Louisiana Tech University is a public research university in Ruston, Louisiana. It is part of the University of Louisiana System and classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".
Ruston is a small city and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The 2020 population was 22,166. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex region and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Ruston is the principal city of the Ruston micropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Lincoln Parish.
William Leon Barmore is a college women's basketball coach best known for his 35-year association with the Louisiana Tech University Lady Techsters. After five years as an assistant coach, he served as head coach from 1982 to 2002, serving the first three years as co-head coach with Sonja Hogg, who had begun the program in 1974. Upon his retirement, Barmore's .869 winning percentage was the best in major college basketball history, for both men and women's basketball. His nine appearances in the Final Four was second most in NCAA women's basketball history, and as of 2023 it is tied for fourth most all-time. Barmore was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.
Sonja Hogg is the former women's basketball program head coach at Louisiana Tech University and Baylor University. She posted an overall record of 307–55 at Louisiana Tech. Her record at Baylor in the Southwest Conference era was 24–33 overall. Hogg's record at Baylor in the Big 12 conference era was 59–58 overall. Her overall record at Baylor for all years was 83–91. Her combined overall record for her entire coaching career was 390–146.
The Samuel M. Thomas Assembly Center is an 8,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Ruston, Louisiana. The arena, named for its benefactor and businessman Samuel M. Thomas, is home to the Division I NCAA Louisiana Tech University Bulldogs (men) and Lady Techsters (women) basketball teams. The arena also hosts concerts and events.
The 1982 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament was the first Women's Basketball Tournament held under the auspices of the NCAA. From 1972 to 1982, there were national tournaments for Division I schools held under the auspices of the AIAW. The inaugural NCAA Tournament included 32 teams. Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, Cheyney State, and Maryland met in the Final Four, held at the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia and hosted by Old Dominion University, with Louisiana Tech defeating Cheyney for the title, 76-62. Louisiana Tech's Janice Lawrence was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Her teammate Kim Mulkey went on to become the first woman to win NCAA Division I basketball titles as a player and coach, winning the 2005, 2012, 2019 titles as head coach at Baylor and the 2023 title at LSU..
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and Lady Techsters, commonly abbreviated La. Tech and Dawgs, refer to the sports teams of Louisiana Tech University, in Ruston, Louisiana. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA sports. Since 2013, Louisiana Tech has been a member of Conference USA (C-USA).
The traditions of Louisiana Tech University are key aspects to the culture and student life at Louisiana Tech University. The earliest traditions started shortly after the university's founding in the 1890s while other traditions have been introduced more recently. The most notable visible tradition among current students and university alumni is the Lady of the Mist statue and fountain that was constructed in the middle of the Quadrangle in 1938.
The Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball team represents Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. The team currently competes in Conference USA. The current head coach of the Lady Techsters is Brooke Stoehr. Louisiana Tech has won three National Championships and has competed in 13 Final Fours, 23 Sweet Sixteens, and 27 NCAA tournaments. The Lady Techsters basketball program boasts three Wade Trophy winners, five Olympic medalists, eight members of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, 16 All-Americans, and 21 WNBA players. The Lady Techsters have an all-time record of 1207–406, with a .748 winning percentage, and are the fifth program in NCAA history to reach 1,200 wins. The Lady Techsters have made 27 appearances in the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, which is the twelfth most all-time.
The Band of Pride (BOP) is the official marching band which represents Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. The Band of Pride performs pregame and during halftime at all Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football games, and travels to select road football games. Auditions are held throughout the academic year as scheduled for the upcoming Fall Quarter.
The Fresno State Bulldogs men's basketball team represents California State University, Fresno, located in Fresno, California, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. They play their home games at the Save Mart Center and since 2012–13 are members of the Mountain West Conference. The position of head coach is vacant at the time. They were members of the Western Athletic Conference from 1992 to 2012.
The Denver Pioneers men's basketball team represents the University of Denver and competes in the NCAA Division I men's college basketball in Denver, Colorado. They are led by head coach Jeff Wulbrun and are members of the Summit League. Since late in the 2019–20 seasons they have played all their home games at Hamilton Gymnasium having formerly played most of their games at the newer but larger Magness Arena.
The 1984–85 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball team represented Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana for the 1984–85 season. Although other players on the team as well as head coach Andy Russo were well in the spotlight, the real star of the show for the Bulldogs that season was Karl Malone. Malone would lead the Bulldogs to their best season to date in program history as well as earning himself All-American honors. Following the season, Malone would enter the NBA draft, being selected 13th overall by the Utah Jazz. Spending the majority of his career with Utah, Malone would be named an NBA All-Star fourteen times, NBA Most Valuable Player twice, and be inducted into the Basketball Hall of fame in 2010.
The 2018–19 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball team represented Louisiana Tech University during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bulldogs, led by fourth-year head coach Eric Konkol, played their home games at the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, Louisiana as members of Conference USA.
The 2019–20 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball team represented Louisiana Tech University in the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bulldogs, led by fifth-year head coach Eric Konkol, played their home games at the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, Louisiana as members of Conference USA. They finished the season 22–8, 13–5 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for second place. They were set to be the No. 3 seed in the C-USA tournament. However, they C-USA Tournament was canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2020–21 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball team represented Louisiana Tech University during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was led by sixth-year head coach Eric Konkol, and played their home games at Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, Louisiana as a members of the West Division of Conference USA. The Bulldogs finished first in the West Division, but lost in the tournament to North Texas. They received a bid to the National Invitation Tournament, where they lost to Mississippi State, but then defeated Colorado State in the third-place game to win third place.
The 2021–22 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball team represented Louisiana Tech University during the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team were led by seventh-year head coach Eric Konkol, and played their home games at Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, Louisiana as a members of the West Division of Conference USA.
The 1983–84 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball team represented Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana for the 1983–84 season. Led by head coach Andy Russo, the Bulldogs played their home games at Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, Louisiana. After finishing 3rd in the conference regular season standings, Louisiana Tech won the Southland Conference men's basketball tournament to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament. After an opening round win over Fresno State, the team was beaten by eventual National runner-up Houston, 77–69. Louisiana Tech finished the season with a 26–7 record.
The 1983–84 Fresno State Bulldogs men's basketball team represented California State University, Fresno during the 1983–84 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. This was head coach Boyd Grant's 7th season at Fresno State. The Bulldogs played their home games at Selland Arena and were members of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association. They finished the season 25–8, 13–5 in PCAA play to finish 3rd in the conference regular standings. They defeated Cal State Fullerton to win the PCAA tournament and earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Bulldogs lost in the opening round to future Hall of Famer Karl Malone and Louisiana Tech, 66–56.
The 1987–88 Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters basketball team represented Louisiana Tech University during the 1987–88 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The team was led by third–year head coach Leon Barmore, who led the team to a 32–2 record and the 1988 NCAA Division 1 championship. This was the program's third championship of the decade, following an NCAA championship in 1982 and an AIAW championship in 1981. The Lady Techsters played their home games at the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston, Louisiana as a member of the American South Conference.
