Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters
University	Louisiana Tech University
Conference	WAC
NCAA	Division I
Athletics director	Derek Dooley
Location	Ruston, LA
Varsity teams	16
Football stadium	Joe Aillet Stadium
Basketball arena	Thomas Assembly Center
Mascot	Tech XX Champ
Nickname	Bulldogs Lady Techsters
Fight song	Tech Fight
Colors	Reflex Blue and Red
Homepage	www.latechsports.com

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.

Contents 1 National Championships 2 Sports 2.1 Football 2.2 Men's Basketball 2.3 Women's Basketball 2.4 Baseball 2.5 Softball 2.6 Men's and Women's Track & Field (Indoor and Outdoor) & Cross Country 2.7 Men's Golf 2.8 Women's Bowling 2.9 Women's Volleyball 2.10 Women's Soccer 2.11 Women's Tennis 2.12 Club Sports 3 Louisiana Tech Olympians 4 References 5 External links

[edit] 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

[1][2]

[edit] Sports

[edit] 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.^[1] Troy Edwards won the 1998 Fred Biletnikoff Award as the best wide receiver in college football.[3] 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.^[1]

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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]

[edit] Softball

The Lady Techsters won the 2008 WAC Softball Tournament to advance to the NCAA tournament.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Women's Volleyball

The Lady Techsters are led by Head Coach Matt Sonnichsen.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Women's Tennis

The Lady Techsters are led by Head Coach Quintin Yray.

[edit] 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.[4] The men's and women's powerlifting team have won 17 and 14 National Championships, respectively.

[edit] 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

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "LA Tech - Welcome to the Family". Louisiana Tech University. http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/latc/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2008FBRecruitingSection.pdf. Retrieved 2008-09-06. 
2. ^ NAIA Championship History
3. ^ "2007-08 Louisiana Tech Men's Basketball Media Guide - History". Louisiana Tech University. http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/latc/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2008FBRecruitingSection.pdf. Retrieved 2008-09-06. 
4. ^ "2007-08 Louisiana Tech Women's Basketball Media Guide - History". Louisiana Tech University. http://graphics.fansonly.com/schools/latc/graphics/media_guides/wbb/088-099-history.pdf. Retrieved 2008-09-06. 
5. ^ "2008 Louisiana Tech Baseball Media Guide - History". Louisiana Tech University. http://latechsports.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/latc/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/08mg42-64. Retrieved 2008-09-06. 

[edit] External links

• Official athletics site

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