ULM Warhawks
Encyclopedia
The Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks (ULM Warhawks) are the sports teams of the University of Louisiana at Monroe
in 14 sports: baseball
, men's and women's basketball
, men's and women's cross country, football
, men's and women's golf
, women's soccer, softball
, men's and women's track and field, women's tennis
, and volleyball
. The athletic director for the Warhawks is Bobby Staub, who took the position on June 30, 2004.
-themed mascots, which the NCAA considers "hostile and abusive" to Native Americans
, despite issuing an appeal to the NCAA to keep the name after the NCAA's ruling allowing FSU
to keep their Seminoles nickname. This came a few days after a mascot committee voted unanimously in favor of the change. The university accepted suggestions for the new mascot through February 28, 2006. The mascot committee then selected 12 semifinalists.
An online poll, available to students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and the public, yielded three semifinalists: "Warhawks," "Bayou Gators" and "Bayou Hawks." The school's mascot committee passed a single recommendation to the university president, who made the final decision. Warhawks was announced as ULM's new mascot on April 5, 2006 and implemented on June 26, 2006. The new nickname honors Maj. Gen. Claire Lee Chennault
, an LSU
alumnus, and his Air Force
unit from World War II
, which utilized the Curtiss P-40
Warhawk in battle, although the logos primarily use bird imagery.
The Warhawks college football
team dates back to 1931, and currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision
. Playing as a member of the Sun Belt Conference
(Sun Belt), the Warhawks play their home games at Malone Stadium
, located on the campus. Since December 2009, Todd Berry
has served as the Warhawks' head coach. As the Indians, Monroe captured or shared four Southland Conference
championships and won the 1987 I-AA National Championship.
The program has sent several players into the professional ranks, including Stan Humphries
, Bubby Brister
, Chris Harris, Doug Pederson
, Marty Booker
, Cardia Jackson
and Smokey Stover
into the National Football League
, Steven Jyles
into the Canadian Football League
and Raymond Philyaw
into the Arena League.
The baseball team is coached by Jeff Schexnaider, and won the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Championship. The team's home field is Warhawk Field
.
University of Louisiana at Monroe
The University of Louisiana at Monroe is a coeducational public university in Monroe, Louisiana and part of the University of Louisiana System.-History:...
in 14 sports: 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...
, men's and women's 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...
, men's and women's cross country, 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...
, men's and women's golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, women's soccer, 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...
, men's and women's track and field, women's tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and 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...
. The athletic director for the Warhawks is Bobby Staub, who took the position on June 30, 2004.
Renaming
On January 30, 2006, university president James Cofer announced officially that ULM would be retiring the 75-year-old "Indians" mascot in light of new NCAA restrictions against American IndianNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
-themed mascots, which the NCAA considers "hostile and abusive" to Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, despite issuing an appeal to the NCAA to keep the name after the NCAA's ruling allowing FSU
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...
to keep their Seminoles nickname. This came a few days after a mascot committee voted unanimously in favor of the change. The university accepted suggestions for the new mascot through February 28, 2006. The mascot committee then selected 12 semifinalists.
An online poll, available to students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and the public, yielded three semifinalists: "Warhawks," "Bayou Gators" and "Bayou Hawks." The school's mascot committee passed a single recommendation to the university president, who made the final decision. Warhawks was announced as ULM's new mascot on April 5, 2006 and implemented on June 26, 2006. The new nickname honors Maj. Gen. Claire Lee Chennault
Claire Lee Chennault
Lieutenant General Claire Lee Chennault , was an American military aviator. A contentious officer, he was a fierce advocate of "pursuit" or fight-interceptor aircraft during the 1930s when the U.S. Army Air Corps was focused primarily on high-altitude bombardment...
, an LSU
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
alumnus, and his Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
unit from 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...
, which utilized the Curtiss P-40
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
Warhawk in battle, although the logos primarily use bird imagery.
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...
team dates back to 1931, and currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
. Playing as a member of the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
(Sun Belt), the Warhawks play their home games at Malone Stadium
Malone Stadium
Malone Stadium is a stadium in Monroe, Louisiana. It is primarily used for football, and is the home field of the University of Louisiana at Monroe Warhawks. A record crowd of 30,101 was reached on Nov. 20, 2007 against Grambling State....
, located on the campus. Since December 2009, Todd Berry
Todd Berry
-External links:*...
has served as the Warhawks' head coach. As the Indians, Monroe captured or shared four 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...
championships and won the 1987 I-AA National Championship.
The program has sent several players into the professional ranks, including Stan Humphries
Stan Humphries
William Stanley "Stan" Humphries is a former professional American football quarterback. He played for the Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He played college football at Northeast Louisiana...
, Bubby Brister
Bubby Brister
Walter Andrew "Bubby" Brister, III is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, and Minnesota Vikings...
, Chris Harris, Doug Pederson
Doug Pederson
Doug Irvin Pederson is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He spent most of his career as a member of the Green Bay Packers, serving as a backup to Brett Favre...
, Marty Booker
Marty Booker
Marty Montez Booker is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
, Cardia Jackson
Cardia Jackson
Cardia Jackson is an American football linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League.-College career:...
and Smokey Stover
Smokey Stover (football player)
Stewart Lynn "Smokey" Stover is a former American college fullback and professional football linebacker.Stover was raised in Oilton, Oklahoma and Vidaway, Oklahoma, and attended a military high school in Claremore, Oklahoma...
into the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, Steven Jyles
Steven Jyles
Steven Jyles is a professional Canadian football quarterback currently playing for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Edmonton Eskimos in 2006...
into the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
and Raymond Philyaw
Raymond Philyaw
Raymond Philyaw is an arena football quarterback who currently plays for the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings in the Arena Football League league...
into the Arena League.
Baseball
Warhawk Field
Warhawk Field is a baseball venue located in Monroe, Louisiana. It is home to the ULM Warhawks college baseball team of the Division I Sun Belt Conference. The venue was opened in 1983 and has a capacity of 1,800 spectators....
.