The University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) Tritons are the athletic programs representing the University of Missouri–St. Louis. They compete in NCAA Division II and are members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Following a student contest in 1965, the athletic teams were commonly known as the Rivermen and Riverwomen, used until the Tritons name was adopted in May 2007.[2]
Sports
University of Missouri-St. Louis fields 11 athletic teams (five for men, six for women):
The Mark Twain Building is a 4,736-seat indoor arena that serves as the home facility to the UMSL men's and women's basketball teams and the UMSL volleyball team.
The arena was built in the fall of 1971 to serve as the host facility for UMSL's intercollegiate athletics and recreation and intramural activities.
In 1986, the arena underwent a face lift with the installation of new bleachers, including chair-back seats on the lower level. Other recent upgrades include improvements in the facilities lighting and sound system. In the summer of 2003, the university installed a new, four-sided scoreboard above the court. In fall of 2006, due to storm damage, the gym floor was completely replaced with all new support and wood surface. The new court was named Chuck Smith Court after UMSL's first athletic director and men's basketball coach.
In addition to Triton athletics the Mark Twain Building has hosted other events included the MHSAA boys and girls basketball tournament games, and in the summer of 2002 it served as the home gym for the St. Louis Skyhawks of the United States Basketball League.
Other accommodations in the Mark Twain Building include a jogging track on the lower level, a swimming pool, lockerroom facilities, weight lifting room, equipment room and a training room.
Don Dallas Soccer Field
Don Dallas Soccer Field is the soccer facility for the men's and women's soccer teams. The soccer field was recently renovated in the summer of 2002 with complete new Bermuda surface, allowing for a safer and more playable field for the student-athletes. In the summer of 2005, the press box was repainted and a new scoreboard was installed.
Originally built in 1970 as an intramural field and was upgraded in with portable bleachers to seat 500 people in 1975. In 1982, lights were added and in 1986 a press box, restrooms and permanent seating for 1,350 fans were built.
The facility is named after the former head soccer coach Don Dallas. Dallas built the UMSL soccer program from scratch and coached the team for 23 years. He led the team to 236 wins, 16 NCAA Tournament appearances and the school's only NCAA National Championship in 1973.
UMSL Baseball Field
UMSL Field is the newest facility, haven been completed in the fall of 2009. It is located on UMSL's South Campus and includes an elevated pressbox with covered bleacher seating behind home plate for 200 and room for lawn seating along either side with a modern sound system, a full-sized electronic scoreboard which sits in left field, dugouts and bullpens for each team, and an infield tarp to protect against inclement weather.
