Texas State Bobcats
Encyclopedia
The Texas State Bobcats are the sports teams that represent Texas State University-San Marcos. Currently, they compete in the Southland Conference
in NCAA Division I (Football Championship Subdivision for football). They have 16 teams: football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, women's tennis, women's soccer, women's softball and women's volleyball. Note: The records listed below are as of the end of the 2009-2010 academic year.
Texas State will join the Western Athletic Conference
on July 1, 2012.
The Bobcat Baseball and Softball stadiums underwent renovations prior to the 2009 seasons, which included the addition of 12-person capacity luxury suites. The facilities hold 2,000 for baseball and 1,000 for softball.
Bobcat Baseball Field had its inaugural game on March 2, 2009 against the Texas Longhorns
.
national championship in 1960
.
The women's basketball team has won the Southland Conference postseason tournament twice, last time coming in the 2002-2003 season. The program has posted a 646-603 record since 1966, a win percentage of .517.
Both basketball programs play in Strahan Coliseum, opened in 1982. The arena, which holds 7,200 spectators, had a new playing floor installed before the 2008-2009 season.
Bobcat Stadium, where the team has played its home games since 1981, currently holds 15,218. A massive expansion project is currently underway that will ultimately seat more than 34,800. The project is in Phase I, which will result in a capacity of almost 27,200. Phase I-A, which added private suites and a stadium club lounge, was completed prior to the 2009 season.
The Bobcat women's track & field teams, indoor and outdoor, have won 11 conference championships(one Gulf Star Conference and 10 Southland Conference), last coming in 2007. Members of the team have placed on the All-American Team 15 times. The program boasts two Olympians who have competed a combined four times, Brigette Foster who placed in the semi-finals in 2004 and Liudmila Litvinova who won the Silver Medal in the 2008 games.
. The name is derived from the Interstate highway that essentially links the two schools who are in relatively close proximity to each other. In the beginning of the rivalry, a trophy was awarded to the winner of the men's basketball game. It has grown, however, to include all common sports the two schools compete with each other in throughout the academic year. A point system is used to crown a winner after the last competition between the schools in that year. The trophy is then inscribed with the annual winners and the winning institution retains the trophy for one year until the next winner is crowned.
Texas State took the 2007-08 trophy before UTSA reclaimed it for 2008-09, but the Bobcats brought the hardware back to San Marcos at the end of the 2009-10 competition.
, rains flooded San Marcos and the field at Bobcat Stadium.
Athletic directors and coaches from each school decided not to continue with the game and coined the annual contest named "Battle for the Paddle," joking that fans and athletes needed to use a boat and paddle to get to the game. The game eventually took place on November 28, 1998 with the Bobcats prevailing 28-27 to win the Paddle.
Texas State currently trails in the series with 13 wins against the Colonels 16, as the Colonels re-took the paddle in 2010 eventually winning 47-45 in 4 OT.
Southland Conference
The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it participates in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision...
in NCAA Division I (Football Championship Subdivision for football). They have 16 teams: football, men's and women's basketball, baseball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, women's tennis, women's soccer, women's softball and women's volleyball. Note: The records listed below are as of the end of the 2009-2010 academic year.
Texas State will join the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
on July 1, 2012.
Baseball
Texas State baseball has claimed three SLC tournament championships, the last coming in 2000, and won its first regular season championship in 2009. The Bobcats have gone 828-657-3 on the diamond since 1985, a win percentage of .556.The Bobcat Baseball and Softball stadiums underwent renovations prior to the 2009 seasons, which included the addition of 12-person capacity luxury suites. The facilities hold 2,000 for baseball and 1,000 for softball.
Bobcat Baseball Field had its inaugural game on March 2, 2009 against the Texas Longhorns
Texas Longhorns baseball
The Texas Longhorns baseball team represents The University of Texas at Austin and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I.The Texas Longhorns are the winningest program in college baseball history in terms of win percentage with .740 and ranks second all-time in total wins to the...
.
Basketball
The men's basketball program has claimed 11 regular season conference titles since 1950, nine Lone Star Conference and two Southland Conference. The Bobcats have won their conference's postseason tournament four times, twice in the LSC and twice in the SLC. The program also won the NAIANational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
national championship in 1960
1960 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1960 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 23rd annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format ....
.
The women's basketball team has won the Southland Conference postseason tournament twice, last time coming in the 2002-2003 season. The program has posted a 646-603 record since 1966, a win percentage of .517.
Both basketball programs play in Strahan Coliseum, opened in 1982. The arena, which holds 7,200 spectators, had a new playing floor installed before the 2008-2009 season.
Football
The football team has won two Southland Conference championships in 2005 and 2008, advancing to the NCAA semi-finals in 2005. Before that, the school won two Division II national championships in 1981 and 1982. Additionally, the Bobcats won the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championship in 1921, 1926, and 1929 along with eight Lone Star Conference titles between 1948 and 1983. The team has been competing intermittently since 1904 and has a record of 481-392-28, a .531 winning percentage.Bobcat Stadium, where the team has played its home games since 1981, currently holds 15,218. A massive expansion project is currently underway that will ultimately seat more than 34,800. The project is in Phase I, which will result in a capacity of almost 27,200. Phase I-A, which added private suites and a stadium club lounge, was completed prior to the 2009 season.
Golf
The men's golf team won the Division II NCAA national championship in 1983 and has won six conference championships(three Lone Star Conference and three Southland Conference) with the last coming in 1997. The women's team has won two Southland championships, last coming in the 2009-10 season.Soccer
Bobcat women's soccer has won five regular season conference championships and four postseason conference tournaments, winning both in 2008 and winning back-to-back regular season championships in 2009. The program is 114-92-14 since 1999, a .518 win percentage. Home games are played at the Bobcat Soccer Complex, built in 2000 with a capacity of 1,000.Softball
The Bobcat softball program has won the regular season SLC championship and the conference's postseason tournament four times apiece. The team took home the regular season and conference tournament crowns in 2009 and shared the regular season title in 2010. The program is 660-745-3 since 1985, earning a .467 winning percentage.Tennis
The women's tennis program has won four conference titles(two Lone Star Conference, two Southland Conference), last winning in 1989. The team plays home matches at the Bobcat Tennis Complex, which has a grandstand for the seating of 200.Track & Field
The Bobcat men's track & field teams, indoor and outdoor, have won 14 conference championships(three Lone Star Conference, one Gulf Star Conference, 10 Southland Conference), last winning in 2004. The program has placed an athlete on the Division I All-American Team 29 times, claimed five Division I medals, and has one Olympian, Charles Austin, who has participated in the Olympics three times winning one Gold Medal.The Bobcat women's track & field teams, indoor and outdoor, have won 11 conference championships(one Gulf Star Conference and 10 Southland Conference), last coming in 2007. Members of the team have placed on the All-American Team 15 times. The program boasts two Olympians who have competed a combined four times, Brigette Foster who placed in the semi-finals in 2004 and Liudmila Litvinova who won the Silver Medal in the 2008 games.
Volleyball
The Bobcats volleyball program has won seven regular season conference championships (one Gulf Star Conference, six Southland Conference), last coming in 2009. The team has taken home seven postseason conference tournament titles(all in the Southland Conference), with the most recent tournament win in 2009. The team has gone 871-562-19, a win percentage of .600, since 1973. The team plays home games at Strahan Coliseum.Nickname
The bobcat is indigenous to Central Texas, where Texas State University is located. Oscar Strahan, a former athletic director and football coach for the school, was quoted as saying, "A bobcat will fight you with everything he has: with four claws, teeth, speed and brains." The colors, maroon and gold, come from the Gaillardia flower, which is native to the region.I-35 Orange vs. Maroon Rivalry
The I-35 Orange vs. Maroon Rivalry series is the name given to the athletic competitions between the Bobcats and the UTSA RoadrunnersUTSA Roadrunners
The UTSA Roadrunners is an athletic program that represent the University of Texas at San Antonio . The UTSA Roadrunners are also commonly referred to as "UTSA", Roadrunners,or simply as "Runners" . The Roadrunners compete in the NCAA Division I Southland Conference in 17 varsity sports...
. The name is derived from the Interstate highway that essentially links the two schools who are in relatively close proximity to each other. In the beginning of the rivalry, a trophy was awarded to the winner of the men's basketball game. It has grown, however, to include all common sports the two schools compete with each other in throughout the academic year. A point system is used to crown a winner after the last competition between the schools in that year. The trophy is then inscribed with the annual winners and the winning institution retains the trophy for one year until the next winner is crowned.
Texas State took the 2007-08 trophy before UTSA reclaimed it for 2008-09, but the Bobcats brought the hardware back to San Marcos at the end of the 2009-10 competition.
The Battle for the Paddle
In fall 1998, just before the Bobcats were scheduled to take on the Nicholls State ColonelsNicholls State University
Nicholls State University, founded in 1948, is a public university located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, USA. Nicholls is part of the University of Louisiana System of universities. Originally called Francis T. Nicholls Junior College, the institution split from the Louisiana State University System in...
, rains flooded San Marcos and the field at Bobcat Stadium.
Athletic directors and coaches from each school decided not to continue with the game and coined the annual contest named "Battle for the Paddle," joking that fans and athletes needed to use a boat and paddle to get to the game. The game eventually took place on November 28, 1998 with the Bobcats prevailing 28-27 to win the Paddle.
Texas State currently trails in the series with 13 wins against the Colonels 16, as the Colonels re-took the paddle in 2010 eventually winning 47-45 in 4 OT.