Arkansas Ladybacks
Encyclopedia
The women's teams competing for the University of Arkansas (sometimes referred to colloquially
as the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks, or Lady'Backs), refers to any of the women's sports teams that competes officially for the University of Arkansas
Razorbacks
. The term Lady'Backs evolved over time as newspaper editors would shorten the mascot
name. It was adopted by the Women's Athletics Department for secondary usage in 1991. (It is a deliberate contraction — always with the apostrophe between the two parts and a capital "B".) While many university
sports teams have dropped the "Lady" portion of their nickname, it remains at the University of Arkansas
as a marketing tool to emphasize the separate identity of the women's program. The Women's Athletics Department was formed at the University of Arkansas in 1971–1972, but merged with the Men's Athletics Department on January 1, 2008 to create one athletic department, much like the structure which most universities in the United States employ. Bev Lewis, who was the women's athletics director at the time of the merger, still heads women's programs in the unified structure.
For the 2007–2008 academic year, the University sponsors 11 varsity
women's teams that compete in NCAA Division I. The Lady'Back "A" logo is the official logo for the Women's Athletics Department, but teams also employ the traditional University Razorback on uniforms.
The Lady'Back basketball
team is led by head coach Tom Collen
. They play home games in Bud Walton Arena
on the University of Arkansas campus. The women's basketball team completed its 32nd season in 2007–2008, and has made 17 post season appearances (from AIAW through the current NCAA era). Over 1 million fans have attended home women's basketball games at Fayetteville
during the three decades of Lady'Back hoops. The Lady Razorbacks' basketball team made their first NCAA Women's Final Four appearance in 1998, with the help of team leader Christy Smith.
track
team is led by head coach Lance Harter. They practice (and compete) on Agri Park cross country course (so named because it is located on the on campus agricultural area). Agri Park is also home to the men's cross country team. Harter is the first Lady'Back coach to have his team ranked No. 1 in the nation, and has won more SEC cross country titles than any other member institution.
team is headed by coach Shauna Estes. The team practices both at Blessings course, which is located a few minutes from the University of Arkansas campus in Johnson, Arkansas
, and also at the Fred W. and Mary B. Smith Razorback Golf Training Facility—which is also located at Blessings course—which features both indoor and outdoor practice areas. The men's golf team utilizes both areas as well.
team is referred to as the Gym’Backs. They are co-head coached by husband and wife team Mark and Rene Cook. They practice in the Bev Lewis Center for Women's Athletics and compete in Barnhill Arena
, both of which are located on the University of Arkansas campus. Ranked nationally since the start of the program in 2003, Arkansas is top 10 in the nation in home attendance. The Gym'Backs have five NCAA Regional appearances (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008), advanced two individuals (Dana McQuillin and Casey Jo Magee) to the NCAA Championship and hosted the 2006 NCAA South Central Regional.
At the 2006 Regionals, the Gym'Backs placed second in a six-team field, qualifying them for the NCAA National Championships for the first time. They repeated this feat in 2008.
Also in 2008, team members Michelle Stout and Casey Jo Magee, became the Gym'Backs first All-Americans. Stout reached first-team status on vault while Magee became a two-time second-team member on vault and uneven bars.
The soccer team is head coached by Erin Aubry, and practice/play on Lady’Back Field which is an exclusively soccer field on campus
. Arkansas
soccer is one of the oldest programs in the Southeastern Conference
, competing as a varsity sport since 1986.
team is coached by Mike Larabee. They practice and play at Bogle Park. Which opened during the 2008-09 season.
and diving
team is coached by Jeff Poppell. The team's facilities are the University of Arkansas Natatorium, which is located inside the HPER building (which also is home to student intramural facilities).
team's head coach is Michael Hegarty. The team's facilities are the University of Arkansas Varsity Courts (outdoor) and the adjacent Dills Indoor Tennis Center. Tennis is one of the oldest varsity sports at Arkansas with a continuous history from the first year of the Women's Athletics Department in 1971-72.
and outdoor facilities at John McDonnell Field
. Harter's teams are the most successful in the Southeastern Conference, winning 16 league titles including the first-ever SEC women's triple crown (a sweep of cross country, indoor and outdoor titles in the same season). His program produced numerous NCAA champions and most recently Athens Olympics
medalists Veronica Campbell
(two gold medals and a bronze for Jamaica in sprints) and Deena (Drossin) Kastor
. Kastor is one of America's premier distance runners, earning a marathon
bronze medal in Athens
and holding numerous distance and marathon
records.
team is coached by Robert Pulliza. They practice and play in Barnhill Arena
.
Before Pulliza took over for Chris Poole in 2008, Poole's teams had won 11 SEC Western Division from their inaugural season in 1994.
Colloquialism
A colloquialism is a word or phrase that is common in everyday, unconstrained conversation rather than in formal speech, academic writing, or paralinguistics. Dictionaries often display colloquial words and phrases with the abbreviation colloq. as an identifier...
as the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks, or Lady'Backs), refers to any of the women's sports teams that competes officially for the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
Razorbacks
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the names of college sports teams at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The term Arkansas Razorbacks properly applies to any of the sports teams at the university. The Razorbacks take their name from the feral pig of the same name...
. The term Lady'Backs evolved over time as newspaper editors would shorten the mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
name. It was adopted by the Women's Athletics Department for secondary usage in 1991. (It is a deliberate contraction — always with the apostrophe between the two parts and a capital "B".) While many university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
sports teams have dropped the "Lady" portion of their nickname, it remains at the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
as a marketing tool to emphasize the separate identity of the women's program. The Women's Athletics Department was formed at the University of Arkansas in 1971–1972, but merged with the Men's Athletics Department on January 1, 2008 to create one athletic department, much like the structure which most universities in the United States employ. Bev Lewis, who was the women's athletics director at the time of the merger, still heads women's programs in the unified structure.
For the 2007–2008 academic year, the University sponsors 11 varsity
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
women's teams that compete in NCAA Division I. The Lady'Back "A" logo is the official logo for the Women's Athletics Department, but teams also employ the traditional University Razorback on uniforms.
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...
team is led by head coach Tom Collen
Tom Collen
Tom Collen is a nationally renowned college women's basketball coach, the 1999 coach of the year, and the current head coach at the University of Arkansas.-Early life:...
. They play home games in Bud Walton Arena
Bud Walton Arena
Bud Walton Arena is the home to the men's and women's basketball teams of the University of Arkansas, known as the Razorbacks...
on the University of Arkansas campus. The women's basketball team completed its 32nd season in 2007–2008, and has made 17 post season appearances (from AIAW through the current NCAA era). Over 1 million fans have attended home women's basketball games at Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
during the three decades of Lady'Back hoops. The Lady Razorbacks' basketball team made their first NCAA Women's Final Four appearance in 1998, with the help of team leader Christy Smith.
Cross country
The Lady'Back cross countryCross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
team is led by head coach Lance Harter. They practice (and compete) on Agri Park cross country course (so named because it is located on the on campus agricultural area). Agri Park is also home to the men's cross country team. Harter is the first Lady'Back coach to have his team ranked No. 1 in the nation, and has won more SEC cross country titles than any other member institution.
Golf
The golfGolf
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....
team is headed by coach Shauna Estes. The team practices both at Blessings course, which is located a few minutes from the University of Arkansas campus in Johnson, Arkansas
Johnson, Arkansas
Johnson is a city in Washington County, Arkansas, United States. The city was incorporated in 1961. The population was 3,354 at the 2010 census...
, and also at the Fred W. and Mary B. Smith Razorback Golf Training Facility—which is also located at Blessings course—which features both indoor and outdoor practice areas. The men's golf team utilizes both areas as well.
Gymnastics
The gymnasticsGymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
team is referred to as the Gym’Backs. They are co-head coached by husband and wife team Mark and Rene Cook. They practice in the Bev Lewis Center for Women's Athletics and compete in Barnhill Arena
Barnhill Arena
Barnhill Arena is a 10,000-seat multipurpose arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas, now used primarily for volleyball. The arena opened in 1954 and was home to the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and Ladybacks basketball teams before they moved to Bud Walton Arena in 1993...
, both of which are located on the University of Arkansas campus. Ranked nationally since the start of the program in 2003, Arkansas is top 10 in the nation in home attendance. The Gym'Backs have five NCAA Regional appearances (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008), advanced two individuals (Dana McQuillin and Casey Jo Magee) to the NCAA Championship and hosted the 2006 NCAA South Central Regional.
At the 2006 Regionals, the Gym'Backs placed second in a six-team field, qualifying them for the NCAA National Championships for the first time. They repeated this feat in 2008.
Also in 2008, team members Michelle Stout and Casey Jo Magee, became the Gym'Backs first All-Americans. Stout reached first-team status on vault while Magee became a two-time second-team member on vault and uneven bars.
Soccer
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
. Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
soccer is one of the oldest programs in the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
, competing as a varsity sport since 1986.
Softball
The softballSoftball
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...
team is coached by Mike Larabee. They practice and play at Bogle Park. Which opened during the 2008-09 season.
Swimming and diving
The swimmingSwimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and diving
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
team is coached by Jeff Poppell. The team's facilities are the University of Arkansas Natatorium, which is located inside the HPER building (which also is home to student intramural facilities).
Tennis
The tennisTennis
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...
team's head coach is Michael Hegarty. The team's facilities are the University of Arkansas Varsity Courts (outdoor) and the adjacent Dills Indoor Tennis Center. Tennis is one of the oldest varsity sports at Arkansas with a continuous history from the first year of the Women's Athletics Department in 1971-72.
Track and field
The track and field team is coached by Lance Harter. They have indoor facilities at The Randal Tyson Track CenterRandal Tyson Track Center
The Randal Tyson Track Center is a 5,500-seat indoor track in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It was built in 2000. It is home to the University of Arkansas Razorbacks track and field teams. It was also home for one year to a the semi-pro Arkansas Stars. The facility is located behind the first base...
and outdoor facilities at John McDonnell Field
John McDonnell Field
John McDonnell Field is the outdoor track facility at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and is home to the Arkansas Razorbacks...
. Harter's teams are the most successful in the Southeastern Conference, winning 16 league titles including the first-ever SEC women's triple crown (a sweep of cross country, indoor and outdoor titles in the same season). His program produced numerous NCAA champions and most recently Athens Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
medalists Veronica Campbell
Veronica Campbell
Veronica Campbell-Brown C.D is a track and field sprint athlete, competing internationally for Jamaica. A five-time Olympic medallist, she is the reigning World and Olympic 200 metres champion...
(two gold medals and a bronze for Jamaica in sprints) and Deena (Drossin) Kastor
Deena Kastor
Deena Michelle Kastor is an American long-distance runner. She holds American records in the marathon, half-marathon, and numerous road distances. She won the bronze medal in the women's marathon at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece...
. Kastor is one of America's premier distance runners, earning a marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
bronze medal in Athens
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
and holding numerous distance and marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
records.
Volleyball
The volleyballVolleyball
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...
team is coached by Robert Pulliza. They practice and play in Barnhill Arena
Barnhill Arena
Barnhill Arena is a 10,000-seat multipurpose arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas, now used primarily for volleyball. The arena opened in 1954 and was home to the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and Ladybacks basketball teams before they moved to Bud Walton Arena in 1993...
.
Before Pulliza took over for Chris Poole in 2008, Poole's teams had won 11 SEC Western Division from their inaugural season in 1994.
Famous athletes
- Veronica Campbell-Brown (Track) – Won three gold medalGold medalA gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s and a bronze in two Olympic GamesOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
competing for JamaicaJamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
in sprintSprint (race)Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
s. Won 100 meter and second in 200 meter at 2007 World Championships2007 World Championships in AthleticsThe 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
. - Shameka ChristonShameka ChristonShameka Delynn Christon is an American professional women's basketball player with the Chicago Sky in the WNBA....
(Basketball) – Plays for WNBA's New York LibertyNew York LibertyThe New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
. - Deena KastorDeena KastorDeena Michelle Kastor is an American long-distance runner. She holds American records in the marathon, half-marathon, and numerous road distances. She won the bronze medal in the women's marathon at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece...
(Track) – Holder of the US marathonMarathonThe marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
record. Won bronze medal in Olympic2004 Summer OlympicsThe 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
marathonMarathonThe marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
in 2004. - Stacy LewisStacy LewisStacy Lewis is an American professional golfer on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour.-Early years:Born in Ohio, Lewis grew up in Texas at The Woodlands outside of Houston, and graduated from The Woodlands High School in 2003...
(Golf) – NCAA individual champion, 2007. Won individual and team championship at 2006 World Student Games. Finished 3rd in 2008 Women's U.S. OpenUnited States Women's Open Championship (golf)The United States Women's Open Golf Championship, one of thirteen national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association , is one of the LPGA's major championships along with the LPGA Championship, the Women's British Open, and the Kraft Nabisco Championship...
, her professional debut. - Amanda McCurdy (Golf) – Second place in 2006 U.S. Women's AmateurUnited States Women's Amateur Golf ChampionshipThe U.S. Women's Amateur is the leading golf tournament in the United States for female amateur golfers. It is played annually and is one of the 13 United States national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association . Female amateurs from all nations are eligible to compete...
. - Gi-Gi Miller-JohnsonVirginia MillerVirginia Miller-Johnson is a world class heptathlete and former US champion.-Collegiate career:...
(Track) – Top heptathleteHeptathlonA heptathlon is a track and field athletics combined events contest made up of seven events. The name derives from the Greek hepta and athlon . A competitor in a heptathlon is referred to as a heptathlete.-Women's Heptathlon:...
in US in 2006.