Arkansas State Indians

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The Arkansas State University Indians are athletic teams affiliated with the Sun Belt Conference in sports and maintains NCAA Division I status in the major sports including football where A-State is a Football Bowl Subdivision program.

Contents

[edit] Nickname

The school's sports teams are nicknamed "Indians" in honor of the Osage Nation that inhabited the area until the 1800s.[1] [2]

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. The timeframe for finding a new mascot is yet to be determined.[3] Chancellor Robert L. Potts promised a broad-based search to be guided by a Mascot Selection Steering Committee. The move for the name change comes in response to the NCAA's 2005 ban on ethnically or racially derogatory mascots at championship events.[4]

The panel selecting the new nickname has narrowed the list down to twelve finalists. They are: A's, Black Wolves, Red Wolves, Diamonds, Express, Mallards, Mustangs, Red Dragons, Red Storm, Ridge Runners, Ridge Raiders and Thunderbirds. A meeting has been scheduled on December 3, 2007 to review the list.[5]

[edit] History

As a member of the Southland Conference, Arkansas State was the NCAA small college football national champion in 1970. The Indians defeated Central Missouri State University in the Pecan Bowl, held in Arlington, Texas to win the national championship and complete an 11-0 undefeated season.

During the 1970s, ASU competed at the NCAA Division I level and, in 1975, finished 11-0. ASU was one of only two undefeated Division I football teams that year and one of only four institutions to have gone undefeated and not win a National Championship at the Division I-A level. Since ASU was a member of the Southland Conference, and the league did not have a bowl game tie-in, ASU 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 bowl game.

During the 1980s, ASU was a powerhouse in NCAA Division I-AA, making four appearances in the playoffs, including an appearnce in the national championship game in 1986.

[edit] Football

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 extended an invitation 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.

Starting in 2004, A-State has rekindled a rivalry with the University of Memphis Tigers. In 2004, the 24th ranked Memphis Tigers defeated A-State 47-35 before the largest crowd to ever watch a game at Indian Stadium, 30,427. And in 2006, Arkansas State beat Memphis at Liberty Bowl Stadium in Memphis after a last second Hail Mary touchdown to secure the win, 26-23. The teams met again in 2007 at Indian Stadium. After trailing 31-6 at halftime, the Indians rallied in the second half to beat the Tigers 35-31. Both schools have met 54 times, with the Tigers leading the series 27-22-5.

[edit] Basketball

Arkansas State shares an in-state rivalry with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR). Recently the basketball series has gone in the favor of A-State, having a winning streak against UALR for 5 games (updated 2006-2007 season).

In 1987 Arkansas State University received a bid to play in the National Invitation Tournament. The first game was against the University of Arkansas. The Indians led for the majority of the game; however, after half time, Arkansas rallied from a 20 point deficit and won in overtime.

In the 2006-2007 ASU won the Sunbelt West Division Championship, finishing just ahead of the University of Louisiana at Monroe. The Indians would go on to fall to the University of North Texas in the finals of the SBC conference finals. In 1999, ASU went to the NCAA Tournament for the first time.

[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] Athletes from Arkansas State

[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 Review Committee Adopts Resolution to Recommend Change.
  4. ^ Associated Press. "Arkansas State chancellor forms committee to solicit ideas for new mascot", Associated Press/ESPN.com, 2007-07-25. Retrieved on 2007-07-26. 
  5. ^ Associated Press. "Arkansas State U. Panel Narrows List of Names for New Mascot", Associated Press/DiverseEducation.com, 2007-11-15. 
v • d • e
Sun Belt Conference
FootballArkansas State Indians • Florida Atlantic Owls • Florida International Golden Panthers • Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns • Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks • Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders • North Texas Mean Green • Troy Trojans
Non-footballArkansas–Little Rock Trojans • Denver Pioneers • New Orleans Privateers & Lady Privateers • South Alabama Jaguars • Western Kentucky† Hilltoppers & Lady Toppers
† - Will join the conference for football in 2009
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