Lamar Cardinals
Encyclopedia
The Lamar Cardinals refers to the collegiate athletic
Athletic
Athletic may refer to:* An athlete, or sportsperson* Athletic director, a position at many American universities and schools* Athletic type, a physical/psychological type in the classification of Ernst Kretschmer...

 teams
TEAMS
Teams is the plural form of team.TEAMS may also refer to:*TEAMS , a competition sponsored by JETS*TEAMS , an Kenyan initiative to link the country to the rest of the world through a submarine fibre optic cable....

 of Lamar University
Lamar University
Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher...

. The inception of the nickname "Cardinals" dates back to the schools name change to Lamar in 1932. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA sports. The school has participated in practically every level of collegiate athletics from its inception as a junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...

 in 1923 to its realization as a university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...

 in 1971. Lamar sponsors fourteen teams (seven men's teams, seven women's teams) that compete in the NCAA's Southland Conference
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...

. The newest team being the reinstated football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 team with women's softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...

 to return in the 2013 season.

General history

Athletics at Lamar University
Lamar University
Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher...

 began when the school began as South Park Junior College in September 1923. Initially the school was using the name "Brahmas" as their mascot. When the school changed its name in 1932 to reflect it served a much wider area than just south park a contest was held to determine the schools name. When Lamar was finally chosen John Gray, head coach and athletic director at the time, dropped the old athletic nickname "Brahmas" and chose a new name, "Cardinals."

When Lamar became a four year college in 1951 it entered the highly competitive Lone Star Conference
Lone Star Conference
The Lone Star Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. Member institutions are located in the southwestern United States, with schools in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico...

, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...

 association.

The school has been in several conferences including:

Conference History:
  • Lone Star Conference
    Lone Star Conference
    The Lone Star Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. Member institutions are located in the southwestern United States, with schools in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico...

      1952 - 1963
  • Southland Conference
    Southland Conference
    The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...

      1964 - 1986
  • American South Conference
    American South Conference
    The American South Conference was in the NCAA. The conference existed from 1987 to 1991.-Membership:*Arkansas State *UCF *Lamar *Louisiana–Lafayette *Louisiana Tech *New Orleans...

     (Football Independent) 1987 - 1991
  • Sunbelt Conference (American South Conf merged into the Sunbelt) 1992 - 1998
  • Southland Conference
    Southland Conference
    The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...

      1999 - Current

Baseball

The Cardinals baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...

 has been coached by Coach Jim Gilligan
Jim Gilligan
Jim Gilligan is the head baseball coach of the Lamar Cardinals college baseball program.In his 30 seasons as head coach, Gilligan has guided Lamar University's baseball team to 11 conference championships, 11 NCAA regional appearances, and four conference titles...

 for over 33 years. With over 1000 career wins as a head coach he is one of the most winning coaches in NCAA history. Many LU
Lamar University
Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher...

 players have gone on to play in the MLB, such as Kevin Millar
Kevin Millar
Kevin Charles Millar is an American former professional baseball first baseman and current analyst for MLB Network and New England Sports Network. Millar played college baseball at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where he continues to reside in the off-season. Millar is the nephew of former...

 and Brian Sanches
Brian Sanches
Brian Sanches is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Florida Marlins.In 1996, Sanches graduated Nederland High School in Texas where he played baseball, basketball, football, and ran track. Sanches attended Lamar University in Texas where he played for the Lamar Cardinals Baseball team...



The Cardinals Baseball team leads the conference with 10 regular season titles. In the 2010 season the Lamar Cardinals Baseball team seated 7th in the SLC
SLC
SLC may refer to, among other things:* Salt Lake City, Utah* Salt Lake City International Airport, IATA Airport Code* Salt Lake County, Utah* Sounds Like Chicken, a music group* South Lanarkshire Council* Southwestern Lacrosse Conference...

 at the beginning of the conference tournament went undefeated through the tournament and were crowned the 2010 SLC
SLC
SLC may refer to, among other things:* Salt Lake City, Utah* Salt Lake City International Airport, IATA Airport Code* Salt Lake County, Utah* Sounds Like Chicken, a music group* South Lanarkshire Council* Southwestern Lacrosse Conference...

 conference champions. The team received a NCAA tournament bid and played TCU
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...

 and the Baylor
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...

 Bears.

Lamar University
Lamar University
Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher...

 baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 games have been played at 3500 seat Vincent-Beck Stadium
Vincent-Beck Stadium
Vincent–Beck Stadium is a ballpark located in Beaumont, Texas on Jim Gilligan Way . It was built in 1969 and has a capacity of 3,500 spectators. It is the home stadium of the Lamar University Cardinals baseball team...

 since 1969. The stadium was also host to semi pro teams such as the Beaumont Golden Gators
Beaumont Golden Gators
The Beaumont Golden Gators were a minor league baseball team in the double A Texas League from 1983 to 1986. Owned by insurance man Ted Moor, the team was an affiliate of the San Diego Padres for their entire tenure...


Men's basketball

The Cardinals Basketball team plays in the 10,080 seat Montagne Center
Montagne Center
Montagne Center is a 10,080-seat multi-purpose arena in Beaumont, Texas. It was built in 1984. It is home to the Lamar University Cardinals basketball team. The area floor can host sporting events like basketball, volleyball, wrestling, boxing and martial arts tournaments. With stadium and floor...

.

The Lamar University
Lamar University
Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher...

 basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...

 is one of the school's most storied athletic programs.

The Cardinals under Coach Billy Tubbs
Billy Tubbs
Billy Tubbs is a former men's college basketball coach. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native has been the head coach of his alma mater Lamar University , the University of Oklahoma and Texas Christian University .Tubbs was known for his high scoring offense and full-court press defense.Tubbs achieved many...

 (1976–1980) had a Cinderella story NCAA tournament, advancing to the Sweet 16. During Tubbs's reign at Lamar he recruited 2 players, Clarence Kea
Clarence Kea
Clarence Leroy Kea is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'6" 218 lb small forward and played collegiately at Lamar University....

 and B.B. Davis, who would become all-Americans for Lamar, while Clarence would go onto play professionally in the NBA. The 1979 Cardinal Basketball team set records when it beat Portland State University
Portland State University
Portland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...

 141-84; at the time, that game set an NCAA record for points in a single game. During the game, Mike Olliver set the single game scoring record at Lamar with 50 points; that record stood until January 4, 2011, when reserve guard Mike James scored 52 points in 28 minutes in a 114-62 win over Division III Louisiana College. As of January 5, 2011, James's performance is the top single-game scoring performance of the NCAA basketball season.

Pat Foster
Pat Foster
Pat Foster is a former basketball head coach. Foster coached NCAA men's basketball at Lamar University, University of Houston, and University of Nevada, Reno.At Houston, he succeeded legendary head coach Guy Lewis.-Head coaching record:...

 (1980–1986) continued the team's success by leading the cardinals to 3 Southland Conference
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...

 titles, 2 NCAA Tournament appearances and 4 NIT appearances.

Mike Deane
Mike Deane
Mike Deane was most recently head basketball coach at Wagner College. He was relieved of his duties on 3/1/2010. He previously held the same position at Siena College, Marquette University, and Lamar University. Michael Deane recorded his 400th career victory on December 15, 2007 against the...

 (1999–2003) was hired in 1999. In his first year he returned the cardinals to the NCAA tournament for the first time since the Pat Foster era. The Cardinals played Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...

 in the first round of the 2000 NCAA Tournament
2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2000, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Indianapolis, Indiana...

.

Billy Tubbs
Billy Tubbs
Billy Tubbs is a former men's college basketball coach. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native has been the head coach of his alma mater Lamar University , the University of Oklahoma and Texas Christian University .Tubbs was known for his high scoring offense and full-court press defense.Tubbs achieved many...

 (2003–2006) returned to Lamar University
Lamar University
Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher...

 in 2003 to again head the Cardinals basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 team. His return was highly anticipated and increased attendance. He turned the program around from 10th place in 2003 to tied for 4th in 2006. In 2006 Coach Tubbs stepped down as Head Basketball Coach to become the Athletic Director for Lamar. He was succeeded by assistant and Lamar Alumnus Steve Roccaforte
Steve Roccaforte
Steve Roccaforte is an assistant coach at the University of South Florida.He previously was the head men's basketball coach at his alma mater Lamar University from 2006 through 2011. While at Lamar Steve graduated 18 of 18 seniors. He was relieved of his duties following his fifth year.-References:...

.

In the Roccaforte
Steve Roccaforte
Steve Roccaforte is an assistant coach at the University of South Florida.He previously was the head men's basketball coach at his alma mater Lamar University from 2006 through 2011. While at Lamar Steve graduated 18 of 18 seniors. He was relieved of his duties following his fifth year.-References:...

 era (2006–2011) of Lamar Basketball Lamar had erratic success. The Cardinals under Roccaforte had wins over major programs like the Texas Tech Red Raiders in 2008. Coach Roc took the Cardinals to the East Division Championship and a 19 win season in 2007-2008. Following the SLC championship the cardinals failed to reach the conference tournament for the next three seasons. Coach Roc's time at Lamar has been marked by some successes and very highly ranked recruiting classes. Coach Roc was relieved of duties after the 2010-2011 season.

Pat Knight
Pat Knight
Patrick "Pat" Knight is an American college basketball coach for Lamar University. He became the coach of the Lamar Cardinals basketball team on April 5, 2011. He was previously the head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball team until March 7, 2011...

 was hired on April 5, 2011 as head coach. He previously served as head coach at Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...

 from 2008 - 2011.

Men's cross country

Men's Cross Country Holds 12 conference titles as of 2010. The team has won five of those titles in the past five years from 2006-2010 under coach Jake Stewart.

Football

Football began in 1923 when the university was known as South Park Junior College. It was discontinued in 1928 because of a lack of common opponents but was revived again in 1932 by the renamed Lamar College.
The program was suspended during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 again in 1942 and was restored in 1946 and the first football scholarships were offered.

After the school moved up to the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...

 level in the Lone Star Conference
Lone Star Conference
The Lone Star Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. Member institutions are located in the southwestern United States, with schools in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico...

, the Cardinals didn’t have a winning season until a superb 8-0-2 season in 1957 ignited a string of 11 consecutive winning campaigns.

Just as the Cardinals were becoming a perennial contender in the Lone Star loop, school officials moved the athletic program forward into the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...

 (NCAA) college division ranks in 1963 via the Southland Conference
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...

.

Football went independent when Lamar left the SLC in 1987 to join the basketball-flavored American South Conference
American South Conference
The American South Conference was in the NCAA. The conference existed from 1987 to 1991.-Membership:*Arkansas State *UCF *Lamar *Louisiana–Lafayette *Louisiana Tech *New Orleans...

. Dismal support finally led to larger-than-expected deficits and provided the bottom line fodder for five new appointees to the then-Lamar board of regents to pull the plug on football at their first official session in 1989 (5 to 4 vote).

The university restarted the program in 2010. In preparation for the return of play the University has done extensive work on the facilities including, Provost Umphrey Stadium, a new Athletic complex, and high class suites built into the existing Montagne Center
Montagne Center
Montagne Center is a 10,080-seat multi-purpose arena in Beaumont, Texas. It was built in 1984. It is home to the Lamar University Cardinals basketball team. The area floor can host sporting events like basketball, volleyball, wrestling, boxing and martial arts tournaments. With stadium and floor...

. The university hired former NFL player Ray Woodard
Ray Woodard
Ray Woodard is a former American football defensive tackle and current head coach at Lamar University. He was hired on May 19, 2008 to resurrect the Lamar Cardinals football program that was discontinued in 1989. Woodard played college football at Kilgore College and Texas, was selected 199th...

 as the head coach to lead the charge in bringing the Cardinals back to the gridiron. Former Basketball Coach Billy Tubbs
Billy Tubbs
Billy Tubbs is a former men's college basketball coach. The Tulsa, Oklahoma native has been the head coach of his alma mater Lamar University , the University of Oklahoma and Texas Christian University .Tubbs was known for his high scoring offense and full-court press defense.Tubbs achieved many...

 was hired as the Athletic Director in 2006 and has had a significant role in bringing back the Cardinals Football team.
Lamar played their first game in over 20 years on September 4, 2010 at rival McNeese State University
McNeese State University
McNeese State University is a public university located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in the United States. Founded in 1939 as a junior college, McNeese experienced growth due to economic activity in the region. It adopted its present name in 1970....

. The Cardinals lost a close game 27-30 in front of over 19,000 at MSU's Cowboy Stadium
Cowboy Stadium
Cowboy Stadium is a 17,410-seat multi-purpose stadium in Lake Charles, Louisiana. It is home to the McNeese State University Cowboys football team, and is affectionately referred to as "The Hole". It was transformed for the 2008 season to artificial turf. A new state of the art field house is...

. The 2010 Cardinals finished 5-6 with DI wins over Southeastern Louisiana and South Dakota.

Men's golf

The men's golf team at Lamar has had tremendous success in its history. The golf team has been ranked in the top 10 nationally and has won over 20 conference titles. The team has had many alumni continue on to the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...

, like Chris Stroud
Chris Stroud
Chris Stroud is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.Stroud was born in Nederland, Texas. He played collegiately at Lamar University and was a two-time All-American. As an amateur, he won the 2003 North and South Amateur and played on the 2004 Palmer Cup...

 and Kelly Gibson
Kelly Gibson
Kelly Gibson is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Gibson joined the Nationwide Tour in 1990. He won the Ben Hogan Tri-Cities Open in 1991 and also earned his PGA Tour card that year through qualifying school...

. The program between 1953 and 1973 won the conference title every year, an amazing 21 consecutive titles. The team boasts seven national titles; five NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...

 national titles from 1956–1960 and two NCAA College Division titles from 1967 and '68. The Cardinals have won 23 team and 16 individual Southland Conference Championships surpassing all other Southland schools by 20 titles. The most recent championships being four consecutive titles from 2006 to 2009. The Cardinals finished #3 in the nation in the 2007 NCAA Division I standings. The 2007 Lamar Golf team is one of only two Cardinal sports teams to ever finish in the top 10 in NCAA division I athletics.

Men's track & field

The track team trains and host home tournaments at Ty Terrell Track. The track program is coached by Trey Clark. The track & field team until recently was built around distance and sprints running but has expanded the program to include jumps and multis with the hire of Jake Cohen.

Softball

LU first sponsored softball in the early 1970s competing in the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). Lamar finished second in the 1972 AIAW Texas state tournament.

In 1983 Lamar added softball as a division I sport and competed in the Southland conference. When Lamar left the southland conference in the 1987 season, the sport was dropped.

On April 22, 2011, Athletic Director Larry Tidwell
Larry Tidwell
-Awards:In 2010, the Texas Assosciation of Basketball Coaches named Tidwell "Division I Coach of the Year" for women's college basketball.In 2008, Tidwell was the recipient of the TGCA's prestigious Margaret McKown Distinguished Service Award for his then 32 years of service to the organization....

 announced plans to reinstate college softball
College softball
College softball is softball as played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education, predominantly in the United States. College softball is normally played by women at the intercollegiate level, whereas college baseball is normally played by men.As with other intercollegiate...

 as a NCAA Division I sport at Lamar University. On August 1, 2011 former Morehead State
Morehead State University
Morehead State University is a public, co-educational university located in Morehead, Kentucky, United States in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County, midway between Lexington, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. The 2012 edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S...

 head coach Holly Bruder was announced as the finalist to fill the head coaching position at Lamar after over 20 years without a program.

Women's basketball

In the 1991 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
1991 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
-West Regional - Las Vegas, NV:-East Regional - Philadelphia, PA:-Midwest Regional - Austin, TX:-Final Four - New Orleans, LA :-References:...

 Lamar under coach Al Barbre made a run as a tenth seed in the Austin regional. The 1991 Lady Cardinals defeated Texas, LSU and Arkansas before being defeated by Virginia in the Elite Eight, Virginia went on to lose in the National championship game by 3 points.
Currently the women's basketball
Women's basketball
Women's basketball is one of the few women's sports that developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast , in large part via women's colleges...

 team is coached by Larry Tidwell
Larry Tidwell
-Awards:In 2010, the Texas Assosciation of Basketball Coaches named Tidwell "Division I Coach of the Year" for women's college basketball.In 2008, Tidwell was the recipient of the TGCA's prestigious Margaret McKown Distinguished Service Award for his then 32 years of service to the organization....

. The team has had significant success in recent seasons (2007–2011). Coach Tidwell has Turned the team around from a struggling program to a perennial power in the Southland Conference
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...

. In 2010 the team won the regular season and conference tournament to advance to the 2010 NCAA Tournament
2010 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2010 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament started Saturday, March 20, 2010 and was completed on Tuesday, April 6 of the same year with University of Connecticut Huskies defending their title from the previous year by defeating Stanford, 53-47. The tournament bids were announced on...

. The Lady Cardinals will make their first ever appearance in the preseason WNIT
WNIT
WNIT is the PBS member television station for South Bend, Indiana. Its studios are located in South Bend. WNIT broadcasts on digital channel 35 ....

 in the fall of 2010. The team plays in the 10,080 seat Montagne Center
Montagne Center
Montagne Center is a 10,080-seat multi-purpose arena in Beaumont, Texas. It was built in 1984. It is home to the Lamar University Cardinals basketball team. The area floor can host sporting events like basketball, volleyball, wrestling, boxing and martial arts tournaments. With stadium and floor...

. In the 2011 season, coach Tidwell's Lady Cardinals received their first top 100 RPI ranking (RPI #80) since the figures were made public in the 2005 season.
The 2010-2011 squad finished with a record of 25-8 and made an appearance in the 2011 post season WNIT
2011 Women's National Invitation Tournament
The 2011 Women's National Invitation Tournament is a single-elimination tournament of 64 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams that did not participate in the 2011 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament. The tournament is played entirely on campus sites...

.

Women's cross country

The Lady Cardinals won three consecutive Southland Conference Titles from 2004-2006. This series of titles tied the record amount of consecutive conference titles in the Southland Conference.

Women's soccer

Lady Cardinals Soccer is the newest female sport at Lamar
Lamar University
Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher...

. The program began its inaugural season in 2007 under coach Mathew Dillon. Dewi Hardman took over at the end of the 2007 season and is the current coach. The first ever soccer complex was completed in 2009. In the 2010 season the Lady Cardinals went 5-11-3 and narrowly secured a berth to their first ever play off game.

Volleyball

The Lady Cardinals Volleyball team were the SLC champions in 2007, with a 15-1 regular season record. From 2007 to 2009 the team won 36 of its past 48 regular season conference games. The lady Cardinals Volleyball team is coach by Justin Gilbert.
After completion of the Sheila Umphrey Center in 2007, the Volleyball team moved back to the McDonald Gym
McDonald Gym
McDonald Gym is a volleyball gymnasium located on the campus of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas USA. The Gym has been home solely to the Lamar Lady Cardinal Volleyball Team since its renovation was completed in 2007...

 which underwent renovations at the same time of the construction. The 2010 Lady Cardinals volleyball team went (13 - 16) went (9 - 9) in conference play and earned a spot in the conference tournament. The lady cardinals beat Texas State bobcats in the quarterfinals before losing to UTSA in the Semifinals.

Rivalries

Lamar has many rivalries some extend back to its early days in the Southland Conference or its time in the Sun Belt Conference. Lamar's biggest current rival is the McNeese State Cowboys. Games between the two schools usually are among the highest attended into the Southland Conference. The rivalry features double header basketball games for men's and women's basketball. The weekend baseball series is usually played to allow both teams a home game, the designated home team plays Friday at the opposing school and then plays its Saturday and Sunday matches at home. In 2010 when Lamar revived its football team the fans of both teams packed the 17,000 seat stadium to the brim. The official attendance of 19,235 was the largest game at McNeese since 2002.

Lamar's other current rivalries are fellow Texas State University System
Texas State University System
The Texas State University System was created in 1911 to oversee the state's normal schools. Since its creation it has broadened its focus and comprises institutions of many different scopes. It is the oldest multi-system University System in Texas...

 schools, Texas State University-San Marcos and Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University was founded in 1879 and is the third oldest public institution of higher learning in the State of Texas. It is located in Huntsville, Texas. It is one of the oldest purpose-built institutions for the instruction of teachers west of the Mississippi River and the first...

.

During the 70's and 80's Lamar had long standing basketball rivalries with the University of Louisiana Lafayette, Louisiana Tech and Arkansas State.

Conference and National Championships

Southland Conference
  • Baseball – 1971, '75, '76, '77, '79, '81, '84, '85, '2003, '04, '10
  • Men's Basketball – 1964, '70, '78, '79, '80, '81, '83, '84, '00 '08
  • Football – 1964, '65, '66, '71
  • Men's Cross Country- 1979, '81, '82, '83, '84, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
  • Men's Golf – 1964, '65, '66, '67, '68, '69, '70, '71, '72, '73, '81, '82, '83, '85, '86, '87, '01, '02, '03, '06, '07, '08, '09
  • Men's Track & Field – 1971, '78, '79, '80, '81, '82, '83, '84, '85, '86
  • Men's Tennis – 1967, '73, '74, '75, '76
  • Women's Basketball - 2010
  • Women's Cross Country- 2004, '05, '06
  • Women's Tennis – 1983, '84 '2008
  • Volleyball – 1983, '84, '01 '2007


Sun Belt Conference
  • Baseball – 1993, '95
  • Women's Basketball – 1992
  • Women's Golf – 1993, '94, '95, ‘96
  • Volleyball – 1993, '97


Lone Star Conference
  • Men's Basketball – 1961, '62, '63
  • Football – 1954
  • Men's Golf – 1953, '54, '55, '56, '57, '58, '59, '60, '61, '62, '63
  • Men's Tennis – 1952, '53, '54, '55, '56, '57, '58, '59, '60, '61, '62, '63
  • Men's Track & Field – 1963


American South Conference
  • Women's Basketball – 1991
  • Women's Tennis – 1988
  • Men's Cross Country – 1988, '89
  • Women's Track & Field – 1992
  • Volleyball – 1987, '90


NAIA National Championships
  • Men's Tennis – 1955, '56, '57, '58, '59, '60
  • Men's Golf – 1956, '57, '58, '59, '60


NCAA College Division National Championships
  • Men's Golf – 1967, '68


All-Americans
  • Men's & Women's Track & Field – 39
  • Men's Basketball – 3
  • Women's Basketball – 1
  • Men's Golf – 9
  • Women's Golf – 5
  • Men's & Women's Tennis – 18
  • Volleyball – 1

Cardinals in the major leagues

MLB
  • Clay Hensley
    Clay Hensley
    Clayton Allen Hensley is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Miami Marlins.-Early life:Hensley attended Lamar University in Beaumont, where he set a single season record with 127 strikeouts in 100 innings....

  • Kevin Millar
    Kevin Millar
    Kevin Charles Millar is an American former professional baseball first baseman and current analyst for MLB Network and New England Sports Network. Millar played college baseball at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where he continues to reside in the off-season. Millar is the nephew of former...

  • Eric Cammack
    Eric Cammack
    Eric Cammack is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the New York Mets during the season. Listed at 6' 1", 180 lb., Cammack batted and threw right-handed...

  • Brian Sanches
    Brian Sanches
    Brian Sanches is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Florida Marlins.In 1996, Sanches graduated Nederland High School in Texas where he played baseball, basketball, football, and ran track. Sanches attended Lamar University in Texas where he played for the Lamar Cardinals Baseball team...

  • Jerald Clark
    Jerald Clark
    Jerald Dwayne Clark is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is an alumnus of Lamar University and played for the Lamar Cardinals baseball team....

  • Phil Brassington
    Phil Brassington
    Phillip Brassington is an Australian right-handed pitcher.After a year of college baseball with the Lamar University Cardinals, Brassington was drafted by Kansas City Royals in 5th Round of 1993 amateur entry draft and played the 1993 season with the Eugene Emeralds as a starting pitcher where he...

  • Micah Hoffpauir
    Micah Hoffpauir
    James Micah Hoffpauir is a first baseman for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. He was drafted in 2000 by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the in the 44th round , but he did not sign and returned to college. The Cubs selected him in the 13th round of the 2002 draft...

  • Beau Allred
    Beau Allred
    Dale Le Beau Allred is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played three seasons for the Cleveland Indians between 1989 and 1991.-College and minor leagues:...

  • Josh Gray
  • Dave Smith
    Dave Smith (pitcher, born 1957)
    David Wayne Smith is a former professional baseball pitcher. Smith pitched in five games in Major League Baseball in and for the California Angels. He played baseball in college for the Lamar University Cardinals.-References:...

  • Tony Mack
    Tony Mack
    Tony Lynn Mack is a former professional baseball player who played one season for the California Angels of Major League Baseball. He played college baseball for the Lamar University Cardinals.-References:...

  • Bruce Aven
    Bruce Aven
    David Bruce Aven is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Aven attended and played baseball for the Lamar University Cardinals....

  • Randy Williams
    Randy Williams (baseball)
    Randall Duane Williams is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He played with the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies in Major League Baseball from 2004-2010...


PGA
  • Chris Stroud
    Chris Stroud
    Chris Stroud is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.Stroud was born in Nederland, Texas. He played collegiately at Lamar University and was a two-time All-American. As an amateur, he won the 2003 North and South Amateur and played on the 2004 Palmer Cup...

  • Trevor Dodds
    Trevor Dodds
    Trevor George Dodds is a Namibian professional golfer.Dodds was born in Windhoek, Namibia. He turned pro in 1985. He won the Canadian Tour Order of Merit in 1995 and 1996...

  • Kelly Gibson
    Kelly Gibson
    Kelly Gibson is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Gibson joined the Nationwide Tour in 1990. He won the Ben Hogan Tri-Cities Open in 1991 and also earned his PGA Tour card that year through qualifying school...

  • John Riegger
    John Riegger
    John Riegger is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Riegger was born in Metropolis, Illinois. He graduated from Lamar University in 1985 and turned professional that year....

  • Ronnie Black
    Ronnie Black
    Ronald Jay Black is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour and Champions Tour.Black was born in Lovington, New Mexico. He attended Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where he was a member of the golf team. He turned pro in 1981.Black won two events on the...


LPGA
  • Jennifer Wyatt
    Jennifer Wyatt
    Jennifer Noel Wyatt is a Canadian professional golfer who formerly toured on the LPGA Tour.Wyatt was born in Vancouver, British Columbia and starting playing golf at an early age in Richmond, British Columbia out of the Quichena Golf & Country Club...

  • Dawn Coe-Jones
    Dawn Coe-Jones
    Dawn Coe-Jones is a Canadian professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour.Coe-Jones was born in Campbell River, British Columbia. She won several amateur events in Canada, including the Canadian Women's Amateur in 1983...



NBA
  • Clarence Kea
    Clarence Kea
    Clarence Leroy Kea is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'6" 218 lb small forward and played collegiately at Lamar University....

  • Lamont Robinson
  • Tom Sewell
  • Adrian Caldwell
    Adrian Caldwell
    Adrian Bernard Caldwell is a retired American professional basketball player, who had a career in the National Basketball Association from 1989 to 1997....



NFL
  • Anthony "Tony" Guillory
  • Eugene Seale
    Eugene Seale
    Eugene Seale, Jr. is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played six seasons for the Houston Oilers ....

  • Charles Cantrell
  • Chris Ford
  • Dudley Meredith
    Dudley Meredith
    Cecil Dudley Meredith was a professional American football defensive end in the American Football League. He played six seasons for the Houston Oilers and the Buffalo Bills.-External links:...

     (AFL)
  • Pat Gibbs
  • Aaron Laing (transfer after 1989 season) NFL
  • Wayne Moore
  • Bum Phillips
    Bum Phillips
    Oail Andrew "Bum" Phillips is a retired American football coach and the father of Wade Phillips, the Defensive Coordinator for the Houston Texans...

     Coach
  • Keith Powe (transfer after 1989 season) NFL CFL
  • Colin Ridgeway
    Colin Ridgeway
    Colin Edwin Ridgway was an American football punter distinguished as being the first Australian to play in the National Football League.-Track and Field:...

  • Tyrone Shavers
    1990 NFL Draft
    The 1990 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1990...

  • Johnny Ray Smith
  • Billy Bell
    Billy Bell
    William Edward Bell was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played four seasons in the National Hockey Association and six in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Wanderers, Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators. He won the Stanley Cup in 1924 with the Canadiens.-Career...

  • Kevin Bell
  • Chris Brown
  • Rodney Colbert
  • Herbert Harris
  • Johnny Fuller
    Johnny Fuller
    John Charles Fuller is a former professional American football player. He played eight seasons as a safety in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears....

  • Bobby Janick
  • Danzell Lee
  • Ed Marcontell
  • Kevin McArthur
  • Larry McCory
  • Tommie Smilie
  • Robert White
    Robert White
    Robert White may refer to:* Robert White , English draughtsman and portrait engraver* Robert White , Motown session guitarist* Robert J...



Cardinals in the Olympic Games

1956 Melbourne
  • Colin Ridgeway
    Colin Ridgeway
    Colin Edwin Ridgway was an American football punter distinguished as being the first Australian to play in the National Football League.-Track and Field:...

     (Australia), high jump

1960 Rome
  • Brian Davis (South Africa), 1600-meter relay
  • Colin Ridgeway
    Colin Ridgeway
    Colin Edwin Ridgway was an American football punter distinguished as being the first Australian to play in the National Football League.-Track and Field:...

     (Australia) high jump (Bronze)

1980 Moscow
  • Christer Gullstrand '83 (Sweden), 400-meter Hurdles
  • Doug Hings '82 (Canada), 1600-meter relay

1984 Los Angeles
  • Pedro Caceres '84 (Argentina), Steeplechase
  • Christer Gullstrand '83 (Sweden), 400-meter Hurdles & 4x400-meter relay
  • Thomas Eriksson
    Thomas Eriksson (athlete)
    Per Thomas Eriksson is a retired male high jumper from Sweden. He also competed in the men's triple jump during his career....

     '85 (Sweden), High Jump & Triple Jump
  • Midde Hamrin '83 (Sweden), Marathon

Facilities

The Dauphin Athletic Complex is the main sports performance facility for varsity sports at Lamar.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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