Lamar University is a public university in Beaumont, Texas. Lamar has been a member of the Texas State University System since 1995. It was the flagship institution of the former Lamar University System. As of the fall of 2022, the university enrollment was 17,044 students. Lamar University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and named for Mirabeau B. Lamar, the second president of the Republic of Texas.
Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at theMontagne Center, built in 1984, is a mixed-use event center that houses a 10,746-seat a multi-purpose arena and a variety of event spaces in Beaumont, Texas. The Montagne Center was designed especially for the basketball program with a wing designated for instructional purposes. The Montagne Center is currently home to the Lamar University Cardinals, the Lady Cardinals basketball teams, and the Lamar University Pathway Program, Lamar University's language program. The arena was previously the home of the Lady Cardinals volleyball team until renovations to McDonald Gym were completed in 2006–07. The Montagne's instructional area has been home to Lamar's language program since 2010 when the Lamar Language Institute (LLI) first moved there, then transitioned to TIEP at Lamar in 2011, and became the Lamar University Language Program (LUPP) in 2017.
McDonald Gym, built in 1958, is located on the campus of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. The building was completely renovated in 2006-07 as part of the $17.8-million, 126,000 sq ft Sheila Umphrey Recreational Center project. The gym's seating capacity was reduced from 4,200 to 500 as part of the renovation. McDonald Gym has been the home of the Lamar Lady Cardinals Volleyball Team since the renovation. The facility was named after the fourth president of Lamar Dr. F.L. McDonald. (1952–1967) The original construction cost estimate in 1957-1958 was $850,000. Chambers Construction Company of Houston, Texas was the main construction contractor. Allco, LLC was the main contractor for the 2006-07 renovation.
The Lamar Cardinals and Lady Cardinals refers to the college athletics teams of Lamar University, in Beaumont, Texas. The Cardinals and Lady Cardinals teams compete in seventeen NCAA Division I sports as a member of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals rejoined the Southland after spending the 2021–22 athletic year in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
The Lamar Cardinals basketball team represents Lamar University in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Cardinals currently play in the Southland Conference following a return from the Western Athletic Conference on July 11, 2022. They were one of four programs, all from Texas, that left the Southland Conference on July 1, 2021, to join the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). Lamar left the Southland Conference for the second time, having initially joined at the league's formation in 1963, left in 1987, and returned in 1999. After one season in the WAC, Lamar returned to the Southland Conference. The Cardinals have played home games in the Montagne Center since 1984. The Lamar University basketball team is one of the school's most storied athletic programs. The Cardinals have competed in NCAA Tournament play eleven times and six times at the NCAA Division I level with the most recent appearance in the 2012 tournament. The 1979–80 team was one of the 1980 tournament's Sweet Sixteen teams. The Cardinals have also competed in four NIT tournaments. Heading into the 2014–2015 season Lamar had a 284–143 record in the Montagne Center. The Cardinals overall record going into the 2014–2015 season was 922–818.
The Lamar Cardinals football program represents Lamar University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level. The Cardinals are members of the Southland Conference and play their home games in the 16,000 seat Provost Umphrey Stadium. The Cardinals left the Southland Conference in July 2021 to join the Western Athletic Conference, which relaunched its football league at the FCS level during the 2021 season. After one season in the WAC, Lamar and the Southland Conference announced on July 11, 2022 Lamar's accelerated return to the Southland Conference effective immediately.
The Lamar Lady Cardinals basketball team represents Lamar University in NCAA Division I women's basketball competition. The team plays in the 10,080 seat Montagne Center. The Lady Cardinals currently compete at the NCAA Division I level in the Southland Conference.
The Lamar Lady Cardinals softball team represents Lamar University in NCAA Division I college softball. The team competes in the Southland Conference. The Lady Cardinals are currently led by head coach Amy Hooks. The team played its home games at the off–campus Ford Park for the first two seasons following the program restart in 2013. The Lady Cardinals began playing home games at the Lamar Softball Complex located on the university's campus starting with the 2015 season.
The 2013–14 Lamar Lady Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 2013–14 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Lady Cardinals, led by first year head coach Robin Harmony, played their home games at the Montagne Center and are members of the Southland Conference. The Lady Cardinals finished the season tied for the Southland Conference regular season championship with Stephen F. Austin. The Lady Cardinals were the Number One seed in the conference tournament because of the conference tie-breaker. After falling to Northwestern Louisiana in the Conference tournament final game, the Lady Cardinals received and invitation to the WNIT. The Lady Cardinals played the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in Hattiesburg, MS.
The 2014–15 Lamar Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals, led by first year head coach Tic Price, played their home games at the Montagne Center and were members of the Southland Conference.
The 2015–16 Lamar Lady Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Lady Cardinals, led by third year head coach Robin Harmony, played their home games at the Montagne Center and are members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season with a 12-19 overall record and a 7-11 conference record. Qualifying for the conference tournament, the Lady Cardinals won the first game against Houston Baptist and were eliminated by McNeese State.
The 2016–17 Lamar Lady Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Lady Cardinals, led by fourth-year head coach Robin Harmony, played their home games at the Montagne Center and are members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season with a 21–6 overall record, 15–3 in Southland play. They lost in the semifinals of the Southland women's tournament to Stephen F. Austin. They were invited to the WBI where they lost to Rice in the first round.
The 2017–18 Lamar Lady Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Lady Cardinals, led by fifth year head coach Robin Harmony, played their home games at the Montagne Center and are members of the Southland Conference. The Lady Cardinals finished the season with an overall record of 22-8. They won the Southland Conference regular season championship were 17-1 in Southland play. After losing to Nicholls in a Southland Conference tournament semi-final game 68-74, the Lady Cardinals were an automatic qualifier to the WNIT. Their season ended with a first round 68-80 loss to the TCU Horned Frogs in the first round.
The Lamar Lady Cardinals soccer team represents Lamar University in NCAA Division I college soccer. The team, currently led by head coach Nathan Kogut, competes in the Southland Conference. The team's initial season was 2007. The Lady Cardinals' home stadium is the Lamar Soccer Complex located on the university's campus. The team began playing home games there starting with the 2009 season. The Lady Cardinals home stadium for the first two seasons was Cardinal Stadium now named Provost Umphrey Stadium.
The 2018–19 Lamar Lady Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Lady Cardinals, led by sixth year head coach Robin Harmony, played their home games at the Montagne Center as members of the Southland Conference.The Lady Cardinals finished the 2018–19 season with an overall record of 24-7. They won the Southland Conference regular season championship were 17-1 in Southland play. After losing to Abilene Christian in the Southland Conference tournament semi-final game 79-88, the Lady Cardinals were an automatic qualifier to the WNIT. Their season ended with a first round 71-73 loss to the South Alabama in the first round. The loss ended a 42 home court win streak which started on November 16, 2016. Chastadie Barrs set the NCAA Division I steals record in the WNIT game at 192. She had tied the steals record of 191 the previous season.
The 1980–81 Lamar Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by first-year head coach Pat Foster and played their home games at McDonald Gym in Beaumont, Texas as members of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals won the regular season conference championship and the 1981 Southland Conference men's basketball tournament. They received an automatic invitation to the 1981 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament where they defeated the Missouri Tigers in the first game and lost to LSU in the second game. Lamar finished the season with a record of 25–5. The Cardinals were ranked in the AP Poll for one week at number 19.
The 2019–20 Lamar Lady Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 2019–20 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Lady Cardinals, led by first year head coach Aqua Franklin, played their home games at the Montagne Center as members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 10–19, 6–14 in Southland play to finish in tenth place. They failed to qualify for the Southland women's tournament, which would eventually be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 1979–80 Lamar Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 1979–80 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by fourth-year head coach Billy Tubbs and played their home games at McDonald Gym in Beaumont, Texas as members of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals won the regular season conference championship to receive an invitation to the 1980 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament where they defeated No. 7 seed Weber State in the first round and No. 2 seed Oregon State in the second round to reach the Sweet Sixteen for the first and only time in program history. Lamar fell to Clemson to finish the season with a record of 22–11.
The 1978–79 Lamar Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 1978–79 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by third-year head coach Billy Tubbs and played their home games at McDonald Gym in Beaumont, Texas as members of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals won the regular season conference championship to receive an invitation to the 1979 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament where they defeated No. 7 seed Detroit Mercy in the first round before falling to No. 1 seed and eventual National champion Michigan State and Magic Johnson. Lamar finished the season with a record of 23–9. This season was the first of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances for the Cardinals.
