University of Central Missouri

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University of Central Missouri

University of Central Missouri seal
Motto "Education For Service"
Established 1871
Type State university
President Dr. Aaron Podolefsky
Staff 439
Undergraduates +8,817
Postgraduates +1,787
Location Warrensburg, Missouri, USA
Campus 1,561 acres
Athletics NCAA II
Colors Cardinal and Black
Mascot Mules/Jennies
Website www.ucmo.edu

The University of Central Missouri (formerly Central Missouri State University) is a four-year public institution offering a diverse range of academic concentrations. The University is located in Warrensburg, a town of nearly 17,000 residents located 45 miles southeast of Kansas City. UCM is widely known for its aviation, teacher education, college student personnel administration (graduate degree program), library science (graduate degree program), photography, and criminal justice programs.

The university houses and runs a NPR affiliate KTBG, at 90.9 FM ("The Bridge"), which features the NPR newsmagazines and other NPR shows such as Car Talk, with music consisting mostly of album oriented, adult alternative rock along with a blues show and World Cafe.

Contents

[edit] History

The University started in 1871 as State Normal School, District #2. The name was changed to Central Missouri State Teachers College in 1919, Central Missouri State College in 1946, and Central Missouri State University in 1971. In 2005, Missouri Governor Matt Blunt signed into law a provision authorizing Central Missouri State University to change its name, if so desired, to the University of Central Missouri. The University's name was changed on September 20, 2006.[1]

In 1965, the institution established a graduate school.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, men and women were treated differently in their dormitory living. Men had no 'curfew' and could come and go from their dorm as they pleased. Women, however, were required to sign in and out of their dorm and were subject to night curfews.

Prior to the 1960s, most fraternities had off campus houses surrounding campus. After fires at the Tau Kappa Epsilon and Acacia houses, fraternities and sororities were consolidated into university-owned buildings resembling residence halls - known as Panhellenic Hall and the Fraternity Complex. The Fraternity Complex is an octagon-shaped building consisting of 8 "wedges", each holding one Greek chapter, with the center originally containing a dining hall. This design won an architectural award soon after its construction. This tradition continued until the fall semester of 2005 when Sigma Phi Epsilon opened an off-campus traditional Greek house, and Sigma Nu began construction of a similar house off campus as well.[2]

[edit] School Songs

[edit] Fight Song

Go Mules

Go Mules! Fight to win for the team we love the best
Go Mules! Don't give in, put our name above the rest.
Fight! Fight! Fight!
Go Mules! We're for you and we let the whole world know
That at U-C-M, it's go, Mules go!

[edit] Alma Mater

Central State stands proud and noble, serving all who ask.
In the center of our nation, joyful in her task
Red and Black her colors fly, faith and vision, dreams unite.
Leading all who look for truth, to hold her honor bright.
Our beloved Alma Mater, Hail to Central State.

[edit] GIMPS

The University of Central Missouri continues to hold a very important role in the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search. The GIMPS project at UCM is a university-wide effort managed by Dr. Curtis Cooper and Dr. Steven Boone. Central's team (curtisc) is currently the No. 1 contributor to that project ([3]), and has discovered the two largest prime numbers known, M43 230402457 - 1 ([4]) with 9,152,052 digits and M44 232582657 - 1 ([5]) with 9,808,358 digits.

[edit] Athletics

Central Missouri's athletic teams compete in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, or MIAA. UCM sponsors teams in basketball, baseball, bowling, football, golf, soccer, softball, cross-country, track, volleyball, and wrestling. UCM's athletic teams are called Mules (men) and Jennies (women).

[edit] Men's basketball

The Mules have been playing basketball since 1905, and are among the top five teams in all-time wins on the NCAA Division II level. The Mules have won three national titles: in 1937, 1938 (NAIA before the NCAA sponsored a Division II tournament), and 1984, when UCM was the first school ever to win NCAA men's and women's basketball championships in the same season. UCM swept the Division II titles in 1984. (The University of Connecticut would duplicate the feat in Division I in 2004.)

The Mules are currently under the leadership of Head Coach Kim Anderson, a standout player in the late 1970's at the University of Missouri under coach Norm Stewart.

In the past 30 seasons of Mules basketball, the cumulative record is 594-276.

[edit] Prominent men's basketball coaches

  • Phog Allen - coached at UCM 1912-1919; compiled 84-31 record before returning to coach his alma mater, the University of Kansas.
  • Gene Bartow - coached only three seasons, 1961-64; coached for 34 seasons at the collegiate level, including succeeding John Wooden at UCLA in 1975 and creating the basketball program at UAB.
  • Joe B. Hall - followed Bartow as coach for the 1964-65 season before going to the University of Kentucky, where he would eventually succeed the legendary Adolph Rupp in 1972.
  • Lynn Nance - came to UCM from Iowa State in time for the 1980-81 season. Nance led the Mules to their third national championship in 1984. He stayed at the helm until 1985 and finished with a record of 115-35. He went on to coach at the University of Washington.
  • Jim Wooldridge - followed Nance, coaching 1985-91, in which he compiled a record of 131-48. His final three squads made the sweet sixteen in Division II. He coached in the Big 12 at Kansas State University from 2000-2006.

[edit] Women's basketball

The University has sponsored women's basketball since 1970. The Jennies began competing on the NCAA Division II level during the 1982-83 season. Prior to that, they were members of the AIAW (Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women). In the 35 seasons of Jennies basketball, only one season has ended with a sub-.500 record, that season being 2002-03. Besides the national title in 1984, the program has a history of great postseason success.

  • 1983 - Final Four
  • 1984 - Won Title
  • 1985 - Lost title game
  • 1986 - Elite Eight
  • 1987 - Sweet Sixteen
  • 1988 - Sweet Sixteen
  • 1989 - Final Four
  • 1990 - Elite Eight

Overall, the Jennies have a record of 19-14 in the NCAA Division II Tournament. They last participated in the Division II tournament in 2006.

[edit] Baseball

The Mules baseball program has been arguably the most successful program in the school's history. The team has taken part in the Division II World Series 13 times, 12 of those being since 1989. They have been to the title game three times, winning the title in 1994 and 2003. The Mules have a large number of current pro players, especially considering that UCM is a Division II school. In 2003 UCM had more players drafted into the MLB than any other Division I or Division II college.

[edit] Current Professional players

  • Craig Ringe (played 1999-2002) - Shortstop - Bakersfield (Advanced A - Rangers)
  • Boomer Berry (2000-03) - Second Baseman - Kanapolis (Class A - White Sox)
  • Zach Norman (2001-03) - Catcher - Clearwater (Advanced A - Phillies)
  • Francisco Leandro (2004) - Outfielder - Southwest Michigan (Class A - Devil Rays)
  • Steve Sharpe (2004) - Righthanded Pitcher - AZL Athletics (Class A - Athletics)
  • Shawn Callahan (2004-05) - Catcher - Vancouver (Shortseason A - Athletics)
  • Josh Outman (2005) - Lefthanded Pitcher - Batavia (Shortseason A - Phillies)
  • Mike Phelps (2004-05) - Righthanded Pitcher - AZL Cubs (Rookie - Cubs)
  • Danny Powers (2003-05) - Righthanded Pitcher - Elizabethton (Rookie - Twins)
  • Jason Schutt (2005) - Righthanded Pitcher - Burlington (Rookie - Cleveland)
  • Nick Webber (2003-05) - Righthanded Pitcher - Quad Cities (Class A - Cardinals)

[edit] Famous alumni

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Central Missouri • Emporia State • Fort Hays State • Missouri Southern • Missouri Western • Northwest Missouri • Pittsburg State • Southwest Baptist • Truman • Washburn
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