| Savannah State Tigers | |
| University: | Savannah State University |
| Association: | NCAA |
| Conference: | SIAC (primary) |
| Division: | Division II |
| Director: | Opio Mashariki |
| Location: | Savannah, Georgia |
| Teams: | 13 |
| Mens Teams: | 6 |
| Womens Teams: | 7 |
| Stadium: | Ted Wright Stadium |
| Basketballarena: | Tiger Arena |
| Baseballfield: | Tiger Baseball Field |
| Softballstadium: | Lady Tiger Softball Field |
| Tenniscourt: | Tiger Tennis Courts |
| Nickname: | Tigers and Lady Tigers |
| Pageurl: | https://ssuathletics.com/ |
The Savannah State Tigers and Lady Tigers are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic teams that play for Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia.
Savannah State University holds membership in the NCAA Division II (as members of the SIAC) and participates in the following sports: football, baseball, basketball (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 (women).[1] [2] [3] On March 20, 2010, the Tigers were accepted as provisional members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) beginning on July 1, 2010.[4] 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.[5] Before moving to Division I-AA, Savannah State was a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in the NCAA Division II (1981–2005), NCAA Division II and the Southeastern Athletic Conference in the NAIA (1929–1961).
Savannah State announced on April 17, 2017, that all of its intercollegiate athletic programs were going to be reclassified to NCAA Division II, citing that maintaining Division I status was not financially feasible.[6] Just under eight months later on December 7, the university revealed its plans to apply for re-entry to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference by February 1, 2018.[7] These plans were later approved and Savannah State was re-admitted into the SIAC on July 2, 2019.
| Season | Sport | Conference | Notes | References | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Men's Basketball | SIAC | [8] | ||
| 1979 | Men's Basketball | SIAC | regular season and tournament title | [9] [10] | |
| 1980 | Men's Basketball | SIAC | regular season and tournament title | ||
| 1981 | Men's Basketball | SIAC | regular season and tournament title | ||
| 1991 | Women's Tennis | SIAC | [11] | ||
| 1994 | Women's Tennis | SIAC | |||
| 1995 | Baseball | SIAC | [12] | ||
| 1996 | Women's Tennis | SIAC | |||
| 1996 | Baseball | SIAC | |||
| 1997 | Women's Tennis | SIAC | |||
| 1997 | Baseball | SIAC | |||
| 1998 | Baseball | SIAC | |||
| 1998 | Women's Tennis | SIAC | |||
| 1999 | Baseball | SIAC | |||
| 2012 | Men's Basketball | MEAC | regular season conference champions | ||
| 2012 | Softball | MEAC | Southern Division Conference Champions | ||
| 2013 | Baseball | MEAC | Southern Division Conference Champions Conference tournament champions | ||
| 2015 | Women's Basketball | MEAC | Conference tournament champions | ||
| 2022 | Men's Basketball | SIAC | Conference tournament champions |
The official school colors for Savannah State are Burnt Orange and Reflex Blue.[13] White is often used as a secondary color and for alternate jerseys.
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.[14] The department dedicates about $2 million per year for its sports teams and facilities.[15]
The current athletic director is Sterling Steward Jr.[16]
Most athletic teams have on-campus facilities for competition, including Ted A. Wright Stadium for football and track and field,[17] and Tiger Arena for basketball and women's volleyball.
Ted A. Wright Stadium is an 8,500 seat multi purpose stadium which opened in 1969.[18] The stadium's name is an homage to former Savannah State Football coach Theodore Wright, who coached the team from 1947 to 1949.[19]
Track and field renovations were made at Ted A.Wright Stadium in the mid 1990s as part of the "Olympic Legacy Package". The "Olympic Legacy Package" included a 400-meter track and competitive field areas.[20]
Tiger Arena is a 5,000-seat multi purpose arena that opened in 2000. Tiger Arena replaced Willcox-Wiley Gymnasium,[21] costing $9.6 million to construct.[22]
The traditional rival, in all sports, is in-state Fort Valley State University.[23]
| Baseball | Basketball | |
| Cross country | ||
| Cross country | Golf | |
| Softball | ||
| Golf | Tennis | |
| Track and field† | Track and field† | |
| Volleyball | ||
See main article: Savannah State Tigers football. The football team is traditionally the most popular sport at Savannah State. The games are played at Ted A. Wright Stadium. Since moving to NCAA Division I – FCS in 2000, the Tigers have compiled a 17–88 record as of the 2009–2010 season.[24] Prior to moving to Division I – FCS, 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.[25] [26]
See main article: Savannah State Tigers men's basketball. Savannah State competes in NCAA Division II as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference since July 2019, and plays home games in Tiger Arena 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 in 1991–1992.[27] [28] [29] The Tigers were the 2011–12 MEAC regular season champions and received an automatic bid into the 2012 NIT, their first ever appearance in any Division I tournament as a Division I member. The team posted a 21–10 overall mark and lead the MEAC in scoring defense, only allowing 58.9 points per game and were second in the conference in scoring margin (+5.4).[30]
The Tigers defeated Benedict College, 76–62, to win the 2022 SIAC Men's Basketball Tournament.[31]
| Savannah State Tigers | |
| League: | NCAA Division II |
| Location: | Savannah, Georgia |
| Nickname: | Tigers |
| Mascot: | Tiger |
| Manager: | Carlton Hardy |
| Season: | 5th |
| H Cap: | 0000FF |
| H Leftarm: | 0000FF |
| H Pattern B: | _baseball_pinstripes |
| H Body: | FFFFFF |
| H Rightarm: | 0000FF |
| H Pattern Pants: | _beltonwhite |
| H Pants: | FFFFFF |
| H Socks: | 0000FF |
| A Cap: | FFFFFF |
| A Leftarm: | CC5500 |
| A Body: | CC5500 |
| A Rightarm: | CC5500 |
| A Pattern Pants: | _beltonwhite |
| A Pants: | FFFFFF |
| A Socks: | CC5500 |
The head coach is Carlton Hardy.[32]
| Season | Wins | Losses | Conference Record | Head coach | Notes | References | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 0-0 | Carlton Hardy | ||||||
| 2009 | 25 | 26 | 0-0 | Carlton Hardy | ||||
| 2008 | 0-0 | Carlton Hardy | ||||||
| 2007 | 30 | 23 | 0-0 | Carlton Hardy | [34] | |||
| 2006 | 30 | 19 | 0-0 | Carlton Hardy | ||||
| 2005 | 0-0 | Jamie Rigdon | [35] | |||||
| 2004 | 0-0 | Jamie Rigdon | ||||||
| 2003 | 0-0 | Jamie Rigdon | ||||||
| 2002 | Jamie Rigdon | |||||||
| 2001 | Jamie Rigdon | |||||||
| 2000 | Jamie Rigdon | |||||||
| 1999 | 38 | 10 | Jamie Rigdon | SIAC Champions and #4 seed in the NCAA Division II South Regional baseball Tournament | ||||
| 1998 | Jamie Rigdon | SIAC Champions; Savannah State placed on four years probation and scholarships reduced in six sports | [36] | |||||
| 1997 | Jamie Rigdon | SIAC Champions | ||||||
| 1996 | Jamie Rigdon | SIAC Champions | ||||||
| 1995 | Wesley McGriff | SIAC Champions | [37] | |||||
| 1994 | Wesley McGriff | |||||||
| 1993 | Wesley McGriff | |||||||
| 1992 | Wesley McGriff | |||||||
| 1991 | ||||||||
| Totals | NCAA Division I-AA Independent results < | -- Correct up to Nov. 20, 2007 --> | ||||||
| NCAA Division II results< | -- Correct up to Nov. 20, 2007 --> | |||||||
| NCAA Division III results< | -- Correct up to Nov. 20, 2007 --> | |||||||
| NAIA results< | -- Correct up to Nov. 20, 2007 --> | |||||||
| Regular season results< | -- Correct up to Nov. 20, 2007 --> | |||||||
| Playoff results< | -- Correct up to Nov. 20, 2007 --> | |||||||
| All games including playoffs < | -- Correct up to Nov. 20, 2007 --> | |||||||
Some notable Savannah State baseball players and coaches include:
See main article: Savannah State Lady Tigers basketball.
Savannah State Lady Tigers basketball is a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) member. They currently play in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).[39]
The Lady Tigers started playing in 1928 and in 1974 joined Division II. They compiled a 339–394 record in Division II before moving on to Division I in 2002.[40] In Division I, the Lady Tigers are 148–260.[41] The Lady Tigers won 6 total SEAC Championships.[42]
The Lady Tigers will move back to Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) after the 2018–19 season[43]
The current coach is Don Andrews who entered his first season as head coach in 2008.[44]
The Women's Tennis Team won the SIAC championship in 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1998.[11]
In 2014, the Women's Tennis team set the program record for Division I wins.[45]
The Women's tennis team started playing in 1984–85.[46] They joined the MEAC during the 2011–12 season.[47]
The current head coach is Jolanta Graham who replaced Schannon Gamble in 2012.
Savannah State's Women's volleyball team began play in 1985 before they moved to Division I in 2002.[48] They began MEAC play in 2011.[49]
Savannah State's Women's volleyball has not had much success in their previous 34 seasons.[50]
The current head coach is Jose Gonzalez who entered his first season in 2008.[51]
In 2012, the Lady Tigers softball team completed their first .500 season and won a MEAC division title.[52]
The current coach is Art Gelow.[53]
The current coach is Ted Whitaker who entered his first season as head coach in 1999.[54]