The LSU Tigers are the athletic teams of Louisiana State University, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They participate in the NCAA's Division I, in the Southeastern Conference. LSU fields teams in 14 varsity sports (5 men's, 7 women's, 2 coed). Its official team nickname is the Fighting Tigers and the school mascot is Mike the Tiger. The official school colors are purple and gold, although in actuality the "gold" color which appears on the university's sports uniforms is canary yellow. LSU's nickname is a throwback to its Confederate heritage and is drawn from the Civil War fame of a New Orleans infantry company, the "Tiger Rifles," who fought so fiercely in General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia that they, and eventually all other Louisiana troops, became known as "Louisiana Tigers."

Based on winning percentage, the University's athletics program is consistently one of the best in the nation. Its arenas include Tiger Stadium aka "Death Valley" (football), Pete Maravich Assembly Center (basketball, volleyball, gymnastics), Carl Maddox Fieldhouse (indoor track), Bernie Moore Stadium (outdoor track), Tiger Park (softball), and Alex Box Stadium (baseball). Important rivals in football include one of the longest running college football rivalries with the Ole Miss Rebels, and the Tulane Green Wave. Other rivals include the Alabama Crimson Tide, Arkansas Razorbacks, and the Auburn Tigers.

Keeping with the French/Cajun character of South Louisiana, LSU support can be seen by its distinctive spelling of "Go Tigers" as "Geaux Tigers".

Sports[link]

By winning the SEC championship in Men's Basketball for the 2008-2009 season, LSU became the first SEC school to win at least 10 SEC championships in the big 3 sports of Football, Men's Basketball, and Baseball.^[1] That feat remains unchallenged. Furthermore, LSU is the only SEC school to win at least 1 national championship in each of the big three sports.

Baseball[link]

The LSU baseball team has won six national championships since 1991. The team participates in the West division of the Southeastern Conference and they are currently coached by Paul Mainieri. They play home games in the new Alex Box Stadium.

• National Championships (6): 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2009
• SEC Championships (16): 1939, 1943, 1946, 1961, 1975, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012

Men's Basketball[link]

The LSU men's basketball team participates in the West division of the Southeastern Conference. The team is currently coached by Johnny Jones.

• National Championships (1): 1935
• Final Four Appearances (4): 1953, 1981, 1986, 2006
• SEC Championships (10): 1935, 1953, 1954, 1979, 1981, 1985, 1991, 2000, 2006, 2009

Women's basketball[link]

The LSU women's basketball team participates in the Southeastern Conference. Nikki Caldwell became the new head coach on April 2, 2011, succeeding Van Chancellor, who had coached the team from 2007-2011.

• National Champions (0)
• Final Four Appearances (5): 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
• SEC Championships (3): 2005, 2006, 2008

Football[link]

The LSU football team is a football program in NCAA Division I-FBS college football. They participate in Tiger Stadium, which holds 92,400 people. LSU has won three national championships, including two in the last decade. LSU won the 2003 BCS National Championship amid controversy, as the USC Trojans were awarded the Associated Press National Championship even though they did not play in the BCS Championship Game. With their win in the 2008 BCS National Championship Game (for the 2007 season) the Tigers became the first two-loss team to compete for and win the national championship, and the first team to ever win two Bowl Championship Series titles.

• National Championships (3): 1958, 2003, 2007
• SEC Championships (11): 1935, 1936, 1958, 1961, 1970, 1986, 1988, 1989, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2011

Men's golf[link]

The Men's golf team is currently coached by Chuck Winstead.

• National Championships (4): 1940, 1942, 1947, 1955

• SEC Championships (15): 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1953, 1954, 1960, 1966, 1967, 1986, 1987

Former Players

• Brian Bateman
• Fred Haas
• Mac McLendon
• Johnny Pott
• Earl Stewart
• David Toms

Women's golf[link]

The Women's Golf team is currently coached by Karen Bahnsen.

• National Championships (0): None

• SEC Championships (1): 1992

Former Coaches

Buddy Alexander

Mary Rehling Holmes

Women's gymnastics[link]

The women's gymnastics team participates in the Southeastern Conference. They are currently coached by D-D Breaux.

• National Championships (0): None

• SEC Championships (1): 1981

Women's soccer[link]

The women's soccer team participates in the Southeastern Conference. They are currently coached by Brian Lee.

• National Championships (0): None

• SEC Championships (0): None

Former Coaches

Miriam Hickey

Gregg Boggs

George Fotopoulos

Softball[link]

The softball team participates in the Southeastern Conference. They are currently coached by Beth Torina.

Past head coaches: Carol Smith (1978–1981) Cathy Compton (1997–1998) Glenn Moore (1998–2000) Yvette Girouard (2001-2011) Beth Torina (2012-present)

• National Championships (0)
• WCWS Appearances (2): 2001, 2004
• SEC Championships (5): 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004

Swimming & diving[link]

The swim team is currently coached by Dave Geyer. The diving team is currently coached by Doug Shaffer.

• National Championships (0): None

• SEC Championships (1): 1988

Men's tennis[link]

The Men's Tennis team is currently coached by Jeff Brown.

• National Championships (0): None

• SEC Championships (4): 1976, 1985, 1998, 1999

Former Coaches

• Mike Donahue
• Dub Robinson
• Charles Diel
• Paul Young
• Steve Carter
• Steve Strome
• Jerry Simmons

Women's tennis[link]

The Women's Tennis team is currently coached by Tony Minnis.

• National Championships (0): None

• SEC Championships (0): None

Former Coaches

Goeff Macdonald

Phillip Campbell

Betty Sue Hagerman

Karen McCarter Elliot

Pat Newman

Men's indoor track and field[link]

The Men's indoor track and field team is currently coached by Dennis Shaver.

• National Championships (2): 2001, 2004

• SEC Championships (4): 1957, 1963, 1989, 1990

Former Coaches

Pat Henry

Women's indoor track and field[link]

The Women's indoor track and field team is currently coached by Dennis Shaver.

• National Championships (11): 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004

• SEC Championships (11): 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2007, 2008

Former Coaches

Pat Henry

Men's outdoor track and field[link]

The Men's outdoor track and field team is currently coached by Dennis Shaver.

• National Championships (4): 1933, 1989, 1990, 2002

• SEC Championships (22): 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1988, 1989, 1990

Former Coaches

• Bernie Moore
• Pat Henry

Women's outdoor track and field[link]

The Women's outdoor track and field team is currently coached by Dennis Shaver.

• National Championships (14): 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2008

• SEC Championships (8): 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2008

Former Coaches

Pat Henry

Volleyball[link]

The Volleyball team is currently coached by Fran Flory.

• National Championships (0): None

• Final Four Appearances (2): 1990, 1991

• SEC Championships (4): 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991

Former Coaches

Scott Luster

Ruth Nelson

Gerry Owens

Jinks Coleman

Non Varsity Sports[link]

Rugby[link]

LSU rugby has been successful in conference play and in national competition. LSU plays in the Southeastern Conference against its traditional SEC rivals, finishing first in the SEC West Division in 2012, with a 5-1 record. LSU has also played at the Collegiate Rugby Championship, finishing 9th in 2011 in a tournament broadcast live on NBC.^[2]

National championships[link]

LSU has won 46 team national championships, 42 of which are recognized by the NCAA, tying them for 5th all time in total national championships.^[3] Four of them are not recognized because there was not an NCAA sanctioned event in place at the time to determine a champion, and thus polls were used.

^ Prior to 1939, the NCAA did not conduct a tournament to determine the men's basketball national champion, and thus this is a "Mythical National Championship" as determined by polls.

^^ The NCAA does not award a national championship in Division I-FBS football. Instead, polls are used to determine national champions. In this case, AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, the two biggest selectors at the time, awarded LSU the national championship. Many members of the sports media and fans refer to Division I-FBS national championships as "Mythical National Championships" (a national championship that is won without a tournament).

^^^ In 1998 major Division I-FBS conferences came together to created the Bowl Championship Series in an effort to establish a more legitimate national champion. LSU won the 2003 BCS national championship and the 2007 BCS national championship. These are not NCAA sanctioned national championships, and because of that, many members of the sports media and fans still refer to them as Mythical National Championships.

Athletic hall of fame[link]

Main article: LSU Athletic Hall of Fame

Athletic directors[link]

Broadcast information[link]

The LSU Sports Radio Network's flagship station WDGL-FM ("The Eagle 98.1") in Baton Rouge.

See also[link]

• List of college sports teams in the United States with different mascot names for men's and women's teams
• 256th Infantry Brigade

References[link]

v t e Southeastern Conference Eastern Division Florida Gators Georgia Bulldogs Kentucky Wildcats South Carolina Gamecocks Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Vols Vanderbilt Commodores Western Division Alabama Crimson Tide Arkansas Razorbacks and Lady'Backs Auburn Tigers LSU Tigers Mississippi State Bulldogs Ole Miss Rebels Future members Missouri Tigers (2012) Texas A&M Aggies (2012) Former members Sewanee Tigers (1932–1940) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (1932–1964) Tulane Green Wave (1932–1966) Championships and awards National championships Conference champions Media SEC Network SEC on CBS