Portland State Vikings
Portland State Vikings | |
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Logo | |
University | Portland State University |
Conference | Big Sky Conference |
Division | Division I |
Athletic director | Torre Chisholm |
Location | Portland, Oregon |
Varsity teams | 14 |
Football stadium | Jeld-Wen Field |
Arena | Stott Center |
Mascot | Victor E. Viking |
Nickname | Vikings |
Colors | Forest Green and White |
Website | www |
Portland State Vikings is the nickname of the intercollegiate athletic teams representing Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA. Portland State, being situated in the downtown district known as the "Park Blocks", has also sometimes been referred to as the "Park Block Bombers".
Portland State is a member of the Big Sky Conference (joining in 1996), Pac-10 Conference in wrestling and the Pacific Coast Softball Conference. PSU competes at the NCAA Division I level in basketball, women's volleyball, golf and soccer, wrestling, tennis, softball, indoor and outdoor track and field and cross country. Football competes at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA).
Prior to joining Division I, the school won NCAA National Division II Championships in women's volleyball and wrestling. The school has also placed second twice nationally in football and once in women's basketball at the Division II level. Portland State's colors are forest green and white, and its mascot is the Viking manifested as "Victor E. Viking".
Among the more notable former PSU athletes are Freeman Williams and Neil Lomax. Freeman Williams was the NCAA Division I national men's basketball individual scoring leader in 1977 and 1978. Neil Lomax was a record-setting quarterback who went on to star for the then St. Louis Cardinals in the NFL. Football's "Run & Shoot" offense was first implemented at the college level at PSU by then coach Darryl "Mouse" Davis. Davis' quarterback protégées were Lomax and June Jones. Jones, the former head coach at the University of Hawaii now at Southern Methodist, is also a proponent of the Run & Shoot.
Home games for football are held off-campus at Jeld-Wen Field, and home games for basketball are held on-campus at the Peter W. Stott Center.
Torre Chisholm was named new Athletic Director March 26, 2007. Chisholm replaced interim AD Teri Mariani, who filled that role since February 2006 when Tom Burman left for the University of Wyoming. Washington State University AD Jim Sterk preceded Burman as PSU AD.
Men's sports
Football
Football began competing at the college level in 1947. PSU competed at the small college level before beginning to compete at an interstate level in the 1960s. The 1970s brokered a new level of achievement under Mouse Davis. Mouse Davis installed the "Run & Shoot" which provided prolific scoring teams led by quarterbacks June Jones and Neil Lomax. Later in the 1980s, highlights included 2nd place finishes in NCAA Division II in 1989 and 1990 under legendary coach Pokey Allen.
The 2006 season included a victory over the University of New Mexico. The team finished the season tied for second in the conference and featured PSU offensive lineman Brennan Carvalho and linebacker Adam Hayword being named All-Americans. Tim Walsh completed his 14th year at the helm in 2006 and resigned to become the offensive coordinator at Army. Walsh was the longest tenured coach in PSU history. He was succeeded by Jerry Glanville, former NFL head coach and University of Hawaii defensive coordinator. Glanville hired Mouse Davis as his new offensive coordinator who re-installed the Run & Shoot.
Jerry Glanville's initial season at PSU in 2007 was a disappointing 3–8 campaign. The team recorded a 1–4 home record, worst since 1973. However, enthusiasm was reflected with an increase in attendance and included a wild 73–68 loss to Weber State. Center Brennan Carvalho finished a brilliant career by being named All-American for a second time. On December 8, 2009, Portland State announced Nevada defensive coordinator Nigel Burton as their new head coach.[1]
Rivals
See: The Dam Cup
See: Eastern Washington Eagles Football
Portland State's rival are the Eastern Washington Eagles. The Eastern Washington University Eagles and the Portland State University Vikings is a five-sport rivalry cup called The Dam Cup. The Dam Cup will celebrate the friendly rivalry between the states of Oregon and Washington within the Big Sky Conference.
The so-named rivalry refers to the four dams linking Oregon and Washington that one passes on the 339-mile drive from the Portland State campus to the Eastern Washington campus. Located along the Columbia River, they are Bonneville Dam, The Dalles Dam, The John Day Dam and the McNary Dam.
The purpose of the Dam Cup is to create a rivalry between Portland State University and Eastern Washington University and provide a sense of pride between alumni in the Portland and Spokane areas. Other goals include increasing attendance at events between both schools and building school spirit among each institutions' student body.
Head football coaches
BasketballNational scoring champion Freeman Williams starred for PSU during the 1970s under coach Ken Edwards. PSU made the NCAA College Division playoffs in 1967, and twice competed in the NAIA playoffs in the 1950s. In the Big Sky Conference: When PSU joined the Big Sky Conference, basketball returned to campus after a hiatus that lasted from 1981 to 1996. The current head coach is Tyler Geving. Portland State has qualified for the Big Sky Conference Tournament eight times in the eleven years it has been eligible. The Vikings have a 6–6 Big Sky Tournament record, including 2–0 against Montana State, 2–0 against Idaho State, 1–1 against Eastern Washington, and 1–2 against Northern Arizona and 0–3 against Weber State. PSU completed the 2006–07 season with a 19–13 overall record and a 9–7 conference record. In the conference tournament, PSU defeated Montana State and was then defeated by Weber State to finish the season. PSU rolled through the Big Sky in 2007–08, losing only two conference games on the way to a second ever conference championship since last winning in 2005. The Vikings went on to win the conference tourney by beating Idaho State in a semi-final match and Northern Arizona University in the final to secure the school's first NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship Tournament berth. The Vikings (23–9) were selected as a No. 16 seed in the 2008 NCAA Tournament in the Midwest Region, losing to #1 seeded and eventual national champion Kansas by a score of 85–61. In the 2008–09, for the second year in a row, the Portland State Vikings completed a 23–10 basketball season with a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Matched with the previous season, the two 23-win seasons tie for the most in school history. And, both seasons culminated with appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Although the Vikings did not win the Big Sky Conference regular season title (as they did in 2007–08), the second-place team did win the Big Sky Tournament for a second straight season, advancing to the NCAA Tournament. Portland State earned a number-13 seed but lost in the Tournament to fourth-seeded Xavier in a first-round game, 77–59. The regular season highlights included a victory on the road over then seventh ranked Gonzaga and a victory over Boise State in a ESPN "bracket-buster" game. Head basketball coaches
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