Chicago State Cougars

Chicago State Cougars
Logo
UniversityChicago State University
ConferenceNortheast Conference
NCAADivision I
Athletic directorDr. Monique Carroll
LocationChicago, Illinois
Varsity teams16 (7 men's and 9 women's)
Basketball arenaEmil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center
Baseball stadiumCougar Stadium (defunct NCAA venue as of June 23, 2020)[1]
Other venuesDickens Athletic Center (volleyball)
NicknameCougars
ColorsGreen and white[2]
   
Websitewww.gocsucougars.com

The Chicago State Cougars are the varsity athletic teams representing Chicago State University of Chicago, Illinois in intercollegiate athletics. The university currently sponsors 16 varsity teams. The Cougars compete in NCAA Division I in the Northeast Conference starting in 2024. They were previously members of the Western Athletic Conference from 2013 to 2022.[3][4]

History

Melvin Bland was the first CSU student athlete to gain NAIA All-American status in 1974 as a wrestler. Tyrone Everhart also was a NAIA Honorable Mention All-American wrestler the same year. Fred Evans as a sophomore became the first black swimmer ever to win a national championship in 1975.[5] The Chicago State University Ice Hockey Team produced 2 NCAA Division 2 All-Americans in the 1975–76 season. George Hansen and Bob Janecyk were selected in 1975–76 to the NCAA (College Division) West All-American Team. Janecyk was selected two more times designated as an NCAA (College Division) West All-American Team goaltender for CSU in 1976–77 and 1977–78. He went on to play for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League.[6] The first NAIA District #20 Championship Team in any sport was the 1975 wrestling team, which captured the NAIA District #20 Championship coached by Dr. James G. Pappas. The Cougar Wrestling Team also won District #20 titles in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980.

In 1984, the CSU Men's Basketball Team captured third place at the NAIA National Championships.[7] The team's performance throughout the tournament was as follows:


In the 2024, the Women's Tennis Team earned a share of the Horizon League regular season championship and won the conference tournament. The team's performance throughout the tournament was as follows:

  • Chicago State 4 Oakland 2 (QF)
  • Chicago State 4 Youngstown State 2 (SF)
  • Chicago State 4 Cleveland State 2 (F)

This was the first time in school history that any Chicago State team won the conference championship and qualified for a first round NCAA appearance.

Chicago State joined the Western Athletic Conference on July 1, 2013 as part of a six-university expansion.[3] Along with the University of Missouri–Kansas City (UMKC), it was to have anchored the circuit's Midwest division. UMKC left the conference in 2020 and Chicago State announced on January 14, 2021 that it would do likewise on June 30, 2022.[4]

Chicago State is being integrated into Northeast Conference (NEC) athletic schedules beginning with the 2024-25 academic year. The Cougars will gain immediate eligibility to participate in all NEC championships and earn the conference's automatic qualifier to NCAA Championships. [8] This comes after the MEAC presidents voted against adding Chicago State to the conference. [9]

Conference affiliations

Sports sponsored

Men's sports Women's sports
Basketball Basketball
Cross country Cross country
Golf Golf
Soccer Soccer
Tennis Tennis
Track and field† Track and field†
Triathlon
Volleyball
† = Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor.

With the school's current financial situation and the needs of the athletic program, in April 2016, the University Budget Committee recommended that the Athletic Department "... study the benefits of being Division 1 or another division."[10] Chicago State University currently sponsors teams in seven men's and nine women's teams in NCAA sanctioned sports.[11]

All-Americans

  • 1974 – Vince Williams – All-American – 6th 220yd Dash Outdoor Track & Field
  • 1974 – Sudie Davis, Vince Williams, Willie Patton, Clifford Fletcher, Wallace Hunter All-Americans NCAA Track and Field
  • 1974 – Melvin Bland – All-American – Third Team Wrestling
  • 1975 – Fred Evans – All-American – Men's Swimming & Diving
  • 1976 – Fred Evans – All-American – Men's Swimming & Diving
  • 1976 – Scott White – All-American – Men's Swimming & Diving
  • 1977 – Fred Evans – All-American – Men's Swimming & Diving
  • 1977 – John Ebito – All-American – Men's Swimming & Diving
  • 1978 – Ken Cyrus – All-American – Second Team Men's Basketball
  • 1979 – Chandler Mackey – All-American – Wrestling
  • 1979 – Joseph Curtis – All-American – Men's Indoor Track & Field
  • 1979 – Joseph Curtis – All-American – Men's Outdoor Track & Field
  • 1979 – Mike Eversley – All-American – Second Team Men's Basketball
  • 1980 – Chandler Mackey – All-American – Wrestling
  • 1980 – Derrick Hardy – All-American – Wrestling
  • 1980 – Ken Dancy – All-American – Second Team Men's Basketball
  • 1981 – Eric Blackmon – All-American – Men's Swimming & Diving
  • 1983 – Jon Jahnke Academic – All-American – Baseball
  • 1983 – Sherrod Arnold – All-American – First Team Men's Basketball
  • 1983 – Stanley Griffin – All-American – First Team Men's Outdoor Track & Field
  • 1984 – Charles Perry – All-Tournament Team – First Team Men's Basketball
  • 1984 – Denise Bullocks – All-American – Women's Outdoor Track & Field
  • 1984 – Denise Bullocks – Outstanding Performer – Women's Outdoor Track & Field
  • 1984 – Denise Bullocks – Scholar-Athlete – Women's Outdoor Track & Field
  • 1984 – Learando Drake – All-American – Third Team Men's Basketball
  • 1984 – Lionel Keys – All-American – Wrestling
  • 1986 – Jimmy McGriff – All-American – Men's Indoor Track & Field
  • 1987 – Chris Garrett – All-American – Men's Outdoor Track & Field
  • 1987 – David Rogan – All-American – Men's Indoor Track & Field
  • 1987 – David Rogan – All-American – Men's Outdoor Track & Field
  • 1987 – Deanail Mitchell – All-American – Men's Indoor Track & Field
  • 1987 – Deanail Mitchell – All-American – Men's Outdoor Track & Field
  • 1987 – Denise Bullocks – All-American – Women's Indoor Track & Field
  • 1987 – Denise Bullocks – All-American – Women's Outdoor Track & Field
  • 1987 – Enos Watts – All-American – Men's Outdoor Track & Field

Notable former athletes

References

  1. ^ "Chicago State University Board of Trustees Announces Discontinuation of Baseball". www.gocsucougars.com. Chicago State University Athletics. June 23, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  2. ^ Chicago State University Brand Style Guide (PDF). September 1, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Chicago State University Joins Western Athletic Conference," Chicago State University Athletics, Wednesday, December 5, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2013
  4. ^ a b "Chicago State University Announces Plan to Leave Western Athletic Conference in June 2022," Chicago State University Athletics, Thursday, January 14, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2021
  5. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (June 1975). "Ebony". {{cite journal}}: |last1= has generic name (help); Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ^ "Bob Janecyk". Hockeygoalies.org. Retrieved 2015-07-12.
  7. ^ "NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. December 23, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-23. Retrieved 2009-04-01.
  8. ^ "Windy City Welcome: Chicago State Roars Into NEC". northeastconference.org. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  9. ^ Sports, HBCU (2022-05-02). "Report: MEAC presidents nix vote to add Chicago State to conference". Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  10. ^ "University Budget Committee minutes" (PDF). Chicago State University. April 26, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  11. ^ "The Official Site of Chicago State Athletics". Gocsucougars.com. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  12. ^ "Men's Basketball History".
  13. ^ Kiley, Mike (February 13, 1986). "Chicago State's 'Secret' Out: Senior Brittman Feeling Left Out Of Limelight". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  14. ^ The Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
  15. ^ Encyclopedia of Women and Baseball
  16. ^ "newsstory". 2002-08-12. Archived from the original on 2002-08-12. Retrieved 2011-10-18.
  17. ^ Goodwin, Marvin (July 2, 2010). "David Holston camp teaches youngsters basketball, life skills". The Oakland Press. Archived from the original on August 25, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  18. ^ "NHL Player Search: Bob T. Janecyk". Legends of Hockey. National Hockey League Players' Association. 1997. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  19. ^ Rosenthal, Ken (November 15, 2016). "The amazing story behind the Chicago Cubs' No. 11". Fox Sports. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  20. ^ "Wayne J. Molis, 58". Chicago Tribune. March 27, 2002. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  21. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). NBA.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-12-24. Retrieved 2021-11-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. ^ "College Basketball News, Videos, Scores, Teams, Standings, Stats".
  23. ^ Litzky, Frank (February 7, 2007). "Willye B. White, the First 5-Time U.S. Track Olympian, Dies at 67". The New York Times. New York Times. Retrieved May 3, 2012.