Oakland Golden Grizzlies
Encyclopedia
Oakland University
Golden Grizzlies consist of 16 sports teams competing in The Summit League and Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
. The 16 athletic teams are: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming and diving, women's tennis, men's and women's track, and volleyball.
, academic excellence was stressed at the expense of competitive intercollegiate athletics. While the focus on academic excellence has continued and expanded, the university has also come to recognize the importance of intercollegiate athletics. Throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, OU competed in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
(GLIAC) as the "Pioneers," becoming a perennial powerhouse in numerous sports and winning multiple National Championships in men's and women's swimming. During the transition to NCAA Division I status in 1998-99, OU's sports teams became the Golden Grizzlies.
The current Athletic Director is Tracy Huth, who was one of the top swimmers in OU history as a student. In 2007 the OU Athletics Administration announced a marketing and sponsorship partnership with Palace Sports and Entertainment
, which owns and operates the nearby The Palace of Auburn Hills
, as well as the Detroit Pistons
and the Detroit Shock
.
National Championships (10):
National Runners-up (16):
Club Team National Championships (4):
Club Team National Runners-up (1):
, who pitched for the California Angels, the Chicago White Sox
, and the Toronto Blue Jays
during his career.
, who is now among the top ten longest-serving coaches in the NCAA Division I ranks. OU qualified for the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
tournament for the first time in 2005. The Golden Grizzlies defeated Alabama A&M University in the opening-round game at Dayton, Ohio
on March 15, 2005, before being eliminated three days later by the University of North Carolina
Tar Heels, who went on to win the National Championship.
In 2010, Oakland University
made their second ever trip to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
tournament after winning the Summit League Tournament. They came in as a 14 seed against number 3 Pittsburgh, where they were eliminated.
Nearly two dozen OU players have gone on to play professional basketball. After being among the top ten scorers in all of NCAA Division I basketball in 2003 and 2004, Mike Helms
was drafted into the CBA
and played briefly for the Michigan Mayhem
, in addition to playing in the National Basketball League
of Australia
, where he finished second in the league in scoring in 2006. His OU teammate, Kelly Williams
, who is Filipino American, was the #1 overall draft pick in the 2006 Philippine Basketball Association
draft and was named the league's Rookie of the Year in 2007. Rawle Marshall
, who led OU to its first NCAA tournament berth in 2005, became the first player from the university to make an NBA roster, playing in 23 games for the Dallas Mavericks
in the 2005-06 season and 40 games for the Indiana Pacers
in the 2006-07 season.
Brian Gregory, Oakland's career assist leader, played under Kampe from 1987-90 before beginning a coaching career. He was an assistant under Tom Izzo
when Michigan State University
won the 2000 NCAA title
, and is now the head coach at the University of Dayton
.
OU men's basketball games are broadcast on WDFN (1130 AM). The voice of the Golden Grizzlies is Mario Impemba
, who is also the Emmy Award winning television play-by-play announcer for the Detroit Tigers
. Impemba is joined by color analysts Neal Ruhl for road games, and Tom Negoshian for home games.
In the 2010-11 season, Oakland narrowly lost 77-76 to then-#7 Michigan State before beating then-#7 University of Tennessee 89-82 in basketball.
In the 2011-2012 season, Oakland beat Tennessee for the second year in a row 89-81.
. On March 7, 2006, the women's basketball team defeated Western Illinois University
to capture the 2006 Mid-Continent title. On March 19, in the first round of the NCAA tournament
, the #16 Grizzlies lost to #1 Ohio State Buckeyes
68-45. Both basketball teams host games at the Athletics Center O'Rena.
, who was previously head coach of the men's golf team at Belmont University
in Nashville
.
's Division II national championship in 2004, was national runner-up in 2005, and in 2006 again won the Division II championship. The team moved up to ACHA Division I for the 2006-2007 season and won the national championship over perennial power Penn State University by a score of 5-1. In addition, the Grizzlies career scoring leader, Will McMahon, was named tournament and regular season MVP after tallying 47 goals and 29 assists in 36 games (including playoffs). McMahon finished his career with 4 ACHA National Player of the Year awards with career totals of 240 goals and 140 assists (380 total points). McMahon was drafted by the Fort Wayne Komets
of the IHL following his final season (2007) making him the first Grizzly drafted in a professional hockey league. The team is currently coached by former Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey
Captain Jeremy Bachusz, who lead Oakland to a 25-11-3 record in his first season. The 25 wins was the most for OU Hockey at the DI level. The Grizzlies currently compete in the Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League
conference.
in the third round of the Major League Soccer
draft.
, 4-0, in the first round of the tournament on November 16, 2007.
Oakland University
Oakland University is a public university co-founded by Matilda Dodge Wilson and John A. Hannah whose campus is located in central Oakland County, Michigan, United States in the cities of Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills. It is the only major research university in Oakland County, from which OU...
Golden Grizzlies consist of 16 sports teams competing in The Summit League and Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
. The 16 athletic teams are: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming and diving, women's tennis, men's and women's track, and volleyball.
History
Early in the history of Oakland UniversityOakland University
Oakland University is a public university co-founded by Matilda Dodge Wilson and John A. Hannah whose campus is located in central Oakland County, Michigan, United States in the cities of Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills. It is the only major research university in Oakland County, from which OU...
, academic excellence was stressed at the expense of competitive intercollegiate athletics. While the focus on academic excellence has continued and expanded, the university has also come to recognize the importance of intercollegiate athletics. Throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, OU competed in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a competitive intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division II. The GLIAC was founded in June 1972. Member institutions are located in the midwestern United States in the States of Michigan and Ohio, with affiliate...
(GLIAC) as the "Pioneers," becoming a perennial powerhouse in numerous sports and winning multiple National Championships in men's and women's swimming. During the transition to NCAA Division I status in 1998-99, OU's sports teams became the Golden Grizzlies.
The current Athletic Director is Tracy Huth, who was one of the top swimmers in OU history as a student. In 2007 the OU Athletics Administration announced a marketing and sponsorship partnership with Palace Sports and Entertainment
Palace Sports and Entertainment
Palace Sports & Entertainment ' is a sports and entertainment company owned by Tom Gores.The company owns the Detroit Pistons of the NBA...
, which owns and operates the nearby The Palace of Auburn Hills
The Palace of Auburn Hills
The Palace of Auburn Hills, often referred to simply as The Palace, is a sports and entertainment venue in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb on the northern outskirts of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Opened in 1988, it is the home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association...
, as well as the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
and the Detroit Shock
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
.
National championships
Oakland University won ten national NCAA Division II titles and 16 teams were national runner-up in NCAA Division II. Men's swimming and diving won five championships and finished as runner-up 10 times. Five women's swimming and diving teams also finished first and three came in second. The men's soccer team was NCAA Division II runner-up in 1986, 1994, and 1996.National Championships (10):
- 1980: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1990: Women's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1991: Women's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1992: Women's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1993: Women's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1994: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1994: Women's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1995: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1996: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1997: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
National Runners-up (16):
- 1979: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1981: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1983: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1984: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1986: Men's Soccer - NCAA Division II
- 1987: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1988: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1989: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1990: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1991: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1993: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1994: Men's Soccer - NCAA Division II
- 1995: Women's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1996: Men's Soccer - NCAA Division II
- 1996: Women's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
- 1997: Women's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
Club Team National Championships (4):
- 2004: Men's Ice Hockey - ACHA Division II
- 2006: Curling - CCUSA Division IV
- 2006: Men's Ice Hockey - ACHA Division II
- 2007: Men's Ice Hockey - ACHA Division I
Club Team National Runners-up (1):
- 2005: Men's Ice Hockey - ACHA Division II
Conference affiliation
The Golden Grizzlies first joined a Division I conference in 1998 when they joined the Mid-Continent Conference (now known as The Summit League).| Years | Conference | NCAA Classification |
|---|---|---|
| 1998–present | The Summit League | Division I |
| 1997–1998 | Independent | Division I |
| 1973–1997 | Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a competitive intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division II. The GLIAC was founded in June 1972. Member institutions are located in the midwestern United States in the States of Michigan and Ohio, with affiliate... |
Division II |
Baseball
OU's baseball team is coached by John Musachio. The baseball program has produced nearly two dozen players who have gone on to play professional baseball, although at present the only former player who has made it to the Major Leagues is Don KirkwoodDon Kirkwood
Donald Paul Kirkwood is a retired professional baseball player who played five seasons for the California Angels, Chicago White Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball.-References:...
, who pitched for the California Angels, the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, and the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
during his career.
Basketball (men's)
The OU men's basketball team is coached by Greg KampeGreg Kampe
Greg Kampe is an American college basketball coach and the current head men's basketball coach at Oakland University. He guided the Golden Grizzlies to their first NCAA Division I tournament and tournament win in 2005...
, who is now among the top ten longest-serving coaches in the NCAA Division I ranks. OU qualified for the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
tournament for the first time in 2005. The Golden Grizzlies defeated Alabama A&M University in the opening-round game at Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
on March 15, 2005, before being eliminated three days later by the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
Tar Heels, who went on to win the National Championship.
In 2010, Oakland University
Oakland University
Oakland University is a public university co-founded by Matilda Dodge Wilson and John A. Hannah whose campus is located in central Oakland County, Michigan, United States in the cities of Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills. It is the only major research university in Oakland County, from which OU...
made their second ever trip to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
tournament after winning the Summit League Tournament. They came in as a 14 seed against number 3 Pittsburgh, where they were eliminated.
Nearly two dozen OU players have gone on to play professional basketball. After being among the top ten scorers in all of NCAA Division I basketball in 2003 and 2004, Mike Helms
Mike Helms
Mike Helms is an American basketball player who played guard at Oakland University. He was named to the Mid-Continent Conference All-League team three years in a row and the Mid-Con Conference Player of the Year in 2003...
was drafted into the CBA
CBA
- Terminology :* Collective bargaining agreement** NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement** NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement* Consensus based assessment* Cost-benefit analysis* Cytometric Bead Array, a bead-based immunoassay- Institutions :...
and played briefly for the Michigan Mayhem
Michigan Mayhem
The Michigan Mayhem was a minor league professional basketball team based in Muskegon, Michigan that competed in the Continental Basketball Association. In the CBA's 2004-05 season the Mayhem finished third in the league's Eastern Conference. The team played its home games at the L.C...
, in addition to playing in the National Basketball League
National Basketball League (Australia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where he finished second in the league in scoring in 2006. His OU teammate, Kelly Williams
Kelly Williams
Kelly Williams is a Filipino-American professional basketball player currently playing for the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters in the Philippine Basketball Association...
, who is Filipino American, was the #1 overall draft pick in the 2006 Philippine Basketball Association
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
draft and was named the league's Rookie of the Year in 2007. Rawle Marshall
Rawle Marshall
Rawle Marshall is a Guyanese-American professional basketball player. He is a 6 ft 7 in and 190 lb small forward.-Early life:...
, who led OU to its first NCAA tournament berth in 2005, became the first player from the university to make an NBA roster, playing in 23 games for the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
in the 2005-06 season and 40 games for the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the 2006-07 season.
Brian Gregory, Oakland's career assist leader, played under Kampe from 1987-90 before beginning a coaching career. He was an assistant under Tom Izzo
Tom Izzo
Tom Izzo is an American college basketball coach. Since 1995, he has been the head coach for the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team, presiding over a prolonged period of success....
when Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
won the 2000 NCAA title
2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2000, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, and is now the head coach at the University of Dayton
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
.
OU men's basketball games are broadcast on WDFN (1130 AM). The voice of the Golden Grizzlies is Mario Impemba
Mario Impemba
Mario Impemba is an American sportscaster, currently the TV voice of the Detroit Tigers and the radio and TV voice of the Oakland Golden Grizzlies men's basketball team.-Early life:...
, who is also the Emmy Award winning television play-by-play announcer for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. Impemba is joined by color analysts Neal Ruhl for road games, and Tom Negoshian for home games.
In the 2010-11 season, Oakland narrowly lost 77-76 to then-#7 Michigan State before beating then-#7 University of Tennessee 89-82 in basketball.
In the 2011-2012 season, Oakland beat Tennessee for the second year in a row 89-81.
Basketball (women's)
The OU women's basketball team is coached by Beckie FrancisBeckie Francis
Beckie Francis is the head women's basketball coach at Oakland University. In her 11th season at the helm, she has compiled a 207–124 record, and a 237–172 overall record. She has coached two Kodak All-Americans and 11 All Conference players during her tenure...
. On March 7, 2006, the women's basketball team defeated Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University
Western Illinois University is a public university founded in 1899 as Western Illinois State Normal School. Like many similar institutions of the time, Western Illinois State Normal School focused on teacher training for its relatively small body of students. As the normal school grew, it became...
to capture the 2006 Mid-Continent title. On March 19, in the first round of the NCAA tournament
2006 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
-Albuquerque:-Bridgeport:-San Antonio:-Cleveland Regional:-Albuquerque Regional:-Bridgeport Regional:-San Antonio Regional:-Final Four – TD Banknorth Garden :...
, the #16 Grizzlies lost to #1 Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
68-45. Both basketball teams host games at the Athletics Center O'Rena.
Cross Country (men's and women's)
Both the men's and women's Cross Country teams at OU are coached by Paul Rice.Golf (men's and women's)
OU's golf program benefits from the two world-class golf courses located on the university's campus. Both the men's and women's golf teams are coached by Brian CostelloBrian Costello
Brian Costello is a musician, live talk show host and writer living in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Born in Florida, he moved to Chicago in 1997 to pursue his interest in music...
, who was previously head coach of the men's golf team at Belmont University
Belmont University
Belmont University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is the largest Christian university in Tennessee and the second largest private university in the state, behind nearby Vanderbilt University.-Belmont Mansion:Belmont Mansion...
in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
Ice Hockey (men's, club)
The Oakland men's club ice hockey team won the American Collegiate Hockey AssociationAmerican Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association is the national governing body of non-varsity college ice hockey in the U.S. The organization provides structure, regulations, promotes the quality of play, sponsors National Awards and National Tournaments....
's Division II national championship in 2004, was national runner-up in 2005, and in 2006 again won the Division II championship. The team moved up to ACHA Division I for the 2006-2007 season and won the national championship over perennial power Penn State University by a score of 5-1. In addition, the Grizzlies career scoring leader, Will McMahon, was named tournament and regular season MVP after tallying 47 goals and 29 assists in 36 games (including playoffs). McMahon finished his career with 4 ACHA National Player of the Year awards with career totals of 240 goals and 140 assists (380 total points). McMahon was drafted by the Fort Wayne Komets
Fort Wayne Komets
The Fort Wayne Komets are a minor league ice hockey franchise currently a member of the Central Hockey League in the Northern Conference. The team was previously a member of the International Hockey League before it merged into the CHL in 2010...
of the IHL following his final season (2007) making him the first Grizzly drafted in a professional hockey league. The team is currently coached by former Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey
Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey
The Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents Lake Superior State University. The Lakers are a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association . They play at the Taffy Abel Arena in Sault...
Captain Jeremy Bachusz, who lead Oakland to a 25-11-3 record in his first season. The 25 wins was the most for OU Hockey at the DI level. The Grizzlies currently compete in the Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League
Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League
The Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League is an ACHA Division I level ice hockey league. The GLCHL is made up of teams from Michigan. The league was announced in late 2009 and will play its first season in the ACHA in Fall 2010 with six member teams, all located within the state of Michigan...
conference.
Soccer (men's)
The men's soccer team at OU will be coached by Eric Pogue, starting in the 2009 season. Pogue was an assistant under Gary Parsons for seven years. Parsons coached Oakland for 28 years and accumulated 363 wins in his coaching career, and made the NCAA Division I tournament on multiple occasions. Another of Parsons' former players, Jason Perry, will serve as an assistant to Pogue. In 2004, Perry was drafted by the Los Angeles GalaxyLos Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
in the third round of the Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
draft.
Soccer (women's)
The women's soccer team at OU is coached by Nick O'Shea. In addition to making the NCAA Division I tournament in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2006, the team qualified again in 2007. They lost to Purdue UniversityPurdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
, 4-0, in the first round of the tournament on November 16, 2007.