| Tulsa Golden Hurricane | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | University of Tulsa |
| Conference | The American Big 12 (women's rowing) |
| NCAA | Division I (FBS) |
| Athletic director | Justin Moore |
| Location | Tulsa, Oklahoma |
| Varsity teams | 18 |
| Football stadium | Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium (30,000) |
| Basketball arena | Reynolds Center |
| Other venues | Hurricane Soccer & Track Stadium Michael D. Case Tennis Center Donna J. Hardesty Sports and Recreation Complex |
| Mascot | Gus T.[1] |
| Nickname | Golden Hurricane |
| Fight song | Hurricane Fight Song[2] |
| Colors | Old gold, royal blue, and crimson[3] |
| Website | tulsahurricane |
TheTulsa Golden Hurricane are theathletic teams that represent theUniversity of Tulsa. These teams are referred to as the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (or variously as TU or Tulsa). Before adopting the name Golden Hurricane in 1922, the University of Tulsa (TU) had many unofficial team nicknames including Kendallites (from TU's predecessor institutionHenry Kendall College), Presbyterians (from the university's founding by thePresbyterian Church), Tulsans, Tigers, Orange and Black, and Yellow Jackets. The name "Golden Tornadoes" was chosen by TU football coach H.M. Archer (1922–24) based on new gold and black uniforms (rather than the previous orange and black) and a remark made during practice of the team "roaring through opponents" (during a season when TU went undefeated, including wins overTexas A&M and theUniversity of Arkansas). However, it was quickly discovered that the same name had been chosen in 1917 byGeorgia Tech. Archer then substituted the term "hurricane" for "tornado" and a team vote prior to leaving for the game against Texas A&M confirmed the official nickname as "Golden Hurricane".[4]
NCAA
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Basketball | Basketball |
| Cross country | Cross country |
| Football | Golf |
| Golf (to be reinstated in 2026–27) | Rowing |
| Soccer | Soccer |
| Tennis | Softball |
| Track and field† | Tennis |
| Track and field† | |
| Volleyball | |
| † – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor. | |
The Tulsa Golden Hurricane is a member of theAmerican Athletic Conference (The American). The Golden Hurricane were members ofConference USA from 2005 to 2014, winning 40 conference championships, including 16 postseason titles and nine regular season crowns (including three West Division titles). It's the most CUSA titles (Rice is second with 16) since the league realigned in 2005–06. It was a member of theWestern Athletic Conference from 1996–2004 and theMissouri Valley Conference from 1935 to 1996. In 1985, the MVC dropped football so Tulsa participated as anIndependent in football, but remained as an MVC member in other sports, including basketball. Prior to 1935, Tulsa was a member of several conferences.[5]
On April 2, 2013, Tulsa announced that in July 2014 it would leave CUSA for theBig East Conference,[6] which would rename itself the following day as theAmerican Athletic Conference (The American).[7]
With The American dropping women's rowing at the end of the 2023–24 season, Tulsa became an affiliate of theBig 12 Conference in that sport.[8]
Tulsa has won six national championships (three NCAA): four in women's golf and two in men's basketball. The University of Tulsa currently fields a varsity team in eight men's sports and ten women's sports.[9]
Tulsa has the smallest undergraduate enrollment of all schools that participate in NCAADivision I FBSfootball. The football team was most recently coached byKevin Wilson, He replacedPhilip Montgomery, who replacedBill Blankenship, who replacedTodd Graham who had replacedSteve Kragthorpe, who led the team to threebowl games in four seasons before accepting the head coaching job at theUniversity of Louisville after the 2006 season. Graham, a former Tulsadefensive coordinator, returned to the team after serving as the head coach atRice University for one season.
Tulsa has appeared in fivebowl games between the 2003 and 2008 seasons, including four straight: the2005 Liberty Bowl,2006 Armed Forces Bowl,2008 GMAC Bowl, and2009 GMAC Bowl. Tulsa's football teams have appeared in a total of 16 bowl games and Tulsa was the first university to play in five straight New Year's Day bowl games: the1942 Sun Bowl,1943 Sugar Bowl,1944 Sugar Bowl,1945 Orange Bowl, and1946 Oil Bowl. Tulsa football finished the 1991 season ranked 21st in the nation by theAssociated Press andUSA Today/Coaches polls. During the 2008 season Tulsa football was ranked as high as 19th nationally by the AP poll, and 18th in both theBCS rankings andUSA Today/Coaches poll. Tulsa also led all Division I FBS schools in total offense in 2008 (7,978 yds) and in 2007 (7,832 yds). Tulsa football finished the 2010 season ranked 24th in theAssociated Press poll and finished the 2012 season ranked 25th in theUSA Today/Coaches poll.
The University of Tulsa has threePro Football Hall of Fame inductees.Steve Largent and the lateJim Finks were members of the 1995 class, whileBob St. Clair was a 1990 inductee. TU shares the lead for the most NFL Hall of Famers among the Division I FBS football schools in the state of Oklahoma. The University of Tulsa can also take much of the credit for developing thepassing game in collegiate football in the 1960s. Tulsa led the nation in passing in 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1966. QuarterbacksJerry Rhome (1964) andBilly Guy Anderson (1965) and receiverHoward Twilley (1964–65) set most of the NCAA passing and receiving records, some of which still stand today.
The Tulsa Golden Hurricanebasketball program has had a history of success, includingNIT championships in 1981 and 2001, anElite Eight appearance in 2000, three Sweet Sixteen appearances, and 14 trips to theBig Dance. The Golden Hurricane have along-standing basketball rivalry withOral Roberts Golden Eagles. The two teams have exchanged atraveling trophy, theMayor's Cup. Tulsa is also known for developing many coaches who have gone on to great success in the NCAA, including formerHigh Point coachTubby Smith, who won a national championship while he coached at theUniversity of Kentucky,Kansas'Bill Self, and one ofArkansas' most notable former coaches,Nolan Richardson, who is the only head coach to win theNJCAA tournament (with Western Texas Junior College), the NIT (with Tulsa), and the NCAA tournament (with Arkansas). The current men's basketball head coach isEric Konkol.
In 2006, the Tulsa women's basketball team earned its first appearance in theNCAA tournament by winning Conference USA's regular-season and tournament championships. The Golden Hurricane's accomplishment came after back-to-back 19-win seasons andWNIT appearances in 2004 and 2005. Tulsa also appeared in the 2002 WNIT, making it to the second round.
The Tulsa Men's Soccer team has a strong history since it became a varsity sport in 1980. TU has won four conference championships (1991 MVC, 2007, 2008, 2009 C-USA) and eight conference tournaments (1991 MVC, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012 C-USA, 2014, 2015, 2016 AAC). Tulsa holds the NCAA record for both consecutive home wins and consecutive home games without a loss, set during the same stretch of 39 games from 1988 to 1992.[10] The Golden Hurricane has twice reached the elite-eight of theNCAA Men's Soccer Championship, falling to eventual championIndiana in 2004 and top seededAkron in 2009. Tulsa has participated in 11 NCAA tournaments (1991, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016) and has been frequently ranked in the top 25. The school has produced first teamAll-American,Ryan Pore, who played for thePortland Timbers, andKansas City Wizards ofMajor League Soccer.Terry Boss ofSeattle Sounders FC andLawson Vaughn ofD.C. United are former Golden Hurricane currently playing in MLS.Dominic Cervi plays forCeltic F.C. ofGlasgow,Scotland, and fellow goalkeeperTyrel Lacey has signed withFC Lyn Oslo ofOslo,Norway.[11] Since 1995, the head coach has been Tom McIntosh, a prominent figure in Tulsa soccer for over 20 years. The team plays in theHurricane Soccer & Track Stadium.
The Golden Hurricane Tennis program has string of success, including men's Missouri Valley championships in 1995 and 1996, men's Conference USA championships in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011 and women's Conference USA championships in 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2011. In 2007, Tulsa's top-ranked playerArnau Brugués-Davi ranked as high as #1 in the nation and a four time All-American, advanced to the quarterfinals of the singles competition at theNCAA Men's Tennis Championship, improving on his 2006 round of sixteen appearance. The University of Tulsa also boasts one of the nation's top tennis facilities, theMichael D. Case Tennis Center, which was host to the 2004 and 2008 NCAA tennis championships.
TU has won four team national titles in women's golf: the 1980 and 1982AIAW titles and the 1982 and 1988NCAA titles, with the 1988 title later vacated.[12] GolfersNancy Lopez (1976),Kathy Baker (1982 AIAW), andMelissa McNamara (1988) have won individual national titles. Other notable Golden Hurricane female golfers areStacy Prammanasudh andKelly Robbins. The team has won 12 conference championships:
The men's golf team has won 11 conference championships:[13] Men's golf was dropped after the 2015–16 season, but will be reinstated in 2026–27.[14]
Tulsa's baseball team played in theCollege World Series twice, finishing in second and third place. In1969 the Golden Hurricane made it to the final game of the double-elimination tournament before losing toArizona State.[15] First baseman Steve Caves and third baseman Les Rogers were named to the all-tournament team. In1971 Tulsa lasted until the next-to-last game of the tournament before being eliminated. First basemanJerry Tabb was named the tournament's most valuable player; pitcherSteve Rogers and outfielderSteve Bowling were also named to the all-tournament team.[16] Tulsa held the number one ranking in the polls for part of the 1972 season[17] before being knocked out of that year's playoffs at the district level.[16]
Of the Tulsa baseball players who later played in the major leagues, the most successful was Steve Rogers, who pitched for 12 years with theMontreal Expos and was selected to fiveAll-Star teams. Other Hurricanes who played in the majors includedBud Bloomfield, Steve Bowling,Mark Calvert,Mardie Cornejo,Mike Sember, and Jerry Tabb.[citation needed]
Tulsa dropped its baseball program in 1980, citing rising costs and the need to fund a full women's sports program.[18]Gene Shell, who had coached the program from 1965 to 1980, finished his career at Tulsa with a 478–199 record,[19] and was the fourth winningest coach in college baseball when the program ended.[20] In recent years, the university has been reported on several occasions to be considering whether to restore the baseball program; a formal study was conducted in 2009 after theTulsa Drillers moved into their newdowntown stadium, leavingDrillers Stadium potentially available for college baseball, but the school concluded that the financial demands of adding a new sport were more than it could accept.[17][21]
The Golden Hurricane softball team won Conference USA regular season and tournament championships in 2006 and 2009. The men's golf team won the Conference USA championship in 2007.
From 1994 to 2009, Tulsa's mascot wasCaptain 'Cane, ananthropomorphized goldenhurricane with human attributes such as biceps, clothes, and a perpetual smirk. This representation of Captain 'Cane was named byFox Sports as the second worst mascot in the country.[22] From 1977 to 1994, the mascot was known asHurc orHuffy.[23] In 2009, Captain Cane was redesigned as a human superhero with the power to summon weather.[23]
As of July 2, 2015,[update] Tulsa has 3 team national championships (one NCAA and two AIAW titles), all in women's golf.[24] During the one year of overlapping dual NCAA and AIAW championships (1981–82), Tulsa was the only school to win both championships in one sport.
Tulsa has won one NCAA team national championship.
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