Savannah State Tigers and Lady Tigers

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Savannah State Tigers
Logo
University Savannah State University
Conference Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Athletic director Sterling Steward Jr.
Location Savannah, GA
Varsity teams 16
Football stadium Ted A. Wright Stadium
Basketball arena Tiger Arena
Nickname Tigers or Lady Tigers
Colors
     Burnt Orange       Reflex Blue
Website ssuathletics.com

The Tigers is the name used for all of the men's intercollegiate athletic teams that play for Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia. The female intercollegiate teams are known as the Lady Tigers.

Conference affiliation

File:SavannahStateTigers.png
Former SSU Athletics logo (2000-2012)

Savannah State University holds membership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (as members of the MEAC) and participates in the following sports: football, baseball, basketball (men and women), cross-country (men and women), tennis (men and women), track and field (men and women), volleyball (women only), golf (men), and softball (women).[1][2][3] On March 20, 2010, the Tigers were accepted as provisional members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) beginning on July 1, 2010.[4] On September 8, 2011, the university was confirmed as a full member of the MEAC Conference, making the Tigers eligible to participate in all conference championships and earn the conference's automatic berth to NCAA postseason competition in all sponsored sports.[5] Before moving to Division I-AA, Savannah State was a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in the NCAA Division II (1981–2005), NCAA Division III and the Southeastern Athletic Conference in the NAIA (1929–1961).

Timeline

Conference championships

Season Sport Conference Notes References
1970 Basketball ball.svg Men's Basketball SIAC [6]
1979 Basketball ball.svg Men's Basketball SIAC regular season and tournament title [7][8]
1980 Basketball ball.svg Men's Basketball SIAC regular season and tournament title [7][8]
1981 Basketball ball.svg Men's Basketball SIAC regular season and tournament title [7][8]
1991 Tennis ball.svg Women's Tennis SIAC [9]
1994 Tennis ball.svg Women's Tennis SIAC [9]
1995 Baseball SIAC [10]
1996 Tennis ball.svg Women's Tennis SIAC [9]
1996 Baseball SIAC [10]
1997 Tennis ball.svg Women's Tennis SIAC [9]
1997 Baseball SIAC [10]
1998 Baseball SIAC [10]
1998 Tennis ball.svg Women's Tennis SIAC [9]
1999 Baseball SIAC [10]
2012 Basketball ball.svg Men's Basketball MEAC regular season conference champions
2012 Softball MEAC Southern Division Conference Champions
2013 Baseball MEAC Southern Division Conference Champions
Conference Tournament Champions
2015 Basketball ball.svg Women's Basketball MEAC Conference Tournament Champions

Team colors

The official school colors for Savannah State are Burnt Orange and Reflex Blue.[11] White is often used as a secondary color and for alternate jerseys.

Organization

Athletics at Savannah State University are administered by the Savannah State University Athletic Department. The department is headed by an athletic director who is responsible for the department's oversight and all matters related to the school's 16 NCAA Division I sports teams for men and women.[12] The department dedicates about $2 million per year for its sports teams and facilities.[13]

The current athletic director is Sterling Steward Jr.[14]

Current facilities

Most athletic teams have on-campus facilities for competition, including Ted A. Wright Stadium for football, and Tiger Arena for basketball and women’s volleyball.


Football

Sophomore quarterback A.J. Defillips warms up during the Savannah State vs. Old Dominion game. (Taken on November 6, 2010).

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The football team is traditionally the most popular sport at Savannah State. The games are played at Ted A. Wright Stadium. Since moving to NCAA Division I - FCS in 2000, the Tigers have compiled a 17-88 record as of the 2009–2010 season.[15] Prior to moving to Division I-AA the team compiled a 97-108-4 record in NCAA Division II (1981–2000), a 15-20-0 record in NCAA Division III (1973–1980) and a 1-1-0 record as a member of the NAIA.[16][17]

Men's basketball

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Savannah State competes in NCAA Division I as an independent and plays home games in Tiger Arena on the university campus.

The school gained notoriety when they finished the 2004–2005 men's basketball season a winless 0-28, the first Division I team to do so since Prairie View A&M University in 1991–1992.[18][19][20] The Tigers were the 2011-12 MEAC regular season champions and received an automatic bid into the 2012 NIT, their first ever appearance in any Division I tournament as a Division I member. The team posted a 21-10 overall mark and lead the MEAC in scoring defense, only allowing 58.9 points per game and were second in the conference in scoring margin (+5.4).[21]

Baseball

Savannah State Tigers
League NCAA Division I
Location Savannah, Georgia
Nickname(s) Tigers
Colors Burnt Orange, Reflexive Blue and White
Mascot Tiger
Manager Carlton Hardy
Uniforms
Kit trousers beltonwhite.png

CC5500

Kit trousers beltonwhite.png

Away

The head coach is Carlton Hardy.[22]

Conference championships and NCAA playoffs

  • The Savannah State Tigers finished as SIAC baseball champions for five consecutive seasons (1995–1999).[10]
  • In 1999, the Tigers were the #4 seed in the NCAA Division II South Regional baseball Tournament[23]
  • In 2013, the Tigers were the co-champions of the MEAC Southern Division and won the conference baseball tournament and the conferences automatic NCAA bid.

Team awards and NCAA records

Season by Season record

     NCAA Division I Independent        SIAC (NCAA Division II)       NCAA Division III        NAIA Southeastern

Team awards and NCAA records

Head baseball coach Carlton Hardy, 2014
  • Savannah State holds the NCAA Division II records of 46 consecutive victories in baseball and 46 consecutive victories to start of a season (2000). The team also hold the NCAA Division II records of 12.59 average runs per game in a season (2000), 58 total triples in a season (1998) and 1.18 average triples per game in a season (1998).[28]
  • Theophalus Gregory established the NCAA Division III record of 1.92 average stolen bases per game in 1974 as a member of the Savannah State baseball team.[28]
  • Gerald Smith, held the 2005 NCAA Division I top slugging percentage (.785) as a member of the Savannah State baseball team.[28]
  • Savannah State baseball player Brett Higgins (2000) holds the NCAA Division II record of 32 doubles in a season (in 49 games) with four other players and led the NCAA in RBIs (93), slugging percentage (1.010), and total bases (193) in 2000.[28]
  • Willie Melendez, former Savannah State baseball player holds the NCAA Division II record of 16 triples in a season (1998).[28]

Notable players and coaches

Some notable Savannah State baseball players and coaches include:

Name Class year Position Notability Reference(s)
Mark Eric Alvarez Right Hand Pitcher Signed as a non-drafted free agent, 1/29/06 currently with the Bradenton Pirates (Pittsburgh Pirates Gulf Coast League team) [29]
Brandon Jackson Outfielder Drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in round 16 of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft (#491 overall) [30]
Jeff Urgelles Catcher Selected in the 26th round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft by the Cincinnati Reds [31]

Women's basketball

Savannah State Lady Tigers
2015-16 Savannah State Lady Tigers Basketball Team
University Savannah State University
Conference MEAC
Location Savannah, GA
Head coach Cedric Baker (6th year)
Arena Tiger Arena
(Capacity: 6,000)
Nickname Lady Tigers
Colors Blue, Orange, and White
              
Uniforms
Kit body thinsidesonwhite.png
Home jersey
Team colours
Team colours
Home
Kit body thinsidesonorange.png
Away jersey
Kit shorts whitesides.png
Team colours
Away
Kit body thinsidesonblue 2.png
Alternate jersey
Kit shorts orangesides.png
Team colours
Alternate
Conference tournament champions
2015
Conference regular season champions
2015

The current head coach is Cedric Baker. Baker was named head coach on July 30, 2003.[32]

Conference championship and NCAA playoff appearances

Team awards and NCAA records

  • Savannah State holds the NCAA Division I record for fewest points scored in a half (3 points) which occurred on November 23, 2003 against Florida State.[33]
  • In 1995 the Lady Tigers led the nation in field-goal percentage defense (32.2%).[33]
  • In 1984 the Lady Tigers led the nation in Average home game attendance (1,750 per game average).[33]

Season by Season record

     NCAA Division I Independent      SIAC (NCAA Division II)      NCAA Division III      NAIA Southeastern

Women's Tennis

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Team Awards and Records

The Women's Tennis Team won the SIAC championship in 1991, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1998[9]

Women's Volleyball

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Women's Softball

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Men's Golf

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Track and field

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References

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External links