiana Tech University men's athletic teams, and the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters
is the name given to the women's athletic teams. The university is a member of the Western Athletic Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.
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LOUISIANA TECH BULLDOGS TICKETS
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National Championships
| Sport
| Championships
| Organization (Seasons)
|
| Football
| 3
| National Football Foundation (1972), NCAA Division II (1973), United Press International College Division (1974)
|
| Women's Basketball
| 3
| AIAW (1981), NCAA Division I (1982, 1988)
|
| Men's Powerlifting
| 17
| USAPL (1978, 1985, 1986, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008)
|
| Women's Powerlifting
| 14
| USAPL (1984, 1985, 1986, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006)
|
| Total
| 37
|
|
Sports
Football
Tech's football team is currently coached by
Derek Dooley, and plays their home games at
Joe Aillet Stadium with a capacity of 30,600. With a program dating to 1901, Tech would notch its first victory after a 6-0 win against
LSU in 1904.
[1] Following the 2008 season, the Bulldogs have complied an all-time record of 531 wins, 382 losses, and 37 ties; won the 2001 WAC championship and a pair of Division II National Championships in both 1973 and 1974.
won the 1998
Fred Biletnikoff Award as the best wide receiver in college football. With the bulldogs' victory over Alabama in 1999, Tech is currently the only non-BCS school to beat an SEC champion in the BCS era. The bulldogs beat NIU to win the 2008 Independence Bowl. Notable football alumni include
Terry Bradshaw,
Willie Roaf,
Fred Dean,
Matt Stover,
Josh Scobee,
Tim Rattay,
Luke McCown,
Ryan Moats and
Doug Evans.
Men's Basketball
Louisiana Tech appeared in the
NAIA Men's Basketball
National Tournament four times. (
1942,
1946,
1953, and
1955). The Bulldogs lost in the first round every year until 1955, in which they advanced to the second round, only to loss to
Franciscan University of Steubenville 90 to 65
[2]. Currently led by head coach
Kerry Rupp, the Tech men's
basketball team has enjoyed off-and-on success over the years. With a history stretching back to 1925, the Bulldogs have had 18 20-win seasons, won 19 conference championships, made six NCAA appearances and six NIT appearances.
[3] Tech's notable men's basketball alumni include
Leon Barmore, who went on to a Hall of Fame career as coach of
Tech's women's team;
Karl Malone, an almost certain Hall of Famer for his NBA career;
P.J. Brown; and
Paul Millsap.
Women's Basketball
Currently led by head coach
Teresa Weatherspoon, the Lady Techsters women's
basketball team has been the most successful athletics team fielded by Louisiana Tech. The Lady Techsters have won the 1981,
1982 and
1988 national championships, made twenty-six appearances in the NCAA women's basketball tournament and only once have the Lady Techsters missed the tournament altogether (following the 2007-08 season). When Coach
Leon Barmore announced his retirement after twenty years at the end of the 2001–2002 season,
Kurt Budke was hired as head coach only to leave after a single season a be replaced with head coach Chris Long.
[4] Standout former Tech players include:
Teresa Weatherspoon,
Venus Lacy, and Karl Malone's daughter
Cheryl Ford, among others. Another notable former Tech player is
Women's Basketball Hall of Famer and current
Baylor coach
Kim Mulkey, the only woman to date to have won NCAA Division I titles as a player and a head coach.
Baseball
Currently led by head coach
Wade Simoneaux, the home field for Tech baseball is
J.C. Love Field at
Pat Patterson Park. With an all-time record of 1477-1180 entering the 2008 season, the most notable Tech alumnus is former
Major League Baseball player
David Segui.
[5]
Softball
The Lady Techsters won the 2008 WAC Softball Tournament to advance to the NCAA tournament.
Men's and Women's Track & Field (Indoor and Outdoor) & Cross Country
The Lady Techster Indoor Track and Field team won WAC Championships in 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2009. The Lady Techster Outdoor Track and Field team won WAC Championships in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008.
Men's Golf
The Louisiana Tech men's golf team is led by Head Coach Jean Hall, and Squire Creek is used as the Bulldogs' home course.
Women's Bowling
Louisiana Tech is one of four Division I FBS schools to sponsor women's bowling as a varsity sport (the others are Arkansas State, Nebraska and Vanderbilt). Tech finished the 2008-09 season with a 29-41 record. Prior to this past season, there was no bowling alley in Ruston on which the Techsters could practice and/or play, yet Tech was still able to stay competitive and even make appearances in the nation's Top 20.
Women's Volleyball
The Lady Techsters are led by Head Coach Matt Sonnichsen.
Women's Soccer
Led by head coach Kevin Sherry, Louisiana Tech women's soccer finished the 2008 season with a 10-5-5 record, the best in the five-year history of the program. On March 12, 2009, the Lady Techsters were recognized by the NCAA as being the most improved program in the nation; Tech went 2-14-1 in 2007 and improved their 2008 mark by 8.5 games.
Women's Tennis
The Lady Techsters are led by Head Coach Quintin Yray.
Club Sports
Louisiana Tech competes in 15 club sports including men's and women's powerlifting, men's soccer, softball, men's and women's rugby, women's lacrosse, equestrian, karate, water skiing, cycling, bass fishing, ultimate frisbee, inline skating, and paintball. The men's and women's powerlifting team have won 17 and 14 National Championships, respectively.
Louisiana Tech Olympians
| Last
| First
| Year
| Sport
| Event
| Medal
| Country
|
| Lawrence-Braxton
| Janice
| 1984
| women's basketball
|
| gold
| USA
|
| Malone
| Karl
| 1992
| men's basketball
|
| gold
| USA
|
| Malone
| Karl
| 1996
| men's basketball
|
| gold
| USA
|
| Mulkey
| Kim
| 1984
| women's basketball
|
| gold
| USA
|
| Weatherspoon
| Teresa
| 1988
| women's basketball
|
| gold
| USA
|
| Weatherspoon
| Teresa
| 1992
| women's basketball
|
| bronze
| USA
|
References
- LA Tech - Welcome to the Family
- NAIA Championship History
- 2007-08 Louisiana Tech Men's Basketball Media Guide - History
- 2007-08 Louisiana Tech Women's Basketball Media Guide - History
- 2008 Louisiana Tech Baseball Media Guide - History