Tennessee State Tigers and Lady Tigers

Intercollegiate sports teams of Tennessee State University

Athletic teams representing Tennessee State University

Tennessee State Tigers and Lady Tigers

University| Tennessee State University
Conference| Ohio Valley Conference (primary)
Horizon League (men's tennis)
NCAA| Division I (FCS)
Athletic director| Mikki Allen
Location| Nashville, Tennessee
Varsity teams| 16 (8 men's and 8 women's)
Football stadium| Nissan Stadium and Hale Stadium
Basketball arena| Gentry Complex
Softball stadium| Tiger Field
Mascot| Aristocat the Tiger
Nickname| Tigers
Colors| Reflex blue and white[1]

Website| tsutigers.com

The Tennessee State Tigers and Lady Tigers are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Tennessee State University (TSU), located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. The Tigers athletic program is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC)[2] and competes in the NCAA Division I, including the Football Championship Subdivision.[3] The women's track team is also known as the Tigerbelles.[4] As a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, Tennessee State is one of three HBCUs competing in Division I that is not a member of an athletic conference made up entirely of historically black institutions (MEAC and SWAC), the other two being Hampton University and North Carolina A&T State University of the Coastal Athletic Association.[5][6] The TSU mascot is Aristocat the Tiger, and the school colors are blue and white. TSU's main rival historically has been Kentucky State University, an HBCU located in the capital of Tennessee's northern neighbor.

## Sports sponsored

[edit]

A member of the Ohio Valley Conference, Tennessee State University sponsors teams in eight men's and eight women's NCAA sanctioned sports and have plans for bringing back baseball.[7]

The only TSU team that competes outside the OVC is the men's tennis team. After the 2021–22 season, the OVC merged its men's tennis league into that of the Horizon League. All OVC mean's tennis members, including TSU, became Horizon associates in that sport.[8]

Men's sports  | Women's sports

|

Basketball | Basketball
Cross country | Cross country
Football | Golf
Golf | Softball
Ice hockey | Tennis
Tennis | Track and field1
Track and field1 | Volleyball
1 – includes both indoor and outdoor.

See also: List of NCAA schools with the most Division I national championships

## Athletic facilities

[edit]

Source:[9]

Tennessee State is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference Venue  | Sport(s) hosted

|

Gentry Center | Basketball, indoor track and field
Nissan Stadium & Hale Stadium | Football
Tiger Stadium | Softball
TSU Tennis Court Complex | Tennis
Edward S. Temple Track | Outdoor track and field
Kean Hall | Volleyball

## Highlights

[edit]

In 1957, coach John McClendon and three-time All-American Dick Barnett led the then-Tennessee Agricultural & Industrial State University to become the first historically black college (HBCU) to win a national basketball title, winning the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) championship. The school went on to win the NAIA title again in 1958 and '59.[10]

The women's track and field team won the championship of the Amateur Athletic Union national senior outdoor meet for all athletes 13 times in 1955–1960, 1962, 1963, 1965–1967, 1969 and 1978. The team likewise won the AAU national indoor championship 14 times in 1956–1960, 1962, 1965–1969 and 1978–1980.[11]

By 2009, approximately 100 TSU football players had been drafted by the National Football League.[12]

In 2014, From the Rough was released which is a movie based on a true story about the successes and challenges of the first African-American woman (Dr. Catana Starks) to coach a Division I college men's golf team. Starks helped develop several noteworthy golfers at Tennessee State such as Sean Foley and Robert Dinwiddie.[13]

In 2016, the men's basketball team ranked 17th in the nation for increase in home attendance. During the 2015-2016 basketball season, the men's team tied the school record for the most Division I wins with 20.[14]

The Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis, Tennessee is annually one of the largest and most anticipated HBCU football classics in the nation.[15]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Tennessee State University Brand Guide (PDF). December 31, 2020. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
2. ^ "OVC Member Institutions". OVCSports.com. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
3. ^ "Tennessee State University". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
4. ^ Organ, Mike (June 28, 2015). "Drop history-rich Tigerbelles name? No way, TSU says". The Tennessean. USA Today Network. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
5. ^ "CAA Welcomes Hampton University, Monmouth University and Stony Brook University as New Members" (Press release). Colonial Athletic Association. January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
6. ^ "CAA Welcomes North Carolina A&T as Newest Member of the Conference" (Press release). Colonial Athletic Association. February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
7. ^ "TSUTigers.com - Official Site of Tennessee State Athletics". TSUTigers.com. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
8. ^ "Horizon League Announces Innovative Partnership with Ohio Valley Conference and Men's Tennis Programs, Adds Chicago State as an Affiliate Member for Men's and Women's Tennis" (Press release). Horizon League. July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
9. ^ University, Tennessee State. "Page Not Found" (PDF). www.tnstate.edu. Retrieved February 18, 2018. `{{cite web}}`: Cite uses generic title (help)
10. ^ "DIVISION I MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP RECORDS" (PDF). National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
11. ^ Tricard, Louise Mead (1996). American Women's Track and Field – A History, 1895 through 1980. Jefferson, North Carolina, U.S.: McFarland & Co., Inc.
12. ^ Insiders' Guide to Nashville, 7th. 2007. ISBN 9780762755677. Retrieved November 16, 2010.
13. ^ "Story - From The Rough". fromtherough.com. December 7, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
14. ^ "TSU Men's Basketball Ranked 17th Nationally in Home Attendance Increase". Retrieved February 18, 2018.
15. ^ "Top 5 HBCU Football Classics Ranked by Attendance 2015". HBCU Lifestyle – Black College Living. December 27, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2021.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tennessee State University athletics.

* Official website

Links to related articles

* v
* t
* e

Ohio Valley Conference

Full members|

* Eastern Illinois Panthers
* Lindenwood Lions
* Little Rock Trojans
* Morehead State Eagles
* SIU Edwardsville Cougars
* Southeast Missouri State Redhawks
* Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles
* Tennessee State Tigers
* Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
* UT Martin Skyhawks
* Western Illinois Leathernecks

Associate members|

* Bryant Bulldogs6
* Chattanooga Mocs4
* Houston Christian Huskies1
* Incarnate Word Cardinals1
* Liberty Flames1 2
* Murray State Racers5
* UTRGV Vaqueros1 3

Related topics|

* OVC–Big South Football Association
* OVC football
* OVC men's basketball

* 1soccer (men's)
* 2leaving in 2026
* 3joining in 2026
* 4beach volleyball
* 5rifle
* 6golf (men's / women's), tennis (women's )

* v
* t
* e

Horizon League

Full members|

* Cleveland State Vikings
* Detroit Mercy Titans
* Green Bay Phoenix
* IU Indy Jaguars
* Milwaukee Panthers
* Northern Kentucky Norse
* Oakland Grizzlies
* Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons
* Robert Morris Colonials
* Wright State Raiders
* Youngstown State Penguins

Future members|

* Northern Illinois Huskies1

Associate members|

* Belmont Bruins2
* Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles2
* Tennessee State Tigers2
* Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles2

Championships & awards|

* Conference champions

* 1joining in 2026
* 2tennis (men's)
* 3

* v
* t
* e

Sports teams based in Tennessee

Baseball|

Memphis Redbirds
Nashville Sounds

Chattanooga Lookouts
Knoxville Smokies
ApL
Bristol State Liners
Elizabethton River Riders
Greeneville Flyboys
Johnson City Doughboys
Kingsport Axmen

Jackson Rockabillys
OVL
Full Count Rhythm

Basketball|

NBA
Memphis Grizzlies

Football|

NFL
Tennessee Titans
UFL
Memphis Showboats
AF1
Nashville Kats

Hockey|

NHL
Nashville Predators
SPHL
Knoxville Ice Bears

Roller derby|

WFTDA
Chattanooga Roller Girls
Hard Knox Roller Girls
Little City Roller Girls
Memphis Roller Derby
Nashville Roller Derby

Soccer|

MLS
Nashville SC
MLSNP
Chattanooga FC
USL1
Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
One Knoxville SC
USL2
Tennessee SC
Tri-Cities Otters
NPSL
Inter Nashville FC
Nashville United

College athletics
(NCAA Division I)|

Austin Peay
Belmont
Chattanooga
East Tennessee State
Lipscomb
Memphis
Middle Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee State
Tennessee Tech
UT Martin
Vanderbilt

* v
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College sports teams in Tennessee

NCAA Division I|

Austin Peay Governors (ASUN)
Belmont Bruins (Missouri Valley)
Chattanooga Mocs (Southern)
ETSU Buccaneers (Southern)
Lipscomb Bisons (ASUN)
Memphis Tigers (The American)
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (CUSA)
Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Vols (SEC)
Tennessee State Tigers and Lady Tigers (Ohio Valley)
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (Ohio Valley)
UT Martin Skyhawks (Ohio Valley)
Vanderbilt Commodores (SEC)

NCAA Division II|

Carson–Newman Eagles (South Atlantic)
Christian Brothers Buccaneers and Lady Buccaneers (Gulf South)
King Tornado (Carolinas)
Lane Dragons (SIAC)
Lee Flames (Gulf South)
LeMoyne–Owen Magicians (SIAC)
Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters (South Atlantic)
Trevecca Nazarene Trojans (G-MAC)
Tusculum Pioneers (South Atlantic)
Union University Bulldogs (Gulf South)

NCAA Division III|

Maryville Scots (CCS)
Rhodes Lynx (Southern Athletic Association)
Sewanee Tigers (Southern Athletic Association)

NAIA|

Bethel Wildcats (Mid-South)
Bryan Lions (Appalachian)
Cumberland Phoenix (Mid-South)
Fisk Bulldogs (Gulf Coast)
Freed–Hardeman Lions (Mid-South)
Johnson Royals (Appalachian)
Milligan Buffaloes (Appalachian)
Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs (Appalachian)
UT Southern FireHawks (Mid-South)
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