Texas A&M Aggies
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| Texas A&M Aggies | |
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| University | Texas A&M University |
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| Conference | Big 12 |
| NCAA | Division I |
| Athletics director | Bill Byrne |
| Location | College Station, TX |
| Varsity Teams | 20 |
| Stadium | Kyle Field |
| Arena | Reed Arena |
| Mascot | Reveille |
| Nickname | Aggies |
| Fight Song | Aggie War Hymn |
| Colors | Maroon and White
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| Homepage | www.aggieathletics.com |
Texas A&M Aggies is the name given to the sports teams of Texas A&M University. The teams are often referred to as the Texas Aggies, referring to the state in which the school is located rather than the university the players attend. Texas A&M was a charter member of the Southwest Conference until its dissolution and subsequent formation of the Big 12 Conference in 1996. The athletic program competes in the South Division of the Big 12, along with Baylor University, Oklahoma State University, Texas Tech University, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Texas. Texas A&M's official school colors are maroon and white. The teams are referred to as Aggies and the mascot is a pure-bred collie named Reveille.
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[edit] Athletics
Texas A&M competes in the following varsity sports:
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Men's sports:
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Women's sports:
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[edit] Football
The Texas A&M Aggies compete in the Big 12 Conference and entered their 112th year of football competition in the 2006 season. During that time, the Aggies have earned one national title in 1939 and 19 conference titles.[1] The football program experienced a period of little success lasting from 1944 to 1971, when the Aggies won only two conference titles. With Emory Bellard as head coach beginning in 1972, the Aggies returned to prominence with two 10 win seasons during his short tenure. He was replaced by Tom Wilson who had little success at Texas A&M before Jackie Sherrill took over the program. In his seven years at A&M, Sherrill won three consecutive conference titles and two Cotton Bowl postseason games. His defensive coordinator, R.C. Slocum, replaced him as head coach in 1989. Slocum finished in the top 25 during 10 of his 14 years at Texas A&M[2] and won 4 conference titles, including the school's first Big 12 title in 1998.
In late 2002, Dennis Franchione left his position as head coach at the University of Alabama to take over Texas A&M's football program from Slocum. He finished the 2003 season at 4-8. Franchione finished the 2004 regular season with a 7-4 mark and an invitation to the Cotton Bowl, a game the Aggies lost to Tennessee. The 2005 team regressed to 5-6 and defensive coordinator Carl Torbush was fired, and replaced by Gary Darnell. Due in large part to dramatic improvement on defense, the Aggies finished the 2006 regular season with a 9-3 record and a 5-3 mark in Big 12 play. The 2006 season did not end as the Aggies had hoped, after losing to the California Golden Bears 45-10 at the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. The loss ended their hopes of being ranked in the final Top 25 poll, a feat the Aggies have not accomplished since 1999.
[edit] Basketball
Texas A&M basketball has been dormant for much of its recent history. The Aggies have won 11 conference championships, two conference tournament titles, and have seven NCAA tournament appearances. Under current head coach Billy Gillispie, the Aggies finished fourth in conference in 2006, their highest finish ever in the Big 12, only two years removed from having zero wins in conference play. Gillispie then led the Aggies to their first NCAA tournament berth since 1987, playing as a 12 seed, and to A&M's first NCAA tournament win since 1980 over fifth seed Syracuse. The Aggies were one point short of advancing to the Sweet Sixteen over fourth seed LSU, with a final score of 57-58.
Women's basketball at Texas A&M has had a similar experience as men's basketball. The team had two NCAA tournament appearances, a NWIT title, and a Southwest Conference tournament title before entering the Big 12. The program experienced little success in the new conference until current head coach Gary Blair took over the program and led the 2006 team to their highest finish ever in Big 12 play, third place, and an NCAA tournament appearance. The sixth seed women's team was upset in the first round by eleventh seed TCU.
Ground broke on the Cox-McFerrin Center in November 2006, a 68,000 square foot expansion to Reed Arena which includes new locker rooms, meeting rooms, practice gyms, training rooms, player lounges, and reception areas.
[edit] Baseball
Texas A&M baseball is currently coached by Rob Childress. He joined the program in 2005, leaving his position as an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska. The Aggies have won 15 Southwest Conference titles, two Big 12 titles, and have four College World Series appearances. The Aggie baseball team plays at Olsen Field, which has been the site of several miraculous comeback wins by the home team; this is referred to as "Olsen Magic" by Aggie baseball fans.
[edit] Softball
The Aggie softball team is coached by Jo Evans, who has led the program since 1996. Her 2005 team won the Big 12 conference title.
The softball program has five Women's College World Series appearances and three national titles.
[edit] Golf
Men's golf is coached by J.T. Higgins, who has been with the program since 2001. He has led the team to two top 15 finishes at the NCAA tournament, including 14th place at the 2006 NCAA Championship tournament.
Women's golf has been coached by Jeanne Sutherland since 1992. The golf team won the Big 12 title in 1998 and 2006. In 2006, the team finished 19th at the NCAA Championship tournament.
[edit] Tennis
Men's tennis was coached by Tim Cass from 1997 to 2006. In Cass's ten seasons at Texas A&M, he won three Big 12 tournament titles and one conference title. He resigned in July 2006 to accept a position as Senior Associate Athletic Director at the University of New Mexico, his alma mater. On August 8, 2006, Texas A&M–Corpus Christi head coach Steve Denton was named the new A&M men's tennis coach. Denton won three Southland Conference regular-season titles, two tournament titles, and had an overall conference record of 19-2, including two undefeated regular seasons, in his five years with the Islanders.
Women's tennis has been coached by Bobby Kleinecke since 1985. In 2003 and 2004, he was voted Big 12 Coach of the Year. Kleinecke led the Aggies to a conference title in 2003 and a tournament title in 2004.
[edit] Soccer
Women's soccer is coached by G. Guerreri, who has led the program since its inception in 1993. His Aggies have won nine Big 12 titles (five regular season and four tournament), including three straight regular season titles from 2004 to 2006. Aggie teams have made appearances in the NCAA Tournament for 12 consecutive seasons, advancing at least as far as the round of 16 in seven of the last eight appearances. The 2006 team finished the season in the Elite 8, the Aggies’ third quarterfinals appearance in six seasons.
[edit] Track and Field
Track and field is coached by Pat Henry. Before leaving LSU in 2004, Pat Henry won 27 national titles in men's and women's track and field. The women's track and field team won its first Big 12 title after winning the conference indoor championships in 2007.
[edit] Volleyball
The Aggie Volleyball team is coached by Laurie Corbelli, who has been at Texas A&M since 1993. The Texas A&M volleyball team participated in 13 consecutive NCAA postseasons, from Corbelli's first year in 1993 to 2005.
[edit] Swimming and diving
Long-time assistant Jay Holmes, who has been with A&M since 1987, was named head coach of the men's swimming program in 2004. His 2007 squad finished second in the Big 12.
Women's swimming is led by Steve Bultman, head coach since 1999. His 2007 team won the Big 12 title.
The diving program has been coached by Kevin Wright since 1992. He won an A&M-record seven consecutive conference Coach of the Year awards from 1996 to 2002.
[edit] Texas A&M titles
- National titles
- Football
- 1939
- Softball
- 1982 (AIAW), 1983 (NCAA), 1987 (NCAA)
- Football
- Conference titles - years in parentheses denote tournament title; years without denote regular-season conference title
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[edit] Rivalries
Texas A&M's biggest rival is the University of Texas Longhorns. The university has other significant rivals but few come close to the rivalry shared between Texas A&M and the University of Texas. The mutual respect and desire to win has given rise to the Lone Star Showdown, an athletic competition that lasts year-round and encompasses all regular-season NCAA athletic events between the two schools. Though the showdown officially began in 2004, the two teams have been competing with one another for more than a century.
Other rivals include the Baylor Bears (rivalry officially known as Battle of the Brazos) and Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Historical rivals from days in the Southwest Conference that are no longer active include LSU, Rice, and the University of Houston.
[edit] Venues and facilities
Athletic venues and facilities include:
- Football: Kyle Field
- Basketball: Reed Arena
- Baseball: Olsen Field
- Softball: Aggie Softball Complex
- Golf: Traditions Club Championship Golf Course
- Tennis: George P. Mitchell Tennis Center
- Soccer: Aggie Soccer Stadium
- Track and Field: Anderson Track and Field Complex
- Volleyball: G. Rollie White Coliseum
- Swimming and Diving: Student Rec Center Natatorium
- Equestrian: Freeman Arena
Athletic training, rehabilitation, and student-services facilities include:
Additionally, Texas A&M houses two dedications to student-athletes of the past: the Texas A&M Sports Museum located at the north end of Kyle Field and the Erickson Hall of Fame and Hall of Honor.
[edit] Traditions
Texas A&M values traditions very highly, many of which revolve around the sports in which the school competes. A few of the athletic traditions of Texas A&M include:
- The 12th Man — The entire student body is referred to as The 12th Man after E. King Gill stood ready to play on the sidelines in 1922.
- The Aggie War Hymn — The War Hymn is played at athletic events during the game and after a win.
- Aggie Bonfire — Built and burned prior to the annual football game with the University of Texas. Bonfire is now an off-campus event after the University cancelled it following the 1999 collapse.
- Fightin' Texas Aggie Band — The Aggie Band is the largest military-style marching band in the United States and performs at every football halftime.
- Midnight Yell Practice — Held the night before a home game, the student body gathers at Kyle Field to excite the crowd.
- Yell Leaders — Attending many events, the yell leaders use hand signals to keep the crowd yelling in unison.
- Gig 'em — The slogan used by Aggie supporters, often accompanied with a thumbs-up sign, the first hand sign of the Southwest Conference.
- Reveille — The official mascot of Texas A&M since 1931. Since Reveille II, all A&M mascots have been collies.
- Maroon Out — One designated home game of the year is a "maroon out" game. All Aggies are instructed to wear maroon.
[edit] Notable athletes and coaches
Former student-athletes and coaches at Texas A&M include:
- Sam Adams, NCAA All-American and NFL Pro Bowl defensive tackle
- "Bear" Bryant, head coach, 1954-1957, most successful coach in NCAA Division I college football
- John David Crow, 1957 Heisman Trophy winner
- Dean Goldfine, former ATP Tour tennis player, former coach of Todd Martin and Andy Roddick
- Lester Hayes, five-time NFL Pro-Bowler, two Super Bowl wins with Oakland Raiders
- Dante Hall, two-time Pro-Bowler, tied for NFL record - most career kickoff return touchdowns
- John Kimbrough, Heisman Trophy runner-up, actor, former member of the Texas Legislature
- Chuck Knoblauch, 1991 MLB rookie of the year. four-time all-star, four-time MLB World Series champion
- Gary Kubiak, former NFL quarterback, Houston Texans head coach
- Randy Matson, Olympic gold medalist, former world record holder in the shot put
- Dat Nguyen, 1998 Lombardi and Bednarik Award winner, former Dallas Cowboy
- Jackie Sherrill, head football coach, 1982-1988, three Southwest Conference titles
- R.C. Slocum, head football coach, 1989-2003, four conference titles, three-time Southwest Conference coach of the year, winningest coach in Texas A&M History
[edit] References
- ^ A&M's Championships
- ^ Aggie Football Through the Years. Texas A&M Athletics.
- ^ Southwest Conference Titles by Year. Texas Almanac 2006-2007.
[edit] External links
| Big 12 Conference |
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| North Division: Colorado Buffaloes • Iowa State Cyclones • Kansas Jayhawks • Kansas State Wildcats • Missouri Tigers • Nebraska Cornhuskers South Division: Baylor Bears • Oklahoma Sooners • Oklahoma State Cowboys • Texas Longhorns • Texas A&M Aggies • Texas Tech Red Raiders |
