Central State Marauders and Lady Marauders

Central State Marauders and Lady Marauders
Logo
UniversityCentral State University
ConferenceSIAC (primary)
NCAADivision II
Athletic directorKevicia Brown
LocationWilberforce, Ohio
Varsity teams9 (5 men's, 4 women's)
Football stadiumMcPherson Stadium
Basketball arenaBeacom/Lewis Gym
MascotMarauder Man
NicknameMarauders and Lady Marauders
ColorsMaroon and gold[1]
   
Websitemaraudersports.com
Team NCAA championships
2

The Central State Marauders and Lady Marauders are the athletic teams that represent Central State University, located in Wilberforce, Ohio, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) since the 2015–16 academic year (with football joining first as an affiliate member from 2013–14 to 2015 before upgrading for all sports). The Marauders and Lady Marauders previously competed in the D-II Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) from 2012–13 to 2014–15, and as an NCAA D-II Independent from 2002–03 to 2011–12; as well as competing in the American Mideast Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 2000–01 to 2001–02.

Varsity teams

Central State competes in 11 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include basketball, cross country, football, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball. Central State's main rivals are Kentucky State University and West Virginia State University.

National championships

Team

Sport Association Division Year Runner-up Score
Men's basketball (2) NAIA Single 1965 Oklahoma Baptist 85–51
1968 Fairmont State 51–48
Men's cross country (2) NCAA College 1960 Mankato State 72–109
1962 Northern Illinois 77–96
Football (3) NAIA Division I 1990 Mesa State 38–16
1992 Gardner–Webb 19–16
1995 Northeastern State 37–7
Men's indoor track and field (2) NAIA[2] Single 1993 Lubbock Christian 77–70
1994 Azusa Pacific 84–76
Women's indoor track and field (2) NAIA[3] Single 1993 Wayland Baptist 97–65
1996 Wayland Baptist 96–86
Men's outdoor track and field (1) NAIA Single[4] 1993 Prairie View A&M 99–70 (+29)
Women's outdoor track and field (5) NAIA Single[5] 1991 Simon Fraser 115–81 (+34)
1992 Simon Fraser 140–125.5 (+14.5)
1993 Simon Fraser 132–116 (+16)
1994 Doane 96–71 (+25)
1996 Azusa Pacific 108–65.5 (+42.5)

Individual teams

Football

The Central State University Marauder football team experienced much success in Division II and NAIA during the 1980s through 1995 under then head football coaches, William "Billy" Joe (1981 to 1993) and Rick Comegy (1993 to 1996).[6] Under Billy Joe, the Marauders were NCAA Division II runners-up in 1983 and won the NAIA Football National Championship (Division I) in 1990 and 1992.[6] Under Comegy, a former assistant coach under Joe, the Marauders won the NAIA Football National Championship (Division I) in 1995.[6] The heyday of Central State football ended in the late 1990s when the university administration was forced to drop the football program in 1997 due to financial difficulties and a significant drop of enrollment.[7] In 2005, under new administration leadership of president Dr. John W. Garland, Esq, (Class of 1971), the university reinstated the Central State Marauder football program.[6]

Notable Marauder alumni who went on to play in the National Football League include: Vince Heflin, Vince Buck, Erik Williams, Hugh Douglas, Charles Hope, Brandon Hayes, Mel Lunsford, Kerwin Waldroup, and Dayvon Ross.[6]

References

  1. ^ Central State University Standards Guide (PDF). Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  2. ^ "NAIA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship Results" (PDF). Men’s Championship History. NAIA. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  3. ^ "NAIA Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship Results" (PDF). NAIA. NAIA.org. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  4. ^ "NAIA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship Results" (PDF). NAIA Sports Information Directors Manual. NAIA. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  5. ^ "NAIA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship Results" (PDF). NAIA. NAIAHonors.com. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d e Wright, Branson (September 10, 2011). "Cleveland Classic: Central State hopes it can return to its former glory". Cleveland.com. The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  7. ^ Price, Gilbert (2010). "Central State University growing, but still challenged". Call & Post; All-Ohio edition.