Savannah State Tigers
Encyclopedia
The Tigers is the name used for all of the men's intercollegiate athletic teams that play for Savannah State University
Savannah State University
Savannah State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university located in Savannah, Georgia. Savannah State holds the distinction as the oldest public historically black university in Georgia...

 in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...

. The female intercollegiate teams are known as the Lady Tigers.

Conference affiliation

Savannah State University holds membership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
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...

 Division I (as members of the MEAC
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is a collegiate athletic conference of historically black colleges and universities in the Southeastern United States...

) and participates in the following sports: football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

, baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...

, basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....

 (men and women), cross-country (men and women), tennis (men and women), track and field (men and women), volleyball (women only), golf (men), and 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...

 (women). On March 20, 2010, the Tigers were accepted as provisional members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is a collegiate athletic conference of historically black colleges and universities in the Southeastern United States...

 beginning on July 1, 2010. On September 8, 2011, the university was confirmed as a full member of the MEAC Conference, making the Tigers eligible to participate in all conference championships and earn the conference's automatic berth to NCAA postseason competition in all sponsored sports. Before moving to Division I-AA, Savannah State was a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

 in the NCAA Division II (1981–2005), NCAA Division III and the Southeastern Athletic Conference in 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...

 (1929–1961).

Conference championships

Season Sport Conference Notes References
1970 Men's Basketball SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

1979 Men's Basketball SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

regular season and tournament title
1980 Men's Basketball SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

regular season and tournament title
1981 Men's Basketball SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

regular season and tournament title
1991 Women's Tennis SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

1994 Women's Tennis SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

1995 Baseball SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

1996 Women's Tennis SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

1996 Baseball SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

1997 Women's Tennis SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

1997 Baseball SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

1998 Baseball SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

1998 Women's Tennis SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

1999 Baseball SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...


Team colors

The official school colors
School colors
School colors are the colors chosen by a school to represent it on uniforms and other items of identification. Most schools have two colors, which are usually chosen to avoid conflicts with other schools with which the school competes in sports and other activities...

 for Savannah State are Burnt Orange and Reflex Blue. White
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...

 is often used as a secondary color and for alternate jerseys.

Organization

Athletics at Savannah State University are administered by the Savannah State University Athletic Department. The department is headed by an athletic director who is responsible for the department's oversight and all matters related to the school's 16 NCAA Division I sports teams for men and women. The department dedicates about $2 million per year for its sports teams and facilities.

On July 6, 2011, SSU's interim president Cheryl Dozier announced that current men's Head Basketball Coach Horace Broadnax would serve as the interim athletics director replacing Marilynn Stacey-Suggs who was hired as Savannah State's first female athletics director on December 10, 2010. Stacey-Suggs was hired to replace W. Bart Bellairs, who resigned on November 23, 2009, to become the athletics director at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Current facilities

Most athletic teams have on-campus facilities for competition, including Ted A. Wright Stadium
Ted Wright Stadium
Ted Wright Stadium is a 7,500-seat multi-purpose stadium in Savannah, Georgia. The facility is located on the campus of Savannah State University and is named in honor of Theodore Wright who served as the Tiger's head football coach from 1947-1949....

 for 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...

, and Tiger Arena
Tiger Arena
Tiger Arena is a 6,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is home to the Savannah State University Tigers basketball and volleyball teams...

 for 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...

 and women’s volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...

.

Football

The football team is traditionally the most popular sport at Savannah State. The games are played at Ted A. Wright Stadium
Ted Wright Stadium
Ted Wright Stadium is a 7,500-seat multi-purpose stadium in Savannah, Georgia. The facility is located on the campus of Savannah State University and is named in honor of Theodore Wright who served as the Tiger's head football coach from 1947-1949....

. Since moving to NCAA Division I - FCS in 2000, the Tigers have compiled a 17-88-0 record as of the 2009–2010 season. Prior to moving to Division I-AA the team compiled a 97-108-4 record in NCAA Division II (1981–2000), a 15-20-0 record in NCAA Division III (1973–1980) and a 1-1-0 record as a member of 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...

.

Men's basketball

Savannah State competes in NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I independent schools (basketball)
NCAA Division I independent basketball schools are four-year institutions that do not belong to a basketball conference or a primary conference for all sports teams.-Schools:...

 as an independent and plays home games in Tiger Arena
Tiger Arena
Tiger Arena is a 6,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is home to the Savannah State University Tigers basketball and volleyball teams...

 on the university campus.

The school gained notoriety when they finished the 2004–2005 men's basketball season a winless 0-28, the first Division I team to do so since Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University is a historically black university located in Prairie View, Texas and is a member of the Texas A&M University System. PVAMU offers baccalaureate degrees in 50 academic majors, 37 master’s degrees and four doctoral degree programs through nine colleges and schools...

 in 1991–1992.

Conference championships and NCAA playoffs

  • The Savannah State Tigers finished as SIAC
    Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
    The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

     baseball champions for five consecutive seasons (1995–1999).
  • In 1999, the Tigers were the #4 seed in the NCAA Division II South Regional baseball Tournament

Season by Season record

NCAA Division I Independent
NCAA Division I independent schools (basketball)
NCAA Division I independent basketball schools are four-year institutions that do not belong to a basketball conference or a primary conference for all sports teams.-Schools:...

  SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

 (NCAA Division II) NCAA Division III  NAIA Southeastern
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...

 

{|class="wikitable collapsible collapsed sortable"
!Season
!Wins
!Losses
!Conference Record
!Head Coach
!Notes
!References
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2010|| || ||0-0||Carlton Hardy|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2009||25||26||0-0||Carlton Hardy|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2008|| || ||0-0||Carlton Hardy|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2007||30||23||0-0||Carlton Hardy|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2006||30||19||0-0||Carlton Hardy|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2005|| || ||0-0||Jamie Rigdon|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2004|| || ||0-0||Jamie Rigdon|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2003|| || ||0-0||Jamie Rigdon|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2002|| || || ||Jamie Rigdon|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2001|| || || ||Jamie Rigdon|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2000|| || || ||Jamie Rigdon|| ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1999||38||10|| ||Jamie Rigdon||SIAC Champions and #4 seed in the NCAA Division II South Regional baseball Tournament||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1998|| || || ||Jamie Rigdon||SIAC Champions; Savannah State placed on four years probation and scholarships reduced in six sports||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1997|| || || ||Jamie Rigdon||SIAC Champions||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1996|| || || ||Jamie Rigdon||SIAC Champions||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1995|| || || ||Wesley McGriff||SIAC Champions||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1994|| || || ||Wesley McGriff|| ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1993|| || || ||Wesley McGriff|| ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1992|| || || ||Wesley McGriff|| ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1991|| || || || || ||
|-
!rowspan="7"|Totals|| || ||
|colspan="4"|NCAA Division I-AA Independent results
|-
! || ||
|colspan="4"|NCAA Division II results
|-
! || ||
|colspan="4"|NCAA Division III results
|-
! || ||
|colspan="4"|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...

 results
|-
! || ||
|colspan="4"|Regular season results
|-
! || ||
|colspan="4"|Playoff results
|-
! || ||
|colspan="4"|All games including playoffs

Team awards and NCAA records

  • Savannah State holds the NCAA Division II records of 46 consecutive victories in baseball and 46 consecutive victories to start of a season (2000). The team also hold the NCAA Division II records of 12.59 average runs per game in a season (2000), 58 total triples in a season (1998) and 1.18 average triples per game in a season (1998).
  • Theophalus Gregory established the NCAA Division III record of 1.92 average stolen bases per game in 1974 as a member of the Savannah State baseball team.
  • Gerald Smith, held the 2005 NCAA Division I top slugging percentage (.785) as a member of the Savannah State baseball team.
  • Savannah State baseball player Brett Higgins (2000) holds the NCAA Division II record of 32 doubles in a season (in 49 games) with four other players and led the NCAA in RBIs (93), slugging percentage (1.010), and total bases (193) in 2000.
  • Willie Melendez, former Savannah State baseball player holds the NCAA Division II record of 16 triples in a season (1998).

Notable players and coaches

Some notable Savannah State baseball players and coaches include:

Women's basketball

The current head coach is Cedric Baker. Baker was named head coach on July 30, 2003.

Team awards and NCAA records

  • Savannah State holds the NCAA Division I record for fewest points scored in a half (3 points) which occurred on November 23, 2003 against Florida State
    Florida State University
    The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...

    .
  • In 1995 the Lady Tigers led the nation in field-goal percentage defense (32.2%).
  • In 1984 the Lady Tigers led the nation in Average home game attendance (1,750 per game average).

Season by Season record

NCAA Division I Independent
NCAA Division I independent schools (basketball)
NCAA Division I independent basketball schools are four-year institutions that do not belong to a basketball conference or a primary conference for all sports teams.-Schools:...

  SIAC
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a College athletic conference consisting of historically black colleges and universities located in the southern United States. Formed in 1913, the SIAC is a member of the NCAA and participates in Division II athletics...

 (NCAA Division II) NCAA Division III  NAIA Southeastern
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...

 

{|class="wikitable collapsible collapsed sortable"
!Season
!Wins
!Losses
!Conference Record
!Head Coach
!Notes
!References
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2009-10
2009–10 Savannah State Tigers women's basketball team
The 2009–10 Savannah State Lady Tigers basketball team competed in American basketball on behalf of Savannah State University and had a record of 9-21. The Lady Tigers were members of the NCAA Division I-AA, as an independent. The head coach was Cedric Hardy, who served his sixth year...

|| || || ||Cedric Baker|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2008-09
2008–09 Savannah State Tigers women's basketball team
The 2008–09 Savannah State Lady Tigers basketball team competed in American basketball on behalf of Savannah State University. The Lady Tigers were members of the NCAA Division I-AA, as an independent. The head coach is Cedric Hardy, who served his fifth year...

|| || || ||Cedric Baker|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2007-08||14||15|| ||Cedric Baker|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2006-07||12||17|| ||Cedric Baker|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2005-06||4||24|| ||Cedric Baker|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2004-05||6||22|| ||Cedric Baker|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2003-04|| || || ||Cedric Baker|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2002-03|| || || ||Robert Eskew|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2001-02||4||24|| ||Anita Walsh-Harris|| ||
|- style="background-color: #ADFF2F"
|2000-01||7||20|| ||Anita Walsh|| ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1999–2000||7||16|| ||Anita Walsh|| ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1998-99|| || || || ||Savannah State placed on four years probation and scholarships reduced in six sports||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1997-98|| || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1996-97|| || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1995-96|| || || ||Carla Debro|| ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1994-95|| || || || ||SIAC Eastern Division Champions and first ever invitation to the NCAA Division II Championship tournament||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1993-94|| || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1992-93|| || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1991-92|| || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1990-91|| || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1989-90|| || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1988-89|| || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1987-88|| || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1986-87|| || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1985-86|| || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1984-85|| || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1983-84|| || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1982-83|| || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #808000"
|1981-82|| || || || || ||
|-
|1980-81|| || || || || ||
|-
|1979-80|| || || || || ||
|-
|1978-79|| || || || || ||
|-
|1977-78|| || || ||Jimmie Westley|| ||
|-
|1976-77|| || || ||Jimmie Westley|| ||
|-
|1975-76|| || || ||Jimmie Westley|| ||
|-
|1974-75|| || || ||Jimmie Westley|| ||
|-
|1973-74|| || || || || ||
|-
|1972-73|| || || || || ||
|-
|1971-72|| || || || || ||
|-
|1970-71|| || || || || ||
|-
!rowspan="7"|Totals||28||108||
|colspan="4"|NCAA Division I-AA Independent
NCAA Division I independent schools (basketball)
NCAA Division I independent basketball schools are four-year institutions that do not belong to a basketball conference or a primary conference for all sports teams.-Schools:...

 results
|-
! || ||
|colspan="4"|NCAA Division II results
|-
! || ||
|colspan="4"|NCAA Division III results
|-
! || ||
|colspan="4"|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...

results
|-
! || ||
|colspan="4"|Regular season results
|-
! || ||
|colspan="4"|Playoff results
|-
! || ||
|colspan="4"|All games including playoffs

Women's Tennis

The current coach is Don Andrews who entered his first season as head coach in 2008.

Team Awards and Records

The Women's Tennis Team won the SIAC championship in 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1998

Women's Volleyball

The current head coach is Schannon Gamble who replaced Malik Jones in 2011.

Women's Softball

The current head coach is Jose Gonzalez who entered his first season in 2008.

Track and field

The current coach is Ted Whitaker who entered his first season as head coach in 1999.
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