Abilene Christian Wildcats
Abilene Christian Wildcats | |
---|---|
University | Abilene Christian University |
Conference | Southland Conference |
NCAA | Division I |
Athletic director | Allen Ward |
Location | Abilene, Texas |
Varsity teams | 16 |
Football stadium | Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium |
Arena | Moody Coliseum |
Baseball stadium | Crutcher Scott Field |
Softball stadium | Poly Wells Field |
Soccer stadium | Elmer Gray Stadium |
Mascot | Willie, the Wildcat |
Nickname | Wildcats |
Fight song | ACU Fight Song |
Colors | Purple and white[1] |
Website | www |
Abilene Christian Wildcats (variously ACU or ACU Wildcats) refers to the sports teams of Abilene Christian University located in Abilene, Texas. The Wildcats play in the Southland Conference. The nickname "Wildcat" is derived from the mascot of the team.
History
On July 1, 2013, Abilene Christian returned to the Southland Conference as one of four new members. The university, a charter member of the Southland Conference, left the Southland in 1973 to join the Lone Star Conference (LSC) of NCAA Division II. The Wildcats remained members of the Lone Star Conference from 1973 until returning to the Southland Conference in 2013.
Overall, the Wildcats have won a combined 62 team national championships, including 57 as a member of the NCAA trailing behind UCLA, Stanford, USC and Kenyon College for the most NCAA team championships.[2]
In 2007, the LSC included 33 ACU current and former student athletes in its 75-member all-sports team commemorating the conference's 75th anniversary.[3]
On August 23, 2017 the NCAA Board Of Directors voted to pass ACU through to full Division I status, thus making them eligible for postseason play.
Sports sponsored
Men's sports | Women's sports |
---|---|
Baseball | Basketball |
Basketball | Beach volleyball |
Cross country | Cross country |
Football | Soccer |
Golf | Softball |
Tennis | Tennis |
Track and field† | Track and field† |
Volleyball | |
† – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor |
A member of the Southland Conference, Abilene Christian sponsors teams in seven men's and eight women's NCAA sanctioned sports.
Baseball
Basketball
Beach Volleyball
Cross Country
Football
Golf (Men's)
Soccer (Women's)
Softball
Tennis
Track and Field
Volleyball
Championships
National Championships
Cross Country (Men's)
Total: 2
- NCAA Division II: 2006, 2007
Football
Total: 2
- NAIA Division I: 1973, 1977
Golf (Men's)
Total: 1
- NCAA Division II: 1993
Track and Field (Indoor)
(Men's)
- Total: 14
- NAIA Division I (1): 1978
- NCAA Division II (13): 1988, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011
(Women's)
- Total: 12
- NCAA Division II: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
Track and Field (Outdoor)
(Men's)
- Total: 24
- NAIA Division I (5): 1952, 1954, 1955, 1978, 1982
- NCAA Division II (19): 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011
(Women's)
- Total: 10
- NCAA Division II: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2008
Conference Championships
Baseball
- Total: 7
- Lone Star Conference: 1993, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010
Basketball
- (Men's)
- Total: 3
- Lone Star Conference: 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87
- (Women's)
- Total: 8
- Lone Star Conference: 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1991–92, 1995–96, 1997–98, 1998–99
Cross Country
- (Men's)
- Total: 26
- Lone Star Conference: 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
- (Women's)
- Total: 15
- Lone Star Conference: 1983, 1984, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Football
- Total: 4
- Lone Star Conference: 1973, 1977, 2008, 2010
Golf (Men's)
- Total: 9
- Lone Star Conference: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2010
Soccer (Women's)
- Total: 1
- Lone Star Conference: 2010
Tennis
- (Men's)
- Total: 11
- Lone Star Conference: 1988, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010
- (Women's)
- Total: 22
- Lone Star Conference: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010
Track and Field
- (Men's)
- Total: 28
- Lone Star Conference: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
- (Women's)
- Total: 23
- Lone Star Conference: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008
Volleyball
- Total: 2
- Lone Star Conference: 2004, 2005
Notable non varsity sports
ACU currently has club sports in Men's Lacrosse, Men's Rugby, Men's Soccer, and Co-Ed Golf. ACU Athletics took over all club sports on the ACU campus in January 2017 and named Todd Rogers as the Director of Club Sports, who oversees all 4 sports. Todd is an Abilene native and a December 2016 graduate of Texas Tech University. As the Director of Club Sports, Rogers will oversee the university's nationally competitive program with the hopes of driving enrollment and adding more club sports in the future.
ACU Athletes in halls of fame
College Football – Wilbert Montgomery (1996).
Drake Relays – Bobby Morrow, (1959).
Lone Star Conference – Wilbert Montgomery, football (1996); Billy Olson, men's track and field (1997); Wally Bullington, football (1999); Wes Kittley, track and field (2006).
U.S. Olympic – Bobby Morrow, men's track and field (1989).
Texas Sports – Bobby Morrow (1960), Tonto Coleman (1983), Eck Curtis (1985).
U.S. Track and Field – Bobby Morrow (1975).
Athletic administration
- Allen Ward, Director of Athletics
- Dave Kinard, Deputy Director of Athletics
- Drew Long, Associate Director of Athletics for Internal Operations
- Lance Fleming, Associate Director of Athletics for Media Relations (Football, Men's Basketball)
- Chris Macaluso, Assistant Director of Media Relations (Baseball, Women's Basketball, Cross Country, Track & Field, Volleyball)
- Lisa Gilmore, Senior Associate Director of Athletics / SWA
- Cory Driskill, Associate Director of Athletics for Sports Performance
- Bret Miguez, Director of Strength and Conditioning
- Alicia English, Assistant Director of Athletics for External Operations
References
- ^ Abilene Christian University Branding and Editorial Style Guide. July 1, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ All divisions/collegiate total championships ncaa.org, Chipionship History (through June 2, 2013), p.1. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
- ^ "Wildcats lead way as LSC honors all-time top performers," ACU Today, Summer 2007, p.32. Retrieved 2008-09-22. Archived October 29, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Staff Directory". Abilene Christian University Athletics.