Chicago State Cougars Explained

Chicago State Cougars
University:Chicago State University
Association:NCAA
Conference:Northeast Conference
Division:Division I
Director:Dr. Monique Carroll
Location:Chicago, Illinois
Teams:16 (7 men's and 9 women's)
Baseballfield:Cougar Stadium (defunct NCAA venue as of June 23, 2020)[1]
Basketballarena:Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center
Arena2:Dickens Athletic Center (volleyball)
Nickname:Cougars
Pageurl:www.gocsucougars.com

The Chicago State Cougars are the varsity athletic teams representing Chicago State University of Chicago, Illinois in intercollegiate athletics. The university currently sponsors 16 varsity teams. The Cougars compete in NCAA Division I in the Northeast Conference starting in 2024. They were previously members of the Western Athletic Conference from 2013 to 2022.

History

Melvin Bland was the first CSU student athlete to gain NAIA All-American status in 1974 as a wrestler. Tyrone Everhart also was a NAIA Honorable Mention All-American wrestler the same year. Fred Evans as a sophomore became the first black swimmer ever to win a national championship in 1975.[2] The Chicago State University Ice Hockey Team produced 2 NCAA Division 2 All-Americans in the 1975–76 season. George Hansen and Bob Janecyk were selected in 1975–76 to the NCAA (College Division) West All-American Team. Janecyk was selected two more times designated as an NCAA (College Division) West All-American Team goaltender for CSU in 1976–77 and 1977–78. He went on to play for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League.[3] The first NAIA District #20 Championship Team in any sport was the 1975 wrestling team, which captured the NAIA District #20 Championship coached by Dr. James G. Pappas. The Cougar Wrestling Team also won District #20 titles in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980.

In 1984, the CSU Men's Basketball Team captured third place at the NAIA National Championships.[4] The team's performance throughout the tournament was as follows:

In the 2024, the Women's Tennis Team earned a share of the Horizon League regular season championship and won the conference tournament. The team's performance throughout the tournament was as follows:

This was the first time in school history that any Chicago State team won the conference championship and qualified for a first round NCAA appearance.

Chicago State joined the Western Athletic Conference on July 1, 2013 as part of a six-university expansion.[5] Along with the University of Missouri–Kansas City (UMKC), it was to have anchored the circuit's Midwest division. UMKC left the conference in 2020 and Chicago State announced on January 14, 2021 that it would do likewise on June 30, 2022.[6]

Chicago State will be integrated into Northeast Conference (NEC) athletic schedules beginning with the 2024-25 academic year. The Cougars will gain immediate eligibility to participate in all NEC championships and earn the conference's automatic qualifier to NCAA Championships. [7] This comes after the MEAC presidents voted against adding Chicago State to the conference. [8]

Conference affiliations

Sports sponsored

BasketballBasketball
Cross country Cross country
Golf Golf
Soccer
Tennis Tennis
Track and field Track and field
Triathlon
Volleyball
† = Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor.

With the school's current financial situation and the needs of the athletic program, in April 2016, the University Budget Committee recommended that the Athletic Department "... study the benefits of being Division 1 or another division."[9] Chicago State University currently sponsors teams in seven men's and nine women's teams in NCAA sanctioned sports.[10]

All-Americans

Notable former athletes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Chicago State University Board of Trustees Announces Discontinuation of Baseball. June 23, 2020 . Chicago State University Athletics. www.gocsucougars.com . June 25, 2020.
  2. Ebony . Company . Johnson Publishing . June 1975.
  3. Web site: Bob Janecyk . Hockeygoalies.org . 2015-07-12.
  4. Web site: NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Championship History . NAIA . December 23, 2008 . 2009-04-01 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110523103053/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/naia/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/MBBDIChampionshipHistory1223.pdf . 2011-05-23 .
  5. http://www.gocsucougars.com/news/2012/12/4/GEN_1204120253.aspx "Chicago State University Joins Western Athletic Conference," Chicago State University Athletics, Wednesday, December 5, 2012.
  6. https://www.gocsucougars.com/news/2021/1/14/general-chicago-state-university-announces-plan-to-leave-western-athletic-conference-in-june-2022.aspx "Chicago State University Announces Plan to Leave Western Athletic Conference in June 2022," Chicago State University Athletics, Thursday, January 14, 2021.
  7. Web site: Windy City Welcome: Chicago State Roars Into NEC . 2023-12-05 . northeastconference.org . en.
  8. Web site: Sports . HBCU . 2022-05-02 . Report: MEAC presidents nix vote to add Chicago State to conference . 2023-12-05 . en-US.
  9. Web site: University Budget Committee minutes . Chicago State University . April 26, 2016 . 2 September 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180514144327/https://www.csu.edu/financialaffairs/ubc/documents/minutes_Apr26_2016.pdf . 14 May 2018 . dead .
  10. Web site: The Official Site of Chicago State Athletics . Gocsucougars.com . 2020-06-25.
  11. Web site: Men's Basketball History.
  12. News: Kiley. Mike. Chicago State's 'Secret' Out: Senior Brittman Feeling Left Out Of Limelight. February 13, 1986. Chicago Tribune. February 4, 2018.
  13. The Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
  14. Encyclopedia of Women and Baseball
  15. Web site: newsstory . https://web.archive.org/web/20020812173838/http://www.army.mil/usar/news/2002/05may/chico.html . 2002-08-12 . 2002-08-12 . 2011-10-18.
  16. Web site: Goodwin. Marvin. David Holston camp teaches youngsters basketball, life skills. The Oakland Press. July 2, 2010. August 7, 2011. August 25, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120825115521/http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2010/07/02/sports/local/doc4c2e5dd51d253562108644.txt?viewmode=2. dead.
  17. Web site: NHL Player Search: Bob T. Janecyk. Legends of Hockey. National Hockey League Players' Association. 1997. February 4, 2018.
  18. News: Rosenthal. Ken. The amazing story behind the Chicago Cubs' No. 11. November 15, 2016. Fox Sports. September 24, 2017.
  19. News: . Wayne J. Molis, 58. March 27, 2002. Chicago Tribune. February 4, 2018.
  20. Web site: Archived copy . . 2021-11-11 . 2017-12-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171224094107/http://www.nba.com/media/dleague/royce_parran.pdf . dead .
  21. Web site: College Basketball News, Videos, Scores, Teams, Standings, Stats.
  22. News: Willye B. White, the First 5-Time U.S. Track Olympian, Dies at 67. New York Times. Frank. Litzky. The New York Times . February 7, 2007. May 3, 2012.