| Houston Cougars | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | University of Houston |
| Conference | Big 12 |
| NCAA | Division I (FBS) |
| Athletic director | Eddie Nuñez |
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| Varsity teams | 17 |
| Football stadium | TDECU Stadium |
| Basketball arena | Fertitta Center |
| Baseball stadium | Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park |
| Softball stadium | Cougar Softball Stadium |
| Mascot | Shasta |
| Nickname | Cougars |
| Fight song | Cougar Fight Song |
| Colors | Scarlet and white[1] |
| Website | uhcougars |
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TheHouston Cougars are the athletic teams representing theUniversity of Houston. Informally, the Houston Cougars have also been referred to as theCoogs,[2]UH, or simplyHouston. Houston's nickname was suggested by early physical education instructor of the university and former head football coach,John R. Bender after one of his former teams, Washington State later adopted the mascot and nickname.[3] The teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and the Football Bowl Subdivision as members of theBig 12 Conference.
The official school colors of the University of Houston are scarlet red and albino white, and the mascot is a cougar namedShasta. Houston's traditional rival has beenRice with whom the Cougars shared a conference for thirty-three non-consecutive years (see alsoHouston–Rice rivalry).
Houston has had notable sports teams in its history, includingPhi Slama Jama and the sixteen-time national championmen's golf team. The university's campus is home to many on-campus athletic facilities includingTDECU Stadium (on the site of the formerRobertson Stadium),Fertitta Center, andSchroeder Park.
Prior to 1960, Houston was a member of several athletic conferences including theLone Star Conference,Gulf Coast Conference, andMissouri Valley Conference. From 1960 until 1971, Houston competed as an independent. From 1971 until 1996, Houston's sports teams were a part of theSouthwest Conference. After the dissolution of that conference in 1996, the Cougars became charter members ofConference USA. Houston remained a member of Conference USA until 2013 when they joined theAmerican Athletic Conference. In September 2021, Houston received and accepted a membership offer to theBig 12 Conference. They became members of the Big 12 on July 1, 2023.
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Cross country |
| Cross country | Golf |
| Football | Soccer |
| Golf | Softball |
| Track and field† | Swimming and diving |
| Tennis | |
| Track and field† | |
| Volleyball | |
| † – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor | |
The most recently added sport was women's golf. Two players represented UH as individuals in the 2014 season (played during the 2013–14 school year), and a complete team was formed starting in the 2014–15 season.[4]
The Houston Cougars men's basketball team represents the University of Houston in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Cougars Men's basketball team plays in the Big 12 Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in 2024. The Cougars are currently coached byKelvin Sampson. The Cougars play their home games in theFertitta Center, which opened during the 2018–19 season after renovation of the former Hofheinz Pavilion. During the renovation, home games were played atH&PE Arena atTexas Southern University.
Notable players for the UH men's basketball team includeBasketball Hall of FamersHakeem Olajuwon andClyde Drexler (who would win two and one NBA Championships respectively, both for the hometownHouston Rockets in 1994–95, with Olajuwon being the Finals MVP for both titles) and also were part of the legendary Cougars fraternityPhi Slama Jama, as well asOtis Birdsong and Hall of FamerElvin Hayes (who would win one NBA Championship with theWashington Bullets in 1978). Each of these players has had his number retired. Notable coaches for the Cougars areGuy Lewis, Clyde Drexler and Kelvin Sampson. Notable games for the Cougars include the first nationally syndicated NCAA basketball game, known as the "Game of the Century," and the NCAA National Championship Games in1983 and1984.
In the modern era, the Cougars have re-established themselves as a national powerhouse under head coachKelvin Sampson. Houston reached theFinal Four in 2021 and again in 2025, where they would finish the season as national semi-finalist. After moving to theBig 12 Conference in 2023, the Cougars quickly proved competitive, capturing both regular season and conference tournament titles in 2024 and 2025. Known for their defensive intensity and physical style of play, the Cougars have consistently finished near the top of national defensive rankings. This resurgence has made Houston one of the most respected programs in college basketball today.
The women's team has made the NCAA Tournament in 1988, 1992, 2004, 2005, and 2011.
UH fielded its first varsity intercollegiate football team in 1946. The Houston Cougars football team currently competes in theNCAA Division IFootball Bowl Subdivision. After completing 18 seasons in C-USA in2012, the Cougars joined the American Athletic Conference in 2013.
The team played its home games atRobertson Stadium before it was closed and demolished after the 2012 season. The Cougars divided their home schedule in their first AAC season betweenReliant Stadium andBBVA Compass Stadium; the newTDECU Stadium opened on the Robertson Stadium site in 2014.
The2015 Houston Cougars football team, led by then first-year head coachTom Herman, enjoyed one of the most successful seasons in program history. The Cougars finished the season with a 13–1 record, winning theAmerican Athletic Conference (AAC) Championship by defeatingTemple 24–13. Their performance earned them a spot in the2015 Peach Bowl, one of the prestigious New Year's Six bowl games. In the Peach Bowl, Houston defeated ninth-rankedFlorida State 38–24, securing the program's first major bowl victory since the1980 Cotton Bowl and finishing the season ranked No. 8 in the final AP Poll.
The Cougars are coached byWillie Fritz, who was named head coach in December 2023. The Cougars joined theBig 12 Conference on July 1, 2023.
TheHouston Cougars men's golf program, founded in 1946, is one of the most successful in NCAA history. Under legendary coachDave Williams, the Cougars won 16 NCAA team national championships between 1956 and 1985, the second most all-time. The program also produced eight individual national champions and numerousPGA Tour professionals, includingFred Couples andFuzzy Zoeller. Now competing in theBig 12 Conference, Houston continues its tradition of excellence under head coachJonathan Dismuke.
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Along with the university's other athletic teams, the baseball team is a member of the Big 12 Conference as a Division I team. They play their home games atSchroeder Park and are currently coached byTodd Whitting. The Houston Cougars baseball program has appeared in 22 NCAA Regionals, four Super Regionals, and twoCollege World Series.
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The Houston Cougars softball team is the college softball team of the University of Houston. The team is a member of the Big 12 Conference as a Division I team. Their home games are played atCougar Softball Stadium on-campus. The team was established in 2001, and has appeared in nine NCAA Regionals and two Super Regionals.
The Houston Cougars men's cross country team represents theUniversity of Houston in NCAA Division I competition. The program’s highlight came in 1960 when the Cougars won theNCAA Division I men's cross country championship, the only team title in program history. Houston now competes in theBig 12 Conference.
Houston has won 17 NCAA team national championships.[5]
The University of Houston Ice Hockey Club competes in theAmerican Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). The team was originally formed in 1935 but was disbanded during the mid-20th century. In the fall of 2023, the club was resurrected and played its first game post-revival againstEast Texas Baptist University.[6]
Since its return, the University of Houston Ice Hockey Club has actively participated in games against other traditional rivals, including theUniversity of Texas at Austin,Southern Methodist University,Texas Christian University,University of Texas at San Antonio, andTexas State University. The team's re-establishment has been met with enthusiasm from students and alumni, contributing to the growing popularity of ice hockey within the city ofHouston.
The club's home games are played at the Sugar Land Ice & Sports Center, where they have begun to establish a dedicated fan base. The team's roster includes a diverse group of players, many of whom bring previous competitive hockey experience from high school and various junior hockey leagues.
The University of Houston Rugby Club playscollege rugby in the Southwest Collegiate Rugby Conference[7] ofDivision 1-A Rugby which also includes Rice, Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin, Texas A&M, Texas State, and Texas Tech.[8] The UH Rugby Club previously played Division III college rugby.[9]
The University of Houston Cricket Club won the 2019 National College Cricket Association championship.[10]
Houston's most meaningful current rivalry is with cross-town Rice University, which is a member of the American Athletic Conference. The Cougars andRice Owls have competed in football, annually with a few exceptions, for a trophy known as the "Bayou Bucket", referencing one of the city of Houston's nicknames as the "Bayou City."
Another notable rivalry for Houston was withTexas Tech University, also a former member of theSouthwest Conference. The Cougars and Red Raiders met frequently in football and other sports during their shared conference years, with many competitive and high-scoring games fueling the rivalry. Though conference realignments limited regular matchups for several years, the rivalry has seen renewed interest with both schools now competing in theBig 12 Conference against one another since 2023.
Historically, theUniversity of Texas was one of Houston's principal rivals, when Houston was part of the now-defunctSouthwest Conference. This rivalry gave rise to theHouston Cougar Paw tradition.[11]
Most of the university's major sports facilities are located along Cullen Boulevard, the central traffic artery through the campus. At times in the past, some of the university's teams have played their home games at off-campus venues such as theAstrodome andRice Stadium. Thegolf programs compete off campus because they do not have a dedicated golf course on campus. University of Houston's current sports facilities include the following:[12]
TheHouston Dynamo ofMajor League Soccer was a tenant at Robertson Stadium until 2011. The Dynamo achieved a home record of 50–16–26 at Robertson.[13]
| Name | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Harry Fouke | 1945–1979 |
| Cedric Dempsey | 1979–1982 |
| John Kasser | 1982–1984 |
| Tom Ford | 1984–1986 |
| Michael Johnson (interim) | 1986–1987 |
| Rudy Davalos | 1987–1992 |
| Bill Carr | 1993–1997 |
| Chet Gladchuk Jr. | 1997–2001 |
| Dave Maggard | 2002–2009 |
| Mack Rhoades | 2009–2015 |
| Hunter Yurachek | 2015–2017 |
| Chris Pezman | 2017–2024 |
| Raymond Bartlett (interim) | 2024 |
| Eddie Nuñez | 2024–present |
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