Houston Cougars

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Houston Cougars
Houston Cougars primary logo.svg
University University of Houston
Conference Big 12
NCAA Division I (FBS)
Athletic directorChris Pezman
Location Houston, Texas
Varsity teams17
Football stadium TDECU Stadium
Basketball arena Fertitta Center
Baseball stadium Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park
Mascot Shasta
NicknameCougars
Fight song Cougar Fight Song
ColorsScarlet and white [1]
   
Website uhcougars.com
Houston Cougars wordmark.svg
Big 12 logo in Houston's colors Big 12 logo in Houston colors.svg
Big 12 logo in Houston's colors

The Houston Cougars are the athletic teams representing the University of Houston. Informally, the Houston Cougars have also been referred to as the Coogs, [2] UH, or simply Houston. Houston's nickname was suggested by early physical education instructor of the university and former head football coach, John R. Bender after one of his former teams, Washington State later adopted the mascot and nickname. [3] The teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and the Football Bowl Subdivision as members of the Big 12 Conference.

Contents

The official school colors of the University of Houston are scarlet red and albino white, and the mascot is a cougar named Shasta. Houston's traditional rival has been Rice with whom the Cougars shared a conference for thirty-three non-consecutive years (see also Houston–Rice rivalry).

Houston has had notable sports teams in its history, including Phi Slama Jama and the sixteen-time national champion men's golf team. The university's campus is home to many on-campus athletic facilities including TDECU Stadium (on the site of the former Robertson Stadium), Fertitta Center, and Schroeder Park.

Prior to 1960, Houston was a member of several athletic conferences including the Lone Star Conference, Gulf Coast Conference, and Missouri Valley Conference. From 1960 until 1971, Houston competed as an independent. From 1971 until 1996, Houston's sports teams were a part of the Southwest Conference. After the dissolution of that conference in 1996, the Cougars became charter members of Conference USA. Houston remained a member of Conference USA until 2013 when they joined the American Athletic Conference. In September 2021, Houston received and accepted a membership offer to the Big 12 Conference. They became members of the Big 12 on July 1, 2023.

Sports sponsored

Men's sportsWomen's sports
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Cross country
Cross country Golf
Football Soccer
Golf Softball
Track and fieldSwimming and diving
Tennis
Track and field
Volleyball
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor

The most recently added sport was women's golf. Two players represented UH as individuals in the 2014 season (played during the 2013–14 school year), and a complete team was formed starting in the 2014–15 season. [4]

Football

Houston Cougars football versus Air Force 2008 UH Cougars vs Air Force Falcons.jpg
Houston Cougars football versus Air Force

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. After completing 18 seasons in C-USA in 2012, the Cougars joined the American Athletic Conference in 2013. The team played its home games at Robertson Stadium before it was closed and demolished after the 2012 season. The Cougars divided their home schedule in their first AAC season between Reliant Stadium and BBVA Compass Stadium; the new TDECU Stadium opened on the Robertson Stadium site in 2014.

The Cougars are coached by Dana Holgorsen, who was named head coach in January 2019 [5] following the firing on December 30, 2018, of Major Applewhite, under whom the team had gone 0–3 in bowl games, including a 70–14 loss to Army. [6]

The Cougars joined the Big 12 Conference on July 1, 2023.

Basketball

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 the Big 12 Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in 2023. The Cougars are currently coached by Kelvin Sampson. The Cougars play their home games in the Fertitta Center, which opened during the 2018–19 season after renovation of the former Hofheinz Pavilion. During the renovation, home games were played at H&PE Arena at Texas Southern University.

Notable players for the UH men's basketball team include Basketball Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler (who would win two and one NBA Championships respectively, both for the hometown Houston Rockets in 1994–95, with Olajuwon being the Finals MVP for both titles) and also were part of the legendary Cougars fraternity Phi Slama Jama, as well as Otis Birdsong and Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes (who would win one NBA Championship with the Washington Bullets in 1978). Each of these players has had his 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, known as the "Game of the Century," and the NCAA National Championship Games in 1983 and 1984.

The women's team has made the NCAA Tournament in 1988, 1992, 2004, 2005, and 2011. The women played their entire 2017–18 home schedule at H&PE Arena.

Baseball

Along with the university's other athletic teams, the baseball team is a member of the Big 12 Conference as a Division I team. They play their home games at Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park and are currently coached by Todd Whitting. The Houston Cougars baseball program has appeared in numerous NCAA Regionals, Super Regionals, and College World Series.

Softball

Cougars softball players celebrate a home run during the 2011 NCAA Division I softball tournament Houston celebrates a Home Run (cropped).jpg
Cougars softball players celebrate a home run during the 2011 NCAA Division I softball tournament

The Houston Cougars softball team is the college softball team of the University of Houston. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference as a Division I team. Their home games are played at Cougar Softball Stadium on-campus. The team was established in 2001, and was the regular season champion of Conference USA three times. The Cougars are coached by Kristin Vesely.

Championships

NCAA team championships

Houston has won 17 NCAA team national championships. [7]

Notable non varsity sports

Rugby

The University of Houston Rugby Club plays college rugby in the Red River Conference of Division 1-A Rugby against traditional rivals such as Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and TCU. The UH Rugby Club previously played Division III college rugby. [8] The UH Rugby Club is a registered organization sponsored by the UH campus recreation department. [9]

Cricket

The University of Houston Cricket Club won the 2019 National College Cricket Association championship. [10]

Rivalries

Houston's most meaningful current rivalry is with cross-town Rice University, which is a member of the American Athletic Conference. The Cougars and Rice Owls have competed in football, annually with a few exceptions, for a trophy known as the "Bayou Bucket", referencing one of the city of Houston's nicknames as the "Bayou City."

Historically, the University of Texas was one of Houston's principal rivals, when Houston was part of the now-defunct Southwest Conference. This rivalry gave rise to the Houston Cougar Paw tradition. [11]

Athletic facilities

Most of the university's major sports facilities are located along Cullen Boulevard, 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 golf programs compete off campus because they do not have a dedicated golf course on campus. University of Houston's current sports facilities include the following: [12]

The Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer was a tenant at Robertson Stadium until 2011. The stadium hosted the MLS Western Conference Final in 2006 and 2007.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Houston</span> State university in Houston, Texas, US

The University of Houston is a public research university in Houston, Texas. It was established in 1927 as Houston Junior College, one of multiple junior college institutions formed in the first decades of the 20th century. In 1934, HJC was restructured as a four-year degree-granting institution and renamed as the University of Houston. Today, Houston is the fourth-largest university in Texas, awarding nearly 11,000 degrees annually adding to its worldwide alumni base of approximately 310,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robertson Stadium</span> Former American football stadium in Houston

John O'Quinn Field at Corbin J. Robertson Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Houston, located on the campus of the University of Houston. It was the home of the Houston Cougars football and women's soccer teams. The stadium was the first home for the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer from 2006 to 2011, as well as the first home of the American Football League's Houston Oilers from 1960 to 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fertitta Center</span> Multi-purpose arena in Houston, Texas

The Fertitta Center, formerly known as Hofheinz Pavilion, is a 7,100-seat multi-purpose arena on the University of Houston campus in Houston. Located at 3875 Holman Street, it is home to the Houston Cougars men's and women's basketball teams and the women's volleyball team. The arena opened in 1967 as Hofheinz Pavilion, named after Roy Hofheinz and his late wife, Irene Cafcalas "Dene" Hofheinz, after they donated $1.5 million to help fund construction. Roy Hofheinz, known as Judge Hofheinz, was a UH alumnus and a Houston politician, businessman, and philanthropist. The arena is now named after restaurant magnate, Houston Rockets owner and UH alum Tilman Fertitta, who donated $20 million toward the complete renovation of the arena in 2016. The court is named for Hall of Fame and former Cougars coach Guy V. Lewis. The arena also contains an alcove dedicated to Basketball Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes, a Cougar player in the 1960s and NBA star in the 1970s. Like many arenas of its kind, the seating bowl of Fertitta Center is dug into the ground so that one enters the building at the top of the bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Health and Physical Education Arena</span> Multi-purpose arena in Houston, Texas

Health and Physical Education Arena is an 8,100-seat multi-purpose arena in Houston, Texas on the campus of Texas Southern University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iowa State Cyclones</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of Iowa State University

The Iowa State Cyclones are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Iowa State University, located in Ames. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BYU Cougars</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of Brigham Young University

The BYU Cougars are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Brigham Young University (BYU), located in Provo, Utah. BYU fields 21 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) varsity athletic teams. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference for all sports except men's volleyball which is a member of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. They were a member of the West Coast Conference from 2011 to 2022. From 1999 to 2011 they were a member of the Mountain West Conference and before the formation of the MW, the Cougars competed in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the Mountain States Conference, and the Western Athletic Conference. BYU officially joined the Big 12 Conference on July 1, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houston Cougars men's basketball</span> American basketball team

The Houston Cougars men's basketball team represents the University of Houston in Houston, Texas, in the NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. They compete as members of the Big 12 Conference. The program has made six appearances in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four, which is tied for 10th most all-time, along with the most for any team who has not won a national championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houston Cougars football</span> Football team of the University of Houston

The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH". The UH football program is a member of the Big 12 Conference. Since the 2014 season, the Cougars have played their home games on campus at TDECU Stadium, which was built on the site formerly occupied by Robertson Stadium, where they played home games from 1941 to 1950 and from 1997 to 2012. Over the history of the program, the Cougars have won eleven conference championships and have had several players elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, including a Heisman Trophy winner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DePaul Blue Demons</span> Athletic teams that represent DePaul University

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schroeder Park</span> Baseball park at the University of Houston in Texas, US

Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park is a baseball park in Houston, Texas. It is the home field of the Houston Cougars baseball team. Several iterations of the ballpark have existed. The current stadium holds 5,000 people, and opened for baseball in 1995. With a 1,500 square foot Daktronics video board, Schroeder Park features the second-largest scoreboard in college baseball. Since its opening, Schroeder Park has hosted several notable college baseball events. In February 2016, the University of Houston announced that, as a response to a large donation to the baseball program, Cougar Field would be renamed Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UCF Knights</span> Athletic program of the University of Central Florida

The UCF Knights are the athletic teams that represent the University of Central Florida in unincorporated Orange County, Florida near Orlando. The Knights participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I as a member of the Big 12 Conference. Since men's soccer is not sponsored by the Big 12, they play in the Sun Belt Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UNLV Rebels</span> American athletic program of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas

The UNLV Rebels are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The Rebels compete in the NCAA Division I as a member of the Mountain West Conference. The school's colors are scarlet and gray.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houston Cougars women's basketball</span>

The Houston Cougars women's basketball team represents the University of Houston in NCAA Division I women's basketball. Coached by Ronald Hughey, the team plays their home games at Fertitta Center on-campus at the University of Houston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UC Davis Aggies</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of University of Califlornia, Davis

The UC Davis Aggies are the athletic teams that represent the University of California, Davis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicholls Colonels</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of Nicholls State University

The Nicholls Colonels are the 15 teams representing Nicholls State University, a university in Louisiana, in intercollegiate athletics. The Colonels compete in the NCAA Division I and the Colonels football team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Colonels sports teams are members of the Southland Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TDECU Stadium</span> Football stadium at the University of Houston

John O'Quinn Field at TDECU Stadium is an American football stadium on the campus of the University of Houston. The stadium serves as the home of the Houston Cougars football team, which represents the University of Houston in collegiate football and previously the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Houston Cougars football team</span> American college football season

The 2012 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the 67th year of season play for Houston. The season marked the last for the Cougars as a member of Conference USA as they moved to the American Athletic Conference in 2013. In addition, it was the final season for the team to host its home games at Robertson Stadium as the university announced plans to begin construction on TDECU Stadium in December 2012—following the conclusion of the season. The 2012 season was the first full season under head coach Tony Levine as he took over for Kevin Sumlin after his departure following the 2011 Conference USA Football Championship Game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Houston Cougars football team</span> American college football season

The 2013 Houston Cougars football team represented the University of Houston in the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the 68th year of season play for Houston. The season marked the first for the Cougars as a member of the American Athletic Conference. Due to construction of the new TDECU Stadium during the 2013 season, the team played its home games at other locations in Houston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine</span> Athletic teams of University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa

The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wāhine are the athletic teams that represent the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UH), in Honolulu, Hawaii. The UH athletics program is a member of the Big West Conference in most sports and competes at the NCAA Division I level. It comprises seven men's, 12 women's, and two coed athletic teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022–23 Houston Cougars men's basketball team</span>

The 2022–23 Houston Cougars men's basketball team represented the University of Houston in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cougars were led by ninth-year head coach Kelvin Sampson. The team played their home games at the Fertitta Center as members of the American Athletic Conference. In September 2021, Houston and fellow conference members Cincinnati and UCF accepted bids to join the Big 12 Conference. They finished the season 33–4, 17–1 in AAC play to win the AAC regular season championship. They defeated East Carolina and Cincinnati to advance to the AAC tournament championship game where they lost to Memphis. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as the #1 seed in the Midwest Regional. They defeated Northern Kentucky and Auburn to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the fourth consecutive year. There they lost to Miami (FL).

References

  1. "Logos - University of Houston Athletics". June 12, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  2. "University of Houston Official Athletic Site". Uhcougars.Com. October 17, 1947. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  3. Hudson, Gary (2019). The History of College Nicknames, Mascots and School Colors. Author Solutions Inc. ISBN   9781796072556.
  4. "Houston Athletics to Add Women's Golf in 2013–14" (Press release). University of Houston Sports Information. October 15, 2012. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
  5. "The billionaire and the bold move behind Houston's Dana Holgorsen hire". January 4, 2019.
  6. "Houston fires Applewhite after two seasons". December 30, 2018.
  7. "Championships summary through Jan. 1, 2022" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Archived (PDF) from the original on March 20, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  8. Examiner.com, University Houston Cougars begin a new rugby era, September 20, 2010
  9. University of Houston, Student Affairs, Department of Campus Recreation, http://www.uh.edu/recreation/sport_clubs/index.html
  10. @farazziraz (March 18, 2019). "Another one for the books!!!..." (Tweet) via Twitter.
  11. Houston Cougars Traditions Archived October 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine . UH Athletics. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  12. Facilities Archived July 31, 2007, at the Wayback Machine , UH Athletics, Retrieved August 19, 2007.