Arkansas State Red Wolves

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Arkansas State Red Wolves
University Arkansas State University
Conference Sun Belt Conference
NCAA Division I
Athletics director Dean Lee
Location Jonesboro, AR
Varsity teams 12
Football stadium Indian Stadium
Basketball arena Convocation Center
Mascot Red, (formerly The Indian Tribe, Jumping Joe, and Running Joe)
Nickname Red Wolves (formerly Indians)
Fight song
Colors Scarlet and Black

             
Homepage asuindians.com

The Arkansas State University Red Wolves (known as the Indians until Fall 2008) is the name given to Arkansas State University's athletic teams. The university is affiliated with the Sun Belt Conference in sports and maintains NCAA Division I status.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Indians (1931-2008)

The school's sports teams were nicknamed "Indians" in honor of the Osage Nation that inhabited the area until the 1800s.[1][2] The name “Indians” officially became the school’s athletic nickname in 1931 following “Aggies” in 1911 (sometimes called “Farmers”), “Gorillas” in 1925, and then “Warriors” in 1930. [3]

Arkansas State was a member of the Southland Conference from 1964-1986. Arkansas State would then remain independent until joining the Big West Conference in 1993, remaining until 1995. Arkansas State would rejoin the Big West Conference for two years (1999-2000) before joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2001.[4]

[edit] Mascot

Main article: Red (mascot)

On June 18, 2007, Arkansas State's Mascot Review Committee unanimously approved a recommendation for Arkansas State to retire the "Indians" nickname and all Native American mascots and imagery. [5] Chancellor Robert L. Potts promised a broad-based search to be guided by a Mascot Selection Steering Committee. The move for the name change came in response to the NCAA's 2005 ban on ethnically or racially derogatory mascots at championship events.[6]

The panel selecting the new nickname first narrowed the list down to twelve finalists: A's, Black Wolves, Red Wolves, Diamonds, Express, Mallards, Mustangs, Red Dragons, Red Storm, Ridge Runners, Ridge Riders and Thunderbirds. A meeting was held on December 3, 2007 to review the list, which was narrowed in January 2008 to Red Wolves, Ridge Riders or Express Train.[7][8]

Arkansas State officially retired the Indian mascot on February 28, 2008 during the last home basketball game of the season. The school's nickname is still the Indians for the rest of the 2007-08 school year.

[edit] Red Wolves

On January 31, 2008, Arkansas State University’s Mascot Selection Steering Committee decided to use the Wolves as a mascot.[9] The Red Wolves was officially approved by the NCAA on March 7, 2008.[10] The unveiling ceremony for the new Red Wolves logo was held on March 13, 2008.

[edit] Football

Image:Splitsection.svg
 It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article entitled Arkansas State Red Wolves football. (Discuss)


For current information on this topic, see
2008 Arkansas State Red Wolves football team
Arkansas State's Football Stadium
Arkansas State's Football Stadium

In 1970, as a member of the Southland Conference, Arkansas State was crowned the NCAA small college football national champion as Arkansas State defeated Central Missouri State University in the Pecan Bowl under head coach Bennie Ellender to complete an 11-0 undefeated season. The division national championship, in what is now known as NCAA Division II, capped three straight bowl appearances by the Indians. At the time, the division competed in four separate regional bowl games with the national champion chosen by the polls after the bowls.

After moving into the NCAA Division I level, Arkansas State recorded an undefeated season (going 11-0) in Division I in 1975 and was one of only two undefeated Division I football teams that year. Arkansas State was one of only four institutions to have gone undefeated and not win a National Championship at the Division I-A (now Division I FBS) level. Since Arkansas State was a member of the Southland Conference, and the league did not have a bowl game tie-in, Arkansas State was not selected for post-season play. As a result of this inequity, the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana was created (though ASU has never played in the game).

During the 1980s under coach Larry Lacewell, Arkansas State was in the NCAA Division I-AA (now Division I FCS), making four appearances in the playoffs, including a loss in the national championship game in 1986 to FCS powerhouse Georgia Southern, 48-21.

During the 2005 football season, Arkansas State finished the regular season as Sun Belt Conference champions with a record of 6 wins and 5 losses and was invited to the New Orleans Bowl. This was the school's first bowl game since the trip to the 1970 Pecan Bowl and subsequent national championship. The Indians lost to The University of Southern Mississippi in the game, which was played that year in the city of Lafayette, Louisiana due to the lingering effects of Hurricane Katrina.

[edit] Rivalries

Starting in 2004, Arkansas State has rekindled a rivalry with the Memphis Tigers. In 2004, the 24th ranked Memphis Tigers defeated Arkansas State 47-35 before the largest crowd to ever watch a game at Indian Stadium, 30,427. In 2006, Arkansas State beat Memphis at the Liberty Bowl Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee after a last second Hail Mary touchdown to secure the win, 26-23. The teams met again in 2007 at Indian Stadium, where the Indians rallied in the second half to beat the Tigers 35-31 after trailing 31-6 at halftime. The schools have met 54 times, with the Tigers leading the series 27-22-5. The Troy Trojans are also considered to be one of Arkansas State's rivals. The Red Wolves lead the overall series against Troy (6-2).

[edit] Gary Withrow Offensive Linemen Award

The Gary Withrow Offensive Lineman Award
The Gary Withrow Offensive Lineman Award

Named after former offensive line coach Gary Withrow, the Gary Withrow Award is voted on by the Arkansas State coaching staff and awarded to an offensive lineman. The award winner receives a trophy and the winner's name will be added to the Withrow plaque that is mounted in the offensive lineman meeting room. The award was created in 2003 and the winner of the first Gary Withrow Award was Kimani Jones.

“ The Gary Withrow Offensive Linemen of the Year Award is a symbol of physical toughness, God-given ability, unstoppable motivation, and true dedication as a team leader. It exemplifies the Indian lineman tradition, which Coach Withrow portrayed as offensive line coach at Arkansas State for 17 years. You are the best overall offensive lineman as selected by your coaches and peers of Arkansas State University. ”

—Taken from the plaque in Jonesboro, Arkansas. See photo.

[edit] Winners

[edit] Basketball

Arkansas State shares an in-state rivalry with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Trojans (UALR). Recently the basketball series has gone in favor of Arkansas State, having won five of the past six games with UALR (updated 2007-2008 season). The ASU - UALR series is one of the most heated rivalries in the Sunbelt Conference at times leading to altercations between Head Coach's and fans. The series is played twice each year. Once in Litte Rock, AR home of the Trojans and once in Jonesboro, AR home of the Red Wolves.

In 1987, Arkansas State University received a bid to play in the National Invitation Tournament. The first game was against the University of Arkansas. It was played in Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville, AR. The Red Wolves led for the majority of the game; however, after half time, Arkansas rallied from a 20 point deficit and won in overtime. It still marks the only meeting between the two schools in mens basketball. In 1999, ASU went to the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The Red Wolves faced Utah in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

In the 2006-2007 season, ASU won the Sun Belt West Division Championship, finishing just ahead of the University of Louisiana at Monroe. The Red Wolves would fall to the North Texas Mean Green in the finals of the SBC Conference Tournament. After an (18-15) season and a finals apperance in the Sunbelt Conference Tournament ASU fell to (10-20) the next season. This was one of the worst seasons in the history of the school. This led to the forced resignation of Head Basketball Coach Dickie Nutt. ASU then began a month long search for a new basketball coach.

On March 19, 2008, Arkansas State named John Brady as the university's 15th head basketball coach. Brady had previosuly coached at Louisiana State University of the SEC. Coach Brady took LSU to the Final Four of the NCAA Basketball Tournament in 2004. Brady will be the only head basketball coach in the Sun Belt Conference with Final Four experience.

[edit] Baseball

Keith Kessinger coaches the baseball team. Under Kessinger the team has finished mostly in the middle of the pack in the SBC. ASU has claimed several victories over major teams in the last few years, including the University of Mississippi, University of Kentucky, and Michigan State University.

[edit] Fight Song

On, On, On to victory
Brave team you're second to none
Let's make this game history
along with the others we've won
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!
with all your might
so that the world may see that
RED-W-O-L-V-E-S means Victory! Go stAte!

[edit] Notable sports figures

Recently drated or was picked up as a free agent:

  • Tyrell Johnson - was drafted to the Minnesota Vikings. He was the 43rd pick.
  • Darren Toney - was a free agents and was picked up by the Carolina Panthers.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "NCAA May Force ASU To Drop Indian Mascot". 
  2. ^ NCAA won't allow Indian mascots at playoff games. Noble Savage Media. Retrieved on 2007-10-17.
  3. ^ "Mascot Retirement". 
  4. ^ Arkansas State Historical. College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
  5. ^ Mascot Review Committee Adopts Resolution to Recommend Change (2007-06-18).
  6. ^ "Arkansas State chancellor forms committee to solicit ideas for new mascot", ESPN.com, Associated Press, 2007-07-25. Retrieved on 2007-07-26. 
  7. ^ "Arkansas State U. Panel Narrows List of Names for New Mascot", Associated Press, DiverseEducation.com, 2007-11-15. 
  8. ^ ASU mascot winnowed to three: Red Wolves, Ridge Riders or Express Train. Associated Press. ArkansasOnline (2008-01-05).
  9. ^ Mascot Selection Steering Committee votes to recommend ‘Wolves’ as next ASU mascot. Arkansas State Athletics (2008-01-31).
  10. ^ Rued, Monika (2008-03-07). Arkansas State Goes With Red Wolves. Associated Press. TodaysTHV. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
  11. ^ (2008-02-18). "Mandich Receives Gary Withrow Award". Press release. Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
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